9 month old male GSD aggressive at times?

gsdfan81 · 12-19-2011, 12:05 PM

I really didn't know how to title this, but here's the story. Maximus is a very calm and mild mannered dog with people and animals. My neighbor has male GS that is a few older than Maximus. We take them to the park sometimes together and they usually get along. But Maximus has a high ball drive and if he thinks Sarge is wanting his ball he gets aggressive. Sarge loves to wrestle and if he gets to carried away, Maximus gets mad and they get into it. Is this behavior normal aggression?

**MaggieRoseLee** · 12-19-2011, 09:26 PM

It's normal INAPPROPRIATE behavior that needs to be addressed by the humans before blood is drawn and vet bills need to get paid. Many times watching the 'crazy' and letting them work it out leads the dogs to believe that they CAN be a bully and/or ARE allowed to be bullied around. So they take matters into their own hands and that may not be good (at all!).

That's why we are in the park with our dogs. To step in, make the 'rules' perfectly clear. And if the dogs can't play nicely with the ball, and won't listen/obey and calm when WE ask it, then there will be no ball in play at all.

If you are in any doubt what you are seeing is NOT play (and this can be hard cause our GSD's play hard and loud and look very scary....) then you need to step in.

gsdfan81 · 12-20-2011, 09:02 PM

We don't let them fight it out. I believe that is dog fighting and is illegal. If they start getting aggressive with each other we quickly seperate them until they calm down.

debbiebrown · 12-21-2011, 06:30 AM

bullying behavior is when the other dog is not receptive to the act.

12-19-2011, 12:05 PM	#1 (permalink)
gsdfan81 New Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Posts: 9	9 month old male GSD aggressive at times? I really didn't know how to title this, but here's the story. Maximus is a very calm and mild mannered dog with people and animals. My neighbor has male GS that is a few older than Maximus. We take them to the park sometimes together and they usually get along. But Maximus has a high ball drive and if he thinks Sarge is wanting his ball he gets aggressive. Sarge loves to wrestle and if he gets to carried away, Maximus gets mad and they get into it. Is this behavior normal aggression?

12-19-2011, 09:26 PM	#2 (permalink)
MaggieRoseLee The Agility Rocks! Moderator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Bushkill, PA (The Poconos!) Posts: 22,198	It's normal INAPPROPRIATE behavior that needs to be addressed by the humans before blood is drawn and vet bills need to get paid. Many times watching the 'crazy' and letting them work it out leads the dogs to believe that they CAN be a bully and/or ARE allowed to be bullied around. So they take matters into their own hands and that may not be good (at all!). That's why we are in the park with our dogs. To step in, make the 'rules' perfectly clear. And if the dogs can't play nicely with the ball, and won't listen/obey and calm when WE ask it, then there will be no ball in play at all. If you are in any doubt what you are seeing is NOT play (and this can be hard cause our GSD's play hard and loud and look very scary....) then you need to step in. __________________ MACH2 Bretta Lee Wildhaus CGC TC TQX Glory B Wildhaus NA, NJ, NF + LOL (still) "*Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much." - Oscar Wilde*

12-21-2011, 06:30 AM	#4 (permalink)
debbiebrown Crowned Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: maine Posts: 7,598	bullying behavior is when the other dog is not receptive to the act. __________________ url

12-20-2011, 09:02 PM	#3 (permalink)
gsdfan81 New Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Posts: 9	We don't let them fight it out. I believe that is dog fighting and is illegal. If they start getting aggressive with each other we quickly seperate them until they calm down.

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