My EX-ABUSED DOG IS AGGRESSIVE TOWARDS PEOPLE OUTSIDE... help!

[Amanda90]

I got a GSD a month ago and the guy I got her from told me her history that he got her of his mate who abused her, he gave her up due to it being a short-term solution to find her a better home as he had a house full of children and other commitments.
Going out for a walk the slightest unusual noise she will stand to attention and bark and try go wherever the noise is coming from.
Walking past passers she will lunge and attempt to go for them whilst barking, she is muzzled but all the same it spooks people and she pulls naturally on her lead as we found out!
I feel I can't take her anywhere with me especially if it's busy!
I rang the guy we got her from and he told us that it was new behaviour and she was fine with him?
She is fine though when people come into the house she just wants to be loved it's just outside this "anxiety" is occurring.
We have two other dogs, Dave (Bulmastiff) and Kani (Cairn terrier) whom she got on well with from the word get go both of them are very well trained well we had them since birth, so aggressive behaviour with people is a new thing to me and my partner Iv been reading up books, internet but I thought I would ask the real experts on here who own GSD and are a great passion to them as Roxanne is to us...
(please help me) xxx

[kita]

Originally Posted by Amanda90

I got a GSD a month ago and the guy I got her from told me her history that he got her of his mate who abused her, he gave her up due to it being a short-term solution to find her a better home as he had a house full of children and other commitments.
Going out for a walk the slightest unusual noise she will stand to attention and bark and try go wherever the noise is coming from.
Walking past passers she will lunge and attempt to go for them whilst barking, she is muzzled but all the same it spooks people and she pulls naturally on her lead as we found out!
I feel I can't take her anywhere with me especially if it's busy!
I rang the guy we got her from and he told us that it was new behaviour and she was fine with him?
She is fine though when people come into the house she just wants to be loved it's just outside this "anxiety" is occurring.
We have two other dogs, Dave (Bulmastiff) and Kani (Cairn terrier) whom she got on well with from the word get go both of them are very well trained well we had them since birth, so aggressive behaviour with people is a new thing to me and my partner Iv been reading up books, internet but I thought I would ask the real experts on here who own GSD and are a great passion to them as Roxanne is to us...
(please help me) xxx

Firstly, welcome to the forum.

How old is Roxanne?

With a rescue dog I always disregard anything I have been told about their previous life - this is the start of their new life with me and we take it from there. You never really know if what you are told is the truth anyway (people often lie when they want rid of a dog).

What (apart from the muzzle) do you walk her in? A head collar gives you good control over the head and can help stop them lunging.

You really need to start off with people at a distance, get her attention on you before she 'locks on' to the people. A good command to practice is the 'watch me' or 'leave' - but you need to get it in before she starts to lunge/bark.

Build up slowly, keeping people at a distance for a while. The more she practices this behaviour the more she reinforces it and wants to do it.

A month is still very early days, she will still be settling in with you.

Have you had her at the vets? If not I would take her and get them to give a complete health check so that at least you know she is healthy.

Has she been spayed? You don't want to end up with a litter of Bullmastiff x GSD pups .......

Sue

[zetstaff]

Hello + welcome to the best forum ever

That's all good advice from Kita. The only thing I might add, if I may, is that she would I think benefit from training classes, to get her used to other people/dogs she doesn't know.

If you can manage a bull mastiff you can manage your new bubba

There are lots of lovely people on here who can give you lots of fantastic advice, so enjoy this brilliant forum

xxx

[Kissy1921]

Welcome to the forum........

kita is right, with a rescue dog, you forget about anything you have been told and go right back to the beginning, treat it the same as you would a puppy, except that most of them will probably have the basics re toilet, sit, etc etc. which does make it a bit easier.

A rescue dog will not show its true colours, or so i have found, until it is settled and knows what is expected of it.

Give your new addition time to get used to you, your rules, your boundaries, your home environment and everything else, you might not see any improvements for at least the first three months tbh.

