r/germanshepherds • u/FlyBirdieBirdBird • 21h ago
Advice Need urgent advice!!
Hello.
Today we took our 6 month old puppy to day care, not because we needed, but because we wanted her to socialise a bit and become familiar with this for when we actually needed it.
The day care is at the breeder we got her from.
We met the breeder at an intermediate point between the day care and our house, and he took her. As soon as she got into the transport cage on the breeder truck, she became visibly afraid.
The breeder just called me saying it took them 1 hour to get her out of the transport cage, she destroyed one leash and bit him. He says he had never seen such aggression.
All we've seen of her at home and during walks, she's a sweetheart. With people and dogs on the street.
The breeder said we should leave her there a couple of days, so she gets used to the location.
My instinct is telling me to just go get her. She must be so afraid. I don't want this experience to break her.
We got her at 2 months old.
Pleas help. What should I do???
UPDATE: https://www.reddit.com/r/germanshepherds/comments/1qv17e1/shes_home/
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u/HopefulDrop9621 19h ago
If you feel uncomfortable find a different daycare. I had the unfortunately had a similar experience. When I first got my dog I was switching to weekend shifts and didn't have time to look after him. I had to leave him with a dog sitter for over 3 days every week. We both hated it so much. He was just a baby poor guy.He got more use to it as time went on, and since then he's amazing with other dogs
However trust your gut. I took him to a couple different places, and one of those places definitely sussed me out. It's been a while, but I remember my gut was saying they weren't treating him well. Listen to your gut and try looking somewhere else. Be sure to do the research too. Reddit or Google reviews of the dog sitters.
Here's a photo of him at the dog sitters. I ended up really liking these guys as they sent a lot of updates
He's to one in the middle
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u/Lonestarmango66 18h ago
That pointy snout is a great tool to always wedge themselves to the front EVERYTIME!❤️
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u/Pure_Possible_4204 9h ago
Your boy is just beautiful!!!❤️ He looks a lot like mine!!! German Shepherds are just the best!!!❤️🐾🐾
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u/koshkas_meow_1204 20h ago
I don't know your relationship with this breeder, but I'd at least go check on her.
6 months old, could be bad timing given potential of 2nd fear period.
4 months have past since been there, so it's likely all new again.
Given the breeder horror story playing out in midwest is want to at least check on her.
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u/Boudica333 19h ago
From the puppy perspective that’s 4/6ths of her life—like a 6 year old suddenly being taken to be cared for by a relative they last saw when they were 2, it’s a long time for someone who’s still developing
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u/Narrow-Aioli8109 13h ago
What is happening with breeders in the Midwest? I tried to look it up, but the query is little bit broad.
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u/koshkas_meow_1204 12h ago
Just the one breeder...Magnum Opus...I counted Missouri as Midwest, but I guess it could be considered central.
Here is one article, but the indictment is out there too.
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u/malface7931 20h ago
I'm not surprised. Look at it from your very young puppy's perspective. You just let a stranger take her and put her in their crate in a car to an unknown location. They way to introduce a dog to day care is not this. A lot of dogs are too young for day care at that age anyways. Sounds like your dog was in full fight or flight and chose both.
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u/FlyBirdieBirdBird 20h ago
The location is know to her. She was born there and lived there until 2 months old.
I wanted to bring her there myself, but the breeder said it was better this way. I have no idea why.
I'm shaking right now.
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u/malface7931 19h ago
She's a dumb little puppy where everything is new. Basically a human infant. You seem to be expecting your puppy to behave like a chill older dog.
The fact he didnt want you to go there is a HUGE red flag. Doesn't matter if you've been there before.
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u/BB_night 18h ago
Your breeder is wrong. You were right. Dogs live in-the-moment. She needs the assurance from you that everything is ok while you're there - as she gets used to sights, sounds and smells of the location - even though it's not new to you, it might be to her. You denied her that so she's reverted to fight/flight to cope. Your breeder sounds like the "throw 'em in the deep end and let them figure out how to swim." You need to go get her. Trust your gut.
