About Dean

I have a 6 year old German Shepherd, he's handsome and fun and funny. When me and my wife started to live together about 3 years ago, her small dog displayed aggression toward him often and he wouldn't reciprocate, he seemed to think it was funny. She'd get really defensive when he would come near her when she wanted to chill. He's a very good boy and listens to me and my wife, he loves to swim and play. Fast forward to last summer, we've had a baby. She was crawling on the floor while my wife was doing dishes (I was away in a different city driving to the hospital to take my dad off life support) and the dog was under the dining room table relaxing. Baby went to him and he bit her on the head. That was a really bad day in my life. He went to stay with my brother in law, where they muzzle trained him, but he started acting aggressive to neighbors with his muzzle on and going for other dogs if he saw any. Like full on rage against the neighbor after taking treats from them through the muzzle. They don't have a fence but had more time for him to walk him with the muzzle or go somewhere secluded. I work away and my wife can't deal with him and the baby, especially if there's a threat he'll bite her. I used to take him to work wherever I was in the country, I'm at work 12-14 hours a day and would hire a dog walker to come take him out for 45 minutes, and I'd take him out in the morning and the evening. Brother in law had a change in circumstances, and now my brother in law is going away for work so they gave him back. I went home for 5 days and put up 160ft of fence by myself to accomodate him and be sure he wouldn't get out and bite someone The plan was to leave him outside until the baby was down for the night, for the time being. We have almost an acre for him to chill on. It's not perfect but it's something. I consulted an agressive dog trainer and picked a course of action, but they are an hour away and the at home commitment is about an hour or more a day. My wife can't do that with a toddler, so separation was supposed to be the plan until I get off work to do the training. My presence is also probably integral to his behaviour. Fast forward again, 1 year to the day he bit the baby, my wife had a friend over and he was playing fetch with her and very relaxed, so they had him inside on the couch with them and after a few minutes of petting, he bit her. I was upset because the plan was separation. He's spot defensive, so he'd benefit from crate training obviously. After that bite, my wife wants to put him down. I do not. She won't do the training and says even if I complete that, she's scared of him being near the baby, and she doesn't have the time to give him the exercise he needs. I can't take him to work because he may attack the dog walker. I don't think he would, he's so happy to play, he'd be their best friend. He didn't to any of the previous dozen, but that's a liability I would have to disclose and I don't think I'd be able to find someone who could do that confidently, and if that's the case, he'd be stuck inside all day. My wife says his quality of life isn't good enough in any of our situations to justify keeping him. We've tried to re home him but, being an aggressive dog, no one has shown any interest. Any rescues or shelters we've contacted have said since he bit a child he'd be put down right away. I'm pretty heartbroken and feel helpless. I am scared for my daughter, but I don't feel like he's vicious, he's just a bad communicator. The aggression he showed at my brother's was probably from stress. I'm seeking any advice, leads on someone who loves dogs and would be interested in a great one with a bit of a chip on his shoulder, opinions on our situation or info on any rescue that would take him and give him a good quality of life. Or if euthenasia is the right decision... I need more affirmation. I'd be willing to pay a surrender fee and transport him wherever he'd be accepted and loved. I know I failed him as an owner and I'm sad and ashamed. Edit: I'd just like to add that me and my wife are not adversaries in this. I don't doubt her effort, love or disagree with her entirely but I'd like to see him live if it's possible. It would have to be a family with no kids and someone with aggressive dog experience.

Halifax, Nova scotia