# When did your puppy become "protective"?



## Agaribay805 (Jan 7, 2016)

Hi guys Im wondering when your puppy became "protective"? When did your puppy loose love for strangers? 

Last night we had the fire pit going outside and our 4 month old pup heard the neighbors. She barked up a storm! It was kind of cute lol She barks at random things here and there but last night it was different. She was letting us know people were there. She doesn't bark at strangers just yet when were out and about. Im just wondering when everyone else puppy when through that stage. Thank you


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Well at 4 months, your puppy is not being protective. She's being a brat and being reactive.

My dog started showing suspicion of certain people and started showing protective instincts at about 2 years. He doesn't like strange people near me when he's caged. On leash, he's fine. Caged, he'll bark. He went OFF when a guy I knew reached into the car to give me a hug. Loud, excited, voices and suddenly he was in my window. He rocked the car. Another time he was highly suspicious of a guy a hotel that had made a stupid comment as we were coming in the door. I couldn't put the leash down to get my coffee. He would not take his eyes off the guy. Literally had to drag him through the door backwards. Some vibe he picked up and I didn't.


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## Agaribay805 (Jan 7, 2016)

Jax08 said:


> Well at 4 months, your puppy is not being protective. She's being a brat and being reactive.
> 
> My dog started showing suspicion of certain people and started showing protective instincts at about 2 years. He doesn't like strange people near me when he's caged. On leash, he's fine. Caged, he'll bark. He went OFF when a guy I knew reached into the car to give me a hug. Loud, excited, voices and suddenly he was in my window. He rocked the car. Another time he was highly suspicious of a guy a hotel that had made a stupid comment as we were coming in the door. I couldn't put the leash down to get my coffee. He would not take his eyes off the guy. Literally had to drag him through the door backwards. Some vibe he picked up and I didn't.


Yeah I don't really think she was being protective, just suspicious! She's still my baby. Wow I was expecting for that to happen sooner than two years but thats ok. I get to enjoy my puppy longer. She completely stole my heart.


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## yuriy (Dec 23, 2012)

My dog's protective instincts started showing up around ~18 months.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Suspicious maybe, but she was still being reactive to the sound and from what you are saying, you let her. You need to teach her that you are in charge. she shouldn't be barking at the neighbors or at people when you are out and about.


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## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

alert barking can be out of fear, nervousness, curiosity, excitement, announcing their own presence rather than alerting you of others - please do not assume any time soon that she's being protective, or even... "protective"

also, it should never be considered okay to bark at non threatening or unusual strangers when you're just out and about (I'm confused by the use of the word "yet" as if it's expected? or desired?)

of all of my shepherds, only 2 would I have considered to have protective qualities, both developed somewhere between 2 and 3yrs old... and both remained friendly towards non threatening or unusual strangers.

and I mention unusual because even if it's the largest, scariest looking person that we cross paths with - if that person poses no threat and is minding their own business... a sound and confident dog should take notice but not react. reactivity in that situation is lack of training, socialization or maturity to decern between threatening and non threatening. this why why people will tell you time and time again that puppies aren't being protective (or "protective"), they just don't have that level of judgement.

personally, I'd be interrupting that sort of behavior in a young dog, you may be reinforcing the wrong things.


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## Agaribay805 (Jan 7, 2016)

Jax08 said:


> Suspicious maybe, but she was still being reactive to the sound and from what you are saying, you let her. You need to teach her that you are in charge. she shouldn't be barking at the neighbors or at people when you are out and about.


No I didn't let her. It was late and her bark is really loud. I obviously don't want her annoying the neighbors!


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## Agaribay805 (Jan 7, 2016)

Fodder said:


> alert barking can be out of fear, nervousness, curiosity, excitement, announcing their own presence rather than alerting you of others - please do not assume any time soon that she's being protective, or even... "protective"
> 
> also, it should never be considered okay to bark at non threatening or unusual strangers when you're just out and about (I'm confused by the use of the word "yet" as if it's expected? or desired?)
> 
> ...


I didn't assume she was being protective. I was asking when pups became protective. Im was guessing she was letting us know people were there but she could have been scared or something. It was late so I took her inside to sleep. She usually goes to sleep at 8 but it was well past that time. I was in no way trying to reinforce that kind of behavior. We live in the suburbs and have lots of neighbors. We aren't trying to piss them off. We can hear the German Shepherd across the street when we are in our yard. I realize a loud barking dog is not a good thing. 

Also GSD's do become naturally wary of strangers so Im not sure why I would expect otherwise?? Maybe protective was the wrong word choice, since dogs go through intense training to become that.


