# 2 Yr Old GSD - Aggressive / Reactive / Fearful?? WHAT is going on?



## Deuce'sMom (Jul 4, 2008)

Our GSD is male, neutered and just over two years old. 

We have practiced the NILIF and our dog is submissive to us and knows we are the leaders in the house. He sits and waits for meals/snacks - any treats are given after he has done something to earn it, etc.

We are having aggression problems - or at least I think it is aggression. He has never bitten anyone, but on three occassions he has sort of "jumped a bit towards someone and bared his teeth". He didn't follow through on any of those 3 incidents - no bites - but one person said they did feel his lips on their arm. Scary stuff. 

These incidents do not always take place at home, but there are people he just does not seem to accept. He is always better when they sit, but he watches them and if they rise he is all over them barking like a wild dog. He is also very aggressive/barking if he falls asleep when a visitor is there then awakes to see a stranger. I often have thought this is his "oh crap -I fell asleep on the job - quick who is new here???" type of reaction.

Typically is it men he has an issue with, bu the occasional woman can be the subject of his misplaced behaviour. He is unpredictible. Some people just ignore his bark and walk right by him and have no problems with him. Ever. If anyone is "different" he will not relax around them. We have a friend who, as a result of a car accident, has one leg longer than another and Deuce just would not let this man alone!! 

He is also reactive to things that startle him. I think of a dog training class where he was sitting by me - almost dozing - and someone came through some metal double doors behind me. He definitely reacted!!

This dog has had extensive socialization, goes to the dog park (fine except perhaps with the odd puppy), goes to doggie day care, is good on walks, etc. He has been through obedience - 3 levels and we redid one level of beginner obedience last spring because we saw this behaviour starting.

When a new person is around who he has reacted to, we very carefully work with the two of them and treats, etc to try to form a bond. All seems well - Deuce will be petted, will nuzzle them, will even lick their legs/feet. All is GREAT - UNTIL THEY TRY TO STAND UP!!

This dog is driving us nuts. 

I know he is being protective and perhaps is too nervous? I feel that if, perhaps, I can understand what is going on in his head we can work to cut it off at the pass, but righ tnow we are finding him just too unpredictible.

I had someone who I consider very knowledgeable say that this is the "terrible two's" and he will mellow out in a few months. Your thoughts on this?

We just really need some help/input.


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## Elaine (Sep 10, 2006)

This is not a case of the terrible two's; this is a case of a bite waiting to happen and you need to deal with this immediately if not sooner. What are you doing when he is being aggressive, and, yes, he's being fear aggressive, not protective.


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

It's definitely fear aggression. My Basu reacted exactly the same way.


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## debbiebrown (Apr 13, 2002)

yep, he is reacting out of fear and being unsure.........i wouldn't trust him even if people come in and walk past him, he's liable to bite them when their back is turned......

you need some extensive counter-conditioning with people. i would start from scratch with him and people.........meeting people even people he knows......it is not un-usual for fearful dogs to have a certain type of person that they are fearful of, and alot of times its men, because they are more intimidating, or someone a bit different, or someone with a hat, or beard, etc.....
you also might want to set him up with people getting up from sitting, or coming in doors..........having him onleash, using treats, etc........there are alot of counter-conditioning exercises, but it does take time.
i would also start watching his body lauguage around people, he may be giving you warnings before he even starts barking etc.......maybe whining, starring, etc, when he first starts showing signs this is when you need to handle things before he gets to his threshold, etc.........
anyone he meets that is new i would have them completely ignore him, no touch, no talking, no eye contact, etc.........and have them stand so they are not facing him head on, much less intimidating.........
he is not protecting acting like this, he is fearful and unsure, and reacting because of it..........it sounds like you did all the right things with classes, etc sometimes because of genetic tendancies some dogs need alot more conditioning with people, some may never be trustworthy around people, some with the right help, can overcome things........


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

Are you clicker training? 

You are lucky cause food works. When someone gets ready to stand..... click/treat.

when they are in mid-stand............click treat...... standing.........click/treat. If there is a jackpot reward when people stand up..............it's WAY different than ALLOWING them to react and then having to deal with the mess. 

Always better for us to be pro-active and have a plan to prevent an issue. Having to backtrack and try to deal with them reactively afterwards is rarely or ever a teaching/learning moment.

You taught 'The Surprise Party' Game?





