# Aggressive at front door.



## britales (Jan 4, 2006)

We've had Bleu for 10 weeks now. He is 21 months old. Very passive at first would not bark for over a week. He had 2 homes prior, original owner moved to Hawaii and did not want to take him ($$ - quarantine or both)- Bleu was left with a relative who had 2 dogs already. I think he was well treated but he did not have the run of the house. Pretty sure he was in garage and crate at times.
Bleu has not gotten on well with our 3 1/2 yr. old cat, and that has been an issue , but we are working on it. Decent leash manners, he is a puller but is improving. Listens well to both my wife and me. Great with sons 12 & 10. He is totally non - aggresive to people and other dogs on leash, not so when he spys a kitty! He now follows my wife everywhere and secondly me, when she is away (Flight Attendant). He is sitting at my feet as I type. Crazy to go with either of us if we grab car keys.
About 2 weeks ago he started to get very aggressive when mailman or UPS guy came to porch - up on door, growling & barking - (I'd be scared). We own a Pub and employees are at my house every night and morning. Bleu knows them and they all felt comfortable with him. Now he acts more aggressive when they come in and he has nipped 2-3 of them. I reprimand him and try to calm him, but I feel that he is going to sneak a nip even after discipline. The nip is almost like " this is my place, just a reminder". I appreciate the protective instinct, but need to ramp this down. He is not neutered by the way.
Got some ideas?
Thanks, Gene


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

find a trainer immediately.


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## britales (Jan 4, 2006)

Pretty remote out here. I can probably find one. Not many GSD's out here.


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## britales (Jan 4, 2006)

Once they get inside for a minute or 2 he just wants their attenion and will play with them. Aggression is initiated when they open door. Maybe if I sit by steps and hold him on short leash as they enter?


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## sagelfn (Aug 13, 2009)

Find a trainer, keep him confined or muzzled when visitors come until the issue is fixed.


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## HecklingGopher (Mar 16, 2011)

Since I have been training with my boys for protection, I can tell you that a GSD has it in their blood to protect his home and family. Although, what that sounds to me is that he doesn't trust you. Don't take it the wrong way by me saying that, its just truth. In home protection training that behavior is great. Although maybe I would suggest if you have people coming over to the house put him in another room. He's doing what I would consider natural behavior. 

Something that I noticed in your original statement is that you were startled over his behavior. Dogs are smart creatures, and he is sensing your fear. That translates into a higher level of aggression towards his protection drive. You cannot ever let him be in charge, and that is exactly what he is doing when he nips people. 

I think, maybe a good compromise is try to know when people are coming over, have them call first. Then, put him on a prong collar that is properly fitted. That way you have control over him when people approach the front door. If he acts in a nasty way or too high of an alert level, pop him on that collar and let him know that hey, I'm in charge and I'm saying that its ok. Even have a conversation with him, let him know that you have things under control. One rule that I always follow with my boys is to always have the correction meet the offense. If he is biting people he knows, he needs a very stern correction. Don't be afraid to pop him hard either. Its hard to tell over a forum what exactly needs to be done, but its definitely obedience issues that are going on here. 

Nip this is the butt before it turns into a much bigger problem.


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

actually the mailmen, ups guy stuff doesn't surprise me..Dogs notoriously do not like those strangers in uniform,,they bark, grumble, the guys' leave their stuff and go, dog has accomplished his goal,,get them gone

As for your employees and anyone else coming to the door, I hope they don't just walk right in? Do you know they are coming or expect them? IF so, I'd be prepared, have him on a leash, and have your employees IGNORE him totally, (obviously don't let him approach the employees, hence the leash,)..I'd be teaching him a GOOD LEAVE IT, have a bag of 'treats' outside the door, your employess grab a few and toss the treats to him all the while IGNORING him, no eye contact, no touch, no talk..

Maybe you can get one of your employees to help you out setting him up for this before you just go on and test it out ..

I also would nip this in the bud (and know you are looking to But I'd be right there with him, leash on him, and YOU controlling the situation..

I would also ask, once the people are "in", is he friendly with them? is he going nuts on them? does he calm down? How does he act once they are in the door?


