# 5yo Male is overprotective and too attached



## JurassicKeaton (Sep 16, 2014)

Hi! I'm new here..about six months ago I rescued a 5 year old GSD named Keaton. He has been amazing EXCEPT he has SEVERE separation anxiety, and he can be incredibly overprotective. For instance, in order to have guests over, I have to have my friends meet Keaton outside, walk a little bit together, have them give him a treat, and then let them into the apartment. Even then, I will make him lie down, and he still wants to bark at the guest, even if he likes them/knows them/ etc. what he'll do is charge at the visitor and bark at them rather aggressively. I know he has triggers, such as staring. If someone stops and stares, he goes nuts. Which makes sense because staring is incredibly rude in the dog world. He won't tolerate being stared at, and he always wants to "warn me" if someone leans over me or approaches from behind. 

He's generally more relaxed in public/on leash. He doesn't really behave at a this way when we're on a walk. He walks perfectly on leash, and generally listens perfectly. Sometimes I'll bring him over to my friend's house, and usually at least once he will bark at my friend (friend is very comfortable with dogs and helps calm him down). Once he settles in, he's fine and doesn't bark at anyone. 

I'm learning his triggers slowly, but I am wondering if this is something I should be concerned about. He seems to be improving a little...occasionally he will just whimper and whine because he WANTS to bark, but he knows I don't want him to, so he's conflicted by his instinct to bark and his wanting to please me. I know he's doing what he thinks he is supposed to, but I know these things can escalate and I want to keep him safe, as well as the people he encounters. 

He is a brilliant and wonderful dog. I don't know his history, he was a stray, 20lbs underweight with cuts all over his body and face. He is the most loyal dog I've ever had, but it's at a point right now where it's unhealthy. I just want to make sure I take steps now before it gets worse. I walk him about five miles a day, and he either goes to work with me or goes to daycare. He cannot be left alone for more than an hour, and it has taken six months for him to be comfortable being alone for that amount of time. I love him so much, but with the separation issues and being overprotective, I feel I need help because maybe I am the one triggering this behavior somehow. He seems to respect me and he listens great. It just all seems to go out the window when he barks or is anxious (from being left alone). Well, thanks for listening! Sorry this is so poorly written!


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## Youreamonkey274 (Jul 14, 2014)

Welcome  I wish I could help you out more with your problem, but I just wanted to say your boy is beautiful! 

Do you have a crate? Maybe it would be easier to crate him when people come over so that he gets used to people being in the apartment. I'm no expert by any means, but sounds more like his barking is nervous or fearful, rather than protective.


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## JurassicKeaton (Sep 16, 2014)

Thank you! It's amazing the contrast between when I first got him and how he looks now. He looked pretty rough in the beginning! I tried crate training him, but he panics so badly, I decided to try training without. Since removing the crate, he has been able to be left alone in the bedroom for a bit. In the crate, he finds ways to hurt himself and the crate seems to make it worse. He can barely breathe he panics so much. He will behave the same way to a lesser degree if left alone with a friend or at daycare. He's only comfortable if he's with me. Whenever I leave, he acts like I'm boarding the Titanic or something. It has been a loooong six months..ha. However, I do understand that shepherds are very social, and combined with being abandoned before, it makes perfect sense why he's struggling with this.


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## JurassicKeaton (Sep 16, 2014)

I should also mention that he's very gentle with kids and the elderly. Never barks, but will actually take it upon himself to protect them. With other dogs, he's very alpha, doesn't play much (he has arthritis) but always breaks up fights and keeps everyone in order. So maybe that bossiness transfers over to people when he thinks I'm being challenged by whomever he's barking at?


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## brembo (Jun 30, 2009)

Try bossing your friends around some. Tell them in advance that you are going to essentially bark some commands at them in the beginning. "Sit right there" or the like. Maybe if he sees you are in charge he'll relax some. Worth a try and would be sorta funny. If they giggle it might break the ice, my dogs go all sorts of gooey when people laugh.


