# All these aggression threads.... Genetics vs owner vs lack of training?



## chelle (Feb 1, 2009)

I can't help but notice just *how many* aggression related threads pop up. Daily. Makes my head spin a bit.!

I'm new to GSD's... actually got "drug in" when my son appeared with his WGSD a few years back. She was never aggressive with me, but I saw some of it appear when she tried to live in the same house with my bitchy Shiba. I saw some of it appear with random people. That's about the extent of it, as I had my own dogs to take care of ... (She and I spent A LOT of time together, mostly hanging out and playing a lot of frisbee, but I didn't take her many places, I didn't take her for training, etc. My own dogs had to take that priority.)

ANYWAY, I see ALL these threads about HA, DA and I think wow! What do you attribute it to? Poor nerves/breeding, lack of training, owner weakness, all of the former? It *seems like* people only come to the forums once the behavior has totally escalated, has become unmanageable and then want a magic pill. I'm glad people do attempt to reach out for help, but seriously, are GSD's JUST THIS AGGRESSIVE OF A BREED????????? ~OR~ are these wonderful GSD's just finding themselves, too often, with too weak of an owner?

Honestly, I'm perplexed. I'm particularly interested in hearing from the highly experienced GSD owners who just could not train their dog out of HA and / or DA -- especially if those dogs came from good, solid nerved dogs. 

Again, just perplexed and trying to learn.


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## BR870 (May 15, 2011)

IMO genetics is by far the biggest cause of aggression, and is at the root of almost all aggression cases. However, I also checked socialization and handler weakness as IMO those can also be big contributing factors in how severe it is...


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## DanielleOttoMom (May 11, 2010)

I think gentics and nevers can be a major factor. However I chosen all the above. All can be contrilbutors to causing aggression in dogs.


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## BR870 (May 15, 2011)

BTW, the traits that define a GSD: Aloof, alert, protective, strength and willingness to fight can very easily turn into shy, suspicious, and aggressive if breeders are not vigilant... Aggression is in the very core of the breeder, and a GSD that has no aggression is not a GSD IMO...


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

BR870 said:


> BTW, the traits that define a GSD: Aloof, alert, protective, strength and willingness to fight can very easily turn into shy, suspicious, and aggressive if breeders are not vigilant... Aggression is in the very core of the breeder, and a GSD that has no aggression is not a GSD IMO...


I really agree with this. I hope you're right!


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I chanced it and voted for every choice. I agree, genetics trump everything else, but you need the others to help the dog manage.
There is a recent thread of a handler with a 4 month old pup and he is setting this pup up to be FA with his methods. If the pup is sound in genetics it still may turn out to be a fearful dog that lacks confidence due to his handling/foundation.
I have a FA dog that I wish I knew then what I know now....she may be different at maturity if I'd handled her issues in the right way early on. 
But at least now I do know how to manage her. 
I don't think handler weakness is always an issue, it could be "over" handling that causes some dogs to become reactive, because that handler has taken away the dogs confidence and ability to decipher situations .


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

Well, lack of socialization, lack of training, and handler weakness are all tied in together. It's usually the inexperienced owner who fails to adequately socialize, who fails to do enough training, and who is too weak with his/her handling. Come to think of it, it's the inexperienced owner who is most likely to purchase a weak-nerved dog from an unskilled breeder. So they kind of all go together.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Emoore said:


> Well, lack of socialization, lack of training, and handler weakness are all tied in together. It's usually the inexperienced owner who fails to adequately socialize, who fails to do enough training, and who is too weak with his/her handling. Come to think of it, it's the inexperienced owner who is most likely to purchase a weak-nerved dog from an unskilled breeder. So they kind of all go together.


There is that, but also a dog from a shelter or unknown pedigree that has to be managed. Too many dogs are weak nerved and too many un-skilled breeders to support the overflow at the shelters. That said, there are many shelter dogs that are so stable with what they've been dealt, it is amazing! It is genetics that trump everything, I believe.


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## chelle (Feb 1, 2009)

Well, I can't lie, there is something in this feedback for me.

I have a dog with still questionable nerves, as the weaknesses do show here and there. I've socialized pretty extensively. It's been the focus of my life for the past six months, literally. 

I am a very confident person, but I lack on training methods/experience with these stronger-willed dogs. It is pretty easy to deal with a dog in your home, quite another story to make that dog maneageable in other settings. 

