Extremely protective GSD puppy?
I have a 5 month old GSD and he’s very submissive towards me and my family. He’s very smart and excels in obedience training. I give him enough exercise each day and he’s fantastic to walk with as he walks either beside me or behind me, never in front of me. When I give him a command, he’s very attentive towards me. The problem I have with him though, when I take him for walks, he barks nonstop when someone passes us and the closer the person is towards us, the madder he gets. I actually have to hold him down so that he doesnt actually go after the stranger. He seems to do this only when we’re out on our daily walk. When I take him to dog parks, he doesnt mind the people there but he’s quite picky with other dogs. Some he completely ignores after sniffing and some he would bark at once they turn around to leave which we’re thinking is his herding instinct. Any tips and does anyone know a good behaviorist in Edmonton? Thank you!
If you can’t find a behaviorist you can try this exercise with that problem:
STEP 1
1. If possible use a choke chain. If you are not familiar with it ask help from your pet store or a knowledgable person how to use a choke chain. If he is already use to walking with you without a problem, maybe you don’t have to use a choke chain. You would practice walking with your dog first. Pick only oneside left or right all the time – preferably, left.
2. Walk with him about 15 feet the do a 180 degree turn and walk about 15 feet. You do this 10 times or more (from time to time stop for about 10 seconds and say heel, so he will stop by your heel, then proceed.) so he gets used to walking by your side. You do this before you walk him to where you are going.
Step 2.
After step one, walk him to where ever you used to take him.
Remember only on one side of you should you walk him. When walking him, and someone is or something is walking towards you, he starts to act up as you said, turn around and walk away. When he’s calm down, say good boy, and turn around again to where you are heading. If he doesn’t react to the same or another person walking towards you, just proceed and praise him. Everytime he acts up like before, just do the same thing again.
For some it will work right away, especially with a choke chain. Ask you vet or someone from a pet store with great knowledge about choke chain if your dog is old enough.
Your puppy is still young, so, like any kid, short attention span. But constant proper training will teach your dog. You can check – Woof! Woof!! Uncle Matty’s Guide To Dog Training – on dog training and used of choke chain.
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