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challenging other dogs?

929 views 7 replies 4 participants last post by  yummy 
#1 ·
Hi, I have a question about my GSD barking at other dogs... he's 16 mo. old and this has just started last week.
I took him to a park and he met a lot of dogs there and he was fine until this one Alaskan Malamute that I think was the only one there that approaches his size came along... and when the Alaskan came over.. he barked and growled...

I'm not sure if he is challenging the Alaskan? or if he is reacting to something I missed but the Alaskan did not barked or anything.. I'm not sure if the body language showed otherwise...

So I know that not all dogs get along but I'd rather he just ignore the ones he doesn't like than to pick a fight with it if that was what he was doing.

Fast forward 1 week, yesterday... he started to bark at any medium to large dogs starting around huskies and golden retriever or larger size if they approach him, he is totally fine with small dogs.. any ideas why?

If he is in training mode, (if I'm training him there) he will ignore all these other dogs but if I'm just sitting around with him, then he will do these barking...

Any opinion why? is he challenging other dogs? could it be aggression? Any advice or things to look out for?

Thank you in advance :)
 
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#2 ·
Could be he's reached the stage very common with Gsds where they prefer not to interact with other dogs.Dog parks are a bad idea,just going to stress him out.Give him something else to do and don't allow him to practice the unwanted behavior.The reason you train is to apply the training in everyday life.
 
#3 ·
hi dogma thanks for your input... I didn't really take him to a dog park to interact with other dogs.. but if they came along I don't wish for any trouble either way..
I wanted him to be able to come out with me where ever I'm going that allows dogs to be present...
hmm.. do you have suggestion to figure out if he really just don't want to interact with other dogs or is there something else i should worry about?
thanks
 
#4 ·
Nothing to worry about really.Owners only run into problems if they allow the dog to practice the behavior until it becomes an automatic response.You can create an automatic response of your choice.Maybe a sit/look at me just before he begins to alert at the other dog.Other dogs are making him uncomfortable and he's doing the only thing he knows how to keep them away.Sometimes it's fear based and many times it's just as they mature they really don't want or need any interactions outside of their own family.

This is just a guess,but from how you describe his behavior my vote is it's just normal maturation.There is an often repeated phrase on this board,"they aren't golden retrievers."
 
#5 ·
Thanks dogma.
I was afraid he might be showing signs and becoming dog aggressive..and ill be late in stopping the behaviour..
If it is as you say then I am fine with him not being a social butterfly lol but will want to teach him to just ignore them..
 
#6 ·
Apollo is almost 2 and everything I get from him is that there will be trouble if a dog runs up on him. We really don't run into other dogs and I'm so used to body blocking other dogs that would be my first instinct. Today we went hiking and I was fully prepared to run into other dogs, so the prong went on and treats came with. I was thinking it would be a great training day. Not one darn dog anywhere. I'm noticing a change in him as he gets older, more confident if possible. He is not one I trust with people either(in the past he has given a very noticeable warning if they get to close and we have worked on that)he doesn't want anyone he don't know near me. Today a man brought his fishing gear over and stood not even 10 ft away fishing. Not a peep out of Apollo as we talked, he was very interested in that fishing line though. I was kinda surprised, but as he gets older he is ignoring people and I hope other dogs(I might have to go find some other dogs to see). If Apollo can do what he did today with several people with other dogs, I will be very proud of him.
 
#7 ·
The more other dogs he sees from a distance, the calmer he will learn to be. I'm still working on this with both dogs. My older one was fine with dogs for years, then decided strange dogs were not fun and barks if they get too close. I keep a distance and my dog is happy with that.
 
#8 ·
illombardo: I am hoping mine will start to ignore other dogs as well but I am sort of on the same boat with you, it is hard to find dogs when you want to train but they come along when I'm just sitting around.. I dont have access to many large dog owning friends to check his reaction with... so i'm having a problem identifying haha..

luvshepherds: that shall be my plan for now.. keep him some distance away... thanks for the suggestion, it does seem that he doesn't care about them unless they get too close..


on another note I'm thinking could it be fear period?

thanks for the response :)
 
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