The "other settings" are what I care about most. I don't want a dog I have to crate up because visitors are coming. I don't want a dog that I have to worry about lunging, going nutty or attacking another dog. I want a WELL ROUNDED DOG. I'm literally killing myself to make this so. I've seen some really drastic, impressive improvements. It makes me very happy. It is very rewarding to see the results of hard work.

Maybe I'm fishing for encouragement  that my somewhat weaker nerved dog won't become the crazy, aggressive, biting monster I keep reading other posts about. 

I've come to learn you can't train-out the nerves, as they are what they are. I took on this dog with full knowledge that I might get a hot-mess of a dog. I think perhaps he might have been a hot mess without all the work put into him, but as such a novice, I don't want to make that claim. Who knows, maybe he'd be what he is without all that work. Who knows. That's kind of the whole basis for this thread.


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

@chelle. 

In my case I'm going to say its my, her handlers fault. We raised our little girl's great uncles and great aunt from puppies. They were all wonderful loving dogs. No agression ever! However, rescuing this one I expected too much too fast and blew it. We just assumed she would immediately love us all and didn't give her time to adjust to all the changes. We are now trying to fix that. I'm not dominate but by the time I got her home she had decided I was her person and she had to protect me from everything. Including my husband and my old boy her one surviving great uncle. I know the lines are good, these are awesome search and rescue dogs. I am a nurturer by heart, the ones the dogs come to for love and cuddles while my husband is the protector. I have to learn how to be her protector so that she doesn't feel the need to protect me.


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## Josie/Zeus (Nov 6, 2000)

BR870 said:


> BTW, the traits that define a GSD: Aloof, alert, protective, strength and willingness to fight can very easily turn into shy, suspicious, and aggressive if breeders are not vigilant... Aggression is in the very core of the breeder, and a GSD that has no aggression is not a GSD IMO...


Totally agree with you.


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

onyx'girl said:


> There is that, but also a dog from a shelter or unknown pedigree that has to be managed. Too many dogs are weak nerved and too many un-skilled breeders to support the overflow at the shelters. That said, there are many shelter dogs that are so stable with what they've been dealt, it is amazing! It is genetics that trump everything, I believe.


I posted this on another thread before:

How many of your dogs could - after losing you somehow:


Sit in a shelter, surrounded by other dogs, maybe in with 7 other dogs in one pen, being barked at, smelling sickness and death
Get poked and prodded by strangers and have a fake hand coming at them while they are eating and not react
Get tested with other dogs and cats and do well with both
Get thrown into a stranger's car, go to a vet office where they are given the same kind of exams your dogs get, but without a person they know to help them.
Maybe go on a 1 or 2 day transport, being transferred to a new stranger *every hour*, having to potty on a leash, stay overnight in another stranger's house, or maybe another type of transport in a van with 20-30 other strange dogs
Until they land in a foster home probably with other dogs, cats and maybe even kids, get thrown in a tub and then, maybe, they could rest before going on to the next new thing
Not bad huh? There are so many of these dogs who have the ability to make it. It truly is astounding.


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## sashadog (Sep 2, 2011)

JeanKBBMMMAAN said:


> I posted this on another thread before:
> 
> How many of your dogs could - after losing you somehow:
> 
> ...


I don't think my dogs would make it... and honestly after reading your list described the way you did, I'm shocked as many adoptable dogs out there as there are! They're such incredible souls...


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

I think that genes make up nerve strength and basic temperament. Proper training, socializing, and handling can effect how a dog learns to handle himself in different situations, but it doesn't change the dog's basic nature. If a dog has genetically weak nerves, no amount of training or socialization is going to make them stronger, but it can "mask" the issue. A savvy handler can use re-direction, conditioned responses, and drive (if the dog has any) to help the dog get through difficult situations, and that can greatly help the weak-nerved dog function in the world, but it doesn't change the dog's DNA.

On the other hand, if you take a dog with good strong nerves and a solid temperament, it's very very hard to ruin that dog. Working at the shelter, I don't know how many times I have seen dogs that were terribly abused, neglected, untrained, unsocialized, etc, that nonetheless have a happy and well-balanced attitude about people and life in general. It's amazing that a dog with third-degree burns from an owner that tried to "teach it a lesson", would come in wagging his tail and licking your hands.


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## GSDElsa (Jul 22, 2009)

IT ALL DEPENDS!

