Have i spoiled my dog too much?

IrishHomer

I would like your opinions please and some advice.

I am and always have been a big dog lover most of my life (42 yrs) i have had a dog and any time i didn't have one i sulked and was depressed until i got one.

Anyway my current dog is a male German shepherd i have had him since he was eight weeks of age and he is now two and a half and he is neutered since young age as th evet advised to do so if i was not intending on breeding.

Anyway with this dog i devote all my time to and i even take him to work most of the time as i travel around quite a bit. I exercise him loads and giv ehim at least two decent 40minute to 90minute walk/runs every day and sometimes more. When i am in the office he lies at my feet and occasionally he gets bored wtih that and he starts pawing me and annoying me asking me to take him outside. I have a nice big dog run fo rhim and when he senses that i want to put him in there he runs and hides from me and won't come back to me as he doens't want to be locked in. I always feel very guilty for him if he is tied up or restricted in his movements around the house.

He can open every door in the house himself and this i sa nightmare especially in the winter as he leaves the doors open to let the rain and wind and cold blow in so i am constantly watching him. He was gotten for my Mrs. as she loves the german shepherds but its me who is left responsible for all the dog stuff and i am ehld responsible if the dog gets into any mischief as he has been known to rob the occasional chicken or steak off the dinner table.

I am amazed how loyal and besotted he is with me. Every move i make even if it sto adjust my position on a seat he wakes up to see what i am doing next and if i move anywhere in the house he is after me.

My two young boys were at the doctors today for hayfever and chest problems and the GP told my partner that the dog should not be in the house. I groom him outside most days and it is incredible the amount of hair he loses every day. I use several bruses including the furminator.

I wish i could leave him out in the huge one acre garden we have all day when i am busy but there are too many gaps and holes in the boundary hedge for him to run onto the road which he has done in the past and chased passers bye which is a huge worry as i would not trust him and fear for him some day attacking and biting someone as he often shows lots of fear and agression towards stranger and especially people who pop up and startle him.

I am a bit fed uip at the moment as i am the only one in the house who takes responsibility for the dog and he is a huge amount of work. I was wondering have i ruined him by giving him too much attention/walks/freedom of the house? is there any way back to start putting him in th edog run? Whenever i see him in th erun my heart breaks and i have to let him out.

EGAR

Hay fever is an allergy to airborne pollen from trees grasses, plants, and mold spores. NOT dog hair. So I really do not understand why a GP would give advice like that?

LucyBliss

It doesn't sound to me so much like he is spoiled - if you had posted that the dog took up residence on every couch or bed in the house and refused to let you lie on it or that you were feeding it gourmet meats shipped overnight from Vermont, then maybe I'd think he was spoiled - but it sounds to me like he is regarding you as his Master. German Shepherds will bond completely with one person and think of them as the One True Owner. Other people in the house are tolerated and obeyed but it is that One True Owner who they look to for guidance and commands. He watches to see what you're doing because he needs to know what you're up to. You're his boss. He figures he's not much of a companion if he's not at least aware of where you are, should you need him at a minute's notice. It's a beautiful trait of the breed and one I find most endearing. My Dad had a GSD and she'd sit outside on the step waiting for him on the days when he'd have to head off somewhere.

True story: after he died, she would still sit on the step waiting for him and one day a man came up the street with a cap and a walk somewhat like my Dad's. She ran up to him tail wagging, only to realise it wasn't him and then she went back to sitting on the step. The man was a bit taken aback but I explained it to him so he'd know she wasn't about to take chunks out of him or anything.

About the dog run, you may need to get tough and put him in there. I use the bedtime command for my dogs to go in and there are some dog beds in there for them to lie on and a bowl of water. I only put them in when the weather is warm enough. It's also not unusual for them to demand attention. Ours would put her paw on your arm in order to move it closer to her head or neck so that she'd be rubbed. It didn't matter if you were studying at the table, reading a book or whatever, if she wanted petting, then dammit she was determined to get it! It's no harm for your dog to know that he can get attention but it has to be when you are ready, not when he decides it's happy play time yay!
Could you put a dog bed and toys in your office for him while you work? GSD's are very smart dogs (hence him opening the doors!) and they do need stimulation. Have you tried peanut butter in Kong toys or putting treats in something that he has to work at to get them?