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

I agree with Diane - leash. He should not have the opportunity to get close enough to people coming into your house to nip them. If you don't keep your door locked and visitors just walk right in, then you need to stop that immediately.


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

Regarding UPS and mailman - think of it from the dog's point of view.

This stranger approaches the house. The dog starts to bark, to 'announce' that someone they do not know is approaching/entering THEIR territory.

The person keeps approaching, the dog barks more and suddenly the person turns and leaves (usually because they have either deposited the mail where it goes or dropped off the package).

Dog thinks "Hey! All I have to do is make a BIG FUSS and the stranger leaves!! COOL!!!"

It's a self-rewarding behavior. Person approaches, dog barks, person leaves = dog is rewarded for barking.

He is also coming of age, so to speak. He is starting to think that it's HIS job to decide who is allowed inside the house. That is where YOU have to step in and remind him who is in charge.

I would recommend looking up Nothing In Life Is Free (NILIF) and start that right away. It's non-confrontational and helps the dog understand his place in the house.

If you really can't find a trainer I would suggest you make everyone that comes to your house ring the bell and WAIT to be let in. 

Once the bell rings, allow the dog to "announce" the person's presence and then tell them to stop barking. Put the dog on leash and make them do at LEAST a Sit and Stay at the door while you open it and invite the person in.

Keeping the dog on leash does two things - it helps him understand that he is NOT in charge of the situation and it helps YOU control him.


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## NewbieShepherdGirl (Jan 7, 2011)

I agree with others about the leash thing. Sasha did this inappropriate aggression with people coming into our house thing when she finally got comfortable at our house. When she did it I would give her correction word, and put her in her crate until she was calm. Then she could come back in the house (as long as she could behave) but she had to stay leashed to me for a while, then once she seemed she would be ok she got to go off the leash. Basically she had to earn the right to be "free". She got it really quick that the only way she was going to be allowed to be where she wanted to be (in the house) was to be good. I still make her come over and sit by me if it's someone she's never met before, and she has to wait until I say so until she can greet them just for my own peace of mind, but for instance my uncle came over today, she's never really met him before, he's really tall, and she just sat beside me until I gave her the ok, then she went up to him and smelled him, and went and laid in her spot.


Also, I tell my guests just to ignore her at first. That way any interaction is on her terms so she doesn't feel any kind of pressure. Once they've been over for a while she'll go up to them for a little loving, and that's when I feel it's appropriate for them to interact with her.


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## HobNob (Jan 10, 2011)

We worked with a private trainer this weekend and she taught us to put Duke in a down-stay 10-15 feet from the door and not allow him to greet guests at the door with us. Leaders greet. She also said turning your back to the guest and making the dog stay back is like telling the dog "I own this person, and he/she is ok." If the dog breaks the stay, he should be corrected and put back in a down-stay. In the down-stay position the dog is less likely to be ramped up and barking. Other than a warning bark or two, barking should be corrected and not allowed to continue. We just learned ways to deal with greeting guests in the house this weekend...so we're still working on it. What she taught us worked well with her coming into the house and I think it is sound advice.


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## HobNob (Jan 10, 2011)

Oh, and P.S. Having the dog on leash is a good idea too. Our trainer said we should do that for a WHILE until he knows how to properly accept guests.


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## britales (Jan 4, 2006)

Thanks for the input everyone. We have worked this 2 ways so far. At first I would just put him on back porch and not allow him near the visitor. He would **** his head and look at me as if to say, " why can't I go to the door, did I screw up"? Then I stayed right with him, short leash on a Martingale collar. He went bonkers and I popped him pretty good, and put him down forcefully. Next time, after knocking , I would ask the person to come in, keeping him about 10 feet from the door. This works better. Improvement each time.
The aggression is definitely only at the door. When I went to bring him in from the porch ( on lead) he was not aggressive to the person who was already inside the house. Also it seems that he does not like people with sunglasses. This I understand as our previous dog had the same phobia!


