# Over protective at home?



## brandongill1 (Mar 27, 2012)

Hi guys been awhile since I posted, Odin is coming up to 8 months now and I've noticed his behavior change while at home, outside our property Odin is just about fine with everyone he meets, I wouldn't say friendly but he'll tolerate people petting him and the sort, recently though when people come to our home, Odin goes ballistic barking, growling, hackles up and the sort even if he's met them before, he's never done this in the past, he's fine with a few people but practically everyone else he's lunging after. But outside the property he's perfectly fine with the same people. What can I do to help him see that everyone new in the house are not automatic threats?


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## Jag (Jul 27, 2012)

How are you (or are you at all) correcting this behavior? Does he go to the door and stay there as people are coming in? How often do you have people over? Is he crate trained? Do you have him on a leash when people come to the door? How long does it take him to change his tune after people come in? Can you describe in a lot more detail what happens from the time someone knocks until he's "OK"?


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## brandongill1 (Mar 27, 2012)

Im not sure exactly how to correct the behaviour, he is on leash, and he is crate trained, when someone comes to the door I tell the person to wait at the door and ignore him, when he stops barking (usually about 20-30 seconds) I let the visitor come in, Odin will sniff him, and be done with it, but if the visitor makes a quick move, or gets up to go somewhere odin starts up again  overall after about 10-15 minutes of the person being there, odin settles down, and lets them go wherever


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## Jag (Jul 27, 2012)

I'd get a blanket or dog bed and teach him a word "place", "bed" whatever... and when the doorbell rings, that's where he is to go. He needs to remain calm and collected. When you offer for him to meet someone once they are inside your home and away from the door, then he can come and 'meet'. Then, he has to return to his 'bed' and stay. It will take time, but you can do it. Reward, praise, and correction will all be part of it. He has no business meeting someone at the door. It's YOUR door! If you can't accomplish this with him because of his fear, then crate him either in the same room (if he can be quiet) or in another room and close the door.


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

He's not protective, he's very scared and that's how he is showing it.


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## KristiM (Oct 18, 2011)

One of my dogs showed territorialism at a young age (he was NOT scared.) I have had really good results putting him outside, letting guests in and then letting him back in on leash. I expect that once I have let people in, my dog is to accept them. He comes back in on leash and he ignores the guest. I also agree with the place suggestion. I have no idea if your dog really is being territorial or fear aggressive, these are a territorial breed and since he is fine with everyone outside the home I would suspect he is being territorial. But that doesn't make it any more acceptable, it's your house and you should be in control of who is allowed in.


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## Oodi (Aug 19, 2012)

brandongill1 said:


> he is on leash





Jag said:


> If you can't accomplish this with him because of his fear, then crate him either in the same room (if he can be quiet) or in another room and close the door.


NEVER tie your dog on a leash or trap him behind the door or a fence in a situation like this. A dog like German Shepherd is a clever and curious breed who starts immediately suspect there's something unusual and therefore wrong going on if he's separately separated from the others. Dog gets easily even furious if there's any extra noticing towards the dog and his behavior with a tense energy - it fires and feeds the tension of the dog himself. And the trick is: there's nothing tense, dangerous or unusual for the visitors to come by your house. I'd say there lays a lack of confidence between you and your dog: the dog doesn't trust you and you don't trust your dog enough.

The best way to rehabilitate that manner is purely, completely ignoring the dog. You *don't* look at him, you *don't* tell him to calm down, you *don't* give him an attention of any kind. With your calmness and acting you tell the dog (without even using the words!) there's nothing to worry about and that you are the master of the situation; you take care of the possible complexes if there's to come any; your dog can live his careless life without worrying about things. Dog is a very simple fella to read, but you must remember: you are a very simple fella to read too when a dog is the one to observe, so be careful. *If you don't make a big deal out of things, the dog won't too.*

Good luck!


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

> One of my dogs showed territorialism at a young age (he was NOT scared.)


It's quite unusual for that to occur...what did your dog do, when he'd bark or whatever?


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## Jag (Jul 27, 2012)

Oodi said:


> NEVER tie your dog on a leash or trap him behind the door or a fence in a situation like this. A dog like German Shepherd is a clever and curious breed who starts immediately suspect there's something unusual and therefore wrong going on if he's separately separated from the others. Dog gets easily even furious if there's any extra noticing towards the dog and his behavior with a tense energy - it fires and feeds the tension of the dog himself. And the trick is: there's nothing tense, dangerous or unusual for the visitors to come by your house. I'd say there lays a lack of confidence between you and your dog: the dog doesn't trust you and you don't trust your dog enough.
> 
> The best way to rehabilitate that manner is purely, completely ignoring the dog. You *don't* look at him, you *don't* tell him to calm down, you *don't* give him an attention of any kind. With your calmness and acting you tell the dog (without even using the words!) there's nothing to worry about and that you are the master of the situation; you take care of the possible complexes if there's to come any; your dog can live his careless life without worrying about things. Dog is a very simple fella to read, but you must remember: you are a very simple fella to read too when a dog is the one to observe, so be careful. *If you don't make a big deal out of things, the dog won't too.*
> 
> Good luck!


The dog is barking, growling and has hackles up. Unless you want to have a dog biting someone, you have to have control of the dog. The dog is crate trained. There is NO reason to not have some restraint on the dog when visitors come in the house. Unless, of course, you've already trained the dog to it's place and it's no longer displaying aggressive behaviors.


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## KristiM (Oct 18, 2011)

msvette2u said:


> It's quite unusual for that to occur...what did your dog do, when he'd bark or whatever?


Yes, I agree it is unusual for territorialism to occur at a young age but certainly not impossible. I can't honestly recall specific situations of when he was a puppy, I was told by the person who had a 3/4 litter mate of his that his dog showed territorialism at a young age as well (and this was someone very well respected/international competitor.) Regardless of what my dog did/does on his turf I just wouldn't write this young dog off as nervy since he may very well be starting to mature and show territorial tendencies. I don't want to detail this thread, I was just offering some advice on what has worked with my dog in situations where I bring guests into my house.


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## brandongill1 (Mar 27, 2012)

Hi guys so I just want to give you and update, Odin has gotten better with house guests his hackles dont go up anymore, doesnt growl, but still has the tendency to bark at people, still completely unsure how to solve this, do i hold him back until he stops barking? ( does after a few minutes) do I just not let him introduce himself to the house guests? ( most are pretty scared of him, and dont want to meet him)


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## KristiM (Oct 18, 2011)

Does your dog have a down stay? Most dogs won't bark if they are in a down. I personally wouldn't let him "rush" people at the door. You can look at this as a good training opportunity


Sent from my iPhone using Petguide.com Free App


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

well you can't blame people if they are afraid of him, it can be pretty intimidating having a gsd barking at you

Would the people entering the house be willing to toss him some treats as they enter? 

Does he charge right up to them barking? 

Most likely I would have him onleash, when someone comes to the door, YOU start feeding him something REALLY yummy, something reserved just for this occasion,,chopped up hot dogs, string cheese, have him sit, focus on YOU, when he's quiet, toss the treats, keep jackpotting him while he's quiet,,Hand off some of the treats to those who enter and have them toss him treats, while ignoring him..toss and ignore for the guests.

Something else you can work on is setting him up for this, have any friends willing to help you out by coming to the door and working with you and Odin on this?

It's hard to give definite suggestions, because different things may work for different dogs..or it may not work at all ) 

Mine may 'bark' when someone comes to the door, but when I say ENOUGH, they know that's the end of it..but again all dogs are different and will respond to different approaches


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