Very bad morning - thoughts please (LONG)

[HankGSD]

Hank completely acted up today, out of character, on our morning walk and at the vet. I would like to tell the story because I am disturbed by one aspect of what happened, and would like advice from all you wonderful, more experienced owners. Again, let me stress that everything that happened today was completely abnormal behavior for him.

I walk Hank every day and have only missed 3 days last winter due to extreme wind chills, etc. So it is a very normal part of our routine, and Hank meets many people along the route. He has many friends such as the mail carrier, the school crossing guard, other dog owners, all of whom he greets happily.

Today we were walking along our route and a man was approaching from the opposite direction, so as I often do, I walked over into the grass, giving the man a wide berth. Often when I do this, I will also put Hank in a sit, especially since we often pass elderly couples when we are out walking. Today I just kept walking and as the man got close, Hank lunged toward him, and I believe he barked or growled. It all happened so fast that I am not clear if he barked. In any case, he pulled so hard (with a pinch collar on) that I was bent forward and pulled a few steps toward the man. I loudly and firmly told him "NO" and there was no contact with the man who kept on walking but I really thought I had lost control of Hank and that he would jump on the man.

The situation was horrifying to me, because he has only lunged once before, and I maintained control of him at that time and he never got close to the person, who was also male. (I am female, but Hank has many men in his life who he loves dearly.)

Right after that incident, within 30 seconds, there was a man on the other side of the road who had some sort of physical disability that made him walk bent forward, kind of like Quasi-Modo, and he was almost running. Hank alerted to him and was very watchful, almost dancing next to me as we walked, never taking his eyes off the man. Then the man crossed the road and walked in the direction we were, so I put Hank in a sit and waited for the man to get a good distance ahead of us.

After all that, we had to stop at the vet to drop off a stool sample after finishing 14 days of antibiotics for a bacterial infection. He barked as we went in the vet, as there was several dogs in the waiting room. So not completely unusual, but we also went to a pet blessing there earlier this month with dozens of dogs present and he only barked for a minute in the parking lot and I didn't take him in until he settled down. Inside the vet, he behaved enough to get weighed and get a few treats, and he sat nice for me as a small dog got carried past him into an examining room. Then as we tried to walk out, he pulled me up to an older couple sitting in the waiting room (again with a pinch collar on) and thank goodness they were not upset by it, because who wants a German shepherd rushing them? Then he sat there and wanted love and affection from them, put his ears back, and let them pet him and get kisses.

So maybe he was just having a day, but all of the events put together and happening in a roughly one-hour period really got to me. He is almost 14 months old and always very well-behaved except for the occasional puppy moment which is never something like today where I could have been facing a lawsuit or worse if he jumped on that man.

[billsharp]

Take a deep breath and relax.

He has many friends such as the mail carrier, the school crossing guard, other dog owners, all of whom he greets happily.

Seems Hank is a good dog, well socialized.

I walked over into the grass, giving the man a wide berth. Often when I do this, I will also put Hank in a sit, especially since we often pass elderly couples when we are out walking. Today I just kept walking and as the man got close, Hank lunged toward him,

If I'm reading this correctly, it seems you deviated from what usually happens, ie, you neither projected confidence in this stranger to Hank by briskly walking by him, nor did you bring Hank a comfortable distance away from the stranger as you usually do. You signaled concern by moving away yourself, but left Hank near the worrisome stranger. I'd advise walking Hank close to strangers from now on, but stay with Hank, and break his focus on the stranger as soon as you see him focus. Use a stern "Leave it" so he realizes that he is to ignore a stranger who is just walking past you. Don't transmit your fear down the leash.

I put Hank in a sit and waited for the man to get a good distance ahead of us.

Handled well by you, and no problem for Hank.

Inside the vet, he behaved

Back to good 'ol Hank, the love-beast. Nice story with the older couple.

Sounds like Hank is a great dog and you are a very conscientious owner, congrats!

[Rott-n-GSDs]

There could be something that smelled "off" about the man... or maybe he had bad intentions that Hank sensed. Who knows! My Luna reacts strongly to anyone who uses or is around drugs enough to smell like them. (She doesn't lunge at them, though... she simply will growl and refuse to let them pet her).

I agree with the advice in the above post... but I wouldn't be overly concerned unless it becomes a habit.

[HankGSD]

Originally Posted by billsharp

If I'm reading this correctly, it seems you deviated from what usually happens, ie, you neither projected confidence in this stranger to Hank by briskly walking by him, nor did you bring Hank a comfortable distance away from the stranger as you usually do. You signaled concern by moving away yourself, but left Hank near the worrisome stranger. I'd advise walking Hank close to strangers from now on, but stay with Hank, and break his focus on the stranger as soon as you see him focus. Use a stern "Leave it" so he realizes that he is to ignore a stranger who is just walking past you. Don't transmit your fear down the leash.

Very good point! Perhaps I did deviate too much from routine and that set him off. Thank you so much for your comment.

[HankGSD]

Originally Posted by Rott-n-GSDs

There could be something that smelled "off" about the man... or maybe he had bad intentions that Hank sensed.

Thank you. I know Hank doesn't like one of our neighbors that I also don't like; he watches him very closely but has never lunged or acted aggressive. I am learning that my dog really does read me and my feelings. Aren't they amazing creatures?

[msvette2u]

Is your prong fitted properly? Leerburg has directions on that. He should not be pulling you all over with it on.

[HankGSD]

Originally Posted by msvette2u

Is your prong fitted properly? Leerburg has directions on that. He should not be pulling you all over with it on.

That is what was especially odd about today, being pulled more than once while he was wearing it! I will double check with Leerburg. Thank you.

[selzer]

I think you are right to be concerned. Your boy is officially a teenager. I think you have to continue to work through this stage, continue to take him out, continue to socialize him. Anticipate what he might do and head him off at the pass with a stern "LEAVE IT." I would probably back up a few paces with training but double or triple what you do do, not all at once. If you are walking for an hour and training for 10 minutes once a day, train for 10 minutes three times a day or better 5 minutes 6 times a day. This can be done after a potty break, some healing, some sits and downs, praise for good performance. while you are preparing dinner, 1 minute sit stay, 4 minute down stay. Long commercial -- game of Find It. After your morning walk, Sits, downs, stays, finishes. Nothing dramatic, but increase the training because it improves the bond and helps him to gain confidence in himself and in you.

[middleofnowhere]

I don't know about where you are but today was almost crisp here. Change in weather can = change in behavior. I like the idea that your change in behavior = change in Hank's behavior, too. Then of course once he got wound up, other stuff followed. That's kinda the way it goes. So often it's a matter of figuring out what's going on with us & how the dog is handling that coupled with normal changes in dog behavior....

[HankGSD]

Thank you, thank you everyone for your replies! Selzer, I will definitely work on more training.

Middle of nowhere: interesting theory on the weather change. It frosted here today for the first time this fall, so who knows?

I should also mention, this month our morning walks changed to very early morning from mid-to-late morning. My work schedule changed and it took him a few weeks to adjust to that; maybe it's also going to take time for him to get used to starting a walk in the dark that finishes after the sun has come up.

I am glad I posted here, I am feeling a lot better about what happened and my future ability to prevent it from ever happening again.

Interestingly, we took a walk last summer with my 11-year-old son and a complete idiot jogger (sorry, no other way to put it) ran up behind us and between Hank and my son. Fortunately, he didn't react at all, and I would think that kind of situation should have set him off more than what occurred today. But Hank was also a few months younger, and as Selzer says, I definitely have a teenager on my hands who is going to test me.