# aggression? / rough play with other dogs



## rockysdad (Oct 13, 2009)

Hi everyone.

So Rocky, my first GSD turns 2 this month!! Woo hoo! Overall, he's a great dog. He gets regular walks (on leash) almost daily and is at a loose heel at my side pretty much the whole time. He can be off leash at the park no problem, play frisbee or fetch off leash, no issues. Has a good recall and even a good competition heel (with eye contact). He does, however, have a couple of vices that I'm hoping you all can give me some pointers to fix, and/or some insights.

First, he's good with people overall, but is a bit territorial inside our house. He'll bark when new people walk in, and he hackles. It is annoying, but usually ends with a verbal correction, sometimes 2. I've tried to introduce him slowly on-leash and have my guest feed him a treat, and that usually works (this was recommended by our ex-trainer). But motion tends to trigger the barking again. Example, if I have a guest on the couch feed him a few treats, whatever, Rocky lays on the floor and sleeps. If my guest gets up quickly and heads for the bathroom or something, sometimes (not always) Rocky will bark and repeat the way he did when the person enters. Thoughts?

Secondly, I'm not sure I'll ever be able to trust him off-leash around other dogs. Recently, we were at our regular training class (group). Rocky has been a stud for the most part, recalls and all other activities (finishes, sitting for "exams", stays) he did very well, even around other dogs. However, we did an exercise where we had to do a recall through the middle of lines of the other dogs (sitting on the sides). When I called Rocky, he veered off and jumped on another dog. I thought it was "rough play" but the instructor saw it as aggression and we haven't been back (







). Is there ever a point where you go, "well, maybe he's just not good around other dogs?" I really HATE to have that type of attitude because it's not my style as a person...but I don't know that I could ever trust him. 

Plus, I don't know if what I saw that day at training was aggression or not...he ran up to that other dog (who was in a sit-stay) and just jumped on her...talky talking the whole time...little bit of a growl. He didn't bite her to try and hurt her (I don't think). He never clamped down. Neither dog was hurt. Just nipping and "rrrrooww rrroww" type of talking mostly.

After doing lots of research (this is my first GSD btw), I'm thinking that I caused him to be way too dog focused by letting him play roughly with other dogs as a younger pup. I always said...ah...they're just playing. But maybe it would've been more beneficial to enforce CALM interaction with other dogs rather than EXCITEMENT all the time.

Sorry for such a long post.

Thanks for any input you guys may have. Lots to read on here!


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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

> Quote:Rocky will bark and repeat the way he did when the person enters. Thoughts?


This is something you're just going to have to keep on him about. Keep training with guests giving the treats. When Morgan was younger, and Luther before her, I had to remind her that 'We're nice to Joe' when we had company over.

It will take a little bit of preemptiveness on your part - when you hear the bathroom door knob turn say 'Rocky, be nice to Joe. Remember, Joe, he's your friend?' and say it very happy.

LOL I remember quite a few of my husband's friends standing on the stair case calling for us to get Luther becuase they'd gone up to use the bathroom and the dog wasn't letting them back down.

Your second issue sounds like play to me. He didn't bite the other dog. Maybe he thinks she's cute and wants to play. Go back to school. Sounds like he does very well with it!

A 2 year old german shepherd is not all grown up mentally. Maybe when he's 3, depending on his lineage. Just keep training!


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## BlackPuppy (Mar 29, 2007)

I was in a class with a GSD that did what your's does. My instructor had the dog leave the ring also. In my class the dog was focused on Balto, because Balto is so bubbly and I use my happy voice a lot. 

I didn't mind because I could see it wasn't aggression, but the owner really could not handle her dog. And all GSDs seem to want to play rough with Balto, so I figure that's just the way they are.

If you think that's all it was, then you're going to have to work hard on the recall training. Balto has been doing obedience training since he was 1 year old. Thats 16 months now. He will come when I call him 99% of the time. That last 1% is because of squirrels.









My female is like your dog with visitors. If the visitor starts doing something different, she's not prepared. She is a nervous dog and needs to know exactly what's going on in her house. 

My only suggestion is to constantly work on obedience, and with distraction. Nothing wrong with being a perpetual student.


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## Caledon (Nov 10, 2008)

I can offer you a story.

