# Help- GSD w/ leash aggression



## JadaGSD (Jun 2, 2017)

I just adopted a 5 year old female German Shepherd a couple months ago. There has been an instant bond between us and my 8 year old daughter as well. She is very protective over both of us. I am very concerned she is going to attack another dog (she seems fine with people) while we are taking her for a walk. Over the weekend she lunged at another dog coming out of the vet’s office and I fell. 

She goes to a daycare facility 2-3 times a week and they said she doesn’t show any aggression towards other dogs. It seems like it only happens when she is on a leash 

I wonder if there is any hope for her since she is older? Any suggestions?


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## dogma13 (Mar 8, 2014)

It would be best if you could get hands on help from an experienced trainer.
The basic premise to deal with leash aggression is to catch your dog before she begins to react and give her something else to do(heel,look at me,etc.)If she's been practicing that behavior for years it will take patience and persistence to create the new behavior you want and they can slip back into the old pattern if you don't keep an eye on it.Just like us humans when we try to break an old habit


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## car2ner (Apr 9, 2014)

The tough part is timing it. My she-pup is in class right now dealing with some reaction in the class. It isn't bad at all but the small controlled group is a good place to practice, teach and correct. You have to tell them No before they physically move, when they are just thinking about it, like Dogma posted. The trainer is invaluable with timing, seeing what is happening from the outside objectively.


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

Until you get a trainer working with her, I'd think a prong collar would be invaluable in helping you maintain control (and avoid falls). 

They look scary but aren't. Dogs who've been trained with them aren't afraid of them -- mine hear them jingle and come running with excitement because they are going somewhere. Dogs typically view these things quite positively when they've been used correctly. The idea behind them is that you never need to yank dog around -- if they lunge, they get a correction automatically with _their own_ force. You can give corrections as soon as she fixates on another dog with a small flick of your wrist -- that's usually all that's needed to snap a dog out of it. The dog won't pull you around on it.


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## Deb (Nov 20, 2010)

car2ner said:


> The tough part is timing it. My she-pup is in class right now dealing with some reaction in the class. It isn't bad at all but the small controlled group is a good place to practice, teach and correct. You have to tell them No before they physically move, when they are just thinking about it, like Dogma posted. The trainer is invaluable with timing, seeing what is happening from the outside objectively.


Timing is so important! I'm working with a reactive GSD in one of my classes now. Last night I told her she should be giving the verbal correction before I am able to and refocusing the dog's attention. With this owner I've found I'm working backwards up to where she needs to be, but there has been vast improvement over the weeks we've been working with her. Sadly I can give one sharp 'aaa' from twenty feet away and the dog will stop, sit and look at me. Now to get the owner able to do it and to be aware before the dog lunges. But like I said, vast improvement from where they started.


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## Nurse Bishop (Nov 20, 2016)

Why does the op say the dog is protective?


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## Steve Strom (Oct 26, 2013)

Have you owned other dogs and done any type of training with them at all? Think about what you're doing with the leash. If you're just trying to restrain her from things with it, she's not really behaving. Try keeping her at a distance from things and practice working with her on leash. Teach her what you want from her. There's times like coming out of the vets you'll shorten up the leash, but you still want her to behave, not just be held back. Things are easier without the distractions in the beginning, and it helps to make it clear when she has to be obedient by having a beginning and an end. 

Basically tell her its time to start, tell her what to do, tell her she's finished. It can be as simple as saying her name, command, telling her "done". In the beginning, even if the obedience is only for seconds, the clear start and finish are what matters. Later on when you add distractions like the other dogs, you're corrections for not listening are fair, because she was taught what was expected. Does that make sense?


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## Steve Strom (Oct 26, 2013)

Nurse Bishop said:


> Why does the op say the dog is protective?


The majority of people think that, when the dog acts out about anything.


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## JadaGSD (Jun 2, 2017)

Thank you everyone, I will look up trainers around my area!


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## Nurse Bishop (Nov 20, 2016)

Often the dogs are not protective, they are fear biters.


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