I have taught my dogs (pups) basic obedience at home with no club involvement or dog parks (as suggested by Ed Frawleys/Leerburgs brochure-GREAT BTW!). We go for walks around the neighborhood so, they do see other dogs and are easy to handle in that situation. They are wonderful with adults and children.

I (as some of you already know) have 2 gsds. The female is great around other dogs, but the male is still ALITTLE dog agressive (toward other male dogs). I have been calling some training clubs in my area and I either get the response of we don't deal with dog aggressive dogs in a social setting, intact males in a social setting, or they want you to leave your dog with them and then when the training is complete you can come get him (I WILL NOT DO THAT).
I am at the point in my training that I feel socialization is needed. How am I suppose to socialize him if I can't find a training club to do so? And, what's up with the clubs being this way? Should I just forget 'em and keep up the work that I've been doing already?
I have been throwing a lot of ideas around in my head concerning what my goals are going to be with my dogs (titles & breeding). But, at this point I'm unsure because they are still pups (9 mnths and 6 mnths).
Sorry this was so long. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

By clubs are you talking Schutzhund or Akc ob? Either way, the reason why is that when you put two dogs of a dominant breed together, you are asking for a dog fight. Intact or not. You are ok at home because you have had them since puppies and it helps that you have a male and a female.

If it is a SchH club you are looking for, you will be unlikely to find any socialization of dogs going on. It is an individual sport. You may however find another member with dogs that are social to work on socialization away from training.

About the sending the dog away. DO NOT DO IT. You do not learn anything that way and chances are unless you do a lot of folow up lessons the dog will not perform as well for you later on. If you just want the dog titled, then this is fine, but if you want to understand your dog, train WITH your dog.

I've never been to a Sch club that didn't do socialization; however, that does NOT mean that dogs are PLAYING with each other. They are being exposed to other dogs in a training/controlled environment and they are expected to mind their own business and learn that it's not acceptable to fire up on other dogs. If you are trying to go to an AKC club, I just wouldn't tell them that there are "issues" already. Just sign up for a class and show up, but be prepared to be a responsible owner and control your dog.

I really don't consider a dog in a down while another is on the field "socialization" I consider that obedience under distraction. And yes, that does go on at SchH clubs. I should have been more clear on that.

Ed has a couple of good articles on this site about dealing with dog aggression. I would recommend you read them.

My young male is DDD... Dumb Doggy Dominant and is fine in on leash in training settings, but he is not the type of dog you just turn loose with the neighbors golden and never will be. Sometimes we just have to accept that.

 Quote:

Originally posted by Schnauzergirl- Deanna:
I really don't consider a dog in a down while another is on the field "socialization.

Neither do I. I mean dogs being allowed to hang out along the sidelines with their handlers, not under formal obedience, but also not playing and sniffing each other. Just learning to be around other dogs, be around people, etc. Socialization isn't a synonym for "play".

Vinnie, I guess it really comes down to what the particular training club rules are: in a former Sch. club, the rule was if the dog is not on the field working (solo) then it was in a crate. No socialization or contact with other humans or dogs allowed. This club also did very little OB...it was all about protection. One reason I left - too much of a liability risk.

The club I'm in now has specific time allotted to OB only, and members actually work on socializing aggressive dogs in a controlled manner. There are several dogs with dog aggression issues and these are specifically being de-sensitized (if that's what one would call it) to being around other aggressive dogs.

Human socialization is also part of the protection training here: after a protection routine, a dog is expected to switch drives within a reasonable time frame and become calm enough to be approached by a friendly stranger. The faster the switch is made the better... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

We always work multiple dogs in obedience at one time. It's a big enough field to separate them with a large distance if need be, but often we work quite closely. Great for teaching them to be attentive and to ignore distractions. Besides, if we didn't, we'd be there all night - we're big on obedience!

You are lucky SchH3FH2, both clubs I have been in had 2 dogs on the feild at a time max. It does take us all darn night too.....

Thurdays we are never done before 9, Sundays are an all day thing usually...

No matter if there are 3 dogs to work or 30 it still somehow takes all day.