OK, so as some of you will remember a couple months ago we adopted a second husky from craigslist. We've had behavioral problems, not asking to go out when she needs to potty... she just picks a random place in the house and goes. Destroying things, food guarding, counter surfing, trash redistribution, can't be left alone due to incessant howling etc. pretty much all things that can be fixed with training.
We have mostly eliminated the food guarding and i constantly watch her and put her out whenever she starts acting restless.

This past week we were at the dog park and she allegedly attacked someone elses little wiener dog ( who did not!! belong in the big dog section of the dog park but that's a whole different post) there were at least 2 deep tooth shaped wounds on the dogs torso, I did not see my dog attack this dog, i could have sworn she was at the other end of the field, but one person at the dog park swore up and down it was my dog, but had no witnesses.

Move to yesterday, my 2 kids where rough housing on the floor, giggling and laughing. Waya (the dog in question) was on the other side of the room. Dakota our first dog got excited and went to join in the fun licking the kids and jumping on them. Waya, out of the blue, ran over and attacked Dakota, tearing a chunk of fur and skin off his cheek.
Now i'm really concerned, if she did in fact attack that dog at the dog park then this second unprovoked attack doesn't bode well. I don't feel safe having her around Dakota now, I'm afraid to leave her alone with him. There have been a few times she's growled and given what i saw as a warning snap at my daughter when she doesn't want to be bothered, but knowing she is willing to draw blood i don't really want her near my kids.

The humane society here is not accepting any owner drop offs and suggested i find a new home myself. The problem is i don't feel comfortable dumping a dog who has a lot of problems and is seemingly aggressive on some unsuspecting person. I'm pretty sure this is why the person i got her from was giving her away, of course they said nothing about her "faults" and if they had i would not have taken her. She could be fine i think as an only dog, but who's to say she wouldn't graduate from biting other dogs to biting people?

if it were people she had attacked and not dogs there would be no question i would be forced to put her down. So this is my problem, do i saddle someone else with her and risk her attacking another dog or should i put her down? I'm very torn, on the one hand she is extremely loving, in fact she is an attention hog and can be very endearing but on the other she had shown very aggressive behavior and has proven herself not safe around other dogs.

any advice?

I would say first and foremost try to find a behaviorist in your area. We finally hired one for our Cocker (she wasn't as bad as Waya, but still prone to going after other dogs and people), and we've had some pretty good success in a short period of time.

We actually have a trainer here on the forum who is in Seattle and might be able at the very least to point you in the right direction. This is where I wish we had a tag feature, hopefully he'll see this thread.

If you are totally sure that she isn't right for your house, find a Husky rescue in the area. They will often times take in dogs and foster them while they are being rehabilitated, and then find the ideal home based on the dog's personality and needs.

Good luck.

She is a mixed husky do you think they would still take her? we are scheduled to pcs (move for non military folks) in roughly 2 weeks, originally she and Dakota were going to spend the trip together in the back of my pt cruiser but now ..... I don't feel it's safe. If she decided to "go after him" while i was driving .... i don't want to think about it.

There are a bunch of rescues out there that do take mixes, but there are also a bunch who won't. You'll have to contact them and find out.

I know all too well what a PCS is, I just did my 8th in 8 years the week before Christmas. That one was a trip... Where are you guys going?

You might want to talk to your vet about possibly using Valium for the drive, I know people who have had to do that for their pets. Also, Benadryl works as well, and should keep her sleepy and relaxed.

lol from rainy bremerton wa to sunny san diego CA . I may have to resort to meds if i can't figure something out before that. It's very stressful right now, I can't take my eyes off her at all and if i lock her in the laundry room then she howls because she doesn't want to be alone. Thanks for the advice.

Good luck with the pack out, I can only imagine how stressed you are with everything. This last move was an absolute disaster for us, and we had the biggest idiots packing us and then unloading the truck. I just filed a fairly sizable claim, I hope they get back to me soon.

As far as Waya goes, and forgive me if you've already said this, but how is she in a crate? Like if you we're working in the house, could you have her crated within sight of you? Also, you could try tethering her to you while you go about your day. A lot of folks wind up doing that with rescues and new puppies.