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## JurassicKeaton (Sep 16, 2014)

Ha thanks! I'll give it a shot! I feel like that could be part of it, he is still settling in at home and may be trying to figure what his role is. Or maybe he's just jealous of me having friends and wants me all to himself..ha! (If that's his motive, it's working because now nobody wants to come over..) THANKS A LOT KEATON


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

brembo said:


> Try bossing your friends around some. Tell them in advance that you are going to essentially bark some commands at them in the beginning. "Sit right there" or the like. Maybe if he sees you are in charge he'll relax some. Worth a try and would be sorta funny. If they giggle it might break the ice, my dogs go all sorts of gooey when people laugh.


I thought I had heard it all..... Please let us know how this has worked for you.


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## brembo (Jun 30, 2009)

wolfy dog said:


> I thought I had heard it all..... Please let us know how this has worked for you.


Ya never know. I had a dog that freaked out when he saw men with tight curly brown hair. Friends with tight curly brown hair were subjected to barking and generally unsavory behavior. Said friends were given a hat, problem solved.


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## my boy diesel (Mar 9, 2013)

keeping the dog on a leash at all times would go further towards lettng him know who is 'in control'


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## Peeodee (Jun 26, 2014)

I think you're going to need a special trainer that deals with behavior issues. He has many.
A heavy duty Kennel is critical. I bought this one from amazon. Forget those wire fold up crates. He with distroy those in 5 minutes and could get stuck or cut himself up.




I have mine in my room so she can see me at night. Start feeding him in the kennel with the door open. It's going to take a lot of work but he needs to be kenneled with speration anxieties when you're not home. My friends 10 years old Husky had to be put down last week because they were against using a kennel and when they left he ate a roll of paper towels and had a bowel blockage. The Vet said he was too old and weak to have the surgery.
He's not safe running around freely when you're not home. He must be kenneled until he gets over his separation anxieties. My girl sleeps in her open kennel more than with me on my bed. I rather her with me but too much human interaction with a dog with separation anxieties makes it worse. Some tough love from you is going to fix this issue. He needs to be treated like a dog and not a human. I know that sounds cold and is not what anyone wants to hear but it's the only way to fix it. This will also help with him feeling he has to protect you. Find a good trainer to come to your home and teach you how to deal with his behaviors if you can afford it. Most are between $400 to $600 for 5 to 6 one hour sessions per week. Good luck.


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## JurassicKeaton (Sep 16, 2014)

Thank you so much. I think you're definitely right, and I am looking into a trainer as we speak. His safety is my #1 priority, so I will introduce him to a higher quality kennel as soon as possible. Thankfully, for the time being, I am able to either take him to work or put him in daycare so he is never alone. It has been tough, but I'm happy he at least has this opportunity and isn't stuck in a shelter, or worse. Thank you so much guys!!


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## LoveSea (Aug 21, 2011)

Hang in there, I know it is hard. You were so good to rescue an older dog, I know how hard it is. My most recent GSD apparently did not have a good life before us & it turned him into a nervous fearful tail chasing dog. It was a long, tiring process to get him to open up & trust, but with work, patience & a lot of being in charge, he became such a great boy. I remember thinking this dog is not a pleasure at all - he is just all work, but one day, you will have the easy relationship you wanted with your dog. 

I learned so much from my dog. GSD's are very close to their owners & he is attached to you. I agree with a previous poster about tough love - you are in charge. I am not sure, you may already be doing that, but it really helped me with my dog. Dogs live in the moment & it is hard to not think of them as having human emotions & feeling sorry for them because they had a hard life. My dog acted best when I firmly told him what I expected of him. "Go lay down" or "Sit", etc. 

I feel for you with the separation anxiety, that is so hard. I never had a dog that had that & was always surprised that my boy did not have that as he was so attached to me. He did have my other dog when I left, though, which made him feel comfort.

Good luck & please let us know how it goes!


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