Also bear in mind, that this dog is probably very unsure, as to why it is with you, what is going on and what is expected of it. Start as you mean to go on, and try to be constant. As soon as your new rescue gets the hang of the routine, knows whats happenning etc etc you will see a definate change.

I have taken on many rescues, and some take longer than others.

If I were you, I would firstly let the dog settle with you, and feel relaxed , then i would just take your newbie out to a busy shopping centre, or anywhere busy, every day, and just find a bench to sit on, and watch the world go by, reassure your ward that everything is ok, maybe use treats etc, and you will find in no time that things settle down. Start off for short periods and work up the time periods until there is no stress, barking or panic moments.

Good luck, and well done on taking on a rescue xxxxxxx

[Nash]

Dogs don't lie, you can test for nerve and drive characteristics anywhere anytime. Rescuing is accepting the animal you saved, if needing certain nerve/drive characteristics it is better to test before bringing home.

Originally Posted by Amanda90

I got a GSD a month ago and the guy I got her from told me her history that he got her of his mate who abused her, he gave her up due to it being a short-term solution to find her a better home as he had a house full of children and other commitments.
Going out for a walk the slightest unusual noise she will stand to attention and bark and try go wherever the noise is coming from.
Walking past passers she will lunge and attempt to go for them whilst barking, she is muzzled but all the same it spooks people and she pulls naturally on her lead as we found out!
I feel I can't take her anywhere with me especially if it's busy!
I rang the guy we got her from and he told us that it was new behaviour and she was fine with him?
She is fine though when people come into the house she just wants to be loved it's just outside this "anxiety" is occurring.
We have two other dogs, Dave (Bulmastiff) and Kani (Cairn terrier) whom she got on well with from the word get go both of them are very well trained well we had them since birth, so aggressive behaviour with people is a new thing to me and my partner Iv been reading up books, internet but I thought I would ask the real experts on here who own GSD and are a great passion to them as Roxanne is to us...
(please help me) xxx

As she's been abused in the past that explains a lot of her anxious behaviour when out. She's frightened of humans now and the behaviour you describe is normal (in dogs which have been abused). GSDs are naturally alert and suspicious as a breed, but a balanced dog will observe new people etc and not go off on one.

I wouldn't believe the guy who said she didn't do that behaviour with him. People lie. He might not have taken her out! Dogs don't suddenly start an extreme behaviour that quick; it has to be learned. Roxanne's learned to fear humans through abuse and incorrect training.

But with the right owner and training they can change. It's early days yet. If your other dogs are well-trained she'll pick up behaviours from them. Do you walk Roxanne solo? What's she like walking with your bulmastiff for example?

When you take her out you'll have to gauge what situations she's comfortable with. So if she's not lunging and barking when you see someone 50 metres ahead but she does at 30, stay at 50. If mine was too reactive and doing his Riverdance impression I'd turn the other way and say 'lets go!' and when the dog's focus was on me I'd treat him. Then turn around and try again. Dog learns being calm with you gets reward. If she won't take a reward then she's too stimulated at that distance, so always set it up so she can succeed.

Originally Posted by Nash

Dogs don't lie, you can test for nerve and drive characteristics anywhere anytime. Rescuing is accepting the animal you saved, if needing certain nerve/drive characteristics it is better to test before bringing home.

When I took on my rescue lad I deliberately raised my hand over him to see if he'd cower, i made loud noises, jumped about etc. Threw a ball and he ignored it, he didn't know how to play

Apparently no-one could get near him with a lead; not aggression just fear - diving down to avoid it. Despite this stressed-out boy, I saw a responsive dog with a lovely temperament. He'd not been lead-walked and knew no commands at all when I got him... I like a challenge!