Every dog is different. I dont think you can say what the "cause of aggression" is because there are so many different variables and each situation is unique. 

I will say that a lot of the times, someone thinks they are being a strong, great leader for their dog and really it's all wrong. I can't even explain it...but I know it when I see it. It's like an extreme of "I'm a strong leader!" and they almost force it....it's almost like a douth protest too much thing and I cringe. I've noticed this a lot when doing "Meet and Greet" type things for rescue. I had a foster once that had some resource guarding issues that started as a puppy. There was a slew of people who would come into the M&G and I would be candid about her issues and they would feel like they needed to try and show off their stuff and it just made me want to yank the leash away because their was this whole 'tuff guy and gal thing going on...........

Anyhow...long story short...I think these people are sometimes worse than the true weakling owners because they are in denial about their lack of being able to read dogs.


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## debbiebrown (Apr 13, 2002)

i agree with genetics............its almost impossible to ruin a strong nerved dog, and their do seem to be alot more weaked nerved GSD's than i'd like to see. lack of careful breedings and balance of things.......

i also think when people get a weak nerved puppy they might try to do all the right things, puppy classes, lots of social things, do it all, not realizing that this puppy cannot handle to much at once and to much exposure for these dogs can work the opposite. Very slow exposure so that the pup can handle things at their own pace, if forced into situations they are not ready for they adopt survival behaviors that can appear to be aggressive behavior. a strong nerved puppy is happy to interact and can thrive with all the social activity.

i think for some people they can't read a young puppy with weak nerves, so therefore are not equipt to deal with it.


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## jetscarbie (Feb 29, 2008)

I would vote all the above. I think it depends on the dog/owner it's first paired with. A small situation/problem can become so huge if that person doesn't try to help it.

My heart breaks when I read some of the post on here. Sometimes you just know it's not going to end well.


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## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

I slightly disagree that it is "impossible" to ruin a strong-nerved dog. Yes, a strong-nerved dog will recover from almost anything and they can later thrive in a different home.

But a bad trainer/home/lack of socialization can make a strong-nerved dog bad. I've seen many people who MAKE their dogs aggressive while not meaning too. They don't socialize and then coddle/baby the dog for acting afraid. Then they turn around and roughly correct the same behavior the next day. Yes, the dog can be 100% in a different home later, but in that home, the dog is going to potentially be a fearful aggressive mess.

Even worse are those people who unintentionally make their dogs aggressive. They reward the dog for lunging, barking, and growling. They TEACH the dog to be people aggressive and enjoy that until the dog attacks someone that it "shouldn't have" because the dog was never taught the difference. Can the dog recover in another home? Again, yes it could if it has strong nerves, but the correct training and socialization has to be done.

So, I would say that, yes, training/socialization can trump genetics in a sense.


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## debbiebrown (Apr 13, 2002)

i meant its impossible to ruin a strong nerved dog in the sense that you can't ruin solid genetics......just like you can't change weak genetics. i do agree that people can certainly do things to make a solid or weak nerved dog aggressive............in the wrong hands either can suffer.........


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## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

debbiebrown said:


> i meant its impossible to ruin a strong nerved dog in the sense that you can't ruin solid genetics......just like you can't change weak genetics. i do agree that people can certainly do things to make a solid or weak nerved dog aggressive............in the wrong hands either can suffer.........


very true


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I chose all of the above as well. If I am a strong leader, and my dog has weaker nerves, she may be fine with me because she accepts that I will protect her and is comfortable. This same dog might be a basket case with a weaker leader because she may feel the need to protect herself and maybe her pack and is totally unequiped for that which puts her in a bad place. With a rigid, commanding, demanding owner she might be a downright danger. So sometimes it can also be a poor match, thought he underlying issue in this case is weak nerves.

I might have a dog that never goes anywhere and is never around people so it is suspicious around them. But if someone with children raised the puppy it might be just fine because it is out and about with people of all sorts from early on. The underlying problem might still be temperament, but it may also be just a lack of experiences. 

I think that the act of training builds a bond of trust and leadership between the dog and the owner. So a dog whose owner actively trains will likely have a better read of their dog, the dog is better socialized, the dog trust the owner and is at ease. I think training is a big deal. Both dog and owner are trained/learn each other. 

