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How to stop German Shephard constantly tormenting smaller dog

  • 28-01-2014 2:05am
    #1
    Cherry Blossom
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,957 ✭✭✭


    Hi folks,

    Looking for a bit of advice on an issue we are having at home. My dogs are at home with my mum during the day. She also has my brothers GSD when he is at work. The problem is the GSD won't leave my little Sheltie in peace. He is constantly trying to play very rough with him and constantly trying to hump him. The Sheltie just stands there and whines and yelps until he is rescued or can escape underneath the kitchen chairs. My mum is currently solving the problem by putting the GSD outside in the garden for most of the day which somewhat defeats the purpose of us having him during the day and he chases the Sheltie around the garden when he needs to go out to the toilet. Any suggestions of how we can teach the GSD to act calmer around my dog, he's approx. a year old, has zero canine manners, hasn't been neutered and won't be for the foreseeable future.

    Thanks in advance.


Comments

  • #2
    Bullseye1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,731 ✭✭✭Bullseye1


    Are the dogs walked together at all? What level of exercise are both dogs getting? To me it sounds like normal puppy behaviour in wanting to play. It also sounds like the GSD needs a lot of dog socialising.


  • #3
    Cherry Blossom
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,957 ✭✭✭Cherry Blossom


    Bullseye1 wrote: »
    Are the dogs walked together at all?

    No the dogs aren't walked together, I've tried a few times but it just ends up in a tangle of leads and basicly it takes 10 minutes to get 10 metres. My mum only walks my Westie to the bus and back to collect the kids, she wouldn't be able for more than one especially with 3 kids in tow.
    Bullseye1 wrote: »
    What level of exercise are both dogs getting?

    The Sheltie gets two hours walk every day with the Westie and there are no problems at all. My brother cycles with the GSD
    Bullseye1 wrote: »
    To me it sounds like normal puppy behaviour in wanting to play.

    It may well be but it's non-stop and is having a negative impact on my dog.

    Bullseye1 wrote: »
    It also sounds like the GSD needs a lot of dog socialising.

    That's just the thing, he doesn't act the same way towards any other dogs, including the other dog at home, he focuses all his attentions on the Sheltie.

    He already sleeps outside as he's used as a guard dog on the farm and if I can't find some way of calming him down a bit we will have no other option than to leave him in the garden on his own all day or leave him out on the farm yard during the day (where he is anyway on days that my brother is around as opposed to working away somewhere else).


  • #4
    tk123
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,045 ✭✭✭✭tk123


    Do time outs have any effect? So put him out for a min when he's bold and take him in?


  • #5
    sawdoubters
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,288 ✭✭✭sawdoubters


    you have to walk the dog together bring another person,1 walks 1 dog 1 the other


  • #6
    Cherry Blossom
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,957 ✭✭✭Cherry Blossom


    tk123 wrote: »
    Do time outs have any effect? So put him out for a min when he's bold and take him in?

    No he just picks up where he left off when he comes back in again. I'll try walking them together in the mornings but I'm not sure that will help either. :(


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  • #7
    DBB
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 9,770 Mod ✭✭✭✭DBB


    adrenalinjunkie wrote: »
    No he just picks up where he left off when he comes back in again. I'll try walking them together in the mornings but I'm not sure that will help either. :(

    If he starts again after a time out, he goes on another time out. Nice and calm, no shouting or anger. And if he starts it again after a second time out, he goes on a third. Then a fourth, fifth, sixth etc, if necessary. He must get a pre-time out verbal warning just as he starts the messing again.. It may take 15-20 repetitions before you start to see an impact.
    It takes a lot of patience, and it must be done consistently. He must be put on time out somewhere boring, 30 seconds to a minute, no longer, unless he's whining or barking.


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