>>I got a German Shepherd for myself shortly before my wife and I married. Once we married and moved in together my dog bonded with my wife and could care less if I was alive or not. Now, the dog listens to me like you wouldn't believe, and doesn't obey my wife worth a damn but they are best friends. The dog follows her around the house and wants to be with her every second.
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>>If my wife is not around, the dog doesn't want to be by me, it's at the window waiting for my wife again.
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>>I feel like the dog is not a good companion to me. I am very nice to the dog and give her treats etc. The dog just doesnt give two cents about me.
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>>Any advice on how to gain some companionship from this dog?
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When it comes to dogs, that old saying "To make a friend, BE a friend" applies. Dogs bond to the people who take care of them, and there are a whole lot of ways to do that. One thing you could do if you feel you are not getting enough attention is to get a second dog. Then they compete for the human attention, and two humans are apt to get more dog attention. You could also try some of the activities in my article Bonding witn Your Dog, at the link below my signature.
The more you pursue a dog, the less interest the dog will have in you. The dog needs to be the one to decide to come to you. If the wife is going to feed the dog shortly or take her for a walk or provide other care, the dog will hang around her waiting for that desired thing.
If the husband gets cranky with the dog and yells at her, the dog will avoid the husband, at least at times he gets cranky. Orthopedic pain is common in German Shepherds. If the wife gently asks the dog to move or steps over her without rushing the dog when she's resting and the husband brusquely tells her to get out of the way right now, she is going to rest near the wife, not the husband. There are so many variables in why a dog hangs around one person more than another.
Another factor is that German Shepherds tend to be ONE person dogs. They have trouble moving from one home to another because of this. Some will refuse to eat in a new home for quite awhile. They are very prone to developing severe separation anxiety when left alone, especially if they have lost a home and are in another home.
If you want a dog who will be eager to put you first, you may need to add a second dog to the family. Opposite sex from the one you have, so that as long as you don't ask them to share food or highly desired toys, they won't fight.
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Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series articles at http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=SRC&S=1&SourceID=47
