I adopted a 2 year old dog a few weeks ago and I'm working through the pack structure program. She's really good except for when she sees other dogs through the window and on walks. She goes NUTS! Does this mean she doesn't see me as the pack leader?

Hi Ed,

First I want to thank you for all the information you've made available here on this website. I've been through so many of your articles, videos, and even the discussion forum and have learned a lot.

I recently adopted a 2 year old GSD a few weeks ago. I've been putting her though your pack structure program, and thing seem to be going pretty well.

She knows that she has to wait to go up/down the stairs, in/out the door/crate until I tell her she can go, she's very responsive to my rules in the house, etc. She's even responsive when I take her on a walk and there's no one else around. But I'm having one major problem with her that I'm not sure how to deal with effectively. She goes NUTS when she sees another dog. She barks like crazy when she sees another dog out the window. Walking her is even worse. Anytime she sees a dog in the distance or we have to pass a dog, she starts growling/barking/lunging at the other dog.

I've been through a lot of the discussion boards to find out how to deal with this, but there's so much information, I'm not sure what to do. I've been through your Q&A and I remember you mentioning that this is ultimately a pack leader issue. Does all this dog aggression mean she really doesn't see me as a pack leader?

I'm a little confused as to how to properly deal with her dog aggression. If this is a pack leader issue, what more do I need to do to establish myself as pack leader so she'll respond to me around other dogs? If this isn't a pack leader issue, what's the process to desensitizing her to other dogs? She's rather indifferent when we pass people, and I'd like her to be completely indifferent to other dogs as well.

Any advice you have would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Shannon