# 9 month old GSD sudden aggression



## Phil Robinson (Mar 8, 2017)

My 9 month old male GSD has suddenly started acting aggressive towards other dogs. Hes been very well socialised since 8 weeks old and has always loved playing with all types of dogs. But the last week he has been showing dominent behaviour. Not attacking the dogs but not playing either. I was wondering why this has happened and what i can do to stop it? Just over a week ago he was at a puppy class and being friendly with all new dogs so Im very confused


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## Dracovich (Feb 24, 2017)

Dominance is not aggression, and aggression is not dominance.

What is your dog doing? Humping? Growling? Jumping on dogs? Need more information. Dominance behavior on its own is not necessarily a problem as long as the dog is respectful of other dog's boundaries, that is where issues happen. Make sure your dog respects when another dog tells him off, and do not allow other dogs to harass him when he has told them to stop. 

My dog will often try to hump another dog, and usually the other dog is quick to give him a nip and a growl and he gets it and is almost always respectful. If ever he is not I will remove him from the situation, leash him up and wait until his mind is calmer and ready to be polite.

I believe all dogs are aggressive to some level, aggression is not something that needs to be conditioned out of a dog, it just needs to be kept manageable.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

What do you mean by Puppy Class?

Are there puppy-free-for-alls or are all dogs on leash and under control at all times?

Your dog is a domestic canine. Sometimes it is worthwhile to study how wild canines act within groups. Sometimes. Dogs will pack up, because a lone wolf will die. The wolf brings down large game by herding, and hunting, and running them down as a group, not singly. A single wolf would have to live on rabbits and rats when he could get them. Also a single would be driven to find another to pack up with. Because they are just not lone critters. At the same time, when a wild canine has a pack, they have a hierarchy, and they mark out a territory, and other canines that stray into their territory are dealt with. They do not run and play and romp with strange dogs -- that would not be normal canine behavior.

Often packs of dogs are family groups. A dog and bitch have pups, and then 6-12 months later when the first group are still adolescents, they have another set of pups, and so on. This group of dogs then works as a pack. Very dominant members will generally strike out on their own to hook up with a bitch and form their own pack, or take over other packs. The rest will follow the alpha bitch and alpha dog. 

But they settle into a pack and the pack grows usually only by puppies coming in from the alpha bitch and dog. Usually. And thus, it is often easiest with existing dogs to introduce a new puppy to your pack than to introduce an adult dog. If the leader brings in another adult dog, it may take a few days, but that dog can be accepted, because dogs will follow a good leader, for the most part.

Dogs aren't naturally wired to live in, or interact in constantly changing groups. Most of us are happy with dog-neutral. We take our dogs to dog classes where dogs are on-lead, and they work next to other dogs working with their owners, but they are not expected to interact with other dogs directly. Some breeds are better at loose packs. Some aren't. Puppies tend to accept changes in pack structure and pack members pretty easily until they don't. Their puppy license (when adult dogs will give them a free pass on doggy manners) usually wears off between 4-5 months of age, but they still might get along well with other dogs for a few months. They are more interested in playing, running, chasing, and they are not ready for suspicion, protecting territory, interested in bitches, interested in telling other dogs to stay away from their person or bitches. 

Somewhere in the timeframe of sexual maturity, the pup goes through a series of changes. It happens at different ages. Some of the get stupid and forget the simplest of commands -- it comes back, it is a stage. Others will be suspicious of strangers and will raise their hackels and bark and sometimes lunge at people they don't know. Some will be fearful of things they never were fearful of and instead of barking and lunging will hide or crawl up your back. And others will just shake it off, have a less then stellar day at training, and move on. 

Lots of people get their dog neutered during this time. If they continue to work with the dog after it is neutered, they report very positive results. Of course if they continue to work with the dog without neutering, they also have very positive results. Occasionally, if there is a bitch in heat within a block or two, the un-neutered dog takes a little longer to work past his bout of stupidity, though a dog that has not been allowed to breed a bitch, will often not show the typical behaviorial traits that a stud dog may exhibit when a bitch is in standing heat. Most behavioral problems associated to intact males are training/management issues, and not due to the presence of testosterone at all.

Sexual maturity happens prior to the dog being full grown, and keeping a dog intact, at least until he is full grown has great benefits. 

Your pet dog, does not have to run and play with other dogs. Ever. In fact, puppy kindergartens that allow this, doggy day care, and dog parks, actually are counter-productive in a number of ways. You have a dog that goes to day care and has been through puppy free-for-alls in puppy classes, loves the dog park -- what happens when he sees a dog at the vet? He rushes forward for playtime, Yay!!! The other dog is injured, and in his condition, terrified, and tries to protect himself by biting your dog -- who is at fault? The other dog is ill and spewing germs and your dog winds up with kennel caught -- who is at fault? You are in class trying to teach a DOWN-STAY, but your dog wants to play with the dog next to him. That dog is not dog-friendly, and when your dog trots up into the dog's face, your dog gets chewed up. Who is at fault? 

