I need some advice on a dog issue. Please help....

[Robeson]

...I'm not a dog owner, and really have no experience with them, so I'm seeking some advice to save a dog. Here's the back-story: Mrs Robeson has a friend who has just adopted a dog from a pound in KY. She has had the dog for about 2 weeks. She picked the dog because, when she visited the pound, it was the only one that stayed in the back of its cage, and seemed very lonely. The dog is about 2 years old, and is a German Shepard/Blood Hound mix. According to Mrs Robeson's friend, the dog was very sweet, and was a "lap-dog", but was very frightened of noises.

O.K, now, Mrs Robeson's friend has e-mailed and called her to tell us that the dog has been attacking her in the dead of night, and has bitten her and created several scars and cuts. She has taken the dog to the vet, who is keeping it for 10 days to test for rabies. Even though the pound she got her from said she was rabies free, the vet wants to make sure.

Here's the issue that has really upset me: the vet said that since the dog is continually attacking her, the dog will have to be "put down". The vet says that she shouldn't turn the dog back in to the pound, because it could attack its next owners. I just refuse to believe that some type of behavior training can't be applied, and that the only option is to put the "dog down". I just can't accept that. Not having any experience with dogs, I need to give her some advice, since, when the dogs 10 days are up at the vets, I'm very fearful that they are going to euthanize this dog. Please help!

[lukasahero]

1. I'm with you with caveats though

I believe this dog can be helped but I'm not sure your friend has the experience, or perhaps the understanding, to do it.

My guess is the dog is being frightened by some sound in the night (just going by what you mention here) which is prompting the outbursts. Alot of vets and even many shelters will say that once a dog has bitten someone it is beyond repair but I don't believe that. I don't know how you get the dog away from the vet though.

If your friend is willing to get the dog back from the vet and try again, have her contact someone about dog training (heck, have her go out to the Dog Whisperer's web site, buy his books etc). The dog needs to be reassured during the night and perhaps crating him during those hours would help. If the dog really is a sweet lap-dog during the day, this is all I can come up with as to why he/she is behaving like this at night.

I get very frustrated with people (vets!) who take the shortcomings of people out on the dog. Most of the shelters I've worked with won't put frightened, low-confidence dogs with people who don't have the proper experience to work with and train them. It sounds like this might not have been the case here but the situation is still salvageable IF your friend is committed to getting the necessary skills to manage the dog. For the dog's sake, I hope she is. And thank you for trying.

[LeftyMom]

2. I don't have an answer, but

I think the problem started when she picked the dog that didn't come to the front of it's cage. Dogs, after all, are just wolves bred to like people, so it's important to bring one with proper socialization and temperament into one's home unless one has the experience and time to take on a rehabilitation project. The attacking when vulnerable at night and the shy clinginess suggest to me that this dog has been badly abused, which could make the repeated biting very difficult to correct.

Returning the dog to the shelter isn't an option, either she lies about why he's being brought back and risks him being adopted out again, or she tells the truth and they will put him down (for liability reasons nobody's going to adopt out a large dog with a history of unprovoked biting.) My advice would be to talk to a good trainer or behaviorist now, and get their advice on whether turning this dog around is within the realm of possibility, before deciding to bring him back home. If she does try, she also has to be willing to do the difficult thing if he continues to bite. That's assuming that there are only largish, healthy adults in the home, if there's anybody more vulnerable around, she really can't bring the dog back at all.

Even then, taking this dog back into the home is a significant risk not to be taken lightly. The smart thing really is to put this dog down, but sometimes as humans we have a hard time doing the smart thing instead of the noble thing, which is both one of our greatest strengths and our greatest weaknesses. I can't tell anybody which I'd choose in her shoes because I don't know, but getting a few more expert opinions on the advisability of rehabing the dog is probably the best place to start.

[flvegan]

3. Need more info, really.

"...friend has e-mailed and called her to tell us that the dog has been attacking her in the dead of night, and has bitten her..."

What is the scenario in which the dog has attacked? Is the friend sleeping in her bed and the dog pounces up and bites her? Is the friend getting up for a drink/to use the bathroom, and the dog is attacking her then? Is there anyone/anything else in the house?

The dog isn't rabid. Rabies invoked aggressiveness doesn't only occur at night. It's an ongoing thing, and after 2 weeks, either she or the dog would be dead.

