# 8 month old GSD barking at people and dogs in the street...



## Sarah0407 (Oct 5, 2015)

Hi...  I know a couple of topics have covered this, I'm just wondering if my situation is different because he does it on AND off leash so it can't be purely leash re-activity, can it?

He's a very well socialised dog, I myself am a dog walker and he's met many other dogs and people and I've never had an aggression issue with him. He loves to play with any sized dog. However now he's getting older he's starting to bark at people as well as other dogs in the street.

For example we'll be walking down the street and there'll be someone standing at the bus stop on the other side of the road. He'll bark a lot and nothing I do gets him to be quiet. I've tried distracting him with a ball (his fave), high value treats, ignoring him, walking straight past the person/dog being barked at, using my figure of 8 lead to close his mouth so he can't bark as much. Bearing in mind I don't tense up when I see other people, I'm quite a relaxed dog owner. If he's off the lead he'll also bark but doesn't tend to run up until they're quite close, and then he's super friendly anyway. (We are getting much better at not running up to people!)

I'm sure it's not aggression but I'm wondering if it might be a protection thing or a frustration thing about not being able to run over and play? Maybe I've socialised him TOO MUCH! :laugh:
Is this something he'll grow out of eventually/calm down about?

He also barks in my van when I stop and get out (usually to pick up another dog), I know this is separation anxiety/excitement but he IS getting much better at this because I wait for him to start barking and I open the side door, tell him NO and then shut it again, and then he's quiet.

At home he's not much of a barker, people walk past our window all the time and he doesn't even bark at the postman. When people knock on the door he barks but this is his job and we are training him to go to his mat when this happens and for the person visiting to not greet him until he is quiet.

So it is just when we are on a walk, he barks at people. UNLESS! We are on a busy street and there are loads of people then he won't bark at them because I imagine there are too many to bark at - but when we see a person now and again in the street/park, that's when he barks. It's strange.

Any suggestions/advice?


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## Rosy831 (Feb 27, 2016)

Your puppy is an adolescent now. And though they are not people, they go through changes too. Like a child becoming a teenager. He is starting to make his own decisions about things. If the things you are doing to change this behavior isn't working, the distracting, food, etc., it's time to try something else. Correct him.


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## Sarah0407 (Oct 5, 2015)

Yes I'm aware he's a teenager and I'm aware we have to try something new, I was just wondering if anyone had any ideas.


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## annabirdie (Jul 3, 2015)

I think you will need to correct him in some way, and this can take many different forms based on your dog training style. For some dogs verbal is enough, a firm "NO" or "AY!" but you dog is pretty young and may not respond to that. I would probably practice this...at the minute his ears perk up and you can see his attention growing fixated on someone turn immediately and start walking in the opposite direction and say "NO". You will have to do this a lot, and it will take quite a while before he gets it but if you are consistent and don't let him get out of hand with it it should work. If he is already barking etc, it has gone too far and you won't be able to use it as a training opportunity. Watch for the exact moment right before he goes off, you need to correct him right then. If that doesn't work a prong collar correction will fast forward the process when he gets older. Good luck, sounds like a nice dog you have.


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## Sarah0407 (Oct 5, 2015)

annabirdie said:


> I think you will need to correct him in some way, and this can take many different forms based on your dog training style. For some dogs verbal is enough, a firm "NO" or "AY!" but you dog is pretty young and may not respond to that. I would probably practice this...at the minute his ears perk up and you can see his attention growing fixated on someone turn immediately and start walking in the opposite direction and say "NO". You will have to do this a lot, and it will take quite a while before he gets it but if you are consistent and don't let him get out of hand with it it should work. If he is already barking etc, it has gone too far and you won't be able to use it as a training opportunity. Watch for the exact moment right before he goes off, you need to correct him right then. If that doesn't work a prong collar correction will fast forward the process when he gets older. Good luck, sounds like a nice dog you have.


I have tried catching him before he starts barking, and I do but then he'll turn and bark anyway. He'd rather bark than do anything else, like have a treat or watch his ball. I will keep trying.


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## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

We have the same problem with a 6 month old. If you don't stop it now, it will escalate. Instead of walking past the distraction, walk away from it. He needs to know that it's no big deal. You need to be aware of any triggers before he reacts. The second you see his posture change or ear movements or any sign that he has alerted to possible trigger, turn and walk away immediately. It's much easier to do that in an open area with an escape route than on a crowded sidewalk. 

If you are in an area where is one dog or one person, he will fixate on it. In a crowded area, there is more going on, so only train in crowded areas. The goal is for him to get so used to lots of dogs and people that one dog or one person become no big deal. Until you have this under control, stay away from less populated areas, our trainer said the worst place to train a reactive dog is on a typical neighborhood block with occasional people or dogs because they are startling and there is nothing else to fixate on but that one thing.

If he doesn't react when he is in a pack, try walking him more often with a pack. Pick up the other dogs first, then go home and get him last.


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## Sarah0407 (Oct 5, 2015)

LuvShepherds said:


> We have the same problem with a 6 month old. If you don't stop it now, it will escalate. Instead of walking past the distraction, walk away from it. He needs to know that it's no big deal. You need to be aware of any triggers before he reacts. The second you see his posture change or ear movements or any sign that he has alerted to possible trigger, turn and walk away immediately. It's much easier to do that in an open area with an escape route than on a crowded sidewalk.
> 
> If you are in an area where is one dog or one person, he will fixate on it. In a crowded area, there is more going on, so only train in crowded areas. The goal is for him to get so used to lots of dogs and people that one dog or one person become no big deal. Until you have this under control, stay away from less populated areas, our trainer said the worst place to train a reactive dog is on a typical neighborhood block with occasional people or dogs because they are startling and there is nothing else to fixate on but that one thing.
> 
> If he doesn't react when he is in a pack, try walking him more often with a pack. Pick up the other dogs first, then go home and get him last.


Thanks for your answer, we will definitely try the change of direction! Unfortunately we live in a little estate off a smallish town but I wouldn't say seeing people is rare. It's not so much that he doesn't react in a pack, it's that I walk in fields and down country lanes so don't see many.He barks just the same. When he's tired he barks less.


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## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

Then get him tired first. We had to use a private trainer because issues popped up I have never dealt with before. He said a tired dog is a well behaved dog, and the more tired he is the less he will react. That seems to be true. Also, there are different types of barks. I worry less about a high bark with a play bow than I do with a deep bark in a defensive posture.


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