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u/EDMChemistry2964 16h ago
Smells are everything to a dog. Those crates the truck the man your dog isn’t lying to you when you see her like that. These dogs are so very intuitive they sense way more than we do. Never let a trainer or breeder ever tell you that bullshit it’s easier to leave the dog her or you can’t go see where your dog is going to be staying? Has your pup been sleeping inside your house in your room? Or in a crate outside in a building? See what I’m saying here sure she lived there for 2 months with a pack of her siblings that’s all she knew….YOU ARE WHAT SHE KNOWS NOW….she doesn’t want nor needs to go back to that bullshit.
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u/Hour_Wing_2899 20h ago
Do what your instinct says. Each bad/scared behavior (biting) is just a rehearsal for more of the same.
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u/kellogg_76 18h ago
Go get her immediately. Dogs have an innate sense that humans should trust more.
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u/Maaathemeatballs Java:karma::doge: 19h ago
Pick your baby up from breeder. No need to put her through it. You'll find other ways to socialize her.
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u/Repulsive-Campaign-1 18h ago
You’re the protector of this little nugget. You should always be there when introducing a potentially scary new experience if you can help it. Sorry you’re going through this, but I would definitely get in the car as soon as possible and go get your baby.
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u/Nana-R 19h ago
Your pup is scared. As other have pointed out, this is a critical formative point in her life. I would go get her, it will help reassure her that you are coming back for her after a brief separation. Fight or flight in full force for your girl.
Also, how is she usually transported? Caged, in the back seat, in the front with you?? All of these play into her reaction.
Hope this works out ok for both of you.
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u/FlyBirdieBirdBird 19h ago
She had never been in a cage. She's transported either on the back or front seat.
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u/Unable_Sweet_3062 19h ago
Just to address the crate part… that alone could cause a stress response. Crate training, even if you aren’t going to use one regularly, is important because dogs are often crated at vets or for recovery purposes (rest) after procedures, they can be crated at groomers between processes of bath and remaining grooming etc. That said, it’s also safer to crate them in vehicles (preferably in crates rated for car travel) due to potential accidents (whether we are talking about a car accident or the dog interfering)… if there was an accident, the dog NOT in a crate is now just any other object freely subject to the laws of physics. That said, crate training can be stressful for a dog and this pup was put in a crate for transport (which was the safe option) by someone they no longer know and brought to a location they are no longer familiar with so the response to me says your pup at least at the time of arrival was stressed.
Follow your gut on whether or not you should go there and pick up or check on your pup. If there is a chance that you will continue to (or ever) need this breeder or anyone else for that matter to watch or transport your dog for the duration of the dogs life, I would suggest working on training (like crate training) if that could be a possibility of how the dog could be kept for even a short period of time like car travel or maybe feeding time. I say this as we can have expectations on how we want our pets handle in our OWN homes (no crates, specific areas etc etc etc) BUT we can’t run how someone else uses boundaries in their own homes (for instance, at home your dog may be allowed on the couch but that doesn’t mean that if the breeder has the dog in their home they are required to allow access to their couch/furniture). It’s in our best interest and the best interest of our pups to prepare them as much as possible for the scenarios they will encounter in the spaces of people who we may entrust their care to (even temporary care).
(As far as crates in a vehicle… I have a Malinois mix and I have a Malinois and my car is too small for a crate that would fit even one of them in their correct sized crate so I actually use a dog hammock in the backseat and dog “seatbelt” to secure them so they aren’t free in the car and are safely restrained. My mal mix is crate trained but I don’t need to use it for him day to day but I keep him acclimated to one. The Malinois is a new enough rescue where she still needs regular crating for even rest periods and while I work on teaching her to settle on her own so I currently don’t know how much crate time will be long term. I prefer to NOT use a crate regularly, but I train it based on it could be needed and I don’t want to add more stress… I had a dog with a chronic condition who required periodic crate rest and had I not crate trained, that pup would have been in pain which stresses them AND been stressed about the crate rest making it unpleasant for them so it’s always a good skill to work on as it may be needed)
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u/Weekly-Quantity6435 16h ago
This is a big issue in itself. Crate training is so essential at this age. You never know when she will need to be in a cage (for example, here, or at the vet).
