# german shepherd help



## discusdan (Mar 21, 2008)

hi great forum here  , i was wondering if you could help me and my german shepherd,she is agressive to dogs in the street (till she gets right upto them then she will play) but people wont come near her when she is barking so socialising is very hard, she goes to classes and is very good with dogs their. please help me so i can walk her in the street properly its really stressing me out
thankyou i hope you can help


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## carol (Nov 2, 2007)

you could try a lemon spray, spray it at her when she starts to bark at the dogs. get them in pet shops in a can or a collar which will do the spraying for you when she barks.
you could turn her away from them so she cant see them.
or use a bottle with some stones in to distract her shake it when she starts barking and a loud NO.


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## discusdan (Mar 21, 2008)

hi carol thanks for reply i have tried the bottle thing but it doesnt bother her i try turn her away but shes so strong she twists round and tries pulling to them, i would like her to get close because she wouldnt hurt other dogs shes a big wimp because the yorkie beats her up and she just sits there and shes terrified of him, shes only 9months too, i will try the lemon spray thing


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## carol (Nov 2, 2007)

is that her on your pic she looks a beauty


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## discusdan (Mar 21, 2008)

thankyou carol yep thats her


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## carol (Nov 2, 2007)

oh thanks for the pics she is just so lovely


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## discusdan (Mar 21, 2008)

another pic


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## discusdan (Mar 21, 2008)

thanks shes just been diagnosed with hip displaysia and arthritis so she now goes to hydrotherapy


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## Tory01 (Mar 21, 2008)

Hi, nice photos,have you tryed a head halta with her,. its sounds like a fear bark then she gets close and things are alright


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## discusdan (Mar 21, 2008)

hi there yeh i did think fear because of the type of dog she is and she is a big whimp anyway but the bark doesnt sound it but still might be, i have been told the headcollars are good so i think i will need to get one and try that thankyou


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## clare27 (Mar 22, 2008)

I think your dog is gorgeous.I have a german sheperd and found the halti collar gave me much more control over him.He is a strong dog and used to pull me all over but as soon as i put it on the pulling stopped and i could direct him more.


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## discusdan (Mar 21, 2008)

thanks clare any pics of yours? i just took her out and when she started to fixate on the dog i used one of her treats to get her attention ,she didnt know which to go for lol but she didnt bark though it was dark so it might have helped a bit but will see what shes like in the day, still going to get a halti collar


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## Guest (Mar 22, 2008)

Tory01 said:


> Hi, nice photos,have you tryed a head halta with her,. its sounds like a fear bark then she gets close and things are alright


we use one they are very good


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## Tory01 (Mar 21, 2008)

Thats alright,I have a shepherd 10months whimp big time but the head collar could help you,all the best.


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## discusdan (Mar 21, 2008)

yeh they are lol not these big nasty things people think any pics of yours?


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## discusdan (Mar 21, 2008)

hi its ok i checked in your profile she is a beauty, her ears are massive lol


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## Tory01 (Mar 21, 2008)

Yes her ears are big,the photo is of her at the age of 7month she is a big girl,her mom and dad were big,but she is so fast at picking thing up.
When i had the guide dogs for the blind come to my home they were very impressed with her she behaved like a star.So now i am a puppy walker..


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## pammy (Mar 23, 2008)

Hi

Not sue how old your dog is or how long you have had him.

Sounds to me like he is leader of the pack and wanting to protect you
You need to make sure you are the leader.

Teach him to watch you
Get his favourite tit bit
whenever you can say watch me, I used to do it when the tv commercials were on loll
When he looks at you reward him
When you go for a walk continue this especially when another dog is coming towards you, do not tell him off he is not doing wrrong just protecting you
You have to let him know your the boss and not to have any worries
Good luck it will take time but keep at it


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## discusdan (Mar 21, 2008)

thanks pammy i dont think shes pack leader shes very submissive to the family, i will give the look at me thing a try


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## Ram Reizel (Mar 24, 2008)

Hi 
Sounds like a Leash aggression to me. Dogs that shoe aggression or fear signs only on a leash. Usually caused by frustration when they are not allowed to move towards something they want. 