The dog is wired naturally to play with members of his own family, and stay close to them anyway. When we are trying to get them to adjust to living with humans, be gentle with humans, play and act in ways that the humans want, taking them daily or bi-weekly to a field and turning him loose with a bunch of other dogs, whose manners might be anywhere, just ramps them up and brings them closer to their canine attitudes and behaviors. 

Whatever. TL, DR: Your pup is growing up, and some things are going to be a little different. Could be a temporary stage. Could be more permanent management thing. A lot depends on how you manage yourself through this period. You can take a few steps back in training and work through it with your puppy, staying confident, and continuing to move past possible issues, keeping the dog safe and staying up-beat and matter of fact. You can neuter your boy, and continue to work through it. You can freak out several times a week, letting him get way too close to bad situations, and then over-reacting, and finally yelling or punishing him -- this happens to be one of the more popular approaches and takes the longest to bring the dog out on the other end.


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## Nico'sMom (Mar 8, 2017)

I appreciate this comment so much, Selzer. I have been feeling perhaps I should move swiftly towards neutering. Maybe I should just avoid the dog park! Nico (21 mths) is confident, but not aggressive and not even particularly dominant, though more so as he matures. Lately, though, other dogs have been pesky with him. He is generally ok with taking the hint that some dogs don't want your chin on their necks, but sometimes he can be, oh let's say, persistent. Friendly, but obnoxious. When it's revealed that he's unneutered, I sometimes get the "look" as if I'm a criminal. Almost always, if he's got bad chemistry with another dog, they are close in age and the other dog is dominant, or also intact male. Would it truly be better to have less regular socialization with other dogs in order to avoid confrontation?


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## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

Nico'sMom said:


> I appreciate this comment so much, Selzer. I have been feeling perhaps I should move swiftly towards neutering. Maybe I should just avoid the dog park! Nico (21 mths) is confident, but not aggressive and not even particularly dominant, though more so as he matures. Lately, though, other dogs have been pesky with him. He is generally ok with taking the hint that some dogs don't want your chin on their necks, but sometimes he can be, oh let's say, persistent. Friendly, but obnoxious. When it's revealed that he's unneutered, I sometimes get the "look" as if I'm a criminal. Almost always, if he's got bad chemistry with another dog, they are close in age and the other dog is dominant, or also intact male. Would it truly be better to have less regular socialization with other dogs in order to avoid confrontation?


Don't rush to neuter. At 21 months it won't change behavior.


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## Deb (Nov 20, 2010)

Nico doesn't really need to go to the dog park or even to play with other dogs unless it's ones you know he gets along with. He'll be just as happy without going.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

No need to neuter and just avoid the dog park; he outgrew it like many GSDs do at that age.


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## katdog5911 (Sep 24, 2011)

I have a 9 1/2 month old that has lost his mind too. He has been "barky" since day one....I actually don't mind a bark, just want control of that "off" button....a work in progress at the moment.

He can play with other dogs in a controlled environment, which he has. Personally, I would love for him to be "neutral". 

At the moment he has really amped up the barking, lunging, out of his mind behavior. Nearly took me down the other day. His lunacy was directed at 2 women, dressed for winter, walking sort of towards us. Clearly, the no pull harness I have been using is not making a dent in his behavior at all. Trying to decide what training tool I should try. I am using positive only method but am beginning to wonder if maybe he needs something stronger and more aversive. I need to be able to walk him safely!

I know he at an age where boundaries are being tested etc. Just want to get through this period as quickly, safely, and calmly as possible.


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## NerdicEclipse (Feb 20, 2017)

Neutering (or spaying) doesn't alter personality like that. They may edge a dog towards one side or another, but they are not something that is going to drastically change your dog's personality or traits, or habits. So many people seem to think it does. I wouldn't jump to that, at least not with the expectation of it changing anything in this situation.

Also - There's a certain degree of counterproductively to playing and socializing with random dogs anyway. I've always thought it to be best for a dog to be more neutral. I really don't want my girl playing with other people's dogs. Those of family members or neighbors that she'll see daily/often, of course. But I don't want her to view every dog she comes across as a potential playmate. This can inflame already present issues or outright begin new bad habits. There's no way to know how other people train or care for their dogs. Also, much like selzer said, dogs don't necessarily want that themselves. Being social animals or running with packs doesn't necessarily mean they can, want to or should get along well with random or strange dogs at dog parks or in public. 

Of course I also don't want her aggressive towards them or to react out of fear. I just want her to be neutral. She doesn't need to pay attention to them one way or another. She should always be focused on whichever of us is walking her when in a public place with other dogs or people.

Your dog is much better off (and will probably enjoy more) playing with you and interacting with you (or the dogs of family or neighbors) than environments like that anyway. As he goes through these changes and phases growing up it's best he spends that time with you, focused on you and what you want to imprint on him rather than what other dogs (or people) will cement in his mind.


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