# HELP!! Dog nips, barks, and lunges at everyone but me!



## Beo (Dec 10, 2011)

We have a 11 mo. German Shepherd who is pretty well behaved when he is just around my husband and me. But if anyone comes in the house, or if he goes out and there is any other dog or person out, he starts barking at them. If they come close (and yes, after all that, there have been a few that still want to pet him), he is just barking uncontrollably and trying to bite at them! I have had to put him in a crate and in another room because of this. Eventually he will quiet down. But as soon as they are gone and he is let out, he runs through the house barking and looking for them. I have tried to muzzle him. All he does is try to get the thing off. He will even go up to the other people in the house and try to rub up against them to get it off. But if they move, he goes back to the barking and growling. I have tried to have my company give him treats through his crate while I have him and is petting him..lots of good reassurance and eventually they can pet him with no problem. But once he is out, he goes back to the barking and trying to nip. He remembers my family members and at first starts barking, but then he is alright with them and we have NO problems. But anyone new, we have MAJOR problems. I live in an apartment, and I don't know what to do!?! He also does NOT like kids or babies!! He tries to bite them, and barks at them as soon as they move! We have tried a pinch collar on him, and that doesn't work. he will actually pull against it to go after whatever it is. He is really skiddish. He doesn't bite me, even when we play. When another person tried to pet him, he did bite down on them, but he put his mouth around there hand and just held it there. I don't know what to do


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## GSKnight (Oct 18, 2011)

I am FAR from the expert here... but it sounds like your dog is ALPHA in your home and guarding you. There are people here who will post links to threads with information to help you.


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## gsdraven (Jul 8, 2009)

Sounds like a scared puppy, not Alpha. How much socialization has he had from the time you brought him home where all things he sees are good?

A muzzle needs to be introduced slowly and as a very good thing in order to work right or it just stresses them out more as you saw. And corrections can back fire like you saw with the prong.

What you need to do is contact a trainer or behaviorist that has experience POSITIVELY working through these kinds of problems. If you post your location, maybe someone will have a recommendation for you. 

Until then you can start working on the muzzle in a good way. Hold it out to him and hold a treat at the other end so he has to put his nose in it to get the treat. Say good, praise him and give him the treat when he puts his nose in it. Do that again and again without closing it on him until he is voluntarily putting his nose in it when he sees it.


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## GSKnight (Oct 18, 2011)

Listen to Jamie... she knows more then me.


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

Did you just get him and this is how he came?

Or did you have him since he was young and he's done this from day one with all the dog classes and hours of weekly socialization?

What does the breeder say? How are the littermates doing?

What does your trainer recommend? Can you attend more classes or find another type of trainer to help with all your current classes?

I agree with gsdraven this seems like fear so dealing have to deal with the fear, continue on getting your dog to learn YOU are the leader in these scary situations and will take charge rather than leaving it up to them to over react.

Did you get to start clicker training? That should be ideal and if you are already using a clicker you can start adding things like 





 
http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...0-intro-clicker-training-perfect-puppies.html


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## Beo (Dec 10, 2011)

