QUESTION:
My 4 year old spayed female German Shepherd bit the mailman as he raised his arms. She's never been aggressive before but she has been fearful of people. They say if she bites one more time, she'll have to be put to sleep. It was just a tiny bite and she ran back into the house after the bite. Help! We love her.
ANSWER:
Many dogs are aggressive to mail carriers and bites are a constant problem.
Most pet owners think they should punish their dog when he shows aggression. They yell, jerk a choke collar hit etc. These are counterproductive. Punishment can make an adult dog more aggressive or more fearful.
Many times the dog bites the mail carrier out of fear. The dog can be fearful of the uniform, the mail pouch or even a raised arm. He may think the arm is going to hit him. Your Shepherd could also be trying to protect the house and scare away a fearsome intruder.
From your description of the event, it seems likely that her bite was motivated by fear as well as protection. The remedy for helping this problem involves reducing her fear. Here are some ways to do this.
1) Rent or borrow a mail carrier-like outfit complete with pouch and hat. Wear it around the house as much as you can. Feed her by dropping food from the letter pouch. Go outside the front door and put mail in the mailbox. At the same time, drop treats through the slot or have people inside give her specially wonderful treats until you, "the mail carrier" leave. No mail carrier= no treats. Make the treats very delectable, such as pieces of hot dog. Don't give her treats at any other time.
2) Make her love raised hands. In your uniform, hold your hands up over her head. With one hand raised, feed her breakfast and dinner by dropping kibble with the other hand. Don't give her food or treats any other time except when you're doing training.
3) When she's not frightened of you doing the above, have family members dress up and play the letter carrier game.
4) Progress to friends playing the game.
5) When she loves the uniform and door procedure, put her on a sit-stay on leash 20 ft. from the door. Do this when the real carrier comes. Feed her super treats until the carrier leaves. Progress closer and closer to the door everyday. Keep those treats coming. Your goal is to put her in a sit-stay on leash at the door. Then open the door, feeding her treats as the carrier puts mail in the box. Close the door and stop the treats if she lunches. The super treats keep coming as long as she sits there not lunging. They stop if she lunges or when the carrier leaves.
Do these exercises daily till she loves the sound and sight of the mail carrier. Then do them periodically for the rest of her life. Remember to go slowly, don't rush. This may take months not days. If you don't see any improvement in 4 months, hire a behavioral specialist to help you.
Woofs and Wags,Carole
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