# Personality change around five years old



## Stephjo (May 12, 2011)

Hello, everyone. First let me apologize if this topic is "out there" somewhere, but there's so much great information, it's hard to decipher what's been asked or stated already. We brought home our female GSD when she was approximately 9 weeks old. We worked very hard to ensure she had as much socialization as possible, from the day we got her (i.e. my son's soccer games, football games, baseball games, 8 - 10 kids running in and out of my house all day long, walks in local parks, training, etc.). Everything was going along fine, until she hit the five year mark. Within that year, she started barking at all of our neighbors, when she would be outside and see them come out of their houses. When we took her to my son's baseball games, as we have done for years, she started to become very upset if anyone approached us. She still does very well on a leash and I have no problems taking her on walks, as long as no one approaches us. They can walk by, but they can't act like they're heading towards me. If kids are in the house, she's fine if she walks into a room where they're at. They can be loud, jumping around, acting crazy, whatever, and she doesn't care. However, if her and I are sitting in the living room and one of the kids walks into where we're sitting, she will get upset and charge them. She's never bitten anyone and never acts like she's going to. She just wants them to stay back. Does anyone have any ideas as to why her personality has changed? I've taken her to "cranky canine" training and she was awesome. She whined and didn't like being there, but she couldn't have acted better. I did notice though, if the trainer walked straight towards me, she would start to get upset. If the trainer turned around and walk backwards towards me, she was fine. I'd appreciate any help. She's an awesome companion and I want to get her back on the right path. Thank u.


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## JustMeLeslie (Sep 15, 2010)

Has she been to a vet for blood work? Sometimes when this kind of behavior just pops up suddenly there could be something going on medically that causes the behavior change. 
Any major changes in the household? New puppy? New baby? That could cause a personality/behavior change too.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Have her thyroid checked. Did something traumatic happen to her or to your family? Even another pet dying could have set her off. That's what changed our oldest boxer. And she also has a thyroid issue that went undiagnosed because we thought she was grieving.


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## Stephjo (May 12, 2011)

Nothing's really changed that I can think of. The problem is, this didn't start suddenly. It progressed slowly, so I didn't really pick up on the change in her behavior until she started acting up at the ballgames. I take her to her yearly Vet checkups, but I don't remember them doing any blood work on her. She's due for her next check up in a few months. I'll talk to the Vet and ask her about the thyroid and any other medical issues that she thinks we should check for. Thank u "JustMeLeslie" and "Jax08" for your posts!


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## JustMeLeslie (Sep 15, 2010)

Stephjo said:


> Nothing's really changed that I can think of. The problem is, this didn't start suddenly. It progressed slowly, so I didn't really pick up on the change in her behavior until she started acting up at the ballgames. I take her to her yearly Vet checkups, but I don't remember them doing any blood work on her. She's due for her next check up in a few months. I'll talk to the Vet and ask her about the thyroid and any other medical issues that she thinks we should check for. Thank u "JustMeLeslie" and "Jax08" for your posts!


 
Your welcome let us know what the vet thinks and what the test results are. Good luck to you!


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

Stephjo said:


> When we took her to my son's baseball games, as we have done for years, she started to become very upset if anyone *approached us*. She still does very well on a leash and I have no problems taking her on walks, as long as no one approaches us. They can walk by, but they can't act like they're heading *towards me*. If kids are in the house, she's fine if she walks into a room where they're at. They can be loud, jumping around, acting crazy, whatever, and she doesn't care. However, *if her and I* are sitting in the living room and one of the kids walks into where we're sitting, she will get upset and charge them. She's never bitten anyone and never acts like she's going to. She just wants them to stay back. Does anyone have any ideas as to why her personality has changed? I've taken her to "cranky canine" training and she was awesome. She whined and didn't like being there, but she couldn't have acted better. I did notice though, if the *trainer walked straight towards me*, she would start to get upset. If the trainer turned around and walk backwards towards me, she was fine. I'd appreciate any help. She's an awesome companion and I want to get her back on the right path. Thank u.


Sounds like resource guarding to me ... and YOU are the resource she is guarding.

Have a different adult in the family take the dog through the exact same situations you describe above and see how she behaves.

If she does NOT show any of the previous behaviors then it IS you she is guarding.


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