# From what age on will a GSD be protective?



## Leika 11

Hi,

My puppy GINA is now exactly 13 weeks old.

Can somebody please tell me WHEN she will start to be protective?

Thanks in advance for your replies.


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## Catu

At about 8-10 months old they can start to become more aware of things they didn't used to, they can start discriminating between family and strangers and stop doing the happy dance for everyone. But for what I've seen they usually don't become really protective until later, 18 months or after.


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## Sherush

Jesse at 6 months is happy to meet new people and well rounded but has started being protective ie seems to know difference been people up to no good and good people on walks (different reaction) guys hanging around looking questionable he growls and hair raises. At home if you ring door bell all is good but if you show up at the door and don't ring bell you get a growling puppy. Last week in the night while Jesse and I were sleeping , my husband, came home from work late and came in the house quietly and Jesse was growling, standing on the bed, hair raised in bed with me, he didn't calm down till hubby called him and told him to come.


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## mastercabman

at 13 weeks,i would work on socializing before worrying about protection.
you don't want your gsd to be too much protective,you could end up with a real problem.
been a female,you may start to see protective behavior as early as 8-10 months old,but i think in general maybe 11/2 ? 
my female,annie,is 16 months old and she has showed protective behavior for a while now.


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## MaggieRoseLee

A true 'protection' dog is one that is well socialized and comfortable in any and all situations. That way they are calm and thinking and able to make the right decision as far as recognizing a true threat (mass murderer) from a 'fake' threat (child's friend play wrestling with dogs family member) and make the correct decision to step in or not. 

So I know my 'job' with a puppy until they are done maturing mentally and physically (18 months to 2 years) is to give them the confident and secure socialization and upbringing so they will be that thoughtful and thinking dog. So I take my pups EVERYWHERE and have them meet EVERYONE so they learn that the vast majority of the world is a good an happy place they can feel confident that I am guiding them thru. My pups learn to look to me, learn from me, and cue on my behaviors for what is normal or NOT. And if I say it's ok, then it is, even if it's new to my pup.

So later on when that mass murderer is coming at me, my adult dog will IMMEDIATELY notice the difference in both my behavior and actions as well as the mass murderer. 

Friendly happy puppies willing to greet the world is what we want. Their natural aloofness usually starts kicking in around a year for my dogs, so they no longer LOVE everyone, just their people and others are ok. 

Dog classes are the best prep for alot of the socialization that I may find hard to plan and do on my own. Between puppy kiindergarden followed by as many obedience classes as I have time for an can afford, I end up with a great dog.


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## Mandalay

Last night I got up to turn the heat on and when I turned the hall light on there was a very large hairy spider on the wall next to the thermostat. 

This made me screech.

Mandalay, who was in another room where she could hear me, but not see me started barking. Not viciously, but repeatedly and loudly. (I have been trying to teach her speak, but cannot find anything to make her bark, so I instinctively started to yell "speak" in her direction at each bark...lol). 

I did not want to make her think she should not be barking if I am screaming in the middle of the night, so I waited and then went in and let her outside with me and let her see everything was ok. Then we all went back to bed. I was pleased that she had barked, and how she had barked as it shows me that if she hears something unusual in the middle of the night she will react.

I was also happy that I thought to yell the speak command at 2am. There is never any lack of drama at my house.


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## hannibalGSD

at 9 weeks my puppy was barking and charging at anyone besides us 3 family members  One day he was more than happy to see them the next he wanted blood (ha not really just barked alot)


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