[krispifsu]

Lily is almost 15 weeks old. We go to the lake 5-7 x's per week where there are lots of other dogs, children, runners, walkers, bicyclists, ducks, birds, cars driving by, etc. We also go to the trails about 5x's per week where there are runners, hikers, and dogs. She attends puppy training class with about 15 other puppies. She go to the petstore about once a week and runs errands with me (bank drive-thru, car wash, etc.). She also plays with my friends' dogs that I trust to play nicely. We have been doing this since she came home at 8 weeks. She is a sole dog but I also have two cats (although they want nothing to do with her).

However, lately she has taken to barking quite loudly at other dogs, and sometimes people. For example, she'll bark at a dog that she sees at the lake and it just doesn't have the same friendly sound to it that her bark used to have. I correct her with a no bark. Sometimes I'll ask the owner if Lily can meet their dog. I try to take her attention off of the dog first and never let her go running up to a dog barking. Once there she is fine, but sometimes she does seem quite bold in her introduction. She goes right up to the dogs face and with some smaller dogs seems to try to stand over them.

Also, another puppy that she was playing with jumped on me and she pushed him off of me. Is she being possessive in a dominant way? or is that normal puppy behavior?

She has also taken to barking at people sometimes. Probably 95% of the time she is very friendly and I always ask her to sit before someone pets her...but other times she barks and it just doesn't sound like her friendly bark. For example, this morning I took her out to pee. A man was running up to the dumpster near our house and she started barking at him. And the other night she could hear someone walking by our house and she started barking and wouldn't stop for a few minutes. She tends to be more alert at night or early morning when she goes out.

Does any of this sound like the beginning of problems? or is this normal puppy development? I have never had a dog before, so it is all new to me. Any insgiht would be wonderful!

 

[wrenny]

Sounds like a german shepherd puppy becoming an adult german shepherd.

You are describing times when it barks that you would probably want your dog to bark. Night and early morning. "Man running up to the dumpster. "Walking by our house at night."

I think she is just being loyal to her breed but I'm sure this is something you can train but I don't see it as agression. Just being protective.

 

[lcht2]

i second wrenny..tyson is starting to develope that behavior too...it doesnt bother me. im glad he's alert and lets me know when there is something out of the ordinary (for him) goin on.

we have family come over that just "come on in" he runs at the door barking but then realizes who it is and gets all excited..that lets me kno he recognizes the good ppl. not that we have bad ppl come into our house but still..u never know with the crazy folks out there..more than likely they would have to worry about the barrel in there face than the 11 week old pup barking and growling at them...

 

[krispifsu]

Oh good. She is a very friendly dog...loves people, attention, playing with other dogs, etc. But the change is her bark worried me. It was different than the excited bark and just had a more alert and warning sound to it. Sometimes she even continue to 'grumble' as she walks off or do a low long bark. Very different sounding and pretty impressive

But just want to make sure this doesn't turn into an agressive thing.

 

[lcht2]

here's a funny example: last night tyson and i went for a walk. we wer walking by a house that had a trailer or something in the driveway covered by a tarp. it was pretty windy and it was makeing the tarp blow and move around, tyson stops and looks at it growling, no bark but a growl..i found it funny

 

[wrenny]

Problem you have with this is sometimes it does cause a nuisance. mine is now barking at the window to my neighbor when he sees movement. ;( that has to stop.

 

[MaggieRoseLee]

lcht2 wrote:

Quote: it was pretty windy and it was makeing the tarp blow and move around, tyson stops and looks at it growling, no bark but a growl..i found it funny

What a great example of how 'socialization' involves us having to go out and about all the time because you never know what you can run into! And it's vital to expose our puppies, from day 1, to the fact that though strange things may show up, Mom/Dad is right here and we'll guide you thru and show you what's what!

I've had my dogs get weirded out when I had moved my trash cans to the street and leaned a box against them. In the dark they looked weird and my dogs approached like it was Big Foot from Canada coming to our yard. I also got a giggle from it but then walked 'bravely' up to the pile to touch and poke and show the girls they were being silly. If dogs can look embarrassed, I think they did

So everyone remember, put those pups in your car, drive them to new places to meet new people, locations, flapping bags and scary trash cans! And if it even means walk the opposite way around the block, or taking a road/lane/court you usually don't walk down, DO IT!

 

[krispifsu]

LOL At least I am not the only one!

The other night I was packing for a trip to see my parents. I had stacked my bags and Lily's bags up in a corner of my living room. Lily must have forgotten they were there because when she was taken out in the middle of the night to pee and saw the dark shape that is not normally there, she barked her head off. I turned on the light so she could see what it was and she had the most sheepish expression on her face! LOL

She also looked startled the first time I turned my wipers on in the car!

Funny the things we don't even think of!