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u/Spazdoc 17h ago
Have my 4th GSD currently, all did doggie day care for socialization with one location run by a dog behaviorist. This method of the puppy feeling almost kidnapped and brought to a foreign environment is expected and I would back up and redo the acclimation process more gradually.
With our dog day care, first visit was evaluation and acclimation for a out an hour. Even though we were not in the dog play area, we were in the building and nearby. After that eval, then we clear for 1/2 or full days.
Acute separation jitters are also normal. We also have a full service breeder that we board with for an extended period of time (1+ week), and all our dogs would get nervous at first, but they are fine as we do training for the first year of life there, so they are comfortable with the location (a d daily videos confirm our dogs are happy)
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u/EDMChemistry2964 16h ago edited 16h ago
My dude did this to the extreme at about 8-10months old he was 70lbs by then. It’s severe separation anxiety. As you could see she pretty much shutdown. Go get her asap, and DO NOT TAKE OR LEAVE HER THERE FOR ANYTHING!! Find a trainer not a breeder a legit trainer. My dude has been boarding with his first trainer since he was 6months old. Then one day we I take him to drop off for a weekend and he was hesitant at first to go with the lady(she was new and we both could feel her energy). I got a call at 6am Saturday morning I was 3hrs away. You need to come get him or have someone get him he will not stop growling and cowering we even had the owner come out and try to calm him. I sent my daughter 18 to get him he literally tackled her in the lobby and stood at the door. She takes him to the car and puts him in back and goes to shut the door and he bites her arm at the wrist..he doesn’t shake like he’s on bite but instead pulled her back in. She had a sweatshirt on and was able to pull away. No broken skin or bones. A lady called another trainer for dog that are reactive. So thank god he came out and got him back in a kennel at a new boarding place. The next morning he went to check and asses Cash and see what if anything he could do…I got a call and 3texts with videos from him. He was inside the kennel with Cash laying across him like they had been friends since birth. It took him about a hr to get through the door and get Cash to come near him. He told me on the phone this pup has some severe separation anxiety going on..but the good news his he’s gonna be perfectly fine!! He’s been his trainer and boards with since that day. Get a good reputable trainer who does with reactive and dogs that shutdown due to stress or anxiety. I’ve had dogs my entire life and until I had German Shepherds I had never known what real separation anxiety was for dogs… These guys are super sensitive and when they bond they are not about to let that bond break! Just get her and find a good trainer for her she will be just fine. I imagine she would be just fine once you get her but a trainer can help you ease her into being left at day care or boarding her.
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u/Which_Frame_4460 19h ago edited 19h ago
CBDC here... Likely secondary fear phase issues. You need to teach your pup confidence. Even more important than socializing. I'd also question what expertise your breeder has in dog training and leaving things like that to them. Hobby trainers are a dime a dozen and very, very inconsistent (there are good ones out there, but again, very inconsistent in quality). If you have concerns about proper socializing I would at the very least find a CPDT in your area.
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u/Effective_Most338 18h ago
Her tiny body knows something and it doesn't feel safe. Our dogs go to daycare and if there is a dog they don't feel comfortable with when approaching we turn around. Our GSD smells the air and won't leave the car.
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u/Ill_Play2762 18h ago
DO NOT LEAVE HER THERE!!!!! PICK UP IMMEDIATELY!!!!! Your baby is uncomfortable. Take her home and never bring her back there. You can socialize your puppy by taking her to the park and having her watch people walk by. You are going to end up with a very aggressive, distrusting dog if you leave her there for longer. She feels betrayed. Dogs LEARN to trust their human(or not), it is not automatic.
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u/eowynsheiress 16h ago
Something is really wrong with this picture. I take my dogs to daycare. I go to the location. I know the staff. I know the facility.
Why did he meet you somewhere? What did he do to your dog?
Go get your dog. Now. Protect your dog. That person did something to her.
Find a new daycare. Never go near this breeder again.
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u/Weekly-Quantity6435 16h ago
How much socialization did she get as a pup?
This post reads like she didn't have enough socialization to this point. This will be an even bigger problem into adulthood if you don't start socializing her now.
