What do I do now.

[TheBodyPiercer]

No judgement please, but our latest dog walker/Sitter has quit after an incident yesterday.

Main points are
Rescued dog march 2020 at 5 months old we were his 5th owner.

Was an absolute nightmare in the home but that has improved.

Was doing fine in daycare but it closed.

Kicked out of 2 other daycares for being to boisterous.

Hired a dog Walker instead but his reactivity got worse.

Stopped dog Walker walking him and walked him solely himself and his reactivity has improved somewhat.

Dog Walker was unreliable so let her go and found another to just sit with him for a few hours. All fine until yesterday when he started biting at her clothes and inevitably biting her in the process (hes 25kg). Shes quit.

We've worked with a trainer. We've done a board and train. We have sessions booked in with a behaviourist.

But we have to work, I've already reduced my hours but at least 2 days we are out 9am to 6pm.

I can't put him in daycare. I've literally exhausted every option regarding walkers/sitters, he can't do group walks, there are no kennels that will take him just for the day.

He can't stay outside as he barks at everything that walks past so neighbours would eventually complain.

I love him to pieces but I'm at a loss what to do and it's ruining my life.

Any advice!

@Alittlepotofrosie

So she was standing in the garden with him, and he just starts biting her clothes and biting her? Must have been terrifying for the poor woman with such a large breed. My bil had a very large dog that would do similar. One day it got a bit too playful and wouldn't calm down. A visitor to the house ended up with a nasty bite so they rehomed it. In the next home it bit a child and was rehomed again. God knows where it is now and how many more times it's bitten.

Well that's why we would rather work on the issue than rehome him and potentially make things worse.

It is puppy frustration but unfortunately he's no longer puppy sized!

Outside kennel. Friends of ours have a German Shepherd who lives outside in their garden. He used to be a nightmare as a puppy but now at 1.5 is much calmer and he is absolutely fine staying in outside kennel and having the run of the garden

@XelaM

Outside kennel. Friends of ours have a German Shepherd who lives outside in their garden. He used to be a nightmare as a puppy but now at 1.5 is much calmer and he is absolutely fine staying in outside kennel and having the run of the garden

Hi, yes I think we're going to get an outside kennel/run and hopefully the situation will improve with time.

Just be aware with an outside kennel that you don't want the dog to cause a nuisance with barking all day long - will your dog react to passing cars, animals, neighbours next door etc?

Also please please make sure it's secure as lots of dog thefts occur from gardens and outdoor kennels.

I had a dog exactly like this, he was dumped at a police station as a puppy as his previous owner couldn't cope. He was hugely boisterous, loved everyone and everything, would race across fields to 'greet' people and jumping up and mouthing were all part of his behaviour. Also had separation anxiety and would be destructive. When frustrated he would be unmanageable.
I was lucky that I was always at home, but I can say that loads of exercise, a definite routine and actually in our case having another dog all helped. He was always slightly mad, but did improve and calm down as he aged, he was one of the best dogs I've owned, if one of the most difficult, we were devastated when we lost him.

Obviously this isn't helping your situation right now, but I think if you stick with him he will improve, I know I was often at the end of my tether, so understand how difficult it can be.

I think the idea of mild sedation isn't a bad one actually, it might just give you the space to deal with his issues before his brain flicks into overdrive. I hope you manage to get a solution.