# Is Blake trying to herd me?



## BlakeandLiza (Aug 13, 2009)

Blake is 3-years-old and, until being on this forum and reading everyone else's questions and behavioral advice, I hadn't given his behavior any thought.

BUT....I am now wondering if he is herding me and my kids....

Whenever we go to the front door (either inside or outside), Blake starts doing this really obnoxious circling of his human. He will literally push you back from the door to make continuous circles around you.

It takes a lot of effort to make him stop and sit so that you can open the door. Believe it or not, we have been working with him on this issue since we got him (at 10 weeks old), but he always reverts back to it just when we think it is better.

And of course, because he seems so wound up to go in/out, he gets the rest of my gang wound up too! UGH!

To top things off, he is under the impression that he HAS to be the FIRST one out the door. He is king of pushing you out of the way and bullying his way out first! I am forever having black and blue bruises on my legs from trying to step into his path when he breaks his stay and bolts out the door.

So I was thinking about these behaviors the other night and was wondering....does this sound like he is trying to herd us? Or is he just a big bully that has decided he is "king"?

And what could we do to fix it as making him sit and stay does not seem to be improving the situation. Thanks!


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## rucker105 (May 19, 2008)

To me it doesnt sound like herding, but rather a dominance issue. By charging out the door ahead of you he is assuming the role of pack leader. The leader always goes first. This is also true on walks. Does he pull or walk in front of you on walks? 

My advise, based on experience with my dog, is to be very strict with him and use NILIF. He always sits and stays until you go out the door, along with any other humans in the family..then after you release him he can come out. He will probably keep testing you for quite some time, maybe forever...so try not to ease up on the consistency.


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## BlakeandLiza (Aug 13, 2009)

On walks, he is always at least slightly ahead of me. Off leash, he is ALWAYS ahead of me. He will stop and make sure that I am following, but he has a major issue with not being first on EVERYTHING!

We have taken him to four different trainers over the last two years. We finally found one trainer who got through to him, but it does take a long time, every time we go to take him for a walk.

We have to spend at least 5-10 minutes just getting him calmed down and walking somewhat beside us. He never really runs to the end of the leash, but he HATES walking beside us...and has NEVER walked behind us.

I always see and read about dogs who need to learn to walk beside their owners. But most talk about dogs who just need some confidence from their owners. I never hear about dogs like mine who demand being first on EVERYTHING.

We have tried really hard to do NILIF. He has to sit before we do anything, but again, he will/does bodyslam his way through us to go outside first or will test every limit to be first when heeling.

He is always on alert and trying to scope out what is going on all around us...and usually forgets we are around. Then, its like a light bulb goes off and he remembers we are with him too, so he will finally look back and see if we are following.

How do you get him to walk beside or behind us? I have bought every leash, training collar, harness, etc. as well as done every imaginable technique suggested. Nothing works! He catches on and figures out how to outsmart me...and remains FIRST! GRRR!


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## BlackPuppy (Mar 29, 2007)

Yes, dominance here, also. Start ramping up the NILIF. I'm dealing with this in my female, and I see a huge change in her.

Also, make sure you eat before you feed him and that he SEEs you eating. If there are any staring contests, you need to win. Don't look away until he does. And if you leave the house, do it quietly without tell the dog. Dogs with dominance issues what to know where his subordinates are at all times. 

Also, being a leader isn't about being physical. The leader is not the loudest or the pushiest. I'd call it quietly assertive. 

I also make my dogs wait at the bottom or top of the stairs until I'm finished climbing or descending. Then whem I've reached my destination, they are allowed to follow.


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## BlackPuppy (Mar 29, 2007)

I don't care if my dogs are walking ahead of me. To me that's part of enjoying a walk. If you really want him to walk beside you, the I find the 180 method the best. As soon as the dog gets ahead of you, QUIETLY change direction. For me I just turn around and walk the other way. You may do this a many times to start out, but it will work. In addition, if I see my dog focusing on something, I just stop walking. Then the second my dog turns around to see why I'm not moving, I say in a really happy voice "Good Girl!". Then she comes over to see what's up. Repeat as often as necessary. 

As I said earlier, work on his stay, and make him wait rather than rush past you get get someplace. My dogs wait in the van until I give them the signal it's okay to get out. They wait at the door until I go through.

Your dog is not seeing you as a leader, but if you practice the things I mentioned, he should turn around. 

One thing to remember, never give in. If you let it slide just once, then you're back to square one and it will be even harder the next go around.


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## BlakeandLiza (Aug 13, 2009)

There aren't any staring contests. He is actually pretty laid back for the most part. It is just the going in and out and going on walks.

I can leave with no problem. Some days he stays inside and other day he stays out, but I never have a problem. I don't have to say anything and he doesn't cause a scene. I just go and I always tell them to stay and be good.


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## rucker105 (May 19, 2008)

Ha, well Krystal I can't tell you exactly what will work for him. I'm still working on walking with Zeke as he too insists he be slightly ahead of me. I use a prong, and correct him whenever he goes out ahead of me...but it's not really solving the problem. 

Just know that it's all mental, and your dog isn't just coincidentaly walking ahead, or bullying his way through the door. He is looking back to make sure you're there...but that's what pack leaders do..they take care of their family. 

You might try to find a trainer who has experience with gsd's. My dog is no where near perfect, but it's important to have small goals and end goals. You might want to focus on one thing at a time, like him going out the door ahead of you. Don't allow it. Keep a leash on him so he can't physically get away from you and ignore your commands. You have to keep him accountable. Also, praise with treats and "good boy", etc, when he does what you ask.

Do you crate him? How do feedings go? Does he get on your furniture? There is a lot of information here about ways to assert your leadership. And often times, your dog will be more happy and relaxed once he realizes that he isn't the pack leader.


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## BlakeandLiza (Aug 13, 2009)

Blake is my never-ending-works-in-progress baby! Even my fosters seem to be easier for me to train than Blake.

No, we don't crate him. I crate my fosters and have crated Blake in the past, but crating him seems to build up a craziness in him. He has full run of my house inside and is on an electric fence system outside. He doesn't leave the yard and he never gets into anything inside.

My dogs are not allowed on the furniture nor are they given people food. Feeding time is as simple as we fill up everyone's bowl, place it on the floor and then let the dogs come over and eat. Blake does not have aggression issues, but can become frustrated about other dogs in public (mostly just wanting to visit all of them). He has been getting better after working with the trainer at the park and stores that allow dogs.

He does have a crazy habit of persistently chasing bugs in the yard all day. He will do this for hours on hours! But it keeps him in awesome shape and doesn't harm anything, so I don't worry about it.

I have read numerous books and watch numerous informative shows on dog training...but Blake is the one nut that I can't crack. Even my favorite trainer has stated that he is very strong willed! And he has trained GSDs for over 20 years!


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## rucker105 (May 19, 2008)

Well if him running out the door ahead of you is your biggest issue with him, than I'd say you're doing fine! Just be firm and consistant and he'll shape up. My dog now offers a sit before I ask when we go over to the door. I release him at different times...sometimes when I'm just outside the door, sometimes halfway into the backyard, other times when I'm out of sight. I keep him on his toes because that way he has to listen to me rather than him think he can release himself just because I'm out the door.


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