More information per the Shelter:
Below you will find his Owner surrender information completed by the Owner online:
O/S, Can no longer afford general up keep. Got from a friend. Owned 3.5 years. Eats Pedigree. Free fed. Lived with female Great Dane, 2 adults and 1 teenager. Gets along well with all. Allowed on furniture. Slept in Owners bed at night. Loose when alone, will destroy toys, household items, barks, drools. Left only occasionally. No medications. Nervous, normally muzzled at Vet.
He loves to snuggle and is good companionship. He needs to learn to listen and stop pulling on leash. Doesn’t like when people wear hoods. Barks in the car until he is out. Pulls a lot on leash. No professional training. Uses harness, prong collar, gentle leader. Knows sit, down, come and shake.
He barks, nervous when alone, he will get aggressive when he feels someone in the home is being threatened. When meeting unfamiliar children friendly/respectful and usually tolerant but has met some he doesn’t like. Never met an unfamiliar man. Friendly when meeting unfamiliar women.
AGGRESSIVE WITH CATS. Friendly when meeting unfamiliar dogs on or off leash.
Mostly house trained, will go if its been too long or if sick. Mostly indoors. House with fenced yard. Low activity level. Playful, affectionate, pushy, confident, excitable, friendly, dominant. Loves to play and follow you around. Will guard certain family members if he thinks they are being threatened. Will guard something they stole, and doesn’t like paws being touched, he will growl or will nip at your hand if you try to touch or clip nails.
If a stranger approaches the home or yard or family member she will bark, jump up, growls. Never bitten a person or an animal. He drinks his water out of the bathroom faucet.
We also called the Owner to clarify a few things she had written down.
Spoke with owner for some more info/clarification. Had him since he was 1 and a half years old, step-daughter’s friend was looking to rehome him. Lived with a female Great Dane-good with, had a litter with last year, dogs are good together but don’t seem overly bonded. Said X is a very nice dog but can be a bit strange with people sometimes. Barks and growls when people come in home but after he sniffs he is better. Doesn’t have visitors a lot. Keeps him behind 4ft baby gate which he has pushed through to get to people, but sniffs them and is fine. Once when he was on the enclosed porch and the neighbour walked up (man) he was growling and barking, neighbour put hand through fence to touch him and X didn’t do anything. Said he doesn’t like people wearing anything that changes their appearance (hats, glasses, hoods, etc) and barks at them, did have an incident when a woman came in wearing a fur coat and walked by him when he was loose and he barked and lunged at her but the owner pulled him back and woman walked away to go into sons room (was sons friend) and they never interacted further. Owner said he never tried to bite her but doesn’t know why he lunged. Is fine with meeting people on a walk or even on the porch, seems more reactive when they come in the home. Said he doesn’t seem to warm up to sons friends (always males) and will just keep barking at them.
Used to have an issue with growling and lunging at the son if X was in the bedroom with owner and son walked in the room, wouldn’t let the son in but never attempted to bite, hasn’t had this issue since woman started keeping him in the living room at night instead of with her. Owner said he seems to get reactive if you turn your back to him and walk away after giving him attention, he has a mean sounding bark and follows you, but if you face him while walking away he is fine. No guarding issues but does like to keep things from you and runs away if you try to take. Pulls a lot on leash and is very strong, very eager to get to other dogs and people and will pull you to them though has met both and has been friendly. Has never met a cat but pulls on leash eagerly to see them, seems to want to chase them and woman doesn’t know if it’s playful or not. Will put his mouth on your hand if you try to clip his nails but never applies pressure. Asked what was meant by “aggressive if someone in home is being threatened” and owner said he can be protective, one incident the son and nephew got into a fight and nephew went to hit the son and X barked and jumped in between them, woman yelled at them and nephew backed off. Woman trained him using German commands. Is a good dog that needs some guidance with some things.
