My dog blocks stairways, doorways, etc and won't move when told! Advice please!

[Germanshepherdlova]

My dog has taken to laying across doorways and will not move when told. Today he stood at the top of the staircase, right in the middle blocking and when I told him to move, he would not. Then I took my leg and tried to push him over and he pushed back at my leg and tried his darnest not to let me walk past him. He does the same with doorways-you have to step over him he will not move out of the way. Sigh, this dog is really a trial. He seems to be doing these doorway blocks more and more frequently recently.

With the dominance issues we have had with him ever since he was a puppy, many issues that he has made great progress with, I fear that this is more of his dominance issues surfacing. My lab always moves out of the way when I tell him to. He never attempts to block me or push me-nor have any other dogs I have had in my life behaved this way. Not sure what is going through his head when he does this.

One more thing, today he laid on my slipper and when I told him to move, he refused. I had to pry my slipper out from under him and he laid there and stared at me very pleased with himself. Why do you suppose he does this? Any advice on how I should handle this will be greatly appreciated.

[Cassidy's Mom]

Step over him - problem solved. I personally wouldn't read a lot into it, but that's just me. Keefer moves immediately if I say "move" or if I'm opening a cabinet door into him. Halo doesn't, I have to either walk into her to make her get up and move, or push the door against her until she moves out of the way, so a lot of the time I just step over her because it's easier and faster.

[Lucy Dog]

Does he growl at all when you try to move him? Anything like that?

Could he possibly be in pain? Sometimes when dogs have arthritis or are in pain, that makes them not want to get up and move. Is he always laying down when he doesn't want to move?

[onyx'girl]

He wants to be a rug!
jk

My dogs lay where ever they want, and I step over them all the time. If I tell them to move, they do.

If you 'fear' this is a dominance issue then grab his collar or neck scruff and tell him "lets go" or something to get his butt up. Praise him when he does.

[Germanshepherdlova]

No, he's not in pain. He won't move out of the way if he is standing, sitting, laying. He doesn't growl at me if I force him to move, but he does growl at other people if they do. I have been stepping over him but I don't want him to recess and become extremely problematic again, if this is a dominance issue surfacing then I'd like to work on it now. However, if this is normal for GSD's then I don't want to make an issue out of it either. The problem is that when he blocks the middle of the staircase and I try to step over him I have nearly fell down the stairs twice trying to get past him.

My DH thinks Brutus' pushy and stubborn behavior is funny-but I take it much more seriously. Maybe I am just reading too much into it-I hope so anyhow.

[msvette2u]

It's not just the blocking doors, I'm sure. It sounds like a chronic problem and there's probably other issues you're not picking up on, or have accepted?
I'd agree to get it under control - especially if he's growling at other people when doing this.

[Lucy Dog]

What would he do if you grabbed his collar or scruff like jane mentioned? Is he like dead weight and won't budge?

And no, this is not normal behavior for a GSD or any dog.

[JeanKBBMMMAAN]

Guys, this is a dog that has been alpha rolled to deal with his dominance.

I am going to suggest something different. I get the same thing as someone else who goes boot camp. I just get a lot more happy wiggle butt from the dog than the other way.

With me, I would make it a game. He still learns the same thing - get up when I want you to - but we just make it fun. That should lead to faster, stronger obedience when...

With other people, I would turn it into an obedience lesson.

For the game part, I'd have treats or toys in my pockets waiting for that opportunity. Then, I'd say something to him. "Hey, doorstop..." just pick something that will mean you want him to associate it with movement, and then dart off. Would he chase you? If not, this kind of isn't as much fun. When he did, I'd have a treat ready and call him into a front/sit. Praise, yay, fun. Down. Wait...run, chase (will he bite your leg or arm - my mixes might, but if he won't then great), sit/front, yay.

If he won't chase, then the toy and tossing it, pairing it with the phrase, will help. Same idea, he is moving because you want him to. You are in a win-win situation.

With people, I'd set it up with him on a leash and someone else using the phrase you choose (I say excuse me, please - for real, that's what I say, unless I say pardon me), and then use your treat or toy to guide him to you and into the front/sit. They can also give him a treat and praise.

Sorry this is long and rambling for basically saying I would use positive reinforcement to create a dog who does exactly what I want and in a happy way!

[Whiteshepherds]

Are you sure he knows what "move" means?

[Germanshepherdlova]

Originally Posted by msvette2u

It's not just the blocking doors, I'm sure. It sounds like a chronic problem and there's probably other issues you're not picking up on, or have accepted?
I'd agree to get it under control - especially if he's growling at other people when doing this.

He has required a great deal of training and work for dominance issues. He has behaved much better in the last year except he does try to control the behavior of visitors. If a visitor makes a sudden move or swings their arm and he thinks that they are behaving aggressively he will run at them and put his mouth around their arm in a threatening way. Because of this he has to be on a lead while visitors are over or we put him downstairs where he screams and whines until he drives us crazy.

Originally Posted by Lucy Dog

What would he do if you grabbed his collar or scruff like jane mentioned? Is he like dead weight and won't budge?

And no, this is not normal behavior for a GSD or any dog.

Oh yeah, when I try to move him out of the way he won't budge and if he is standing he will dig his paws in and do everything he can to prevent me from moving him. Due to my back problems it is very difficult to deal with him at times. Very sad that apparently we are facing another issue.