Hi everyone,

First let me say that I'm not 100% certain that this post should be in this section of the forum - if I misplaced it please relocate the post.

My 19 week old Doberman, Kaiser, has been showing his hackles and barking during only one situation.

Kaiser has been out and about and travels with me regularly on weekends to places such as Petco and PetSmart, etc... NEVER any issues with being around people other dogs, etc.

About 4 weeks ago though, when I took him out front to go to the bathroom he began raising his hackles and barking when he saw people coming out of their houses or kids playing in the street.

These folks are not coming toward the house or him or me. They are on their own property and minding their own business.

I'm not sure if I should be correcting this behavior strongly at such a young age and considering he is being raised as a working dog for PP and/or Schutzhund.

When I do try to correct or redirect he seems somewhat interested in changing his focus but it forced as he still changes focus back.

So, is this "normal" territorial behavior? If it is not, and given the goals I have for the dog, what should I do?

Thanks.

Also need to mention that eyes are wide, NO curling of the lips, docked tail raised.

Edited by Peter Marek (04/12/2009 09:06 AM)
Edit reason: Additional Info

In my highly unprofessional opinion, that sounds pretty normal. Duke's about a month older than Kaiser and he started with the same stuff at about the same age.

I might be doing this wrong, since I want to use him as a proofed SchH dog (I don't want a PPD but I would like a dog that knows the game can become real). I don't let him to show aggression if people are just walking down the street, he can stare but no barking or growling. I train in the front yard daily to help with this so he gets used the regular distractions of life. I've also found that "leave it" is invaluable for telling him that he doesn't need to be concerned with something. My theory is that I don't want him thinking everything is a threat. Seeing how he responded to my wife, when he didn't know it was her, I don't think this diminishes his territorial protectiveness. Sometimes he'll start barking if I accidentally make a knocking sound like someone's at the door.

I had a very similar problem with my teenage pup Loki not long ago, I posted about it here and I was advised to use the same command Scott is using, Leave It. It works really well if you catch the dog at the right time, cause it's not exactly a correction but rather just telling the dog not to mind whatever he's focusing on. For me, I had used the command inside the house before, when I wanted Loki to stay out of the trash/plate/stuff on floor, so it was easy to transfer it over to people outside. Just be careful to watch your puppy, if you see him getting fixated on a person/kid, tell him to leave it before he starts raising his hackles. And off topic, I am so jealous of your Doberman pup! He is just the cutest thing Dobes are my favorite.

"Leave it" sounds like a great idea! I'll start using that as he is still learning the meaning of it with other things - should flow easily enough.

On the behavorist side, the actions Kaiser is taking - is good/bad, what does it represent? Should I be using "leave it" - sounds like a good idea?

He is a puppy.
He doesn't know how to handle the world yet, so he tries different responses to see which one illicits the most satisfactory result from his point of view.

If permitted, he'll learn that barking is the most satisfying, so I'd stay on top of him before you have a non-stop chatterbox in the front yard.

If you want to do serious work with this dog, and you tell him to "leave it", be very sure that you never violate his trust.

If you tell him to "leave it", please be 100% sure that no one (or no dog) can suddenly come up before you have a chance to restructure the setting, and suprise/frighten him.

If that happens, you teach him that he cannot trust your judgement, and that "leave it" sucks, because if he does, something bad might happen.
If you tell your dog something is okay, it had better be. Don't betray your pup's trust.

This is directed at no one in particular.

Thanks Alyssa - Excellent info!

Excellent, indeed.

The situations I use it for are paying too much attention to a smell or location, paying attention to the people/dog walking on the opposite side of the street, people coming out of their own houses while we walk down the street, people walking down the street in front of our house, neighbors in their yards (both are fenced), and trying to pick up sticks...I think that's it.

I like "leave it" for inanimate objects, and "enough" for overreaction to people/animals.

Mainly because "leave it" means don't look at it, don't touch it, don't sniff it, don't think about it.

Enough means, "Okay dingus. I heard you, there's someone over there. You got your point across. Relax." She can still watch, she just can't act like a crack-addled idiot. If they come closer and get in our space, she is allowed to re-alert to them. If I said leave it, she'd let 'em walk up and pick my pocket, because leave it means LEAVE IT.

Ah, I see. Excellent points. I'll begin making that switch today because I can see where I might be confusing Duke. I allow him to stay alert on the property but not off of it.

More general advice:

Always think about what a command really *means*.

What are you actually asking the dog to do? What are you communicating to him?

Do you want him to touch his butt to the ground, or do you want him to settle his weight onto his haunches and rest until you give him another command? Which one do you call sit?

Do you want him to knock it off, or do you want him to avoid it?

What picture are you trying to put into the dogs head, what actions, reactions, thoughts and behaviors do you want him to associate with your word?