Handler weakness, well I would word this as wrong handler for the dog. I can adjust to a dog. Some dogs do better with handlers who are strong and confident and provide clear no-nonsense commands, other dogs do better with a lot of praise and an easy, light, confident voice. There is temperament and there is personality. If a harsh handler works with a confident dog, it probably will not cause problems. If a harsh handler works with a less confident or softer dog, it can shut them down. I think that when people are lacking in leadership abilities altogether, the dogs suffer.


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## AgileGSD (Jan 17, 2006)

Didn't vote because I think the question is a bit too simplified and the reason there are so many "aggression" issues in the breed is not for one simple reason. GSDs are not really supposed to be happy go lucky, gregarious dogs. They are supposed to be protective of their home and people (territorial), willing to give their all in a fight and have no desire to make lots of new friends. Too many people get GSDs and think having protective dog is great...until they can't control the dog's protective tendencies or they feel the dog is being inappropriately aggressive. A dog may be praised for breaking through a window and biting a guy trying to break into your place. Breaking through a window and nailing the mail person? Not so good but not much different from the dog's point, especially if the dog hasn't been worked with to properly develop their temperament through early training, socialization and proper management. I can't tell you how many "aggressive" GSDs I have met as a dog trainer that were IMO pretty normal GSDs but not being properly trained and managed by their owners.


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## lrodptl (Nov 12, 2009)

onyx'girl said:


> I chanced it and voted for every choice. I agree, genetics trump everything else, but you need the others to help the dog manage.
> There is a recent thread of a handler with a 4 month old pup and he is setting this pup up to be FA with his methods. If the pup is sound in genetics it still may turn out to be a fearful dog that lacks confidence due to his handling/foundation.
> I have a FA dog that I wish I knew then what I know now....she may be different at maturity if I'd handled her issues in the right way early on.
> But at least now I do know how to manage her.
> I don't think handler weakness is always an issue, it could be "over" handling that causes some dogs to become reactive, because that handler has taken away the dogs confidence and ability to decipher situations .


I have a weak nerved Shepherd (my 5th GSD) from a 35 year breeder who claims that some pups simply slip by. No reason to doubt it as I contacted the previous owners of the parents (Kirschental),who claimed both parents were of excellent nerves.


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## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

Meanwhile, back at the poll.
I vote all of the above.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

> I have a weak nerved Shepherd (my 5th GSD) from a 35 year breeder who claims that some pups simply slip by. No reason to doubt it as I contacted the previous owners of the parents (Kirschental),who claimed both parents were of excellent nerves


Those lines need to work as much as a 'working line'. 
I really like the Kirschental dogs, as far as I'm concerned they are a working line in a SL body! 
I've not seen one that is weak nerved, but a bit lower threshold and OCD due to needing an outlet.


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## lrodptl (Nov 12, 2009)

onyx'girl said:


> Those lines need to work as much as a 'working line'.
> I really like the Kirschental dogs, as far as I'm concerned they are a working line in a SL body!
> I've not seen one that is weak nerved, but a bit lower threshold and OCD due to needing an outlet.


Fritz has submissiive peeing issues (mostly under control),fear aggression issues,overreacts to verbal correction and can't be approached when he's laying down or he will pee,unless he's distracted. Very challenging.


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## Daisy&Lucky's Mom (Apr 24, 2011)

I voted all of them. Daisy's aggression is a product of genetics,poor socialization which was caused by an inexperienced handler.


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## Sherryn0909 (Jan 17, 2012)

If you start socialization early and train the pups properly, they'll do just fine... If they are used to play with all kinds of people then they won't be agressive for no reason right?


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Sherryn0909 said:


> If you start socialization early and train the pups properly, they'll do just fine... If they are used to play with all kinds of people then they won't be agressive for no reason right?


Not necessarily. Some dogs are way over their comfort threshold when "playing with all kinds of people" and are genetically fear aggressive. Genetics trump training, and handlers just have to learn how to manage a dog to work them thru it. 
You have to know your dogs threshold and not put it in a situation that it will fail. 
Some dogs overcome their FA and others don't. Management is key in helping them either way.


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

I voted all of the above.


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## brandeeno (Jan 3, 2012)

What is an FA dog?


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## Daisy&Lucky's Mom (Apr 24, 2011)

brandeeno said:


> What is an FA dog?


