# 8 months old becoming aggressive?



## Bear L (Feb 9, 2012)

My female is 8 months. She has been a shy / weak nerved dog from the start. 

Yesterday, a friend's 20lb adult male was here visiting. The friend's dog is a very friendly, easy going dog that ignored my dog for the first 30 min. Perfect. Then they got comfortable with each other and started to play - chasing each other, play bows. Later, one of the friends started to feed his dog (my dog already ate) dinner by throwing kibbles at the dogs. Both of the dogs (mine and his) started to catch the kibbles. Because my dog is bigger and faster, she got most of the kibbles. The friend's dog didn't really care and wasn't that into food though was trying to get it as well. I thought to myself - that's amazing, they are even ok eating together in such disorderly manner. Moments after I thought that, the friend's dog barked at my dog, I think he had enough of my dog taking his food. Then my dog got mad and barked back. We separated them immediately. 

After that, we came into the house. My dog followed that dog around like they are good buddies. Suddenly, they got mad at each other, we didn't see what happened but I'm guessing that the friend's dog wanted my dog to leave him alone so gave a warning bark. My dog didn't take that well and was very upset. From that point on, my dog won't stop barking at her aggressively for the remainder of the night, even after I crated her. The only way to stop the barking is to put her in a completely different room or crated in the same room as us but with the pinch collar on so I can give corrections when she started to bark aggressively at the dog again. After she got corrected with the pinch collar, my dog settled. 

Does anyone have a dog that doesn't like taking warnings/corrections from other dogs when they grew up? My other 9 lbs dog will "correct" the GSD and the GSD will just yelp or bark back too but never to the extent I saw her do with the friend's dog and it was like she was holding a grudge against that dog for the rest of the night.

What should I do next time when my dog won't get over a correction/bark from another dog? Do the pinch collar again since that seemed to have worked? I want to understand why she can't get over it and if she's the kind of dog that just can't take corrections from other dogs. The "corrections" weren't severe, just a couple bark. It's like watching two young kids argue, except scarier since it's a GSD doing it with a 20 lbs white cute dog.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

Something like this just happened to my dog, but she did take the warning. She is 11 months now. We were in class and the trainer has a Leonberger(Huge dog, weighs 130 pounds) that she was working in class. The dogs have a play time and it was my dog, a golden, and the Leonberger, the Leonberger took a liking to the golden and my dog has played with the golden before and loves him. All three were playing and the Leonberger went for my dog. My dog didn't do anything to deserve the attack to begin with, but she went the other way, did not bark, or acknowledge the dog. We were in class for about another 15 minutes and IMO the Leonberger was way to focused on my dog, but my dog didn't make a peep and ignored her. I do think this has to do with the fact that mine has been raised with other dogs and she has been corrected by my older female. She seems to respect my older female and she gave the same respect to the older female Leonberger. Now my older dog that is not GSD doesn't take well to corrections, so I'd have to say its based on the dog itself. I also let my older dog correct the GSD when she was a puppy. So the GSD learned very early on what was acceptable and she does not push her boundaries.


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## KatsMuse (Jun 5, 2012)

Could it be that shes coming into Heat? And her Hormones are wacky?
Just a thought....


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## Blanketback (Apr 27, 2012)

Our puppies are about the same age, mine just a few weeks older. I don't think it's a good idea to have other people's dogs correcting our puppies. I think it's a much better idea to watch them like hawks and step in and take over a situation before any trouble starts. Like not letting your friend throw food at them to compete over, or anything where you have a hunch something bad might happen. They are still babies and we don't want them to have any bad experiences to change their attitudes towards other dogs in the future.


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## Bear L (Feb 9, 2012)

KatsMuse - perhaps! She has been blowing her coat like crazy and is almost 9 months. Suddenly more calm and affectionate the last few weeks. I thought it was just her coming into maturity. I hope that is it. She used to take corrections from other dogs very well.


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

Just popping in to say...I wouldn't throw kibbles out randomly to my pack of dogs, and it's a bad idea to think any dogs will get along if you do this. Food is a basic instinct - survival really - and dogs do often become aggressive over it.


