Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi. I'm new to the forum and looking for help. My very sweet and loving 1 yr old male GSD is acting very aggressive toward people he doesn't know. This is happening primarily in the yard. Once people are in the house, he seems fine with them. He's always been a little shy, but warms up quickly and seems to like strangers once he's had a few minutes to figure out they are not a threat. I'm at a loss as to what to do and am looking for any advice or experiences others might have had. Thanks for any help you can provide.

>>Hi. I'm new to the forum and looking for help. My very sweet and loving 1 yr old male GSD is acting very aggressive toward people he doesn't know. This is happening primarily in the yard. Once people are in the house, he seems fine with them. He's always been a little shy, but warms up quickly and seems to like strangers once he's had a few minutes to figure out they are not a threat. I'm at a loss as to what to do and am looking for any advice or experiences others might have had. Thanks for any help you can provide.

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Sounds like barrier frustration in the yard. Best to get him out of that situation, don't leave him out there without you anymore. Whenever anyone approaches, call him to you. This needs to be stopped, or it will spread to other situations, probably starting with inside your home.
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Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series at www.veterinaryforum.com

>>>>Hi. I'm new to the forum and looking for help. My very sweet and loving 1 yr old male GSD is acting very aggressive toward people he doesn't know. This is happening primarily in the yard. Once people are in the house, he seems fine with them. He's always been a little shy, but warms up quickly and seems to like strangers once he's had a few minutes to figure out they are not a threat. I'm at a loss as to what to do and am looking for any advice or experiences others might have had. Thanks for any help you can provide.
>>
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>>Sounds like barrier frustration in the yard. Best to get him out of that situation, don't leave him out there without you anymore. Whenever anyone approaches, call him to you. This needs to be stopped, or it will spread to other situations, probably starting with inside your home.
>>-----
>>Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series at www.veterinaryforum.com

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Here's a link to another article that may help explain what is going on with your dog at a year of age:

http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=1701&S=1&SourceID=47
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Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series at www.veterinaryforum.com

My two year old barks at anyone or anything who trys to come into the yard unless I or my wife am with him.

I might get flamed for what I am about to say but here goes.

I got a German Shepard because they do not emidiatly take to strangers. It takes them a little while to get used to new people. They don't trust everyone even if they do get to know them.

The yard is owned by my dogs, this is their space and they don't like to have people they don't know or trust in their space. I post beware of dog signs because people in general are stupid and will push their luck. I don't think my dogs would bite anyone but stupid people can make things happen.

I don't consider my dogs barking at people agression either. It's a warning. If you ignore the worning then the aggresion begins.

What I am trying to say is that German Shepard dogs were bread to be aware, alert and to help others be aware and alert. Barking is not agression and I've never seen my dog show agression.

Scootter

Scooter is dead on here. They bark to warn you, and then you have to let them know what the next step is. If you don't, they will assume it's their responsibility to "Defend and Protect". Just let them know what you want and be consistent with it. You probably like the warning, but don't encourage anything after that. You have to back them down. Sounds like you have a great dog there.

Craig

He's a good dog. He heards the kids to keep them in the yard in the summer time and I know whenever anything comes within 50yrds of my place. The only time that ever backfired was when I went to see what it was and wound up stairing a Bull moose down at less then 10yrds.

Scootter

>>He's a good dog. He heards the kids to keep them in the yard in the summer time and I know whenever anything comes within 50yrds of my place. The only time that ever backfired was when I went to see what it was and wound up stairing a Bull moose down at less then 10yrds.
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>>Scootter
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Why is the dog in the picture attached to a chain?
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Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series at www.veterinaryforum.com

To keep him in the yard.

He's to smart to be held in a kennel, to big to stay in the house all day and I'm to poor for an electric fence. He has not changed a bit since I went from the kennel to the chain.

I've known many dogs who have lived there lives on chains and there was nothing wrong with them.

Scootter

>>To keep him in the yard.
>>
>>He's to smart to be held in a kennel, to big to stay in the house all day and I'm to poor for an electric fence. He has not changed a bit since I went from the kennel to the chain.
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>>I've known many dogs who have lived there lives on chains and there was nothing wrong with them.
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>>Scootter

>>>>>

Too big to stay in the house all day but not too big to stay on a chain?
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Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series at www.veterinaryforum.com

Too big to stay in the house all day but not too big to stay on a chain?

I don't understand either? I've never been around a GSD that was too big for a house. My Shep is 120lb. and he has the run of the house all day every day. What good can come from a dog being chained up all day? Only time my GSD is on a chain is when I bring him to a unfamiliar unfenced surrounding and it's only for a couple hours at most.

Look at the pictures he posted, how big is that house? does he have an family in it? Did he ever say how long each day his dogs are on the chains?

He never said they were out there all day, peopple made that assumption. he says in other posts he's a stay at home dad, so there's a family in that small house.

I love the way people seek out facts before jumping to conclusions.

Craig1976