Dakota is 15 months old. I did have a problem with her veering off towards other dogs during her recall last spring. I was upset becaue the poodle she picked to visit (and that is all it was) has an owner who is afraid of GSD. The reaction from the owner upset me and I let it bother me. Had a big talk with my instructor, and she said she was more concerned about Dakota not coming to me vs. visiting the other dog. Her response was it happens. I felt like I didn't want to go back because I didn't want to have a dog that others avoided (poodle lady still does, but now I laugh to myself)

We had that same exercise and I asked to be excluded as I didn't think she was mature enough to resist the temptation of running thorugh a tunnel of dogs. The instructor agreed. Her focus was on my dog and doing what was best for her. I think she was around 10 months then. We worked on focus as the other dogs ran. Good exercise for us as Dakota would get excited when other dogs ran.

Fast forward to now, the poodle is in my level 4 obedience class. During a jump Dakota anticipated my recall and came before I called her. I told her to walk back with me, but I should have held her collar, so what does she do but runs torwards the poodle (same one). This time I called her and she stopped just short of the poodle and ran back to me. I was so proud.

Now, the classes a few weeks ago the instructors dog (titled in both obedience and confirmation), broke his return with the dumb-bel and jumped on another golden. Was set up again, this time he goes towards the poodle. Owner was just as horrified as if the GSD did it, but at least I wasn't responsible. Anyway, it happens, and it happened with a very well trained golden. 

Talk to your instructor. I'm glad I did, and I'm glad that her dog displayed the same behaviour that mine had a while ago. Dakota did not show any signs of aggression, but she comes on full force as she is big and powerful and for a poodle owner that could be overwhelming. 

If you are uncomfortable doing a partilcuar exercise because you don't think your dog can mentally handle it talk to your instructor to work on another one. Go back to class. If the instructor thinks it was agression as him/her for a game plan and have your dog excluded from exercises, or have a flexie leash or a long line on him.


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## Riley's Mom (Jun 7, 2007)

I was to the point that I felt Riley was not good around other dogs. I found out he can and has been with other dogs w/o incident but that's all been in a very controlled environment. 

I will not allow him around small dogs, that's prey to him.

We can walk by and be near plenty of other dogs now without incident but he's reactive if a dog jumps or lunges toward him even if it's just in play he protects himself. He can even walk (across the street from one another) by the dog he got into a fight with over a year ago and the other dog goes nuts, my Riley can just keep walkin'on







Now, it's a whole nudder story if that dog walks by his house when he's inside the house, then he's territorial.

So, the answer to your question is yes and no I guess. I do not trust him around little dogs and would never take him to an off leash area park and that's more because you don't know what's going to walk in the door and many of the people attending our park have no dog sense whatsoever and they don't abide by the rules.


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## debbiebrown (Apr 13, 2002)

it sounds like kind of a dominance thing, and an unsure thing with your dog, not real aggression. sometimes with young dogs you need to give them the opportunity to learn from other dogs (under supervision) correct them if they step out of line. best way to do this is get in a class with a good trainer and have her/him help with that. i can speak from experience on this because my young male 1 1/2 did this same thing in agility class. we'd be running through the course and he'd veer off tward the dogs and charge one of them, but, it was mostly bluff, even though to some it looked nasty. dog play can be rought, and gsd's like to dominat other dogs. a good trainer can help you to get through this. but, you do need to let interaction happen with the trainer present so she can intervene if need be. by understanding dog body lauguage you can catch things before they escalate. by doing this with my dog, he is great now, he knows how to interact with the dogs, and doesn't veer off because he's had the opportuntiy to meet, greet and play with them at some point in the class.

debbie


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## debbiebrown (Apr 13, 2002)

also wanted to add what worked best for my Sam. when he veered off in class and targeted another dog, we had the owners stand in front of their dog when he was about half way to them, and the owner would shout "NO" very assertively, i would be very surprised if that didn't stop most dogs.....


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## Caledon (Nov 10, 2008)

I like this! This teaches the handlers how to react (in a controlled envirnoment) when a unleashed dog approaches yours at the same time as controling the dog that veered.


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## TxRider (Apr 15, 2009)

> Originally Posted By: rockysdad
> Plus, I don't know if what I saw that day at training was aggression or not...he ran up to that other dog (who was in a sit-stay) and just jumped on her...talky talking the whole time...little bit of a growl. He didn't bite her to try and hurt her (I don't think). He never clamped down. Neither dog was hurt. Just nipping and "rrrrooww rrroww" type of talking mostly.


If he's intact the key might be the other dog was a she... He may have had something else in mind than play or aggression?

I know intact male dogs get pretty pushy and persistent and focused on my girl, and she's spayed.


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