Hello

I have a 16 month old GSD who I have posted about before. I occasionally have some dominance issues with him, and sometimes I have trouble handling him because of a back injury. A few times he has growled at me when he does not want to do something, but he doesn't ever do this to my husband (who obviously has the strength to handle him).

My question is, in male dogs does dominance usually get worse as they get older? Is it ever something they grow out of? He is intact. Will neutering help?

Thanks...

Ms. Barrett,

"Does it get better or worse?" The answer is: depends on you.

Do you have an electronic collar? You probably do not want to be using a corrective collar which requires you to put a strain on your back, so an electronic collar might be the solution to your concern.

Of course, just as with any training tool, you need to be trained first in how to use it properly but if you have a concern about dominance - you should be the dominant one - an electronic collar could put you in control.

And one usually under rated feature of an electronic collar has to do with a trained or conditioned dog just wearing the module. Just wearing the unactivated module often has the result of making the dog more attentive and responsive.

But the answer to your primary question is still: depends on you. Do not tolerate behavior that causes you to ultimately not trust or even fear the dog.

Neutering... Any number of reasons for having it done. Any number of reasons to not. You still have to control the dog in either case.

My two cents.

Mike A.

Have you read all of Ed Frawley's articles on dominance & aggression here on the website, or gotten his DVD on Dealing With Dominant & Aggressive Dogs yet?

No, the problem will not magically go away if you ignore it -- Your husband's GSD is already treating you as his physical & social inferior, but he isn't even full-grown yet...

So far he's just challenging you, however as he matures, he will begin to correct your attempts at controlling him -- Alpha male dogs (especially if left intact) will correct underlings with their teeth, so if you are physically and/or temperamentally unable to handle this animal, you will eventually be bitten by him <:-(

I agree with both posters - it can get better, if you get better, and use all of Ed's resources.

If you dont improve your own actions, it will get worse

Is the back pain a constant pain or does it come and go? If it is not constant, and you have your good moments, then I would only work the dog when you are pain free so you don't give him the opportunity to display to you when you can't correct him. Also, you could have your husband work with you and the dog as a threesome, for he can correct the dog for dominance displays towards you. I agree that an e collar will give you the ability to make clear corrections, BUT you should be sure that your dog knows the commands you expect from him before introducing the e collar (or prong collar for that matter) because if he doesn't, it will just confuse him and escalate the aggression. If your dog hasn't gone through the proper learning phase, and you are administering corrections for compliance, then this could also be why he is growling, if he is uncertain as to what you expect from him. I have seen this a number of times.

Good luck to you,
Michelle

I second the e-collar comment. Bruno can be a tool but he is different when wearing the e-collar. I'm sure he's collar wise but I make sure he's either wearing that or a prong when not in his crate or the back yard. Sometimes I'll take it off to feed him in his crate. I go to close the door and he'll get REAL nasty so I open the door, bring him out and put the e-collar on. Then he goes back in the crate. Most times I do not need to use it but when I do, he responds appropriately. Sorry for your back pain. I also have back pain, probably not as bad as you, and it really limits movement which also screws with your morale.

Good luck

DZ