I'm not sure if this is in the right category ( I'm sorry if it is! ) but tonight and a couple other times before this something has happened that concerns me.

Tonight I was playing with my 6 month old GSD pup in the backyard and a neigbor walked down the alley behind us about 20 feet away and stopped and turned around behind the bushes lining my yard then walked away. His pants were jingling or something was-could have been walking a dog but neither I or the dog could see. Reesee barked at the noise and growled a little even until he was gone.

I didn't think pups would do this, do they? I watched her posture and her hackles didn't go up, she just..well..barked, loud and sharp with one slow growl in between. She only does this if she's in the yard and someone is moving around that she can't see, and one time when a man walked by at a distance.

The first time I've ever heard her truly bark was when my boyfriend snuck up on her in the backyard when he let her out alone. He walked around the long way out the front door and while she was off nosing around he slipped behind a tree and made a noise to see what she'd do. She barked at the noise a few times before he stepped out.

She's friendly when she's close though. I've taken her countless places to meet tons of people since she was real little and thought I was doing a good job of it but maybe not. I bring treats in my pocket to let kids and adults feed her as well.

Should I be trying to get her out even more?

 Quote: Heather Perring

... The first time I've ever heard her truly bark was when my boyfriend snuck up on her in the backyard when he let her out alone. He walked around the long way out the front door and while she was off nosing around he slipped behind a tree and made a noise to see what she'd do.

Your boyfriend deliberately scared the pup? I don't understand why he would do that.

He wasn't trying to scare her, just curious as to how she'd react to a sound when she couldn't see what was doing it.

6 months is about the right age. A lot of dogs (I know mine did, for one) suddenly realize that the world is bigger than they thought, and start barking at things.

I wouldn't encourage too much of barking at "possible" threats. Unless you want the dog to bark at every unknown sound, every person wlking down the road, etc.

Try to avoid setting the pup up to bark at things, and only encourage the behavior when you feel it is warranted, in the desired circumstances.

Ah, alright. Will do. Thank you very much Alyssa!

Hi Heather,
My GSD bitch puppy came to me at the age of 6 months (from a home, where she had been illtreated), so I was very careful to try and make her life secure, settled and happy with us. She started barking first at men who were under the influence (ie.drunk,,she still doesnt like them!), her previous owner used to get legless regularly and not be able to care for her. Then she decided to add large men into her pet hates and so the list started getting rather long.
I started to check her behavior, by either making her sit facing me or in some cases walking away from the cause of her anxiety. Trouble was, I started to feel anxious when I saw someone she would bark at approaching. I was the cause of her barking and growling then, she sensed my tension and reacted.
The last few months I have been teaching myself to be calm and relaxed, but in total control at all times, after all, Im supposed to be the pack leader!I now have learned to see the first signs of excitment in her and get her corrected straight away back to calm submissive state of mind and we now have about 95% improvement in her behaviour. Sometimes something suddenly appears from round the corner and catches both of us out
My GSD Logan is now 16 months old, so good luck, I know your GSD be just fine. Riitta

Edited by Riitta Wilmot (11/17/2008 10:15 AM)
Edit reason: Lousy spelling again!!

Thanks! I know I was a little tense, wondering who was walking around at 11:30 at night ( I had just got off work ). Maybe that was part of the problem.

Heather,
I remember with my previous GSD Klaus, he would often act totally out of character for seemingly no reason. I wasn't experienced enough to realize in those days that I was the catalyst...and so I would panic and the whole episode was accelerated...2 daughters and 20 years later, I now understand the sensitivity bond much better. My new pup Tazer is the same way, this time "I GOT IT" and so I try to stay as laid back as possible in all circumstances, it pays off... carrying a 9mm helps too!!
http://i476.photobucket.com/albums/rr127/k9tazer/IMG_0186.jpg

Hey, I know that feeling only too well, unfortunately our dogs will feed off the energy messages we are sending them.

Luckily where I live its very safe to walk late at night too,but I DONT LIKE the dark, never have done, so its harder for me.

I have so MUCH to learn still, so Im sure you will be fine with your puppy, if "old dogs" like me are still learning (at 60!)you will learn lot of it earlier than me!

All the best! Riitta