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## lrodptl (Nov 12, 2009)

Agaribay805 said:


> I didn't assume she was being protective. I was asking when pups became protective. Im was guessing she was letting us know people were there but she could have been scared or something. It was late so I took her inside to sleep. She usually goes to sleep at 8 but it was well past that time. I was in no way trying to reinforce that kind of behavior. We live in the suburbs and have lots of neighbors. We aren't trying to piss them off. We can hear the German Shepherd across the street when we are in our yard. I realize a loud barking dog is not a good thing.
> 
> Also GSD's do become naturally wary of strangers so Im not sure why I would expect otherwise?? Maybe protective was the wrong word choice, since dogs go through intense training to become that.



I don't know that many become naturally protective of anything but themself.


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## Agaribay805 (Jan 7, 2016)

Yeah I realize it was bad wording. I should have said wary of strangers.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Agaribay805 said:


> I
> 
> *Also GSD's do become naturally wary of strangers *so Im not sure why I would expect otherwise?? Maybe protective was the wrong word choice, since dogs go through intense training to become that.


IMO, this is 100% genetic. some dogs have been bred to be more suspicious. Czech lines are typically more suspicious than West German. And it shows as puppies. Again, only my opinion, but I think what you see as a puppy is pretty much what you'll have as an adult. There will be a bit more suspicion as they mature but don't expect a sudden 180 in their natural instincts.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

My youngest GSD has always had more of guarding instinct then the other two GSDs. If he knows you he loves you, if he doesn't know you he has let out low growls, but I corrected that when he was younger. The two older ones became more aloof at about 2, now they don't acknowledge people unless they are being acknowledged. They don't bark or growl at anyone, but they do stare them down which gives me the chills when I see them do it. I've had servicemen in the house with them behind a gate, they just watch. As soon as the service guys left Midnite hopped the gate, so now I know he can if needed. 

My youngest is normally quiet. He is about 18 months and I heard his big dog bark outside for the first time a couple weeks ago, someone was on the property in the back that he didn't like, he loves the neighbors so I know it's not anyone he knew. Just yesterday he barked at the door for the first time. It was one of those church people, but they were in a suv driving door to door, which was odd, because they didn't go anywhere else. For his first time barking he sounded huge and mean. He went from the door to the window and the other dogs let him have that one. He was quiet when I told him, but he stared at that man until he left(I did not answer the door and whoever it was is now well aware there are large dogs in the home) I did praise him on that one, he did a good job.


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## Steve Strom (Oct 26, 2013)

> Also GSD's do become naturally wary of strangers


Try thinking more along the lines of attentive, aware, but not wary. Wary may not be wrong exactly, but its more along the lines of afraid of then what suspicious is in this context.


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## Agaribay805 (Jan 7, 2016)

Steve Strom said:


> Try thinking more along the lines of attentive, aware, but not wary. Wary may not be wrong exactly, but its more along the lines of afraid of then what suspicious is in this context.


I love the way u explain it


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## Steve Strom (Oct 26, 2013)

I'm not real big on terminology Agaribay. I tend to look at this stuff as my dog is bothered by something and the fewer things they're bothered by, the better. One of mine will bark and pace at the dumbest things. Everything bugs him. The other one lays down and looks at him.


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## Agaribay805 (Jan 7, 2016)

Yeah I'm not big on terminology either but I've noticed a lot of people on here are. If I ever word things incorrectly it can lead to some serious lecturing lol


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

Deja became alert towards strangers at around the 2 year mark. Up until that time she was quiet when someone came at the door but she always kept an eye on what I thought of it. Now she barks a few times. 
The more stable they are the less they freak out at a young age.


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## SuperG (May 11, 2013)

Agaribay805 said:


> Yeah I'm not big on terminology either but I've noticed a lot of people on here are. If I ever word things incorrectly it can lead to some serious lecturing lol


What exactly do you mean by " serious" and "terminology" and the word "it"?

SuperG


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## Agaribay805 (Jan 7, 2016)

SuperG said:


> What exactly do you mean by " serious" and "terminology" and the word "it"?
> 
> SuperG


Your not serious, are you?


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## Steve Strom (Oct 26, 2013)

Agaribay805 said:


> Your not serious, are you?


Define "your" I'm not sure G possesses "serious" In this case think of it more in terms of, Serious, NOT. Lol.


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## Agaribay805 (Jan 7, 2016)

Haha! Good one! I love it when people don't take everything so literraly and so seriously!! Life is way too short. Happy Saturday everyone. Off to enjoy the kids, the dog & some wine


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## Steve Strom (Oct 26, 2013)

Define "Some"


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## ksotto333 (Aug 3, 2011)

Steve Strom said:


> Define "Some"


Wit is good..makes life more interesting.