There is an exercise you can practice at home that will make it easier for her outdoors. Put a target on the floor. A target can be anything she likes: a toy a treat... put her on a leash and start walking towards the target. If she keep the leash loose praise her and give her treats. If she pulls or bark turn around and walk away. Allow her to get to the target only when she is quite and not pulling. 

I would try not to prevent her from things she want to get close to (like other dogs) but getting closer only when she is quite and reinforce for that.

I do recommend using a head collar


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## discusdan (Mar 21, 2008)

Update  got a halti collar today and took her for a walk and she went straight past a german shepherd that was across the road didnt even try pull because its pointless as the collar stops her  didnt bark or anything so really happy now thanks everyone


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## Nina (Nov 2, 2007)

Dan, I have been a GSD owner for many years and have got to know the breed well.

In order to achieve a good balance with these dogs it is VITAL that you become pack leader. German Shepard's make WONDERFUL family pets if given the right direction. They look for good leadership, and without that they will immediately take control!

Your dog (who is beautiful by the way), has done this. She is guarding YOU, and doing a very good job by the sounds of it. 

I would strongly recommend that you go back to basics. Show her that you are very capable of looking after yourself, and her. Take her to a training school, make her listen to your commands and make training fun. GSD's love working and hiding her toys with give her immense pleasure. 

I worry about people using rattle bottles however, without expert instruction, since used incorrectly, they can cause further problems.


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## discusdan (Mar 21, 2008)

hi nina thanks for the help, she goes to classes every week and is very good always does as i say, im not sure if shes pack leader she is a whimp though we did think that because she is scared and then she barks at the other dogs then they cross the road so now she thinks that if she barks at them when shes scared they will go away ?? i walked straight past a dog today on the same path and she didnt do anything


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## Nina (Nov 2, 2007)

Sounds like you are correcting her yourself.

She is beautiful.


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## junemzo (Dec 27, 2007)

discusdan said:


> hi great forum here  , i was wondering if you could help me and my german shepherd,she is agressive to dogs in the street (till she gets right upto them then she will play) but people wont come near her when she is barking so socialising is very hard, she goes to classes and is very good with dogs their. please help me so i can walk her in the street properly its really stressing me out
> thankyou i hope you can help


wow!! your dog looks exactly like ours,, hes called max and is the same age..mybe they should get together and have babies lolol


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## discusdan (Mar 21, 2008)

lol any pics mind you if mines the same i dont need them  i would love to but you dont want to see her x-ray


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## Bandit89 (Feb 3, 2010)

Hi guys!!!Im new here,and the reason im here is that I have some problems with my 7 moths old german shepherd...His name is Jack.Im walking him more than 3 times a week and now as he got stronger he started to pull me a lot...and i mean a lot  Anyway i read all these post here so i think im going for a halti collar...because at home he listens to me pretty well but on the streets he is the boss  i'm gonna try to change that...so i just want to thank you all for the posts,thx for the help :smile5:


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## Nonnie (Apr 15, 2009)

Bandit89 said:


> Hi guys!!!Im new here,and the reason im here is that I have some problems with my 7 moths old german shepherd...His name is Jack.Im walking him more than 3 times a week and now as he got stronger he started to pull me a lot...and i mean a lot  Anyway i read all these post here so i think im going for a halti collar...because at home he listens to me pretty well but on the streets he is the boss  i'm gonna try to change that...so i just want to thank you all for the posts,thx for the help :smile5:


You should be walking him everyday.


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## barnesy (Nov 10, 2009)

it is interesting reading the OP as well as the replies. 

Our GSD we know has fear agression issues, and does bark at other dogs and at cars. The fact that it is sporadic doesn't help. 

She does not do it so much with my husband and unfortunately the paths by us on the road only allow single file, so it can get quite dangerous. 

We have tried using the Halti, but it has no effect. 
we have tried using treats as a way of training, she can take or leave them - she is not interested, not even in chicken, ham, cheese etc.. 
She is not bothered by toys.. 