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## Bear L (Feb 9, 2012)

msvette2u said:


> Just popping in to say...I wouldn't throw kibbles out randomly to my pack of dogs, and it's a bad idea to think any dogs will get along if you do this. Food is a basic instinct - survival really - and dogs do often become aggressive over it.


I agree with this. When I saw how well they played and managed to be ok at first with the food, I thought it was ok... never again. But the strangest part was the "hating" that happened inside the house that no one saw what triggered it.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Bitches can get to hating, and when they do, it can last and last and last. They may live in the moment, but they do have memory, when it comes to who they dislike.

I don't like crating a dog with a prong collar so you can give corrections for barking, when the dog is already fearful. 

I guess, I really don't understand why people need to go over other people's houses with their dogs, and feed them with the other dog. That was a recipe for disaster. When I go to friends' homes, I leave my dogs at my house. And I don't have these issues. People don't bring their dogs to my house. And we don't have these issues.


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

I'll tell you what happened here - we were eating popcorn and a bowl got spilled. Well, my Libby (alpha/bitch/princess) loves popcorn. We had a little 6lb. Chi foster who was running and snagging popcorn. We got it cleaned up but the Chi got some, and Libs got some. Libby was not happy as she didn't get as much as she apparently thought she was "due". 
Well, about an hour later, the Chi walked in front of Libby and Libby just reached out and grabbed her! Snarling, and shaking that little Chi by the head - I was sure the dog was dead. 
Libby let go and the Chi ran off crying but was fine except a bit of slobber.
Scared the bejeezus out of us. 
All I know is...girls hold grudges. Sometimes for_ever_!!! And they _will _get even!


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## Anthony8858 (Sep 18, 2011)

msvette2u said:


> Just popping in to say...*I wouldn't throw kibbles out randomly to my pack of dogs, and it's a bad idea to think any dogs will get along if you do this. Food is a basic instinct - survival really - and dogs do often become aggressive over it*.


I was wondering when someone would jump on this.



selzer said:


> Bitches can get to hating, and when they do, it can last and last and last. They may live in the moment, but they do have memory, when it comes to who they dislike.
> 
> I don't like crating a dog with a prong collar so you can give corrections for barking, when the dog is already fearful.
> 
> I* guess, I really don't understand why people need to go over other people's houses with their dogs, and feed them with the other dog. That was a recipe for disaster. When I go to friends' homes, I leave my dogs at my house. And I don't have these issues. People don't bring their dogs to my house. And we don't have these issues*.


Agree...
My Kira is a mild mannered dog. Yet when someone decided to bring their dog over, her mild manners went out the window.



msvette2u said:


> I'll tell you what happened here - we were eating popcorn and a bowl got spilled. Well, my Libby (alpha/bitch/princess) loves popcorn. We had a little 6lb. Chi foster who was running and snagging popcorn. We got it cleaned up but the Chi got some, and Libs got some. Libby was not happy as she didn't get as much as she apparently thought she was "due".
> Well, about an hour later, the Chi walked in front of Libby and Libby just reached out and grabbed her! Snarling, and shaking that little Chi by the head - I was sure the dog was dead.
> Libby let go and the Chi ran off crying but was fine except a bit of slobber.
> Scared the bejeezus out of us.
> *All I know is...girls hold grudges. Sometimes forever!!! And they will get even!*


Gotta laugh at this one.... women..geez. Some things never change.


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## KatsMuse (Jun 5, 2012)

Bear L said:


> KatsMuse - perhaps! She has been blowing her coat like crazy and is almost 9 months. Suddenly more calm and affectionate the last few weeks. I thought it was just her coming into maturity. I hope that is it. She used to take corrections from other dogs very well.


Just a suggestion...mine are crazy during their cycle!


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## WVGSD (Nov 28, 2006)

The other issue to take in to account is that the "hating or grudge" took place in the OP's home. That is his dog's territory and space. She may have been okay in the yard outside, but when inside, the rules change as that is now her home and her person. 

I also agree that throwing food was a disaster as was feeding both dogs in the OP's home. And, with five bitches at home and a life currently spent rotating dogs because of bitch disagreements/fights, yes to bitches hating one another. Bitch fights are awful!


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