I'm also not sure why your GP would say that about allergies because my cousin had shocking hayfever growing up but our dog certainly never aggravated it.

I am a bit fed uip at the moment as i am the only one in the house who takes responsibility for the dog and he is a huge amount of work

Sorry to hear that but you seem to have been claimed by him so best get used to it! IIRC, it can take GSD's up until their third year to get over their madcap, acting like a loo-lah phase. They are a huge amount of work but what you get back is a fantastic dog who will be your best friend and loyal companion for many's a year.

Graces7

EGAR wrote: »

Hay fever is an allergy to airborne pollen from trees grasses, plants, and mold spores. NOT dog hair. So I really do not understand why a GP would give advice like that?

Allergy to dog/cat is common and will seem like hay fever. Chest problems are classic.

Graces7

IrishHomer wrote: »

I would like your opinions please and some advice.

I am and always have been a big dog lover most of my life (42 yrs) i have had a dog and any time i didn't have one i sulked and was depressed until i got one.

Anyway my current dog is a male German shepherd i have had him since he was eight weeks of age and he is now two and a half and he is neutered since young age as th evet advised to do so if i was not intending on breeding.

Anyway with this dog i devote all my time to and i even take him to work most of the time as i travel around quite a bit. I exercise him loads and giv ehim at least two decent 40minute to 90minute walk/runs every day and sometimes more. When i am in the office he lies at my feet and occasionally he gets bored wtih that and he starts pawing me and annoying me asking me to take him outside. I have a nice big dog run fo rhim and when he senses that i want to put him in there he runs and hides from me and won't come back to me as he doens't want to be locked in. I always feel very guilty for him if he is tied up or restricted in his movements around the house.

He can open every door in the house himself and this i sa nightmare especially in the winter as he leaves the doors open to let the rain and wind and cold blow in so i am constantly watching him. He was gotten for my Mrs. as she loves the german shepherds but its me who is left responsible for all the dog stuff and i am ehld responsible if the dog gets into any mischief as he has been known to rob the occasional chicken or steak off the dinner table.

I am amazed how loyal and besotted he is with me. Every move i make even if it sto adjust my position on a seat he wakes up to see what i am doing next and if i move anywhere in the house he is after me.

My two young boys were at the doctors today for hayfever and chest problems and the GP told my partner that the dog should not be in the house. I groom him outside most days and it is incredible the amount of hair he loses every day. I use several bruses including the furminator.

I wish i could leave him out in the huge one acre garden we have all day when i am busy but there are too many gaps and holes in the boundary hedge for him to run onto the road which he has done in the past and chased passers bye which is a huge worry as i would not trust him and fear for him some day attacking and biting someone as he often shows lots of fear and agression towards stranger and especially people who pop up and startle him.

I am a bit fed uip at the moment as i am the only one in the house who takes responsibility for the dog and he is a huge amount of work. I was wondering have i ruined him by giving him too much attention/walks/freedom of the house? is there any way back to start putting him in th edog run? Whenever i see him in th erun my heart breaks and i have to let him out.

Alarm bells re the fence. That is a terrible accident waiting to happen. and might even get the dog pts if he bites someone; he is also RB which would make it worse.

You need to be in control and it is at this age a long job. We have had and still have similar issues with our rescued border collie who had no training and was simply locked up in a dark shed etc for her first five years. She is a car chaser... And no recall when there is a motor to be heard. Else she responds well now. What I do when she attaches to the fence in the field and refuses to com is call,"BYE BYE.. Home.." and take the wee dog in. After a very short time she comes in.

But it has taken five years to get this far.

if yours has a collar, you might try putting a long lead on him that you can grab to get him into the run.? That helped greatly with the collie at one stage. Less freedom is needed.

Blogger50

EGAR wrote: »

Hay fever is an allergy to airborne pollen from trees grasses, plants, and mold spores. NOT dog hair. So I really do not understand why a GP would give advice like that?

+1 for this!

OP you sound like a fantastic owner!

I'm no expert but do have a GSD with all the exact traits you describe. She is my little shadow. They are extremely loyal and my girl would walk all day following me around. I love it though as shes my buddy!

