Sorry you've had this bad setback, but I tend to agree with the above. From my own experience with gsd's, they don't like a lot of fuss, they're not that type of dog (well, most aren't, although I have ONE of those types!) Any visitors who come here, I tell them to just give my youngster a treat and leave her alone, let HER go to them, and if she does, they are still told to ignore her mostly, coz if they reach out their hand, especially if they go to put it OVER her head, she'll lunge and bark at them! When out of the house, it's a different story, anybody can fuss her, but here at home, it's very different.

The other morning, I shut them in when I went out the back to the gates for a delivery man, and I forgot that I had left the french doors open out comes Zena barking at this strange man standing on her driveway talking to me Thankfully, she did look to me for guidance, so I called her into my bootroom for some cheese (I was desperate!!!) she was barking profusely at him, but I couldn't blame her for that, at least she did listen to me, she didn't go for him, because he did nothing but put his hand out to her (very good move!), thereby letting her sniff it and check him out, which instantly calmed her down, BUT, had he gone to actually stroke her then God only knows!

There's a lot to these dogs, especially one which you just don't know what he's gone through in the past, it makes it all the harder, but my suggestion to you is, to get some different people around at different times, give him a treat when they enter, but ask them not to fuss him, and he'll just lay closeby keeping his eye on the visitor, but any sudden movements could send him off on one, and I have exactly the same with Zena, and I had a blank canvas to start off with plus we always had people coming and going here when she was a pup but it made no difference, some of them are like this. If I had people coming and going each day now that she's a lot older, everything would be fine, but I don't, so it isn't, I have to go through a very strict regime each time I get a visitor she doesn't know, and sometimes, it's best if I just shut them both away out of harm's way. Zena still barks and goes mad at my best friend who has lived here for days on end when we went away and yet another friend of mine who hasn't house sat for me, Zena never barks at her, and she doesn't come that often, but then she never goes towards Zena, she just ignores her until Zena is ready to come to her, and then she gently strokes her as she sits beside her. It's all very strange, but you'll get to know him, and who and what he reacts to.

Another thing that happened here. I walked for over an hour with my friend and her lab, so Zena KNEW this girl, and yet we popped in to see my mum who was sat in her chair, and when my friend went over to mum she leaned over to give her a kiss, turned around and Zena had followed her, so she bend down to give Zena a fuss, and Zena just lunged at her barking We couldn't believe it, and Zena was only 6 months old then, but I knew back then I had my work cut out with this one, so I've worked on it, and it's paid off because she did NOT go for that delivery man the other day!!!!

These are guard dogs afterall, they watch every move, they're not soft dogs up for a cuddle from strangers that's a fact! They will enjoy a fuss when that person has introduced themselves properly, slowly, letting the dog go to them, never the other way around! Good luck, I have no suggestions other than to offer my experiences here.

Ollie would take the food ok, he wouldn't be their friend though if he didn't like them. He is very choosy but will accept food at any opportunity regardless of who is offering.

Hi,

I agree with what's already been advised. it seems to me to be perfectly normal nervous GSD behaviour and will take time to sort out. You need to persevere - please don't send him back to the rescue centre or have him PTS. You and he can overcome this.

Of my GSDs I have one like this. He was doing fine with is training, even though he was a rescue from Birmingham Dogs' Home at onyl 3 months old. He was ttacked last September and since then he will lunge at people and dogs for apparently no reason. It's taken me until about a month ago to get him to a point where he can go for a walk, on lead, without trying to kill anything that passes with legs.

Having said that, the other 3 dogs are absolutely fine. Zane likes a bit of fuss until he knows whoyou are then he likes to be left alone unless youhave treats. Jenzi i sstill a pup but is doing well with her training. As far as she's concerned, the more fuss and physical contact she has, the better. And Ellie wants fuss all day long.

Anton's behaviour can be worked on and hopefully you'll see improvements very soon.

Good luck.

Laura xx

iam not sure what made your dog flip but id say look out for the warning signs you as the owner will notice subtle differences in your dog to no that they dont like someting perhaps you could try letting your frinds play with your dog a bit ie, with a tennis ball perhaps if they go on walks with you,let them hold the lead sometimes so that your dog relaxes around strangers and learns to accept them

Our boy Ozzie (GSD) came from several different homes, the first one being a scrap yard... he was a lovely boy, great with the kids and a real cuddle bunny with me, but on one occasion he was caught between a door and my OH, who was telling him off, Bill put his hand above the dog's head to close the door and Ozzie bit him, quite badly. The minute Bill withdrew his hand he was fine - he showed no aggression just before or after the bite. Another occasion the same thing happened the postman gave Bill a pile of letters at the gate, putting his hand and arm above Ozzie's head, again he nipped.... we assumed that he had maybe been used to being swiped around the head and so 'managed' him better after that.

Thanks for the continued advice everyone, but we had another incident yesterday - I wasn't there, but my mum was and it's just left me in pieces.

My mum had a couple of friends over that Anton's met before - they started with the muzzle on, but he seemed to settle and they took the muzzle off.

Apparently, soon after, one of her friends leant over to pick something up and Anton just wheeled round and snapped right at her head. One of his teeth caught her eyebrow and broke skin. The friend was shaken and upset by this, so Anton was removed from the situation.

Obviously I wasn't there to see it, so I wasn't able to watch his body language, but I'm just devastated. He seemed to be improving so much, but now he seems to be
worse than when we started. Is the snap enough to get him put down?

From now on, I think he'll have to be muzzled whenever visitors are here - or d'you think it would be better for everyone if he was put in a separate room with a Kong so he didn't get bored or stressed? Could seperating him from visitors make him worse?

I just feel awful. This was so preventable and we've let him down again.

I'd do a bit of both, muzzled and with visitors who are prepared to ignore him. Put away with a kong or similar when they won't ignore him.

Dog gates are good as long as visitors don't try and make contact with him. You have to be very fierce with them about it.

I'd muzzle when out if you are going to meet people.

What sort of muzzle are you using?

rune

Thanks for the advice, we're getting a dog gate soon, I think, so we'll start implementing this asap.

We're currently using a Baskerville basket muzzle, which he doesn't mind wearing. Is this suitable?

He hasn't barked at anyone out of the house since December - the other day I took him out with some friends and he was quite happy to interact and then chill out when he'd had enough - but as he's taken this turn, I think we'll have to start muzzling him now, just in case.

Very sensible.

Baskerville is fine and if you cut treats into strips titbits go through easily.

I have had 3 dogs I have had to sort out with people aggression. The GSD never was reliable but did have 'friends'. Polly hadn't tried to bite for 5/6 years until the other day when she went for someone who was trying to help her. Since going blind she is worrying more.

If you always are careful with him and don't get lulled into a false sense of security you and he can have a good quality of life together. You just need to stay aware of what he could do and not forget.

Good luck.

rune

Thanks you - I think we've been naive up 'til now. I'm starting to get some idea of the things that make him react now at least, so with careful handling, this type of situation should be avoidable in the future.