I dont think you should put her down - that should be your absolute last resort!!! there has to be a family who has no kids and no dogs- and just has the time time and patience for her. The girl I got my first husky from was ready to get rid of her- they were not compatible, and with me - she was an angel - so its the people sometimes too - not saying its you - but maybe jealousy on her part - my girl was always jealous of my sons dogs playing with me, so????? She deserves a chance in life- maybe it cant be with your family though -- how old is she?? I wish you the best of luck - I fear this in getting another dog - if it didnt work out, then what.............

she is 3 yrs old. the leash works great but then i have to lock up my other dog b/c he thinks we're going for a walk and won't leave her alone, But i may have to .. i hate to punish him when she's the one who won't behave.

ok rereading what i've wrote i feel like i'm just chock full of excuses tonight. I'm really stressed out and worried about her hurting him again. My gut feeling is wanting her out of my house, before anything else happens.

Please don't take this the wrong way, but since you have stated you don't want her, it would be best to find a rescue or an experienced husky owner that will take her. When you as an owner get to the point where you don't feel safe with her in the house and you don't want her anymore; you will constantly be under stress whenever you see her interact with anyone, even if she isn't doing anything. She will be able to sense your stress and that will only make her more stressed along with your other dog, which will only lead to an incident that may or may not have happened in the first place.

My feeling is that you are missing something in her body language before she acts out.

When you get to the point where euthanasia has even crossed your mind, you have distanced yourself from her and in your eyes she will never do anything right. I am not trying to make you feel bad, this is just what I have seen and what I have experienced with other dog owners. Please remember that.

The absolute ideal situation would be to seek out a behaviourist and see if the problems can be worked on. If that doesn't work, and you are at your wits end, I would first try and find a rescue that would take in a mix. You might even be able to check with them about a behaviourist/proper trainer since the ones they use obviously have a background with huskies...

If that didn't pan out, I'd start advertising for a new home. Make sure you're forthcoming about her problems. You wouldn't have to say everything right off the bat, but make sure that you do say there's a fair amount of work to be done with her. That way somebody who knows nothing about how to handle a dog probably wouldn't be interested.

I really hope the very first option works for you, but worse comes to worst, I'm glad you're willing to do what's needed to find her a home. Please don't euthanize, these problems can most likely be solved by a pretty good behaviourist.

HAve you tried something herbal for the calming? or a thundershirt the you can work on issues calmy.
I have tried GNC Ultra Mega Relax for Dogs and it is okay.
I have tried 21st Century Pet-Eze Plus but it is liquid and does not dose well but works.
I have tried NaturVet Quiet Moments Time Release Chewable Tablets for Dogs and LOVE it. It worked for thunder/fireworkslike herbal dog valium. Plus it works on our hyper hyper aussie when she just gets out of control.

will those things keep her from attacking my other dog?, i'm terrified i'll come home to waya covered in blood and dakota dead. The other issues I was more than happy to work with her on. I do not however want a dog who goes attacking and drawing blood from other dogs for no reason. And i'm sorry but not wanting my other dog to play with my kids is NOT a valid reason for tearing a chunk of his skin off his face.

I've checked around the area and the rescues still in bsns either don't take owner surrender,or will only list your dog while you keep it. I've decided for the trip down to CA i'll have to get a muzzle for her so she can't bite him while in the car.

The best solution would be kennels but there is not enough space in my pt cruiser for me, both the kids, Dakota, and a dog kennel big enough for a husky/Shepard mix.

what kind of muzzle would be the most comfortable for her?

I do not know about the muzzle recommend but think it is a good idea. Plus herbal may calm her. Is she not crated when you are gone? No the herbals are not a keep her from biting per sa but a thought on how to keep her calm to work on her agression, jealous or anxiety since u wanted to work on her issues.

They have the run of the laundry room at night and when we have to run an errand. But a crate will not fit in my pt cruiser unless i put the back seats down, but then where do my kids sit for the ride south?

I'm not sure calming is what she needs though. She was calm up until the second she attacked Dakota.

I'm just going to have to rehome her in CA, There is just not enough time left here for me to properly screen people on top o packing and cleaning . That's why ideally it would be nice to drop her off with a shelter of some kind so they can find her an appropriate home.