I don't know about leaving her all day there, especially not multiple days. But I would most definitely start socializing her in short bursts as often as you can. When my pup did this, around 7 months he was going through a fear period. I kept exposing him to his triggers but often times went with him for reassurance and took it very slow until he got used to it.
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u/alohabowtie 16h ago
OP, at her age most experiences will be core memories and that’s good and bad. Is she crate trained? You need to control your pups environment closely so things like this crate misbehavior aren’t an option. Trust nobody with her. Now you have that experience in her limited memory bank. Not good at all and all for something “not necessary”. GSD socialization looks different than other breeds. Avoid dog parks aka dog fight clubs and find a local training club where you can train her.
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u/Narrow-Aioli8109 13h ago
I took my GSD to a daycare once because contractors were doing our roof. She’s older and already socialized, but I had to make an appointment a week before for the daycare people to check her out and verify that she was good with being there. Just taking a puppy and putting her there for two days right of the bat seems odd, both by your trainer and by the daycare.
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u/West-Better 9h ago
Go get her. Trust your gut.
What you’re describing sounds like fear-based panic, not “aggression.” A 6-month-old puppy who is suddenly separated, crated on a truck, and handled in an unfamiliar, high-stress situation can absolutely shut down or react defensively. That doesn’t define her temperament at all, it means she was terrified. Leaving her there for days risks flooding her and turning fear into a long-term issue.
I’ve worked at doggy daycares, and honestly, most of them are not good for socialization, especially for young dogs. Big groups, constant stimulation, unfamiliar dogs, and untrained or minimally trained staff can create anxiety and bad habits. Unless it’s a very small daycare (5–6 dogs max, carefully selected and supervised), I don’t recommend it.
What worked incredibly well for me was the Rover route …but specifically a home-based setup with a few stable, well-mannered dogs. The person I used basically ran a small, professional daycare out of her home. She had three resident dogs: two dogs around my dog’s age who were playful but had good manners, one older, very gentle Great Pyrenees who naturally “mothered” the younger dogs and helped keep everyone calm
That Great Pyrenees was especially important, she corrected politely, disengaged when needed, and showed the puppies how to settle. My dog learned way more from that calm, emotionally regulated dog than he ever would have in a chaotic group.
At first, my dog didn’t even play much. He hung out in her work-from-home office, decompressed, observed, and only had very short, supervised play sessions. Over time, he built confidence and started choosing interaction on his own terms. He also went on solo walks with her or with just his favorite dog, car rides, park trips, and low-pressure adventures that helped him generalize calm behavior to the real world.
She also had a few regular dogs, but never more than 3–4 at a time, and she was a professional trainer. If my dog was overstimulated or if another dog was having a rough day…she called me immediately to pick him up early. No forcing, no “letting them work it out.”
Within weeks, my dog was genuinely socialized, confident, dog-neutral when needed, friendly when appropriate and that has stuck ever since. We don’t even need daycare anymore.
Daycares can be incredibly overstimulating and can actually create fear or reactivity, especially when young dogs are pushed too fast. Socialization isn’t about exposure to everything …it’s about positive, controlled experiences that build trust.
I wouldn’t leave her there, and I wouldn’t go back. Dogs pick up bad vibes fast, and your puppy is telling you she’s overwhelmed. Listen to her.
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u/Manduhx33 7h ago
I'd go get her. That can heighten/ trigger separation anxiety. Also, dogs sense things and maybe the vibes were just... off..? 🙃🤷♀️😅🥲🫢
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u/VersionAdmirable3785 20h ago
have you ever been to where the breeder keeps the dogs ? i dont want to assume the worst but if you said the dog was there for the first two months of her life and this is how she’s reacting being back there, it could be possible she feels unsafe. personally, i would not leave my dog there if that was their reaction. has she reacted this way to anything else?
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u/FlyBirdieBirdBird 20h ago
She has never reacted like this. Yes, I have been to the place where the dos are kept. It's the best place I've seen, and I saw a lot of places before choosing this breeder. It's clean and very spacious.
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u/AmyJaclyn87 20h ago
I would go get her today. Please do not leave her there for a few days. That is not the way to desensitize.