I have a 15 wk gsd and I have noticed that his nerves are questionable. It is my first gsd puppy and I am not sure of puppy psychology. My dog, a male, has good prey and shows some signs of a good measure of defensive drive also. He normally walks around very confident and extremely inquisitive, as he should be; but I also notice that he becomes quite fearful of situations that are new to him like seeing loose dogs that approach him, dogs that bark at him from fenced areas, and neighbors approaching him, loud sudden noises. His ears point up and he wants to run. Are these less then desireable traits?

How is he the second or third time he see's something new?

He seems to do a little bit better each time. There is a chihuahua at the end of the block, fenced in. The little dog always get very aggressive at the fence and Max (my gsd) at first wanted to run and and now he is not scared. Today he did not try to run at all but just stared at him with pointed ears, alert. When we are in the front of my house, where we usually play, if dogs approach he barks at them fearlessly and wants to go towards them. With loud noises he get frightened temporarily, but he does not fear thunder storms. If I make a loud noise he gets startled for a few seconds and becomes unsure.

Don't overdo it with noises, sometimes it makes things worse. The best thing to do when he acts stupid is to completely ignore him and continue doing what you were planning to do. I he is scared of an object, give him the opportunity to explore it but don't force him. With some dogs I do force them but thats only when I understand what their reaction will be. Some dogs completely freak out if you force them and others go "oh, OK, is that it??".

I'm with Mike. Just manage the situations with the goal of your dog overcoming any reluctance and as an opprotunity to build confidence.

I have a dog that is ball obsessed. One day in the file room when she was doing things she shouldn't do a whole bunch of tools fell on her, and around her with a god awful clatter.

She would skid to stop before she got within 4 feet of that evil space. Threw the ball there a once or twice and problem solved.

Kind of a simplistic example but for the most part that is what I do. If they are uneasy or unsure of something I try to use their own personality or drives to make a higher payoff then what they are uncomforable with.

You can see the confidence and sureness build each time they "overcome" something.

Ok, here is an update:

This was almost hilarious, It was around midnight. (I had put my dog
outside (16 wk gsd) because he reverted to crapping in his appropriately sized kennel. It has been very rainy and muddy. He has been very hurt by this but I was going to have to get him used to being outside anyway because my girlfriend moved out and I am a fireman and cannot leave him in a kennel for 24 hours.) I opened the gate to the backyard and I heard him barking confidently. I then walked around the corner where he saw me and he began barking a little more intensely. I grabbed a dog house that was near me to walk it over to where he had been staying (by the door, a catastrophic muddy mess) so he could possibly use for shelter from the rain (to no avail). He then began hollering like a stuck hog when I approached him and ran around the corner of the house. I mean he was yelling like he was stabbed. I am really hoping that he will outgrow this when his testes begin to form. I think I am overthingking everything just like when I thought his ears would never errect.

 Quote: David Gonzalez

I am really hoping that he will outgrow this when his testes begin to form.

I don't follow.

The dog was outside barking at something; or barking because he wanted inside?

It sounds like you scared him by approaching with the doghouse. He obviously thought some big monster was about to attack.

I leave Starbuck outside on the long line. She will usually stay out there for a while and then she wants back inside with the people. She will sit at the end of the line and bark at the door to get inside.

Yesterday she was barking about something else. I assumed the neighbor was outside with his big scary hat again. I went outside and she continued to bark like there was an intruder. I walked out to her and I still could not see anything. I took her off the line and she went over to a 3” x 3” piece of plastic in the yard. She treated it like a poisoness snake, sneak up to sniff and then jumping back.

I think it is all part of being a puppy and experiencing new things. Try to expose him to new places and things as much as you can. And make sure he has a dry place to sleep when you are gone. Get a flap or something on the doghouse to keep out the rain.

I will work on getting a dry place for him to sleep. I am about to bring him back in the house. It is going to be a huge task because he is caked with mud on his hind legs and belly. Should I soak him? or water him down very well to get this mud off?

What I meant by his testes forming was that they will be making more testosterone for the dog which will increase his bravado, resolve, and survival instincts. I would just assuming that he was just going through a puppy phase. He is my first puppy GSD.

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Should I soak him? or water him down very well to get this mud off?

Dogs can be bathed, yes.