MaryGrace

Hi everyone! I have this problem... there is a large german shepherd dog who lives behind us, and her name is Alizay. Whenever my family and Max are playing in the yard, she barks and tries to get over the fence. My mom won't let us play in our yard now, and I can't really run with Max because whenever I do, Alizay barks, and tries to climb over the fence. She is big, of course, so she can almost get over the fence. It is a 4ft chain link fence. My mom says we will probably get a solid, higher fence soon. But do you guys think Alizay is acting aggressivly or if she just wants to play with Max?

MrsRottie

Hi MaryGrace,

Have a look at Alizay's behaviour next time she does it, and also have a look at this...

http://www.pawsacrossamerica.com/interpret.html

It shows some basic body language postures that may help you decide.

If she's wagging her tail and has a relaxed face then chances are she wants to play. But personally I would not take that as enough - much as I love GS (my bitch is a GS X) years ago I was bitten by one that was wagging it's tail...a freak occurence but it does happen....

Do you know your neighbours that own her? Maybe they could tell you? I have to say I don't blame your Mum for not letting you out in the yard, A GS could easily leap over a 4foot fence. She's just trying to keep you and Max safe

dlambertz

without knowing the dog it would be hard to say if she wants to play or if she is wanting to be aggressive. i wouldn't risk it and hopefully you will get a higher fence soon. good luck!

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MaryGrace

Okay, thx, guys. My dad was bitten by a GS as a kid, and is wary of dogs, especcialy German Shepherds, Pitbulls, and Doberman Pinchers. My mom is also wary of aggressive looking dogs, although she was never bitten. Alizay seems like she wants to play, but I'm not entirely sure. Also, when Max lived with his other owners, he was attacked by a pitbull. He runs away when Alizay jumps up. Does he know she is acting agressive?

MrsRottie

It's quite possible that Max is a bit shy, especially if he got attacked as a youngster.

Think of it this way, you're playing in your yard, minding your own business, say making a daisy chain. Then a huge teenage kid appears out of no-where with a BB gun - how would you feel? Shocked, frightened etc.
Well that's exactly what Max is going through, he's minding his own business and all of a sudden there's massive banging noises, barking and a honking big dog trying to get over the fence. It gives him a shock, and the first thing a dog will do when frightened is run away.

dogs xoxo

alot of times when other dogs see each other they bark and they probely want to play that's what a lot of dog do when they see another.

alyssa

3 goldens

The layd behind us to foster dogs (more like keep them for a while) for the little local human society brance (we are a town of 9400, so is small) and would have up to 17 dogs, plus her own 3 cockers. Talk about noise and fights from time to time. Also, a few dug uner the fence into our yard a few times (6 foot privacy fence) and we ended up digging a trench along the bottom and pouring cement. She finally put in some porta-a-pens and I guess she found homes for many of the dogs as of now she only has like 6 plus 3 of her own (one cocker died about a year ago.)

Now the problem is the people who left next to her.Her yaard, their yard, our yard and our neighbor on the left all have our yards come together at the utility pole. The problem is there is about a 1 1/2/ gape between the end of our fence and the pole,. Same with lady behind use. Neighbors on the left pu up their fence off the end of ours, so no problem for them.

Those people have 3 pitties and when my goldens are in our yard anywyere near that side, those pitties do their darndest to get thru that little gap at them. I mean there are ferious snarls and barks. They do the same with linda's dogs behind us. Her two cockers have doggie door and go in and out as they please and a couple of the foster dogs run free, not penned. She is terrified that those pitties will somehow get into her yard, or that one of the small dogs will stick his nose in that gap a pittie grab it. I do not think there is anyway they can get into my yard as we are catty corner and they would have to get into one of the other two yards first, then into ours. But they make me nervous if I am working in that part of the yard as my dogs will be with me and you can tell those pitties want my dogs.

By the way, both of my sons, now grown, were bitten once when they wrere kids and both times it was a German Shepherd.

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Hunter...forever in my heart
Goldens bring light into the world.

zoe08

Just wondering if the dog is always out there alone? I would try talking to the owners. Maybe the dog needs more attention?

Also I dont think a 4ft chain link fence is a good enough fence for a GS. actually I wouldnt have any dog in a 4 ft chain link cuz not only is it easier for a big dog to get out, it is just as easy for a strange big dog to get in.

MaryGrace

Yes, I was just about to add, zoe08, that Alizay is outside with another dog, Nala, a golden retriever, all day, without any attention, from when I take Max out at 7:00 AM or so to when I take him out at 7:30 PM. She's not out when I take him out at 9:00 PM, though. I'm worried that they are not getting enough care. I think that Nala and Alizay's owners had just Nala, and then their daughter who was going to college left her dog, Alizay, with them.
We are definatly getting a higher fence soon. Thank you guys for all of the help!

kelsiebug

it sounds like the dog may be wanting to play but its my opinion.... the neighbor hood dog, zack, use to be like that and one day he got out and we were scared! he just wanted to play....he acted like he would bite but he was really scared! sadly he passed and the neighborz have a collie\pitt bull mix named, shaggy. hes the same way he just cant get out.i think they do that to the dogs