Sorry to hear about the timing. I was hoping the calming and seperation would help

Please don't drop her off at a shelter.. You will basically be signing her death sentence if you do. You can contact husky rescues or all breed rescues that are in the states you will be driving through to see if any of them can take her instead of waiting until you get all the way there.

all the ones in this area won't take her because she is dog aggressive. Their insurance won't cover aggressive dogs. I called the vet and they suggested benedryl to sedate her during the trip. I'm going to give her a dry run and see if it makes her sleepy enough, if not will get a script for stronger sedation.

Thats a good idea about rescues on the way I will expand my search. thanks

Valerian also works. It's natural- you can get it at Walgreens or Whole Foods.

Also, we have a member in the LA area (yeah, a little bit of a hike from San Diego) who is very involved in southern California rescues and may be able to help. I'll bring this thread to her attention.

We're chock full of abandoned dogs out here in So Cal - I'll will be honest with you and say it will be very difficult to find a rescue down here to take her. Especially with unknown behavioral issues. If you take her with you, please please have a behaviorist evaluate her and figure out a treatment plan. I understand that you're very stressed right now, which she may be picking up on and escalating situations. I'm not there to observe but based on your descriptions, I have a few questions/insights that may make you more comfortable seeking help and doing additional training.

How much exercise is she's currently getting? She sounds like she had very little training when you got her and that she is quite high energy, much like our second dog. She gets wound up and misbehaves if not exercised daily (not just running around in the yard). She's also not good around small dogs, so we leave the dog park if small dogs enter the large dog enclosure.

Your dog definitely needs to be evaluated by a professional. If she was trying to guard the kids from the other dog (her GSD instincts), this may explain the other dog attack. I don't know the circumstances around any of the situations but in her defense - what are the circumstances surrounding her snapping at your daughter if she doesn't want to be bothered? Is your daughter bothering her? Has your daughter been taught to treat dogs with respect and leave them alone if they don't want to play? I ask because it's in your daughter's best interested to be taught to be dog savvy. I work with kids with my therapy dog and I teach the kids manners around the dogs. My dog is a big teddy bear, but not all dogs are that tolerant. Most dog bites happen when children hug a dog, not understanding that the dog doesn't see it as a sign of affection. I realize this is somewhat off topic, but since I'm not there to observe I wanted to make sure to bring it up.

In the meantime, you can give her 2 benadryl if 50 lbs or use the Valerian Root as Kristina suggested, to take the edge off. As well, the Thundershirt is very calming. Best of luck and let us know how it goes.

Reading it through again, I think she's picking up on the family's stress from the move. She just got there a few months ago and now there's more upheaval, the routine she's gotten used to has changed. Try implementing some sort of routine for a few days and see what happens.

she's actually pretty calm, our other husky is hyper. They get walked twice a day, every day rain or shine and we were going to the dog park 2 times a week. I can't take her now though in case she attacks someone elses dog. As to training, she knows sit, wait, lay down , get off the couch, she comes when called even when she escapes. She knows speak, gentle ( to take treats) So i wouldn't say she's not trained. She was a bad resource guarder and we broke her of that pretty quick. Now both dogs can chew a butcher bone in the same room with no issues. I can easily just reach down and take it away with no growling. I think the main issue here is she feels she should be the only dog in the house. If anyone else, dakota or the kids get attention she forces her way between. And if it was dakota she would " punish" alpha roll him , to the point he won't come now when we call him because she will growl at him and come instead. It seems now she's escalating it from growling and alpha rolls to actually hurting him. I've told the kids they can't even pet her anymore unless she sits first, but i'm just afraid she's going to take it out on Dakota.

Our routine hasn't changed. The movers will pack everything up for us. I gave her the benedryl and it did absolutely nothing so i'm going to have to make an appt for her with the vet for something stronger.

Thank you for the additional information. That definitely explains the incident with your other dog. It sounds like she's still resource guarding, but another resource - the family.

Hi...
I just logged on for the first time in a while.. Im the Seattle area trainer.
Ive not had the time to read everything, and wont be making any generalizations or assumptions. If youre still needing help, respond one way or another and ill take some tims to hear about your situation, and help how i can.