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## Bismarck's_Dad (Apr 2, 2011)

britales said:


> Bleu has not gotten on well with our 3 1/2 yr. old cat, and that has been an issue , but we are working on it.


how long did you crate him before giving him freedom to roam the house?
i crated my foster dog for 3 weeks, if he wasn't in the crate, he was on a leash tied to me. (i have 2 cats)
he was NEVER allowed to focus on the cats. looking at the cat is ok, but it better be just a glance. any focus requires correction. (my cats, my pack, my rules).



britales said:


> About 2 weeks ago he started to get very aggressive when mailman or UPS guy came to porch - up on door, growling & barking


like others have said, this is normal.
one thing i did with bismarck, is when he first barked at someone walking past my door/up to my door, i praised the heck out of him, GOOD BOY (treats), then i calmly said thank you, and gave him a "back" command. 
the first time i praised him, he totally stopped and looked at me amazed, then he got it. bark when someone comes to the door. the back part, and basically telling him, thank you, i can handle it from here took a little longer, and with your dog i'd probably put a prong collar on and leash him. he moves he gets corrected. you already told him thanks, that you could handle it, and don't need his services any longer.

i'd also look at getting him neutered.


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## Caledon (Nov 10, 2008)

I did what Holly did. I too have a business from my home and there are often couriers and registered mail delivered. I always put her in a down stay, away from the door, but she can still see who is at the door. Sometimes I release her to go say hi, but more often the person just leaves while Dakota stays in a downstay. 

Dakota has started to bark when some people come to the door, not all. I will say "Thank you" to her and put her in a down stay. Having the person on the other side of the door hear the bark, see the dog and then see my control over her is a great deterent incase they had bad intentions.

In your case I would go a little bit further and get a helper. Have them stand on the leash, behind the dog, as you greet the employees at the door. This is just because the dog has nipped at them in the past.


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## HobNob (Jan 10, 2011)

Caledon said:


> Dakota has started to bark when some people come to the door, not all. I will say "Thank you" to her and put her in a down stay.


This is exactly what our trainer does with her dogs. She lets them give a warning bark or two and then thanks them and tells them to "go on" and get back from the door while she greets the guest. For your dog (like mine) the "go on" command is probably too loose right now for this situation, and a formal down stay is better. Eventually I hope to be able to say "thank you" and "go on" and Duke will just walk back and watch from a distance. For now though, it's a down stay.


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## britales (Jan 4, 2006)

Bleu is making "Big" progress....barks at someone coming to door...but now turns and looks at me. I tell him to sit/ stay...he's cool! He has found that he likes to walk up front staircase and sit onthe 3rd or 4th step. He can see out the front door better that way. 
God these GSD's are smart! Nipping is totally playful in nature now. My wife is a Flight Attendant, as soon as he sees her in uniform..he enters depression.....she is his favorite! He will mope around the house for a couple of hours after she leaves!
All in all...he's a keeper!


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## LoveSea (Aug 21, 2011)

We adopted our now nearly 10 year old male shepherd 2 years ago. He grew up with one family previously & we found him through a GSD rescue site. He is a wonderful dog, but after reading these posts I realize that he is definately the "leader" in our home. Our biggest problem is front door/doorbell aggression. When he sees someone come to the door he will knock anyone over to get to the door. When the doorbell rings he goes absolutely beserk. Even if he knows the person on the other side of the door. When I open the door to let them in he is pushing through to get to them & then proceeds to turn into a lamb - giving them love & wanting to play. 

I am so embarrassed that I have waited 2 years to fix this, but now I am determined. We have always been bothered by this behavior, but just either put him in the bathroom when answering the door, closing him inside while we talk to the person on the other side or held him while telling the person to come in. Everyone said "it is his job to guard the house, etc.", so we brushed it aside. He also goes crazy at the mailman & UPS. They are very afraid of him (not surprisingly).

It is bothering us more than ever now, because it is awkward & uncomfortable when people come to the door. I realize we have no control over this 90 lb. dog. 

After reading these posts, I will try the leash trick & sit/stay. I will update what happens & would welcome any advice/input.


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## LoveSea (Aug 21, 2011)

I also wanted to mention that Rocky is very good on a leash, very good with our kids, does not jump on people, has no food aggression - he could care less when the cat has eaten some of his food & sleeps in his bed. No care at all. He never even saw a cat before he came to live with us & is very gentle.


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