[Amanda90]

Thank you so much for all the good feedback!
Roxanne is 2years and she appears to be in very puppy mode very floppy at playtime...
We have booked her in the vets for February and check up...
She was underweight when she came to us but already she piling on some pounds my partner works in the food chain sales and will bring what can only be described as half a pig so I make stews for her with it and she loves veg aswel.
She has only a collar around her neck but I would like to get something that has more control in the head so I will be looking into that today...
I like the suggestion of sitting on a bench with her and watching the world go by, so she can see there is no harm.
She's not aloud on sofas or beds anymore which she was used to when we first got her, so she is just in her bed to help this behaviour.
She is very very clingy with me not so much my partner but me she will follow me about wherever I go.
I do think that this is a settling in period for her for all I know she could of been from pillar to post? Im not the type of person to give a dog up for no one not out of boredom, behaviour or anything they come first in my eyes and always will do.
Iv been looking at dog behaviourists but I don't want to overwhelm her as shes not been here that long I think at this stage for her it's seen as a doggy holiday? Is there any training I may do at home with her GSD lovers?
Im trying to upload pictures on here but the format is saying its too big =(
Lots of love thank you for making me feel welcome =) me and Roxanne xxx

[Amanda90]

Dave is very well trained on his lead and so is Kandi, he doesnt pull and ignore the world and itself he has never shown signs of aggression but we had him since a puppy he is 3years old...
I though exactly that too Anni, its not a new behaviour? Also tell tale signs: she had very very long nails when she came to us?
Its like she is overwhelmed when out, men are a BIG problem, women its temperamental just a grunt but men are a new kettle of fish for her.
I will take some treats with me whilst out on a walk... she did cower with my partner when she first came but came straight to me not hesitance for love she jumped up and her paws were on my hips and ears pinned back and just looking in my eyes ever since then she will come to me for a reassurance like New Year with fireworks, Im unsure if she had any female contact cos of this? xxxx

[Amanda90]

Dave is very well trained on his lead and so is Kandi, he doesnt pull and ignore the world and itself he has never shown signs of aggression but we had him since a puppy he is 3years old...
I though exactly that too Anni, its not a new behaviour? Also tell tale signs: she had very very long nails when she came to us?
Its like she is overwhelmed when out, men are a BIG problem, women its temperamental just a grunt but men are a new kettle of fish for her.
I will take some treats with me whilst out on a walk... she did cower with my partner when she first came but came straight to me not hesitance for love she jumped up and her paws were on my hips and ears pinned back and just looking in my eyes ever since then she will come to me for a reassurance like New Year with fireworks, Im unsure if she had any female contact cos of this? And I know what you mean about the "riverdance" ixxxx

Originally Posted by Amanda90

Dave is very well trained on his lead and so is Kandi, he doesnt pull and ignore the world and itself he has never shown signs of aggression but we had him since a puppy he is 3years old...
I though exactly that too Anni, its not a new behaviour? Also tell tale signs: she had very very long nails when she came to us?
Its like she is overwhelmed when out, men are a BIG problem, women its temperamental just a grunt but men are a new kettle of fish for her.
I will take some treats with me whilst out on a walk... she did cower with my partner when she first came but came straight to me not hesitance for love she jumped up and her paws were on my hips and ears pinned back and just looking in my eyes ever since then she will come to me for a reassurance like New Year with fireworks, Im unsure if she had any female contact cos of this? xxxx

Some dogs prefer women to men and vice versa. If she's been abused by a man then she'll love you, softer voice etc. Some people say female dogs prefer men and male dogs women but I've never found that. It's the person who gives them what they want most - and this isn't necessarily the one who walks and feeds the dog. I've found it's the one who does all the training (and telling off!) if there's 2+ owners. Sheps usually bond with one person - lucky you.

Get a halti or gencon (dogs tend to accept gencons easier I've found) for walks to stop her lunging. I think it's too early yet for a behaviourist, but don't discount it. Let her settle with you more and get your OH to feed her, walk her, train her to gain her trust. Play with her every day. The more training you and your OH can do the better - it reinforces you as a pack members and she's more likely to listen to your commands in a stimulating situation if you've done the ground work with her, though practice outside to build up.

Your confidence is important too - all animals sense energies. You see a potential 'situation' ahead, take a little sharp intake of breath, tighten the lead a bit etc and the dog senses all these things. Relax and be in control - I know it's easier said than done!