I need to correct something. In my last post I put that he "did" bite down on the person, and it should be "didn't". 
We got Beo when he was 7 weeks old. I have tried to socialize him as much as I could. We have taken him on long drives and have let him be outside to see how things are. I even took him down to my families house for the holidays, where there were 2 other dogs in the house and about 15 people from 1 yr old up. He was good with my 5 yr old nephew. But that was the only kid. When Beo was a puppy, my nephew came and stayed a weekend with me, and him and Beo kinda got along. As long as my nephew doesn't run, Beo won't try to get him. But my nephew can lay on him and everything and he is good. The other kids, he didn't get along with. But as far as everyone else in the house, he was good with them, and we don't see them very often. He just remembers them from other visits. When he has gone out, normally it was when there wasn't very many people outside. We did have to take a trip for a little while, and he stayed with the person I got him from, and he was very well behaved with her. I have tried to make sure I stay Alpha to him. I keep away from anything that will put him and me on the same level. The other dogs in the litter don't have these problems. I am just told to socialize him more. He is just really skiddish. During the day, he goes up to the window upstairs and barks at anything he sees moving outside. I have taught him to calm down when I put a certain hand signal, and tell him "calm". He doesn't bark as much. But I have to keep reiterating it over and over to him. Eventually he calms down after a bit when I have company over. But he has to stay in his kennel the entire time. If they walk up to him, he goes crazy again. They have a baby, and during the day I babysit him. And Beo is doing fine with him. He always starts barking, and then eventually calms down with the signals. And the baby can even walk by the kennel, and Beo doesn't even move. But if I let Beo out, that will be another story. When the parents come get the kid though. Beo goes crazy again. I have not put him in any classes. I am to afraid of what he will do to the other dogs. We have just taught him at the house. He is a really quick learning dog, and we don't use treats to train him. If I have his focus, he is great, we don't need the collar or anything. We can either use hand signals or words, be understands them both. But when he sees other dogs or people, getting his focus isn't happening. I have tried to take him out when one other person is out, and when I see he is going to start to bark, I just keep petting him, and reiterating that everything is fine, and keep giving him the hand signals. We do take him out with us in the car. He just barks at EVERYONE. He is fine in the car. He rides really well. He just scares everyone outside the car. I just don't know what else to do.


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## wyominggrandma (Jan 2, 2011)

when you pet him while he is barking and trying to bite, you are telling him that it is okay to bark and bite. Having people give him treats , even in the crate when he is barking is telling him its okay. Pretty much you are telling him it is okay to bark and growl an bite because you tell him its okay and pet him. Its not okay and you should not try to soothe him while he is behaving aggressively.


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## Beo (Dec 10, 2011)

Then how to I get him to stop using his own instinct and to rely on mine?


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## chelle (Feb 1, 2009)

Work on the LAT game. It really helped us. I think you need to find a reactive dog class yesterday. My dog was (can still occasionally be) reactive to people. We spent many an afternoon at the city park, watching all the world walk/skate/jog/bike by. We started by just hanging out 10? foot back from the trail and moving closer.


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## gsdraven (Jul 8, 2009)

Beo said:


> Then how to I get him to stop using his own instinct and to rely on mine?


Clicker training is great for that! It keeps them in the "now".

The advice is still to get a positive trainer who has dealt with fear issues to help give YOU the right tools to have a happy dog.


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## Beo (Dec 10, 2011)

K. I can try that. I kinda do that now when he go out. How did you keep his attention, or what did you do when he started barking or growling? Right now he chases moving leaves let alone people.


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## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

You may have already stated but, how much exercise does he get?
How much daily socialization?


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## Beo (Dec 10, 2011)

Durring the day he usually has the run of the house. We don't keep him in his kennel. And he does run. He runs up and down the stairs ALOT. That is where we kinda play a game with him. Plus our Kitchen/dinning room/Living room is all open. So we play fetch with him till he gets bored with it. I stay home during the day with him. Plus when he goes potty, depending on the weather, we go for walks. So that he can get use to people. I try to keep his mind stimulated also. I try to change things up. How we play games, or routes we walk. His potty areas are always the same though. We only go out in the car in the evening, and that is only a few times a week in the evenings if we need to go out. The kid I watch. He is only over for 2-3 hrs 2-3 days a week. Sometimes the parents stay and hang out at the house. But we have moved his kennel down to the livingroom, so he can see everything that is going on.


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## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

A GSD needs to RUN for MILES every day. A walk is nothing. Running around the house is nothing. Granted that some GSDs are low energy couch potatoes, but that is the exception rather than the rule. You can also work off a lot of energy by mentally challenging your GSD. Getting him to find things or figure them out. But if you have a high energy dog you must be prepared to find a way to work off his energy.


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## Beo (Dec 10, 2011)

I do mentally stimulate him. I try to make sure he has at least one session a day he has to figure things out, and find things. I will have to take him out for runs more then.


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## chelle (Feb 1, 2009)

Yes, Beo, have to agree with PaddyD, these creatures have insane amounts of energy. Running around a house, even a mansion, hehe, just isn't enough. I often wish that were enough, now that the weather is so cold, but it isn't. I cheated today - bad! - and all we did is work the (newfound) flirt pole outside for about half an hour. It really didn't even take the edge off. It definitely helps to balance exercise with mental work, but there's just no replacement for full-out, hard running & playing.