LucyBliss made some great points in her post.

I dont have an expert opinion but just wanted to say you sound like a great dog companion and any dog would be lucky to have you.

tk123

IrishHomer wrote: »

My two young boys were at the doctors today for hayfever and chest problems and the GP told my partner that the dog should not be in the house. I groom him outside most days and it is incredible the amount of hair he loses every day. I use several bruses including the furminator.

Have the boys been allergy tested to show they're allergic to dog hair/dander? The reason I ask is that I had breathing problems for months and when I went to the GP (i kept putting it off) he told me it must be my dog - I knew I wasn't allergic to him 1)because I brush him all the time like you do with your guy and 2)I was allergic to my cat at times and just knew it wasn't the same!! I was referred to a specialist and one of the first things they did was an allergy test for loads of different allergens but it showed I wasn't allergic to my little baby :cool:(my sinuses were dripping down and irritating my lungs) - so this may be an idea if the kids are bad with it.
I find if I wash my guy once a month it really loosens the hair so he doesn't shed that much when I brush him between washes.

For the dog run I'd take it slowly. I do clicker training with my guy and it works really well - so i'd start by clicking when he gets close to the run and build it up from there slowly - throw in treats and give him loads of praise when he goes in until he's running in for the treats/toys, then you can start closing the door/gate for a few seconds and build it up from there.

seamus

Allergies to cat hair (actually it's the skin and saliva) are more common than allergies to dog hair.

The doctor may be concerned that the dog will bring in pollen in his coat and then spread it by shaking, but that's something you can play by ear. Or the doctor could just be ignorant. Since you'll probably end up buying all sorts of air filters, then I don't think the dog is a concern.

You sound like a very conscientious dog owner. My only concern is that he appears to have a bit of separation anxiety. Constantly checking on you, terrified of being put outside, fear of strangers. He's only two and a half, so this can be easily worked on. You don't have to, but for your own peace of mind I would recommend it. I think your life could be made a bit easier if the dog was a little more independent and not too concerned with wandering off on his own for a little while into the back garden or around the house.

Obviously a boundary fence is a must in the long-term, I wouldn't risk having him wandering in the garden if he can get out.

kennyw

Heya OP, Dont be disheartend. You sound lik a dream owner companion an best friend to your GSD. Its nice to hear that you care so much that you yourself are getting uneasy about him been left alone etc in the dog run..
lik wat seamus states

You sound like a very conscientious dog owner. My only concern is that he appears to have a bit of separation anxiety. Constantly checking on you, terrified of being put outside, fear of strangers. He's only two and a half, so this can be easily worked on.

the seperation can be worked on very easily. I have owned an grew up with many GSD's an i currently own 2 Rottweilers.
they are a loyal and pack orientated animal. it will be a tuffer for you to get over ur best friend been in the dog run than it will be for your dog.
Dogs live in the now. it may take a little while for him to get wat you want him to do an that is stay in the dog run an to entrtain himself with the lieks of treats an toys rather than protect an follow you every step of the day.
I have had dogs with seperation aniexty all be it small cases but with big dogs not much wud be classed as small.. Start off by putting him in the dog run and you stay with him in the run for 10 min at a time.. and then leave the run together doing your normal things.
then maybe go to a te minute session where you leave him in the en for ten minutes by himself so that he knows your cuimin back, make sure he is calm an not overly excited or jumping before you let him out because he will put jumping excitment = out and will do it constantly.
after building up on the time spent in the run by himself from 30 - 50min - 2 hours by himself he will soon get that you will cum back.. always treat him an praise him in the early stages alot for been patient an willing to wait. it will take time an alot of repittion. but for the good of your pets saftey an your kids health if advised by a GP then anything is worth a shot.. also it will help the bond between you as he will always no ul cum back for him..
ps: its not adviseable to leave dogs for long lengths of time by themselfs as they can become unsociable so any more than 4- 5 hours if possible alone in the run at any one time wud be prefered but if its a little longer an u cant help that well im sure you can make up for it with extra long walks on the days ur both free to roam.. hehe


:Dbest of luck an hope this helps.:D

EGAR

Graces7 wrote: »

Allergy to dog/cat is common and will seem like hay fever. Chest problems are classic.