 
More good sites to use to come up with 'a plan'

http://www.canineuniversity.com/articles/behavior/behave_12.html


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## debbiebrown (Apr 13, 2002)

great Videos...........what i would do is avoid any other reactive dogs while training this way, and i would set things up with non-reactive dogs so that you are confident while doing this........


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## ilivenanigloo (Jul 6, 2006)

Deuce'sMom said:


> We are having aggression problems - or at least I think it is aggression. He has never bitten anyone, but on three occassions he has sort of "jumped a bit towards someone and bared his teeth". He didn't follow through on any of those 3 incidents - no bites - but one person said they did feel his lips on their arm. Scary stuff.


Fear. 

Lupa used to do this when people feigned to attack her (stepping forward with hands in air and teeth showing while growling). She snapped at a little kid once when my neighbors wanted their son to see her. She was cornered against a fence and I think the number of people around overwhelmed and scared her. She also snapped at a dog while she was heeling and caught my leg, leaving a big bruise. She went into "Oh s++++, I'm sorry!" mode pretty danged quick. I try to make sure she meets people in positive, non-threatening, non-scary situations. More interaction with people she already knows has helped too.

Thanks for posting!


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## debbiebrown (Apr 13, 2002)

these little nipping incidences, are just a precurser twards a real bite someday, i would never take that lightly,....anytime a dog growls, nips, or any other negative behavior to people the dog is giving a warning, if the warning isn't taken and steps aren't taken to handle these incidences its a 100% bet it will happen........


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## Deuce'sMom (Jul 4, 2008)

I perhaps should have clarified that we do not stand by and just watch these incidents happen! We step in immediately, letting him know that behaviour is NOT acceptable and we will back him up - put him in a sit. We do not physically touch him, aside from strong corrections on his martingale collar. 

Originally when he would look out the window and bark at the postman, I didn't take it too seriously and now see that mistake. We now have a firm "NO BARK' policy and do whatever we can to try to distract him when he seems to get too focused on something or someone. We even will wake him up before a visitor moves to avoid the "startle" response. We are trying.

I am trying to enter him in agility to help improve his confidence, and will continue working with him. 

Another thing I forgot to mention is that I am wondering how short his memory is! He sometimes greets someone, is all happy about it, then a hour later when he sees that person again he acts as if he has never met them. WHAT is up with that?? How can he be friends one minute and barking the next - like I said - unpredictable.


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## debbiebrown (Apr 13, 2002)

i would never harshly correct a growl or warning, just because the dog will learn not to give warning and will just bite...............remove the dog from the situation, and obviously get into some counter-conditioning training and slowly expose them to people within their comfort zone..........
if a dog is reacting to visitors that have been in presence leave the room and come back in, the dog is reacting from being fearful/and unsure............so it tells me the dog wasn't really comfortable with people in the house to begin with.....i think learning how to read your dog and understanding their body lauguage in cases like these is important...........again counter-conditioning exercises, or watching the video Maggie posted could help in these situations, the video "surprise party" could apply to visitors in the home as well.........


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## [email protected] (Jun 18, 2010)

There are likely others that have greater experience in this area than me but I think it seems that your dog is being a "brat". I think the dog needs to understand that it is not ok for him to bark at people because they stand up or enter a room without his "permission." 
My puppy is 4.5 months. Members of the household are able to take toys from him or pick up treats on the floor without any reaction. But yesterday at a training session, a trainer was showing us how to get him to be less mouthy when receiving treats. One treat fell to the ground. As the trainer went to pick it up he growled at her. She applied a quick leash correction and continued to feed him. 
My point is that maybe a firm correction might get him to knock off what may be more attitude than "fear". Since he doesn't do this to people who ignore him maybe its just a matter of him expressing himself. This is just food for thought. 
As for the videos, I couldn't make the connection between your issue and the behavior they were trying to remedy.


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## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

not being a "brat", not having an "attitude". fear aggressive. 

you might try working with a behaviorist which is not the same as a trainer.


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## debbiebrown (Apr 13, 2002)

i agree with Kat above..........with fear aggression harsh corrections can make things alot worse..........getting the dog evaluated from a professional and then coming up with a plan appropriate for the individual dog........i also agree that a trainer is not the same as a behaviorist....alot of trainers treat gsd's as being a dominant breed and think they need to be handled as one in the same, and treat them all the same.........the dog is growling at people, ok, he's being a brat, yank that prong collar and straighten him out, wrong, wrong, wrong..................the dog is growling because he is uncomfortable with the situation, its a warning.........not being a brat.........being a brat would be stealing other dogs toys, not listening to a command, etc, etc,


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