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## cowboy17 (Sep 26, 2011)

Beo said:


> Then how to I get him to stop using his own instinct and to rely on mine?


This is your first problem and it could end up being your biggest problem.

You want the dog to NOT use it's instincts??
Can you explain this a little more before I make a really dumb post.


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## Beo (Dec 10, 2011)

I want him to rely on his own instinct..to be able to sense danger or if something isn't right. But I also want him to be able to be calm. For example, one morning a maintenance man came in my house unannounced, and Beo went crazy. He didn't go after the guy, he just kept his distance and barked at him. Then he came and got me, but just kept barking facing him. I didn't do anything to Beo for that. I like that he did that. But if I have company over, I would like him to be alright with them. I can have him out around my immediate family, and he is good with them. We don't have to keep him separated. I would like to be able to walk down the street with him or go out, and him know that if I am alright with people, he can relax to.


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## chelle (Feb 1, 2009)

Beo said:


> ,,,,,,Then he came and got me, but just kept barking facing him. I didn't do anything to Beo for that. I like that he did that. But if I have company over, I would like him to be alright with them. I can have him out around my immediate family, and he is good with them. We don't have to keep him separated. I would like to be able to walk down the street with him or go out, and him know that if I am alright with people, he can relax to.


BUT here's the thing, as it has been pointed out to me about my own dog! He's illiciting a fear reaction and you're *en*couraging it in the case of the maintenace man, but then you want to *dis*courage it with new people in the house. Sure, he's great around immediate family, but he knows them. My dog is Mr Sweetheart around the ones he knows... but new people? He sometimes shows a fear reaction. Especially in the house. 

I don't think you get to "decide" when a fear reaction is appropriate or not. I don't think it is ever appropriate. We are working on this hard here. I mean, you just don't get it when you want it. If it's fear, you'll always get it. 

Hope that makes sense.


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

This website is great for the archives alone:
shy-k9s : shy-k9s
I would encourage you to join it. 

I think the single most important thing with these dogs is having a relationship where they will look to you first. So that when they have that first bit of anxiety or are unsure, instead of reacting, they will watch you for help in deciding how to act and you help them. You do this by consistently setting them up to succeed by limiting their ability to make a bad choice. 

Some people whose books/DVDs might interest you in this area are Patricia McConnell, Suzanne Clothier, and Jean Donaldson. Any others? Jan Fennell maybe and Turid Rugas (spelling). More anyone? 

But that first website, and NILIF will be a good starting point. It is always good to have a positive based trainer for dogs like these who can give you the hands on that you need.


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## NewbieShepherdGirl (Jan 7, 2011)

It sounds like you have a resource guarder, and you're the resource. Sasha went through a phase where she was like this.

With her what I did was A) she was leashed to me when someone was coming in the house. You do not risk a bite. B) If she started acting aggressively there were immediate consequences. She was removed from me and them immediately. What she wanted was me alone, so I showed her that her behavior got her the exact opposite of what she wanted.When I brought her back if she behaved she could stay out, if she didn't it was an instant trip to solitude, to be repeated any time she acted up. She caught on pretty quick. C) I had a friend come over and work on getting her used to new people. D) She got an insane amount of praise and treats for good behavior. 

It sounds like the end result you would like would be for your dog to act aggressively in an situation where that would be appropriate and otherwise rely on your judgement. I can't speak for every dog and every situation but for me and Sasha that happened once I had established clear leadership and boundaries. This took time, but eventually we got there, but until the dog feels safe you can't trust their reactions. 

Number one important thing is to keep your dog and the people around your dog safe. If that means muzzling, if that means crating, whatever you have to do; your dog has to not be given the opportunity to bite.


