posted 02-28-2004 10:45 AM         

We need help with a (from what we can tell...) male German Shepard mutt named Chester (For the lack of a better term, I can tell he is part German Shepard, but no idea what the other parts are... - I will try to post some pics...)

This particular dog was purchased from a shelter as a young pup. He was brought home to keep our pure bred female Alaskan Husky company. They grew up together and played all the time. As they grew up, it was very apparent that the husky (Bailey) was the dominant one. She was very smart and always telling Chester what to do. Whenever he did anything wrong, she would snap at him. Unfortunately, whenever she would go into heat, she was VERY mean to him and fought terribly. She would often fight him until neither of them could move any more and he would be covered in blood. This was very scary for us all. We had thought of getting rid of her several times but couldn't bring ourselves to actually do it...

It also turned out that Bailey liked to dig holes which were very bad because we rented. If we filled in the holes and covered them with rocks, she would dig them right back up. Fortunately, we had a rock yard instead of grass.

Well, we finally worked on buying a new home and I decided that I would like this new home to have grass in the back yard. I knew that Bailey would rip it up and seeing as how bad and mean Bailey was (both to Chester and to us...) we decided to give her to someone who would treat her right. We found a good friend to give her to that we knew would take care of her the right way.

Well, Chester had always had Bailey around and always been a dog that only stayed outside. He barely ever got to come in the house. When we moved this this new big house with a back yard full of grass (he has only had rock...) we thought he would be the happiest dog around...

The first night that we moved in, he seemed to love the place, although a little skeptical of his surroundings, he seemed to like the place. He loved the carpet and he could run around a lot...

Unfortunately since we need to sleep, we decided that he would need to go out at night. He didn’t like this at all and whimpered. Unknown to us, he also clawed at the door badly and gouged out the frame and peeled off the paint from the door itself. The door also has glass and you could tell he had been jumping at it all night…

Now he loves being inside with us and follows us around everywhere but when it’s times to go outside, he won’t go near the door for fear of us “putting him outside alone”… He will back away from the door and keep trying o stay in. If we leave him out while we are at work or overnight, he barks, whines, digs under the gate, rips apart the door, all the screens are now ripped apart. We have no idea what to do. We cannot tell if he is lonely because of losing Bailey, spoiled because he wants to be an inside dog, afraid of his new surroundings or what….

He loves to lie around the house all day and loves to run to the park, but when it si time to go out because we have to sleep or go to work, he is a terror.

We are now trying to see what we can do to get a doggie door. We would love to have him inside all the time, but if he goes on the carpet, that would not be a good thing. He has no way of letting us know when he has to go out if we are sleeping or at work.

One small note is that when he tried getting in the back door by pawing at it, be for some reason stopped using his paws and used his nose. He actually kept pawing at the door with his nose so much that it cut open and bled. He also buried his favorite stuffed bunny by putting him on the ground and trying to push dirt on it with his snout rather than his paws.. This just seemed very strange to me. We think that he tries to bury his bones and his new rabbit because he was never allowed to have a bone or rabbit, or play with anything at all. Bailey would always takes nything from him right away. She was very mean to him. We think he tries to bury them because he doesn’t want anyone taking them from him.

We definitely don’t want to get rid of Chester. We want to work with him. We just don’t have any idea what to do next…

I think the doggie door would help, but what if the real problem is not that he wants to stay inside and it’s really because he is lonely. If so, when we are gone and he is in the house, he might rip apart the house…

We are so confused on what to do next. I know this message is very long, but I would appreciate anyone’s insight and help on this.

posted 02-28-2004 12:06 PM         

Now, it doesn't amtter what I do or say, when he wants in, he will continue clawing at the door, whining, jumping up on the door and windows and when I try to stop him - he doesn't even care if I smack his butt. He just tries to go right past me into the house. Getting him to go outside is the same thing. He doesn't mind the outside, only being out there himself.

posted 02-28-2004 02:09 PM         

I agree with the above suggestions - look into crate training him or restricting him to one room while you are away.

Also, do a search on "separation anxiety".