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## astrovan2487 (May 29, 2014)

My pup is just a bit older than yours and she's Czech, DDR and does not bark at anything unless it's to play. She loves all people and is extremely confident and friendly, I like it this way. My older GSD I got when she was 5 and she never barked at people from what I remember, she is also very stranger friendly for a GSD. I've heard a lot of people say their GSD pups started to show a bit of suspicion and barking towards people around 6-9 months. Like others have said I'd keep her from barking excessively at this point because it may turn into an issue later on.


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## Steve Strom (Oct 26, 2013)

ksotto333 said:


> Wit is good..makes life more interesting.


Yeah, my wife has mentioned something about that. Something about half,,, wait. I gotta go talk to her,,,,


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## atomic (Mar 28, 2016)

Hmm... seems you and I have the same definition of "some" wine!


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## Agaribay805 (Jan 7, 2016)

I love me some wine! haha


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## atomic (Mar 28, 2016)

Me too! As a matter of fact I may be enjoying some now! 

BTW your pup looks very similar to my Brinks. Or as his recently dubbed middle earth LOTR name, Bobo Brinksby. LOL

_*** Oversized pic removed by Admin (1440 X 2560) ***_


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## Augustine (Nov 22, 2014)

I guess Butters is going to be a bit of a late bloomer. She's well over a year and a half, but has yet to pick up that "aloof" trait that everybody's talking about. lol

That said, she did start getting protective of our property / being alert at around.. 5? 6? months. But, so far, that's about as "protective" as she gets. Right now Butters is basically just a wannabe golden retriever that loves people and other animals (especially dogs) to death.

I honestly don't think she's going to end up being _that_ aloof, like, ever. Protective? Sure. But weary of strangers? Eh.. we'll see.


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## SuperG (May 11, 2013)

Agaribay805 said:


> Your not serious, are you?



Of course not.....you gave me a perfect set up for my sarcastic drivel.

I will expect more in the future...if you don't object.

Thanks,

SuperG


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Onyx became aggressive at 6 months, shortly after her spay. Fear based.
Karlo and Gambit, both intact, never showed protective reactivity when young. They are both aloof with strangers and are watchful. Karlo has a suspicious edge to him, is very quiet in his crate unless someone gets into his bubble of personal space(vehicle), then he'll explode with aggressive barking.
He discerns and always has, since a pup. Very balanced in the brain. 
I don't like seeing a low threshold dog go off for no reason. It is difficult to manage and is genetic. Onyx is in that lower threshold/reactive and not discerning like my males are. She limits herself in what we can do. I had to wash her from sport because of her temperament. It isn't easy to train it out and I didn't want a liability.


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## Jenny720 (Nov 21, 2014)

Max is 17 months last week we had the cablevision man fix our internet box. He came in and max was fine he said he had to go get stuff out of the truck and i told him to just come in. I took max outside max never saw the guy come back in. Now we still had someone else upstairs servicing our photo copier prior to the cableman coming. I had max on a leash and so he would not bother anyone. Max fell asleep. I was on my cell phone have a conversation in the den and when the cable guy came down and said he was all done. I did get startled. Max looked at the guy for a second and realized i think in his mind the man didnt belong in the house and was lunging on the leash barking like crazy. I got him to be quiet and put him in the garage so i can sign papers. The guy was scared to death a bit embarrassing. Max mostly reacted from my reaction and some strange man uninvited in his mind standing in my kitchen. Max was fine when the photocopy machine guy came down.


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## Stonevintage (Aug 26, 2014)

This for pet owners only- not trained pups.... I think this is not so much a month it starts but more like when "the window of awareness" begins..... It's a period of time from day one that you notice any type of caution/protective/guarding behavior and lasts for many months - until YOU are done forming it.

It's just another training window - every bit as important as the young puppy window when they learn bonding and trust and you begin to build training on that....

The guard/protection period - and you see a lot of that here with newbie postings at 5-11 months of age is a form of guarding but more oriented to the pup's self protection and not encompassing the owner or family so much.

It takes very careful training to be there when the pup reacts and looks for guidance- each time is an important training event. Never let one of these opportunities pass and with attention within a few months, you will start to have the dog you want. One that doesn't bark and everything passing by (because you've corrected on that) but one that alerts to the abnormal stranger or late at night noises on your  property( because you alerted on that and they're watching you). Just show them, be consistent and they will get it and be there.


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