# barking/anger at selective people/dogs



## zarjazc (May 12, 2014)

My male gsd is 8monthes old now. He is an amazing little guy, full of energy. He's well behaved and trained as well. We go on walks to the park on a path that is pretty popular. People and dogs pass us all the time, he doesn't care about the human at all, when a dog passes, and they're very close he just pulls a little to get a closer look. Sometimes he'll let out a bark and his hair will stand a little and other times he wont care at all. He is very unpredictable with this and at scares me a little, I'm starting to lose trust with him because sometimes he is perfect, behaves well in public and when dogs come by and other times he will let out a bark or two but nothing major...now when he sees my neighbor he always barks at him, and today my neighbor got a 10week old australian cattle dog and wanted to show me so we met outside my house with my dog as well, my dog went crazy barking, hair standing, slowly the barking started getting scarier and scarier until i finally snapped him out of his tranced and he sat down and stopped barking, then his tail started wagging as he tried to inch closer to the little baby but i didn't dare let him near it.

I think i did a good job socializing him when he was a baby and I'm continuing to this day and every day he gets better, but what happened today is like a setback to me and something he's never done before. 

Will he become more...calm..aloof.. as he grows older?


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## Ozzieleuk (Mar 23, 2014)

My GSD has similar behavior; he is basically being overprotective for you.
I have very few people that my dog will let around me or my wife.
One day I was visiting with a neighbor that really likes my dog.
My dog began yipping and barking and lunging around my neighbor until he snuck up
behind my neighbor and nipped him in the butt crack--VERY EMBARASSING for me.
All I can say is training and more training and correction when he goes overboard.
My dog hates water and the fly-swatter so that's the correction I use sometimes, but never ever hit or beat or kick your dog....You'll lose his trust forever.


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## zarjazc (May 12, 2014)

I don't hit him at all, i teach him in polish, so i taught him a word for leave it. When he barks i say it and he stops for a moment looks at me and then starts again, whenever he looks at me i usually present him with a ball that gets his full attention. 

Now on the subject of over protection, my mom or dad cant even come up to me to hug me, my runs from one side of the house squealing and gets in the middle of us. Is this normal?


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## zarjazc (May 12, 2014)

I thought it was a feeling of things getting to close to him, but that theory was debunked by walking at the path close to everyone. And when i walk through the subdivision, he doesn't bark at any dogs that are wailing at him behind there fences. Maybe he knows theres a fence and they cant do anything? 

Im just trying to get a better idea of why he is doing what he is doing so i myself can react to it better rather then just telling him to leave it.


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## misslesleedavis1 (Dec 5, 2013)

Squealing as in annoying jealous bs ? Does he ever get noticeably aggressive with your parents when they hug you


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## Ozzieleuk (Mar 23, 2014)

I'm not a professional trainer, but I have been advised by the K-9 handlers at the Air Force Base I was stationed at. Socialization is something that you'll have to address with him.
Do you have other family members in the house with you? Or, are you the only family or (pack member). Keep in mind German Shepherds are extremely loyal and VERY protective of family members. Try to find some help soon before your GSD becomes an adult and gets set in his ways.


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## zarjazc (May 12, 2014)

misslesleedavis1 said:


> Squealing as in annoying jealous bs ? Does he ever get noticeably aggressive with your parents when they hug you


Jealous, not agressive. He is very attached to me.


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## zarjazc (May 12, 2014)

Btw, this whole overprotective jealous thing started about 1 month ago. So at 7 monthes.


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## misslesleedavis1 (Dec 5, 2013)

zarjazc said:


> Jealous, not agressive. He is very attached to me.


Ty does that when i pat dexter, the high pitched whiny child noise, i tell him "no" sternly and send him on his way.


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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

Keep on him, NO unacceptable and give him a collar correction. With Venus, she escalated to the point where I have an amazing move to spin around on one foot and plant her firmly on her butt forced to look at me. 

V is 2 in january. It all started about 7 or 8 months old, with a minor incident in school where another female shepherd went after a dog Venus was friendly with. About the same time, we were walking and a little white dog broke it's collar, ran up and bit her on the leg. Then she became suspicious. Still friends with some dogs in class but suspicious of others. It seemed to be dogs that were less confident, she'd pick on them. Dogs with calm confident energy, she'd be friends with them. 