Fear aggression


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## cliffson1 (Sep 2, 2006)

Genetics/nerve
If a dog has strong nerve and not enough socialization, but goes to a good environment, then that dog can recover and become very productive in what the breed was made to do. If the dog has weak nerve and not enough socialization, then that dog will be damaged for life and will not recover to a point to be able to do what the breed was made to do. If the dog is weak nerved and socialized well it can become a very loving pet, but still not able to do what it was made to do. Aggression is part of a well bred GS, but nervebase determines whether the dog can have the disgression to use this trait appropriately and in context. 
In years past, dogs could be tied outside to a dog house or tree, and at 18 months or so donated to military or police and become very successful. This wasn't uncommom back then. But you saw far less GS who were submissive or tail tucking, or extremely noise sensitive, in other words with nerve issues.


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

cliffson1 said:


> Genetics/nerve
> If a dog has strong nerve and not enough socialization, but goes to a good environment, then that dog can recover and become very productive in what the breed was made to do. If the dog has weak nerve and not enough socialization, then that dog will be damaged for life and will not recover to a point to be able to do what the breed was made to do. If the dog is weak nerved and socialized well it can become a very loving pet, but still not able to do what it was made to do. Aggression is part of a well bred GS, but nervebase determines whether the dog can have the disgression to use this trait appropriately and in context.
> In years past, dogs could be tied outside to a dog house or tree, and at 18 months or so donated to military or police and become very successful. This wasn't uncommom back then. But you saw far less GS who were submissive or tail tucking, or extremely noise sensitive, in other words with nerve issues.


I had two male dogs from the same litter for 9 years. They were raised together and socialized exactly the same way. 4-h obedience as well as kids coming in and out of the house all the time (I was a girl scout leader) Both were awesome loving dogs but one was far more outgoing and active the other more submissive and cuddly. I also had their sister for about 5 years. Same bloodlines and same socialization but she was far more protective than the males she also wanted to kill rabbits or other small fuzzies where one of the males could have cared less and the other would chase but then didn't know what to do if he cornered something. Unfortunatley she got valley fever and started having seizures and other health problems and had to be put down far too young. Then as I've mentioned in another thread on here I tried adopting a great grandniece out of the same lines. She was an adult totally different socialization she was very sweet with me but agressive and fearful with my husband and also agressive with her great grand uncle (my sweet Buddy) . She also liked to kill small fuzzies. I guess where I'm going with this is genetics and socialization are both huge componets but it also involves the individual personality of the dog. 3 of the 4 had the exact same lines and socialization and were totally different dogs. The 4th had different socialization and turned agressive.


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## GSD246 (Jan 17, 2012)

I couldn't answer the poll. Lack of training and socialization is too vague. My dog has seen way over 100 other dogs, maybe around 500 dogs in the 7 months I've had her. There were 2 dogs that she outright wanted to attack on site. No idea why this was. They did nothing at all to her. Not verbal or non verbal. Each time the dogs took a submissive stance towards her. I was pretty shocked by all of this. 

Both events took place within the first month of me having the dog. She had aggression in a lot of stuff but not towards other dogs. Always great with them. So why these 2? I think it would be possible to have your dog meet 10,000 dogs and still find one that might tick them off. 

I found some of my dogs aggression to be outright weird. How is hugging someone else such a awful thing? What if your single and training your dog alone. Then you get a bf/gf and hug them in front of dog. Suddenly out of nowhere little Duke has went nuts. 

Sure we can train those out after they are noticed. I just wanted to allow other handlers know that there is no prefect way of doing things. The best thing that a dog owner can do is get to know there dogs as best as they can. Practice good calming methods and attention methods so you can take care of any problem if and when it actually appears. It's bad when you have an aggressive dog coming at you or someone else and you don't know or haven't established any tools to deal with it.


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## cliffson1 (Sep 2, 2006)

Aggression is part of the breed, nervebase determines how the dog handles the aggression, AND the ability of a dog to be trained to mold the aggression into productive use. I have seen many aggressive dogs that when called in to help, the aggression had been reinforced by the owners lack of knowledge in dealing with it, or the owner handling the dog like it was a Golden or Lab, and often when boundaries and corrections and timely redirections were incorporated the dogs responded wonderfully. Now was it the dog or the ownership.
Of course dogs have different personalities, but the trait of aggression in a well bred GS is not only manageble, but also productive when trained. Just like the trait of seeking and swimming in water is able to be very productive in water reteiver dogs. If you constantly bred Labs to go away from their natural inclination to work in water, you would start to see some weird temperaments crop up in that breed also.


