hi I am new to GSD and forums

[hrsldy]

I am from New Hampshire. My first GSD just turned 1 year old 12/31/11. Sascha is a handful but I love her. She lives with a rescue dog Rusty who is suppose to be Shepherd/Beagle I joined this forum to see if I could get some help with how Sascha greets dogs when she is off leash in the woods with me. I take both dogs snowshoeing, walking, and horseback riding with me. When she was little she was terrified of other dogs people and tree stumps in the woods . I did take her to puppy school, stores like Tractor Supply that allow the dogs to go in etc. I have had my sisters dogs and my daughters dog come to visit. Both she and Rusty will run to greet another dog but Rusty does it in a calm non threatening way where as now Sascha will have her hackles up and be barking. Even if it is excitement and bluster I am afraid she is going to meet the wrong dog and get hurt. This past weekend she met up with another Shepherd. After she approached him in her excited way he chased her and she ran. Now he was not being aggessive. His owner said he was only a little older than Sascha so I think he was playing. When I called for her to come with me she did. But I really want to put a stop to the way she greets other dogs. Any ideas??

[llombardo]

Have you tried taking her to a pet store where there are lots of dogs at one time? I wish I could help with the off leash walking but where I live a dog has to be on a leash at all times(even on trails)--of course everyone breaks that rule, but when I see people or a dog coming, I put the leash back on quickly

[hrsldy]

Not pet stores exactly but we have met up with other pups at Tractor Supply. I live in a Rural area. Have to do some traveling to get to a Pet store, especially the bigger ones. As far as off leash goes there is a leash law here too but in the area I live my property abuts the Goverment flood control area so I do most of my riding and walking there. A good deal of the time I don't meet up with anyone and if I do they have the same idea as I do as far as letting their dogs have some off leash runs. Thank you

[Tim Connell]

Welcome aboard. Always good to see NH people here!

[koda00]

Get her into an obedience school, a good trainer (not petco,petsmart etc.) will work with you to show you how to fix her. If you dont, she might someday run into the wrong dog. Good luck!

[Heidij]

How is she on leash? The hard thing about the ways dogs express themselves is that we don't perceive many of the little bodily differences between fear and aggression, happy or sad, play or defense. The raising of hackles can be followed by a play bow, and be very normal. Also, if your dog can't see minute details at a distance, so the greeting may be a warning until he(?) can get a sense of the other dogs intentions. If your dog is good on a leash but gets a little nervous off-leash then I would say your best bet would be to recall the dog to you when you see another dog coming. This will tell your dog that you will handle the stranger and this will allow you to dictate the terms of their meeting.

[1sttimeforgsd]

Hello and Welcome to you and Sascha!

[llombardo]

Originally Posted by koda00

Get her into an obedience school, a good trainer (not petco,petsmart etc.) will work with you to show you how to fix her. If you dont, she might someday run into the wrong dog. Good luck!

I beg to differ on the Petsmart training...I took my golden there for 3 classes and his good citizen and I'm starting my second class with my shepherd today..the trainer is great, she has 2 Rott's and a pug herself, belongs to and trains out of a dog club, does therapy and rally/obedience with all of her dogs--and they are also very well trained. I will go onto other classes at a German Shepherd club when she completes all three classes and the good citizen at Petsmart, but the basics and then some are done and done correctly even at Petsmart.

[clow1]

hello welcome also new here

[hrsldy]

Thank you Tim. What part of New Hampshire are you from?
Beverly