You never know, perhaps another dog would be helpful to him.

posted 02-28-2004 02:50 PM         

It sounds like your guy needs a lot of love, patience and understanding. Can you try to leave him outside for short bits and maybe desensitize him to whatever it is that he doesn't like? I agree with tuttifrutti, it sounds like something has scared him- what he's doing really sounds like a panicked reaction. One thing to try and not do, though, is give in and open the door when he's demanding in any way that you do. Doing so will just reinforce his behavior.

posted 02-28-2004 04:51 PM         

Not having a go at you for this just putting a point across so please dont take that personally.

German shepherds are very easy to train and providing that you stand by your training and never give in to a dog they will soon learn that rules are rules.

Since he is used to having another dog around he could be rebelling as he is now lonely and he feels he is being punished by being put out at night.

I dont agree in crating an animal but i would rather crate them at night than let them sleep out doors.

If he goes on the carpet this is not the end of the world it can be cleaned and deodrised so that there is no smell.
Providing he is let out or taken out for walks he should not have a problem with holding it.

Try getting up during the night to see if he needs to go potty and every couple of nights leaving it longer to take him till your into a routine of getting a full night sleep and him holding it till you get up.

As for burying his toys most dogs do this from boredom he needs play time with members of the household he needs to feel like part of the family not that he is only wanted during the day and then abondoned on a night to the outside.

Some dogs are very affraid of being alone while out during the night some one or something could have spooked him and this is why he scared of going out.

Sorry to have gone on but i am sure other people might disagree with what i have said and i am sorry if i have come across as being rude or nasty this was not my intention.

mike.

posted 02-29-2004 07:30 AM         

I don't really feel that it is an inconvenience to us to have him in the house at night and while we are gone so I throw him outside. The ONLY reason that we do is that he has no way to go outside if he needs to. THat is one BIG reason we are trying to get him a doggie door. We love having him in the house with us and we want him to feel that he acn come inside and out as he wants. We defintely don't feel comfortable with crating him and want him to feel happy. But I don't think he would like to be JUST inside either. I want a way for him to come and go as he pleases.

We also are looking at getting him a doggie friend, and posibly looking at a calm adult German Shepard. We are hoping that the doggie door, along with the companion will help him feel better.

He has destroyed many expensive things in my new built, very expensive house, but really, those things don't mean as much to me as how he feels. Those things can be replaced.

Again, thank you all for your assistance and if anyone has any ideas for a companion for him, your suggestions would b greatly appreciated.

posted 02-29-2004 04:17 PM         

My sister leaves her 3 dogs in the house at night and during the day when she goes out, and they are all fine. None of them are crated.

Although, I think she has to leave them in the laundry room lately, because the old ones are becoming a tad incontinent, poor things.

Anyway, I think you are on the right track. As far as a companion - make sure you take your dog with you before making a final decision, so he can meet the other dog and see if they are comaptible.

Mike has shepherds so perhaps he can advise about what sort of a personality to look for.

posted 02-29-2004 05:03 PM         

I would take chester along with you when you goto look at dogs and see how they get along.
For the first couple of days after you get a new dog you will find there will be some tension between them but this can usually be over come aslong as when you play with the new dog you play with chester at the same time like you would with children.

Shepherds love puppiys my mum says this is because they can mother or father them and also can boss them around plus i find having a pup with a older dog it helps keep your older dog fit as they have alot of running around trying to catch the pup and playing.

All in all taking him to meet the new addition will help you see how he will react being around another dog you will probably find he will be great since he is used to being around bailey and now he dont have her.

Good luck and keep us posted.

posted 03-01-2004 08:01 PM         

And wellcome to the forum! I put a doggie door in and it's been wonderful! No more accidents, and my dogs play alott more outside knowing they aren't going to get locked out. For some this is not an option due to wild animals and such, but I don't have that problem where I live.

I too don't understand the fighting between the two dogs that led to so much bloodshed. Were you not at home when this happened? and if it happened more than once, why were they not seperated in some way before you left? i realize I probably don't have all the facts here, so maybe you can fill me in.

About having another playmate for Chester, if he was not the agressive one, that should be fine. But I would make sure you socialize him with the new mate for a few days before agreeing to keeping him or her. (I would also suggest a female) they tend to get along better with the opposite sex. I have a mini dachshund (female) and a shi tzu (male) they are best of friends now but not at first. They keep each other Company while my Husband and I are at work.

Good luck to you, and whatever you decide to do.