Ahem, I am sure OP is a responsible parent and had an allergy test done.

Graces7

EGAR wrote: »

Ahem, I am sure OP is a responsible parent and had an allergy test done.

If YOU say so, but he mentions it not..
The dr certainly does not suggest it...
We once had to take a wee one back as the buyer started sneezing every time it was near.. allergy to dogs, cats, horses, is a very real thing.

Graces7

seamus wrote: »

Allergies to cat hair (actually it's the skin and saliva) are more common than allergies to dog hair.

The doctor may be concerned that the dog will bring in pollen in his coat and then spread it by shaking, but that's something you can play by ear. Or the doctor could just be ignorant. Since you'll probably end up buying all sorts of air filters, then I don't think the dog is a concern.

You sound like a very conscientious dog owner. My only concern is that he appears to have a bit of separation anxiety. Constantly checking on you, terrified of being put outside, fear of strangers. He's only two and a half, so this can be easily worked on. You don't have to, but for your own peace of mind I would recommend it. I think your life could be made a bit easier if the dog was a little more independent and not too concerned with wandering off on his own for a little while into the back garden or around the house.

Obviously a boundary fence is a must in the long-term, I wouldn't risk having him wandering in the garden if he can get out.

A fence is a priority surely. Given also the breed. it does not come over as separation anxiety but lack of control over the dog.

ISDW

Graces7 wrote: »

If YOU say so, but he mentions it not..
The dr certainly does not suggest it...
We once had to take a wee one back as the buyer started sneezing every time it was near.. allergy to dogs, cats, horses, is a very real thing.

The OP said hay fever, not suspected hay fever, I'm sure they know their children better than any of us on here.

cjf

Can identify with loads of things in your post OP! I have 2 yr old dobie who can open doors and follows me round the house 24/7 just to check where I am what I'm doing if there is any food involved etc! He has on occasion nudged my phone out of my hand if iv been talking on it too long and even if I go into the shower he has to open the door to check I havnt climbed out the velux window!! He used to be alot worse though and was destructive when left alone but couple of things have really helped- I crate trained him so now when I go out he is in his crate and that has put and end to the destruction. I know he is happy out in crate and sleeps most of the time as there is not one single mark on the crate and this from a chap who tore down window sills and chewed through plastered Walls! I also got a second dog not suggesting this to you but it helped us loads he will now play happily in the garden and just runs in for 2 secs to check I'm still here and then is off out playing again! he is the most affectionate animal I have ever met and while he is quite demanding I wouldn change him for the world! He gets upset if I cry,acts like a pup when I
laugh and stands by my side if I get scared (even if it'd just a scary movie!!)
... Yes I spoil him but he 100% deserves it!!

mymo

We had a very old doctor when we were kids, and my brother had very bad hayfever, got very chesty coughs and was allergic to the cat, but loved her dearly. He also got symptoms from the rabbits and guinea's and gerbils, not sure about the dog. All these pets were in the house and when my mum asked about the animals, the doctor said don't put them out, that he would build up an immunity gradually, keep the place clean, and the animals well groomed and it would be fine. He was also a great believer in exposing kids to everything, he firmly believed this helped your immune system. His recommendation was lots of fresh air, exercise and antihistamine if it was really bad.
Anyway my brother grew out of it, he still had slight hayfever as an adult, and the cat still made his eyes water a little and his nose run, but she slept on his bed whenever he was home.

ppink

well OP I could have written parts of your post myself. We are on GSD's no 3 & 4 for me and they are really my responsibility too. I often feel fed up for a short while that this is the case as one of mine is very similar to your guy in that she will not let me out of her sight and putting her in the run I can feel her eyes boring into the back of my head!! I suppose that is really putting human emotion on it though!
Did you ever think of getting a buddy for him that you can leave him out in the run to give you a break for a while? Alternatively the kongs are great for mine and keep them occupied for ages, so you could fill one of them and give it to him in his run.
As regards the hayfever business that is something you will have to figure but remember that GSD's will do anything for their owners and to be turfed out all of a sudden will not be easy on him, especially if he is alone out there.
To answer your original question....no I dont think from what you have said that he is spoilt.