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## Beo (Dec 10, 2011)

now I have put Beo up when company came and he started going crazy. But I haven't tried to greet them with him attached. I can see if that would work. Plus I have put a muzzle on him. It was the kind that PetSmart sells. Unfortunately all he does is try to rub it off. It completely distracts him from the people in the room. he will actually go up to them trying to rub the muzzle off on them. Once he realizes it isn't coming off, he gives up, but then if they move, he goes after them trying to bark. Now if I pull that muzzle out, he tries to get away and sometimes pees. When he does bark in his kennel at company, I have given him the sign to calm, but if he barks again, I squeeze on his ear, and tell him "no barking" then I move away. If he barks again I repeat until he finally calms down. When he is calm in the kennel, he gets a treat.


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

heres an idea . You control the atmosphere of the house , make it yours , so that the dog lives with you, not the other way around. I wouldn't want a dog running up and down the stairs all day , or running around the house , or playing ball in the house .
The house is "mine" and when a dog comes in they do the once around , eat the cat food , and then they settle down and are calm. 
Seems like the dog has no structure . 
Excercise outside , expend the energy . So how is he when you do go for that walk ? Is he connected to you or does he pull you along. Do you go his direction or do you choose direction, and pace.
Just trying to get a bigger picture.
Carmen


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## Beo (Dec 10, 2011)

carmspack said:


> heres an idea . You control the atmosphere of the house , make it yours , so that the dog lives with you, not the other way around. I wouldn't want a dog running up and down the stairs all day , or running around the house , or playing ball in the house .
> The house is "mine" and when a dog comes in they do the once around , eat the cat food , and then they settle down and are calm.
> Seems like the dog has no structure .
> Excercise outside , expend the energy . So how is he when you do go for that walk ? Is he connected to you or does he pull you along. Do you go his direction or do you choose direction, and pace.
> ...


Well, we have been pretty easy going with him. He likes to be in the same room as us. We don't have a set time for anything other than food time. When he has to go out, he rings a bell on the side of the door. Then we take him out. He only does his business in certain areas and that is all we do there. We have a retractable leash. SO after he uses the bathroom, as long as there isn't anyone around. We go and play. As long as we have time we use the things outside and make an obstical course out of things, ie..playground, benches, trashcans, ect. Or when it is cold, he just wants to run. He knows the boundaries of his leash and he runs one way, then the other and in circles. Just kinda let him do what he wants. When it is time to go in though, he gets by me, and doesn't walk in front of me. Before he goes out he has to sit and let me put his leash on him. When we get back home, the same thing. When we go up and down the stairs, he has to be behind me. If he tries to push his way to the front, I walk in the middle of the stairs with my arms to the side because of that reason. He tries to beat us up or down the stairs. For the most part he is a calm dog. He likes to lay around most of the day. But when he wants to play, he is Very persistent. My husband doesn't put as much boundaries on him as I do. I don't play rough with him at all, never have. My husband will, and Beo knows the difference between the two. He doesn't sleep on our bed, he has his own, and when it's time for bed, he goes to his bed automatically. But that's his only structure.


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## jetscarbie (Feb 29, 2008)

Mine acted the same way when he was the same age as your pup. It's a pain in the butt and it can be super stressful. A trainer or behaviorist can help you relieve some of your stress.


Personally, for me, I have found that none of my dogs can ever get to MUCH exercise. I swear, I am ready to drop before either of them. I do a combination of walking, jogging, hiking 2x's a day. My dogs don't have the time nor the energy to bark at something if we are running. I know it sounds silly.....but my dogs become different dogs when they are in full run mode. It's actually a very beautiful thing to see. Just yesterday morning we were jogging and a deer ran across the road. My dog did kind-of stare but I started a full speed run and the dog was so focused on outrunning me that he didn't give the deer a second glance.

I never would have put so much weight on just a run or walk with dogs (I thought my dogs got plenty of exercise in our big yard) until I read where it was an absolute from the members here. I decided "oh heck. I'll give it a try"

These are the things that I have discovered from our walks/runs/hikes....my dogs are eager to follow me. I always thought they trusted me until our first walks together. Learned quickly...they didn't. It has taken time and lots of patience's (sounds like that guns and roses song) but it is working. It's my personal belief....a dog can't trust you if you don't walk it. 

It's also my personal belief...never use a retractable leash on an untrained, scared dog. 

I wish you luck.


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