# Puppy Concerns



## 119345 (Jan 8, 2009)

Hello to everyone! 

I'm sorry to be asking for help and advice with my first post (I don't normally do that kind of thing!) but I've been mooching about the place for a while and you guys seem to know what you're talking about! I've learned a lot already 

My name's Phil and myself and my wife brought home a 10 week old German Shepherd pup a couple of months ago. He's now 4 months old and turning into a handsome young lad 

We owned another shepherd priviously but he was a lot older. Unfortunately we had to re-home him due to severe behavioral problems, plus nearly getting my wife killed. We tried EVERYTHING to solve his problems and we regularly attended training classes but he was completely unresponsive. Even the trainers were baffled! In the end we decided it was cruel to keep him out of love and gave him to a professional handler for rehabilitation. We didn't let the awful experience put us off the breed however and decided to start from scratch with a puppy who wasn't already set in his ways.

He's turning into a great dog but I have one concern, his barking at other dogs when on the lead. Off lead he's just a playful pup, mixes well with other dogs and has a great time. But on the lead as soon as he sees a dog he will not stop barking despite every correction attempt we make. We're big fans of Ceasar Milan and incorporate all his methods. Some work, some don't and we're now using a water squirter to correct but that doesn't always work either.

My wife thinks he is improving and that it's something he'll grow out of but I'm not so sure. Because we had such a bad experience with our previous shepherd I'm extremely worried about this problem continuing into his adulthood when it's going to be even harder to snap him out of it.

I don't know if I'm looking for help or reassurance but either would be good! 

If you read all that then thank you, it's appreciated. And I look forward to chatting with you guys.
Phil


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## annetony (May 1, 2005)

Hi and welcome, 

Have you thought of taining classes, my Sons friend has a rottie and he went to local training classes, Kira has turned out to be the most gentle dog I have ever known, she even took a beating from my 3 legged Lancashire Heeler x Jack Russel :lol: :lol: :lol: 

Just a thought

Anne


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## TR5 (Jun 6, 2007)

Hi Phil

If you sign up to this site I can PM you. (Private Message)
My daughter is an animal behavourist, as well as a qualified groomer, trainer, etc....anything animals, she knows.

However, I am not publicly giving out her email address, as she would not appreciate being inundated with requests for FREE advice, which could happen.

Michael


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## drcotts (Feb 23, 2006)

I,m Glad TR5 put this post on as with behavioural problems like yours training classes would probally struggle in solving the problem as they do not always identify the cause of the behaviour but merely try to discipline the dog not to do it. 

Things that happen on the lead but not off are usually doen to the fact that the dog is reacting to a stimulus from you which you probally dont even know your doing. It senses this as a request to protect you and so bark to warn off orther dogs. GSD are paricularly good at this at this.
Are you subconciulsly tensing the leas when you see a dog or person approaching. do you instinctively say something to the dog like "leave it" or No and tanse the lead as the dog or peson approaches. ?

The origin of the proble is most likely down to your relationship with the dog and how it sees its role when your out walking. ie is it allowed to do what it like, Walk ahead of you, pull on the lead etc. This can give the dog the message that its in control of the situation and so feels that it needs to take on the role of protector.

I hope this help

Drcotts


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## 119345 (Jan 8, 2009)

Hi Anne. I agree training classes can work wonders! We have been taking him to the same classes we took our previous dog to and he's doing well. He's in the beginners class but is already streets ahead of the other dogs in that class. They even put on a dog show just before xmas and he won best puppy! 
The class is indoors and once he's inside he's fine. You don't hear a peep out of him. But when we arrive outside and all the other dogs are arriving you can't shut him up :? 

I should say that he suffered a quick bite not long after we got him. He'd stuck his snout through the front gate and a husky bit it. It was over in less than half a second but I think it had an effect. Afterwards his barking at dogs came with raised hackles and the bark itself seemed more aggressive. But now he seems to have calmed down a bit and his hackles are no longer up and the bark I wouldn't call aggressive at all. But it's still an unwanted bark.

Hi Michael. I did register last night so hopefully you'll be able to pm me. Honestly any help or reassurance is greatly appreciated! 

I wish I shared my wife's optimism. She says I'm worrying too much but I don't know. Maybe he will grow out of it, but I don't put too much trust in hope.


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## TR5 (Jun 6, 2007)

*Mod's*

There is no PM on Sho's pages. I'm not sure why but probably something not ticked or filled in, in profile. Can you advise.......

Sho, you can PM me (if you've signed up) using the button at the bottom of this page - send me your email address.


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## 119345 (Jan 8, 2009)

Turns out I'm registered but not suscribed, so unable to pm. I'll just post my email: uglykidsho at hotmail dot co dot uk

Drcotts - I've made sure that's exactly what we do but it doesn't help. Half the time he reacts to a dog before I've even seen it!
He's started to ignore us in the house as well, being very disobedient. Seems like we're going two steps back

(Mod Note. Posting email addresses on an open forum is an invitation for spammers, so I have converted yours into a form that the spybots will not find.)


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