HELP! I Am Afraid Of Being Bitten By My Dog!

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Hi Sam. I did an internet search in hopes of finding a dog trainer who can help us. I’ll try to give you the brief version. We adopted Krista (GSD: German Shepherd Dog) from the pound almost a year ago. She is very sweet and gets along well with our cat. We decided to let her sleep in our bedroom on the floor and for awhile we had a problem with her pacing at night. That seems to have settled down a bit or we seem to be sleeping more through it now, I’m not sure which.

This is the current problem: Because we have the cat (who is declawed) we cannot let the cat have access to the doggie door. So in the mornings Krista is expected to go into the laundry room where she has food/water and a comforter which serves as a dog bed. She also has access to the doggie door and the fenced backyard. We live on an acre in Buckeye and I’d say about 2/3’s of our acre is fenced. Anyway, lately (and I’m not sure if it’s just since it has been dark in the mornings), she does not want to go into the laundry room in the mornings. We have had to forcibly pull her into the laundry room. Yesterday morning she snapped at my husband. We had a previous incident where my son had come to visit and he had gotten something to eat and sat down on the couch. Although Krista is never given people food and does not bother us while we are eating, she was intent on standing next to my son, sniffing and generally being a pest. She would not respond to verbal commands to stop, back off, etc. whatever we tried. My husband reached over to get her attention and unfortunately grabbed her ear. I’m sure this startled her and probably hurt, so she bit him on the hand. We were willing to forgive this bite as he was wrong to grab her ear. However, since she recently snapped at him when he tried to guide her into the laundry room by the collar, we really need to put a stop to this problem. I have taken to putting her on the leash to get her into the laundry room. I still have to pull on her to get her in there and I really don’t want to make a habit of this as I don’t want her to learn not to like the leash, but I am a bit afraid of being bit.

I’m not sure what the first step is, an evaluation perhaps? I know we live in the Buckeye area and it is very far. If you are not able to accommodate, can you perhaps recommend a trainer who serves the far west valley. We need to do something, I’m just not sure what at this point.

Thank you for your time.

Mary Ann Sellers

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Hi Mary Ann,

Is she afraid of going into the laundry room?

I don’t fear the bites you have experienced, since these were a result of handler errors instead of a dangerous dog, and can be completely prevented by not doing the same things again. But, things are going wrong, and they need to be sorted out.

It is clear you need to complete basic obedience with this dog. Too much force, too little working together.

Sam Basso
www.samthedogtrainer.com

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Hi Sam,

I don’t think she is afraid of the laundry room, I think she just wants to be with us. When it is time to go to bed at night it’s “come on Krista” and she goes right along, but in the morning when it is time to go out, you can “come on Krista” until you are blue in the face and she won’t come. Thus the force. So perhaps it is a separation anxiety issue? And I agree that we are not handling her correctly. Perhaps basic obedience is a good start. I forgot to mention we think she is about five years old. I’m sure we need training more than she does and I know our ultimate goal is for all of us to live together and all of us be happy.

Thank you again for your time.

Mary Ann Sellers

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Mary Ann and her husband met me at a local park and we did a single lesson to deal with the immediate problems they were having with their dog.

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Hi Sam, just wanted to give you a quick Krista update. Although John and I haven’t practiced everything you taught us, Krista is doing really well!! As of the end of last week, she was going willingly into the laundry room. I was concerned about this morning since the long weekend (Sat-Tues). But happily she trotted right in. She got lots of good girls and snuggles. So far so good in the Sellers household!

Thank you Sam!! Without your guidance we would probably still be at the battle of the wills, and the world without confrontation is so much better!! I trust that given enough time, John and I can be trained and teach Krista the things we want her to know.

Mary Ann Sellers

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Hi Mary Ann,

That is EXCELLENT news. And when stuff like this sorts out, then it makes it all that much easier to sort other things out, and to start enjoying your dog more. Good for you. Good for sticking with the homework and being patient with it.

Sam Basso
www.samthedogtrainer.com