ISDW

I'm going to look at it from a different point of view, not saying that I necessarily agree with this, but there are a lot of people who believe in it, and it does make sense sometimes.

The way he follows you around etc, maybe he feels he is actually in charge, and is protecting you, which is why he hates to be put into the run, because he can't do his job if he's not with you.

I'm not talking about dominance, I am certainly not suggesting that you dominate him, but maybe try and take back some control, in a positive way. Do you eat before him, after him, at the same time, or have you never really thought about it? If you're going somewhere, does he walk through doors etc before you, or wait for you to go through first?

Maybe you need to allow him to be just a pack member, rather than feeling he has to be with you to protect you all the time - thats actually your job.

**Vai**

Totally agree with ISDW, thats the first thing I thought of after I read the OP but I didnt want to even mention dominance on here. Not that u were telling the OP to use dominance ISDW, but the word itself never seems to be taken in the light its meant.

I know with my GSD she used to follow me around when she was a pup but once she knew who the boss is, she stopped. She still does it with every visitor to my house though, even nipping at heels once or twice when she was younger. Its difficult to take the shepherd out of a german shepherd.

john t

Great dog, but need exercise and brain trainning too make them complete, mine is 19 mnths old and still is very xcitable. they need constant attentiion and work. fetching retriveing works.... also guardiing/ loyalty...

Cherry Blossom

**Vai** wrote: »

I know with my GSD she used to follow me around when she was a pup but once she knew who the boss is, she stopped. She still does it with every visitor to my house though, even nipping at heels once or twice when she was younger. Its difficult to take the shepherd out of a german shepherd.

My 2 cents - as a pup she was just exploring her herding instincts and with the visitors she's rounding them up (without your say so) so it doesn't really sound like she does know who's in charge. No offence intended, just my take on the behaviour. I have no idea why people get German shepherds if they did not want a herding breed, I've never heard of anyone who has one have a short-list that included border collies when they were deciding on what dog to get. They need jobs to do that make use of the instincts that have been bred into them is all, give them one!

cjf

I know dobes and gsd's were bred for different jobs and have no experience of gsd's but in my case my dobe just wants to be with me he isn't "dominant" it's just in his nature they are known as Velcro dogs! I do loads of activities with him to encourage his natural instincts including tracking games we play 'find it' , hide and seek and 'wheres bully?' (our other dog!) which he loves! If I say give me a cuddle he hops up on the couch sits upright like a person with his whole belly (and bits) exposed and leans his head down on my shoulder ... If I say blanket he goes off to find his small piece of vet bed and lies down beside me and he actually sucks on his blanket .. No dominance issues just a big affectionate lump who likes being with his people!! I do know the clingy behaviour can sometimes be displayed by dogs who are trying to control every situation maybe due to lack of confidence or over protectiveness so I think it's important to always look at the situation and their behaviour as a whole to see the bigger picture of what's going on.

**Vai**

adrenalinjunkie wrote: »

My 2 cents - as a pup she was just exploring her herding instincts and with the visitors she's rounding them up (without your say so) so it doesn't really sound like she does know who's in charge. No offence intended, just my take on the behaviour. I have no idea why people get German shepherds if they did not want a herding breed, I've never heard of anyone who has one have a short-list that included border collies when they were deciding on what dog to get. They need jobs to do that make use of the instincts that have been bred into them is all, give them one!

No offence taken. I did say she did the nipping as a pup, she doesnt do it anymore. She does still herd visitors but I allow that as long as the person is comfortable with it. She stops when told but I would never want to take that out of her completely. I realise my last sentence in my previous post may come across as wanting to de-shepherd her but it wasnt meant like that at all.

I didnt get a proper chance to do my research before taking her as she was an unwanted pup who we rescued but Ive been around, and interested in, dogs all my life including GSDs so I do understand the breed and her needs. Shes the best exercised and trained GSD I know.

Nead21

Hi OP, your dog sounds the very same as our male GSX. He is totally besotted with my fiance. I call him his shadow...follows him everywhere, my fiance moves, the dog moves, whines when he's gone etc. Your desciption about your dog makes me feel better about our dog's behaviour! I think it's just a part of the breed... "one man dog" as my friend calls it, and totally loyal.

Love him to bits though...quirks and all