2nd dog or not for GSD?

scaredycat

Hi,

I’m just enquiring about whether or not to get a second dog for my home. We recently took a German Shepherd from a rescue website back in September. The dog is Alfie and is a real treasure to us. He’s amazing with people, very intelligent and truly adorable.

My concern is that he is very aggressive towards other dogs, which I believe is more fear of them, which as a result turns him aggressive. When I am out walking with him as soon as he sees another dog he tightens up and tries to go for them. (it’s a real pain)

We live in Wexford out in the country up a long lane where he doesn’t have any socialisation with other dogs. I brought him to puppy training classes and walked him in town as much as I could when we got him but it hasn’t worked. He was over 8 months when I got him so the trainer told me he should have been socialised at 2 months – 4 months and that its going to be impossible to change him now.

Anyhow not dwelling too much on that, my question is that as the dog is alone 4 days a week from approx. 8am to 6.30pm, I feel really sad leaving him on his own and wanted to get a play friend for him. I worry that he will attack another dog if I get him and I really don’t want to be in the situation whereby I come home one day and one of the dogs has been killed.

The only dog he hasn’t tried to attack (when introduced to) was a very loving Labrador that the trainer owned and Alfie just paid no attention to her and walked away, so I am wondering if I got something very quiet and a bit*h would it make a difference? I don’t want to get a second german shepherd as I think one is enough and as I am also pregnant (not due until end of summer), I would like to get a nice quiet dog.

We are moving house in 2 weeks time and we are both off for the full week so if I was getting one, I’d like to do it when we are at home all week and then can keep an eye on them? I know it’ll take longer than a week to bond, but the plan is (if we get a 2nd dog) to try build a run and leave one of them inside and one outside until they have really bonded.

I would just like to see if this is something you can help me with and what your advice would be? If I was to get a second dog, I would like to get a rescue dog as it breaks my heart seeing them with no homes.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Nody

If your dog is afraid of other dogs adding another one go give him company is not recommend I'd say. That he's alone as you note is not good but it may be preferable to him spending the whole time scared at home instead! If anything look at getting him a dog walker for a few days a week who'll come over, take him for a defined route with no dogs and then return him back indoors again as a way to break up his routine.

Secondly I think you need a recognised behavourist (I'm sure other posters will be able to provide suggestions and/or the list to the website which I can't remember atm) to come visit you to design a training program. Alphie is very unlikely going to be overjoyed to be around other dogs but that doesn't mean he needs to spend his time lounging for them when you're out walking. This is what a good behavourist can help you acomplish but it's a field with a lot of "self taught" people who'd you rather not deal with (hence the recommendations from here is strongly recommended over googling who're closest or cheapest).

the_syco

Probably best to help the dog get on with other dogs first. Check around for dog socialisation courses. Please note; be wary of anyone who just puts dogs into the same room as other dogs as a first step, as this usually does more harm than good.

DBB

In my experience OP, getting another dog does nothing to help a dog-aggressive dog become less dog-aggressive. The reason for this is that the dog gets to know the new dog, and all is usually fine.
But the vast majority of dog-aggressive dogs are specifically fearful, or frustrated, in the presence of unknown dogs.
So the likelihood of you ending up with two dogs, one of whom is still dog-aggressive, is pretty high.
Your trainer was right about socialisation between 2-4 months being important to prevent the problem you're having, but just exposing dogs to others during this time is not quite enough. They need to maintain contact with other dogs in order to maintain sociability throughout life. So, it is possible that your dog was socialised okay, but this was not maintained into early adulthood.
One thing your trainer is wrong about is that it CAN be fixed, or at least, substantially reduced. Your dog may never enjoy up-close-and-personal contact with other dogs, but it is perfectly reasonable to teach an adult dog to behave himself when out for walks, using behaviour modification techniques, and lots of pieces of chicken
You live in Wexford? You lucky thing! You have a fantastic behaviourist covering your area who is extremely experienced at modifying aggressive behaviour. Emmaline Duffy-Fallon runs www.citizencanineireland.com, and would certainly be able to help you with your GSD.
Good luck with it all!

bluejelly

I don't think a 2nd dog will help with Alfies aggression towards other dogs either but it should make a good companion for him during the day & reduce the guilt of leaving him home alone (it eased it for me anyway). It would be good if the rescue center allowed you to bring Alfie in to meet any potential new dogs first, although it might be best to make progress with Alfies aggression first as you dont want the 2nd dog to copy his actions.

ferretone

I don't think I'd rush out and get your 2nd dog just now, to be honest. I'd definitely take the advice of DBB and Nody, and get the accredited behaviourist to help you improve this problem first. I'd absolutely jump at DBB's recommendation of the one in your area: her approval isn't given lightly!

But I'd say you will have plenty to do working at the ideas this lady gives you for the time being, and that won't make it a good time to be putting in the effort to get to know and bond with the new dog as well. No dog is perfect (which of us is?), so there will almost certainly turn out to be the odd little issue to work out with number 2 as well. Much better to do this once you are well on the way to resolving your issues with the current rescue, who can honestly only be barely settled in at this point.

It would be fantastic if you could also get a dog walker to come in during the day too: you can't really expect a 2nd dog to take the place of human company altogether, no matter how well they get on. But if that's not possible, I would certainly at least put in the effort at sorting out Alfie's problems before adopting again.

scaredycat

Hi guys, thanks a million for all your advice and yes I think it makes sense to work on Alfie's aggression first before getting a second dog. I also like the idea of a behaviourist and I will definitely contact that person in Wexford. Alfie genuinely is a real pet and while he's maybe not as bad with aggression as I make him out to be, he is still aggressive and its something I'd love to help him with as that would be his only downfall.
Again, thanks for all your advice...its funny how it makes total sense reading the advice and I wonder how I didn't even think to do that first myself...
Cheers guys