She's been working with a private trainer, making friends again and learning to ignore dogs she doesn't like their energy. Her new bestie is an 11 year old rottwieller. Go figure. We have much work ahead of us still. Her confidence isn't lacking, she's just not Mein Otto who could care less there's another dog, unless it's in his face.


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## zarjazc (May 12, 2014)

Reading through everyones responses, i think my dog might be acting out of jealously, a protective behavior, and a bit of him is just a little afraid.

I think just from exposing him to the situations, correcting him and reasurring him and maturation, he'll naturally grow stronger. Anyone agree with what i just said or am i completely wrong?


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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

Probably more unsure than afraid. Venus is about as protective as a wet noddle, yet she did the same things. The jealously especially, I spent a year pushing her aside to wait her turn while I was paying attention to Otto.

Yes keep exposing him to everything you can think of, correct him when he's wrong, let him grow up (it's going to take atleast another year, perhaps 2 if he's workingline), praise him when he's calm, never comfort him for being scared.


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## misslesleedavis1 (Dec 5, 2013)

zarjazc said:


> Reading through everyones responses, i think my dog might be acting out of jealously, a protective behavior, and a bit of him is just a little afraid.
> 
> I think just from exposing him to the situations, correcting him and reasurring him and maturation, he'll naturally grow stronger. Anyone agree with what i just said or am i completely wrong?


I am a fan of taking on one small thing at a time. When he does the whiny crap correct him with a stern NO that works for tyson but ty is a ....sensitive dog so what works for him may not work for you, i would never have to give him a collar correction for the jealous whines because he is just to sensitive, i will however give him little pops on the leash if he goes to react to a passing leashed dog. You know what your dog responds to the best, so regarding your family. If he goes in for the block and whine either correct him with a NO or correct him with a NO and physically move him (like a collar correction)


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## zarjazc (May 12, 2014)

SunCzarina said:


> Probably more unsure than afraid. Venus is about as protective as a wet noddle, yet she did the same things. The jealously especially, I spent a year pushing her aside to wait her turn while I was paying attention to Otto.
> 
> Yes keep exposing him to everything you can think of, correct him when he's wrong, let him grow up (it's going to take atleast another year, perhaps 2 if he's workingline), praise him when he's calm, never comfort him for being scared.


Yea, he is working line. He seems to act better when he is tired after fetch or a long walk but that goes for any dog really. All that wound up energy has to go somewhere, and if it doesn't go to running after a ball it'll go to barking at a passing dog haha. Time is something i have a lot of. I am very patient. Just want to make sure i am doing the correct thing!


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## misslesleedavis1 (Dec 5, 2013)

zarjazc said:


> Yea, he is working line. He seems to act better when he is tired after fetch or a long walk but that goes for any dog really. All that wound up energy has to go somewhere, and if it doesn't go to running after a ball it'll go to barking at a passing dog haha. Time is something i have a lot of. I am very patient. Just want to make sure i am doing the correct thing!


Think you just solved the majority of the issue- a tired dog is a dog alot less likely to act like a fool


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## zarjazc (May 12, 2014)

misslesleedavis1 said:


> zarjazc said:
> 
> 
> > Yea, he is working line. He seems to act better when he is tired after fetch or a long walk but that goes for any dog really. All that wound up energy has to go somewhere, and if it doesn't go to running after a ball it'll go to barking at a passing dog haha. Time is something i have a lot of. I am very patient. Just want to make sure i am doing the correct thing!
> ...


But is that solving the problem, or in the process of solving the problem or is it merely subduing the problem?


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## misslesleedavis1 (Dec 5, 2013)

zarjazc said:


> But is that solving the problem, or in the process of solving the problem or is it merely subduing the problem?




I would say it is problem solving, your are not masking the issue, 
He has alot of energy and destroys your stuff,
You take him out for serious exercise 
He comes in and lays down content
Did you solve the problem or mask it?

His problem is over zealous reactions, you are fixing it with the most natural form of therapy going. 

I see were you are going though, 
Like anxiety attacks in people,
You can take meds or practice deep breathing, yoga, burning off adrenalin but are you solving the route cause of the anxiety? No but you are managing it and that is just as good of a solution


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## zarjazc (May 12, 2014)

misslesleedavis1 said:


> zarjazc said:
> 
> 
> > But is that solving the problem, or in the process of solving the problem or is it merely subduing the problem?
> ...


Nice comparison, makes sense. Thank you for the help.


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