We have a one-and-a-half year old German Shepherd (Verona). My husband has trained her (basic training) using the first two Leerburg dog training DVDs. We plan to move to inner-city Philadelphia, and he wants me to have a well-trained shepherd so that I can go running by myself in potentially risky neighborhoods.
1) Whenever she sees something outside the front door (a kid on a skateboard, the neighbor on his motorcycle, a mom pushing a stroller, etc.), she will suddenly go crazy barking and jumping on the window by the door. How do we train Verona that it's ok to alert us, but no need to go crazy? Even when we tell her, "it's ok," she still paces, and bark/whines.
2) She barks at guests when they first come to the door, which is good. My husband has trained Verona not to jump on guests, but she will follow them around the house, sniffing them in inappropriate places. My husband says sniffing is normal dog behavior, and that's how she learns that that person is ok. In the mean time, the guests (and I) feel very awkward. She only sniffs GUESTS, not US. So how do we train her not to do that (or should we?)

My dogs only sniff people till they get to know their scent pretty well. If you don't like her sniffing the guests than try putting her away when people come over (crate or other room). I usually let my dogs sniff people so I'm probably not the best to answer your question. <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Where in Philadelphia did you move to? (I live in Philly too) The barking and such at skateboards, might be her reacting to something she isn't familiar with.

Hmmm, sniffing the "privates" is natural for dogs, but most non-doggy people don't appreciate that much intimacy from someone else's pet, LOL -- Personally, I don't let my dogs bother visitors through unwanted familiarity that makes my guests feel uncomfortable...

An obedience trained dog should obey commands such as No, Sit, Down, Stay, and/or Place (which means "go lie down on your bed & stay there til further notice") -- An untrained dog should be contained in a crate or kennel so it won't pester your guests with behavior the people may find intimidating or just plain rude, IMHO

As for hurling herself against windows when she barks at outside stimuli, your dog may eventually break through the glass & kill herself, or injure some innocent passerby if she doesn't slit her own throat in the process <:-( Again, proper obedience training and/or containment is the solution.

As for the barking, do you ever pet or coddle or her along with your verbal "it's ok" command? It's an easy thing to do, subconciously comforting the obviously agitated dog.

I used to do this with my dog. Coddle coddle, "shhhh, it's ok", yadda, all the while petting him. He'd keep up the ballistic barking.

I now allow for a few barks then command "quiet" then "come". Even if I don't command come, and I approach him, I *only* pet him if he is quiet. It is working well. If I say quiet, he quiets the bark and receives a pet. If he does still whimper or bark a bit, I say "no" and I DO NOT pet him if he does. It is a real timing issue on the reward/correction.

With a couple months of consistancy and timing on my part, he is showing MARKed improvement.

Thankfully though I am here at the house frequently, as I work at home. I can usually see what's going on "out there" without having to get up and get him even more riled.

Timing is everything in training. I don't think I can succiently describe the steps/commands you need to consistantly enforce to make changes in your dog's alert.
Hello experts...

if the dog is not a threat to visitors, i feel it is better to let them sniff and get comfortable with having approved visitors in the house. if they are locked away they will never get used to it. (again, it's important that the dog is not being aggressive).

i also don't want to annoy my guests with inappropriate sniffing. so what i do is put the dog in a sit/stay when the guests enter the house and keep him there until the guests are sitting down at the table. this way their privates are inaccessible to the dog.

i then ask my guests if it is ok to release the dog to meet them. i tell them to not look at or touch the dog, but to let him approach them and sniff them. i make sure the dog is clean and his mouth is dry before allowing this.

if the guests agree, then i release the dog, and he sniffs until he is satisfied. then he usually goes and finds himself a nice spot to lie down and chill, and doesn't bother us the rest of the visit.

i have found that whenever a guest has been sniffed until my dog was satisfied, there is no problem with the dog the next time that person visits. he's aloof with them, but he doesn't bark or get wild. he's like, "oh, it's that person again. ho, hum." and he ignores them. he will calmly accept petting from that person and even allow direct eye contact, if the person initiates it. but he will never allow this from someone he hasn't sniffed.

if he was not allowed to sniff someone, he will be very agitated until he has checked them out. i can lock him away whenever that person visits, but, if the guest is willing to allow sniffing from a position where the dog can't get to their crotch, then i think this is better.

if your dog is not yet well trained enough to hold a sit/stay under high distraction, then put him in a crate or a closed room until you are ready to let him come and greet.

She sounds like she has high prey drive and is probably frustrated,because she cannot chase the skate boards etc, I would rather have a dog who barks and alerts then a couch potatoe, who does nothing.She sounds like a fun dog!
She is probably also quite territorial, the window jumping however could be risky, try and move something in front of it so she doesn't have direct access to it.
As for the sniffing,well it is awkward,but thats how dogs greet and meet,I would just put her in down stay if you can, or another room while you let them in and let her out
once the visitors are in and seated.

 Quote:

We have a one-and-a-half year old German Shepherd (Verona). My husband has trained her (basic training) using the first two Leerburg dog training DVDs. We plan to move to inner-city Philadelphia, and he wants me to have a well-trained shepherd so that I can go running by myself in potentially risky neighborhoods.

I think it's great that your husband has been training your dog, but just be aware, that means that HE has trained the dog. So the pup may not listen to or obey you in the same manner.

And a 1 1/2 year old dog is still really almost a puppy, and it sounds to me like both you and your husband have really handed over the 'control' of your house to her just because she looks like an adult. It appears to me that you are associating her barking with her ability to 'protect' so NOT discouraged it when it's inappropriate and over the top. In return, she's thinking that the WHATEVER outside truly is worth getting all cranked up about, and barking is a very self rewarding behavior. Since I have yet had the kids skateboarding past my house try to enter and murder me, MY DOGS aren't allowed to bark and get crazy when they go past. It's a great example of how our pups NEED our guidance to learn what's normal and not, and what needs to be barked at AND NOT! If I left it up to my dogs, they know NOTHING when young and may obviously just choose to do the 'fun' thing and bark all the time.

The fact you may be moving into a more crowded area should also concern you because your neighbors will probably not appreciate constant barking from your home.

I would GREATLY increase the amount of offleash exercise you are able to give your dog. So she has other more fun and interesting things to fill her life than barking at the neighbor trying to wheel her stroller past your house. And, to me, you need alot more training for your dog because she has lost the fact that the humans are the leaders in the house, and she's been given the reins to ignore you when she wants. My dog's may bark inappropiately at something new, BUT when I come to see what it is, and when I say 'Enough' THEY KNOW TO CUE FROM ME that it is ok and nothing to be concerned about and they then stop barking.

And I'm not sure why your husband is so sure that inappropriate sniffing is something normal and we have to allow it. As well as the nervous behavior your dog exhibits when a friend enters the home. Once again, if I ALLOW SOMEONE IN THE HOME, and I say it's ok, then it is. Period. So my dogs are welcoming, CALM and comfortable with the fact that the person is ok BECAUSE I SAY THEY ARE. Once again, my dogs look to me, cue to me and are aware of my behaviors. It's not up to them to decide my best friend is a mass murderer. And I don't mind a quick sniff, but then they need to go lay down if they are pestering the guest. It's not about me having to yell or over react, it's a simple 'go lay down'. And since my dogs are already in a laid back, NOT OVERREACTING mode, they will do so.

Training, socialization, training, EXERCISE, and the humans having the lead and control in the house are the key.

Good luck........