So it does make it very hard to know what to do for the best, I have sent off for a collar, that emits the pheramones that calm dogs. Will be interesting to see if that works.. 

Always good to see what works for others, as somewhere you end up picking up things you haven't tried


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## sequeena (Apr 30, 2009)

Bandit your dog needs to be walked twice a day everyday.

I can't imagine Sky only having 3 walks a week my house would be ruined.


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## Nicky10 (Jan 11, 2010)

Bandit89 said:


> Hi guys!!!Im new here,and the reason im here is that I have some problems with my 7 moths old german shepherd...His name is Jack.Im walking him more than 3 times a week and now as he got stronger he started to pull me a lot...and i mean a lot  Anyway i read all these post here so i think im going for a halti collar...because at home he listens to me pretty well but on the streets he is the boss  i'm gonna try to change that...so i just want to thank you all for the posts,thx for the help :smile5:


A halti probably is a good idea or some other kind of head collar. You really do need to walk him everyday and do some training or mental exercise as well gsds are extremely intelligent and need a job.


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## RockRomantic (Apr 29, 2009)

discusdan said:


> thankyou carol yep thats her


shes beautiful!


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## RockRomantic (Apr 29, 2009)

Nicky10 said:


> A halti probably is a good idea or some other kind of head collar. You really do need to walk him everyday and do some training or mental exercise as well gsds are extremely intelligent and need a job.


mine has a halti and has made a massive difference


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## fun4fido (Jul 22, 2008)

discusdan said:


> hi great forum here  , i was wondering if you could help me and my german shepherd,she is agressive to dogs in the street (till she gets right upto them then she will play) but people wont come near her when she is barking so socialising is very hard, she goes to classes and is very good with dogs their. please help me so i can walk her in the street properly its really stressing me out
> thankyou i hope you can help


Hi,

From what you wrote, It sounds like your GSD has barrier frustration (because she is on leash and is unable to interact with other dogs up close). It's a very common problem.

It's good that you have a head collar, as this will give you control, which will give you confidence. However don't just rely on the head collar. When you see another dog approaching use it as a training opportunity. Carry on walking as usual, try to keep the leash loose (so don't restrain her by holding the leash up or making it tight), and if she walks past calmly then give her a treat as the other dog passes and praise her.

If you continually do this whenever she passes/sees another dog, over time she will be calmer.

If you think sometimes she's going to react (start barking), then simply do a quick change of direction until she at a distance where she can be calm. Get her focused on you, wait for the other dog to pass, and carry on with your walk.

A head collar is a good training tool, but this is what it is a tool, and as such, should not be used for life.

She's beautiful BTW


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## leashedForLife (Nov 1, 2009)

as Fun-4-Fido said, pairing treats with the appearance of other dogs while YOUR dog is under-threshold (sees or hears the other dog, but is not reacting to the other dog) can really help.

the book  Click to Calm  has detailed step-by-step protocols for reducing reactivity via DS/CC - DeSensitization + Counter-Conditioning. 
it has been terrific as a DIY manual for owners to do B-Mod themselves.

all my best, 
--- terry


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## Bandit89 (Feb 3, 2010)

i know that...but we live in a country side and he has a lot of space to run and other dogs to play with...i would like to walk him more often but besides college and training i just haven't got enought time...but its true,i should walk him more :crying:


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## jlowry7786 (May 4, 2012)

Hi all! My name is Jessie! I have aloooot of questions about german shepards. I currently have a male lab/shepard mix named ace, about 2 1/2 years, i have a 1 year old male toy poodle named dylee, and 2 days ago my little brothers called me and told me he was getting deployed so he drove in from GA to texas and brought me his beautiful 3 year old female german shepard, i took them all to get groomed the day she got here, getting her shaved today. She is the kindest dog ever, has a very loud bark and growl though. She has been an inside dog her entire life, and my husband and I let our out during the day, we have a pool and a huge back yard with plenty of room and toys to make any pup happy, Due to her long hair and my allergies we are trying to get her to be ok with being outside a little more than she would like, just during the day. She sits at the back door and bark and yoddles lol. There also seems to be a domince issue between her and the lab mix, and the poodle get very aggressive to back the lab up, there hasnt been any altercations yet, and im trying everything poosible to insure that it doesnt happen. Can anyone give me any pointers on how to introduce her properly and make them all feel comfortable? My poodle has also started shedding idk if its due to stress or what.... OBVIOUSLY i need help! pleasee!