I'd also ask about the dog's behavior during feeding. Does he/she wait patiently, or is there aggression then?

[Robeson]

5. The dog attacks at night. She said it usally stays under her bed, ...

...and will come up and attack her while she's alseep. She said sometimes it will also come out of "nowhere" at night, and attack her, too. This only happens at night. She is single, and no one else lives in the house.

She said otherwise, the dog is very sweet, already follows commands, and is house and leash trained. Also the dog is not aggressive during feedings.

[flvegan]

6. Sounds like he's having surroundings issues. Simple solution:

babygate him in the kitchen at night and leave a small kitchen light on. I'd give it a couple weeks to a couple months.

I would guess he spent some time as a stray or outside at night without shelter (hence the denning under the bed). He may be having problems letting the past go. He needs to be assured that he's in a safe place. I think the pseudo-isolation with a small light (so he can be more aware of his surroundings in the dark will be a good thing to try. It's only been two weeks after all.

One more question: when he attacks, how long does it last, what gets him to stop, and how does he act afterwards?

[femmedem]

4. Try posting this in the Pets group.

I wish I could be more helpful, but I know more about cats than about dogs.
The Pets Group is huge. They'll give lots of advice.

Edit to add: Oops. I just saw that you already did post it in Pets. I'm so sorry the advice they give doesn't look very promising.

[Critters2]

7. A few thoughts, which I hope will be helpful.

First, though it's a little late for it to matter now, LeftyMom is right about your friend having chosen the wrong dog. Cowering at the back of the cage was a bad sign, especially in a large dog. Fear can easily lead to fearful aggression, which is especially risky in a large breed, just for reasons of strength. This dog has some kind of fear that it carries with it, and will try to protect himself. This may be difficult to impossible to overcome. (When I was on the board of a shelter, we had rules against adopting out dogs who were still spending very much time cowering at the back of runs or crates. They wouldn't be made available for adoption until this behavior was overcome.)

My first suggestion is mostly for practical reasons, but will help with training as well. Your friend needs to get a crate, where the dog can spend nights. Obviously, this protects your friend from the attacks, but it will also help the dog to feel secure. Dogs need their own space, their own den, a place that is theirs alone. This gives them a sense of safety and of ownership. The Vegan Beagle has two crates, one in my bedroom (upstairs) and one in the living room (main floor). She's almost never closed (locked) into them anymore, but they are still her favorite hanging-out places. She does go into her crates during thunderstorms (there's also one in the basement, where she is trained to go when the tornado siren sounds--even at first-Tuesday-of-the-month siren tests), so they clearly serve as a safe space for her. So, my first advice: crate training.

The crate work needs to start ASAP, for the safety of all concerned (get the best, sturdiest, crate available for a large, strong dog). Once this is in place, the next step, also to be done very soon, is to meet with a behaviorist and/or trainer. I personally would look for someone who uses positive reinforcement forms of training, rather than the "snapping the choke collar" style. This dog is already fearful, and doesn't need one more thing to be afraid of. He needs to know that he can trust your friend. So she needs to look for a trainer who doesn't use fear or punishment-based techniques. There's one trainer in this area who will actually take problem dogs out of the home, live with them during their training, and then work with the guardian before returning the dog. I have some parishioners who saved a dog from being put down in this way, and he's a great dog now.

So, I'd use the ten days (well, a good part of them) to get a crate, and get a trainer secured, then go to the vet in time to demonstrate that she's going to make great efforts to curb the dog's aggression.

As others have said, this dog has probably had a most difficult life, and is living with the results of God knows what kind of abuse, neglect, aggression. He deserves a good life, but it will take a great amount of work on your friend's part.

I wish her well!

[roguevalley]

8. crating at night is good. also, find someone who can retrain this

dog to get along. it will take a professional trainer to do that. poor dog and lady. I hope they can put this together. if she is afraid of it, she will need the help of a professional trainer. call the spca and ask for one, preferrebly someone who trains guard or police dogs.

[Robeson]

9. Thanks to everyone for some great suggestions....

...I have printed off what you all have said, and my wife is going to meet with her and give all your suggestions to her. My wife's friend was beside herself the other night, and she couldn't even talk about it without breaking down. Maybe what you all have said, will give her some hope.

Thanks again!