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## Samba (Apr 23, 2001)

I have messed up dogs with my poor handling and responses. This got the agression not looking so good! Fortunately, they were good dogs and we got back on track. I learned more about dogs from living with one good GSD than I did in the decades of dogs prior. 

I love the intelligence and large compliment of useful traits, including aggression, in a solid nerved and well bred GSD. Nothing else like it, but ever harder to find and many will own GSDs and never own one of these.


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## ayoitzrimz (Apr 14, 2010)

I voted all but really there's a few things in addition at play here:

1. In a lot of these "aggression" threads what the OP is describing is often mislabeled. I seen prey behavior labelled as aggression, "land-shark" behavior, herding instincts, territorial behavior, etc all labelled as aggression. A lot of these are simply other behaviors but because they involve biting they are talked about in the aggression forum

2. Like many people said, coddling a fearful dog, encouraging the dog barking at the door but then acting surprised when he barks at mom when she comes to visit, and other things like that can reward aggressive behavior without controlling it

3. Genetics for sure, but put a hard WL GSD in a meek owner's hands and you have problems. This same dog could very well be a star in PSA, SchH, Ringsports, etc in another home but in this house he rules the roost and has no qualms about (sometimes literally) nipping any human challenge in the bud.

Another thing - taking advice. I can't tell you how many people told me I shouldn't let ANYONE pet my dog this way he's loyal and protective. When a new dog owner goes to look up information online leerburg.com will be one of the first sites that come up and he some of his articles, in the wrong hands, can literally create all these problems. Not to pick on Ed but its one of many examples.

Bottom line, there's so much going on and every case is very different... there are more things going on in each case than the above 4 items.


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

ayoitzrimz said:


> Another thing - taking advice. I can't tell you how many people told me I shouldn't let ANYONE pet my dog this way he's loyal and protective. When a new dog owner goes to look up information online leerburg.com will be one of the first sites that come up and he some of his articles, in the wrong hands, can literally create all these problems. Not to pick on Ed but its one of many examples.
> 
> Bottom line, there's so much going on and every case is very different... there are more things going on in each case than the above 4 items.


Years ago we had a puppy that got ticks. He was too young for tick chemicals or dips. At least as far as we were concerned. Every day we picked him up and got the ticks off of him. I did it, my husband did it, my kids did it. Friends did it. We looked in his ears between his toes... he was the most well handled puppy on the planet. For the rest of his life he was the best most well behaved dog at the vets, and everywhere else. He loved people and they could tug his ears and even touch his toes which is saying something for a shepherd. From then on every puppy has had the same treatment. It works wonderfully as far as I'm concerned. I can't imagine the terror a dog goes through if not taught that humans touching is a good thing.


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## PupperLove (Apr 10, 2010)

Every one of the things listed above can cause aggression IMO, but weak nerves is the one thing that is going to be the hardest to work with if you ask me. All the other options can be worked on but genetics are embedded in the dog and can only be managed. 

Handler weakness is also a major factor. I have seen dogs act aggressively and owners make excuses. No correction, no acknowledgement (sp?), just excuses. "oh, she's old." etc.

We know GSDs can test us as handlers and will push their boundaries if allowed to do so....they're smart dogs. Agressive dogs are very individual to their situation at hand.


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## YumaSheps (Dec 9, 2011)

I chose Genetics. As mentioned before, you can in other words, help the GSD not exibit the behaviors with proper training. Ultimately, the genetics will shows the GSD'S true colors of how it is. 


I once had an extremely aggressive GSD, after a week or so of training, he came around and was a perfect guard dog/ handler protective dog. His genetic lines were to protect, so you can't change dna, only work with it to perfect it.


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## KentuckyGSDLover (Nov 17, 2011)

I also think the reason you see so many threads on aggression is because a lot of people don't go to a website about dogs until they have a problem. In other words, many people with no problem with their dogs won't be surfing online for help. .


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## AbbyK9 (Oct 11, 2005)

For what it is worth, I think a fair percentage of "aggression" threads aren't about dogs being aggressive at all. They're about the owners PERCEIVING the dogs as being aggressive when they are forced into a situation where they feel scared, threatened, or the need to guard a resource due to BAD HANDLERS/OWNERS.


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