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## leashedForLife (Nov 1, 2009)

jlowry7786 said:


> [I'm] Jessie!
> I have aloooot of Qs re GSDs.


hi, Jessie! 
i'd encourage U to put up a new OP - 
this one is under a different topic, & one just for YOUR dogs will get more attention.  


jlowry7786 said:


> I... have a M Lab x GSD, Ace, about 2.5-YO, [&] a 12-MO M toy-Poodle, Dylee,
> 
> ...and 2 days ago my little brother called me & [said] he was [deploying] - he drove from GA to TX
> & brought... his beautiful 3-YO F GSD [to us, here].
> ...


Why SHAVE her?! 
her coat is *insulation & protects her from sunburn - dogs do not tan.*
TX has ferocious sun, plus heat & humidity - it's H*** for dogs. AC is the dog's best-friend there!



jlowry7786 said:


> She is the kindest dog ever, has a very loud bark and growl though. She's been an inside dog [all] her life;
> *my husband and I let our out during the day*...


why?... 
the heat is unforgiving, & Afrianized bees are now well-established in TX. 
many dogs die of their stings - plus there are fire-ants, yellowjackets, fleas, ticks, heartworm 
via mosquitoes is year-round in most of TX, mozzies also carry West-Nile virus & encephalitis - 
both of which can affect dogs.

i'd suggest U bring her indoors, ASAP - for her own safety, as well as comfort. 


jlowry7786 said:


> ...we have a pool & a huge back yard with plenty of room, & toys to make any pup happy,
> Due to her long-hair & my allergies *we are trying to get her [OK] with being outside a little more
> than she would like, just during the day*.


there are much better ways to handle allergies, hun - it's not her HAIR that U react to, it's dander 
& pollen, mold-spores, dust, etc, all carried on her paws & in her coat - hose her off, brush her OUTdoors, 
& use _*Allerpet D*_ to keep the dander, etc, ON her - rather than having it get sprinkled 
around.

SHAVING the dog only leaves her bald - anything less than 1.5-inches long risks *sunburn.*



jlowry7786 said:


> She sits at the back door and bark and yodels :lol:
> 
> There also seems to be a dominance issue between her & the [male] Lab-X, & the poodle gets very aggro
> to back the Lab up...


SEPARATE THE DOGS - they can't be together when U are not there, & each dog should wear a leash 
as a drag, so U can grab it just in case.

are all THREE dogs desexed? 
if not, that's job #1 - get any male neutered, get her spayed ASAP.


jlowry7786 said:


> ...there [haven't] been any [fights] yet, & im trying everything poosible to insure that [that] doesn't happen.
> 
> Can anyone give me any pointers on how to introduce her properly and make them all feel comfortable?
> 
> ...


start a new thread, hun - lots of folks will help.


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## newfiesmum (Apr 21, 2010)

carol said:


> you could try a lemon spray, spray it at her when she starts to bark at the dogs. get them in pet shops in a can or a collar which will do the spraying for you when she barks.
> you could turn her away from them so she cant see them.
> or use a bottle with some stones in to distract her shake it when she starts barking and a loud NO.


And if that gets in her eyes, she will think the other dog has caused it. She won't want to play after that.

If I were you I would teach her to sit whilst the other dog walks past, give her treats when she doesn't bark.

Or just walk quickly past with her on a short lead. As long as you don't hesitate and just keep going regardless, it often works.

This sort of barking, especially coming from a shepherd, doesn't sound aggressive to me; sounds more like her own particular greeting. There are a couple of GSDs we meet who always come along barking at us, but it doesn't sound aggressive at all. Different sort of bark.


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