When my GSD is outside he barks at anyone who comes to the house, as soon as we come to see who it is and tell him it's okay-he quites and starts to wag his tail <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> -Problem is when he is in the house, he does not bark at all. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> We have had guest just walk right in the house and he does nothing but get excited, not one bark no nothing...a little woof woof would be nice, so how can I get him to start to alert us if someone is here when he is in the house? :confused
Also he refuses to come when he is loose <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> -he runs the opposite direction and yes he is intact and we would like to keep him that way, the only way we get him back is by getting his tennis balls, and throwing till he gets into the garage-thank goodness for the ball drive, I have started to work with him on a 25 ft line, and a Prong collar of course(I am all for prong collars!) Just wondering if anyone had any other ideas-he use to always come till he came into his semi-doghood, he is a year old. Thanks

Dee

What about obedience training? How often do you do this type work. Just because a dog is a GSD does not mean all this is built in, its trained in. Matter of fact because he is a intact GSD is teh reason you need to make Ob training a part of his entire life.

For example last night while walking my dogs in the park (mind you 2:00 am no one but us), I had release to play off lease them after a long down. 10 yards away a deer shot out of hididng and ran into the woods. They took off after him, (sounds like a whole night of search for your dogs, right). With Ob training a full out charged turned into a trout, return to a sit at my feet.

You can tell they hated that but they responded to their training. This is done with Ob training 3-5 times a week, 5-15 munites is all it takes. With this you will never have to chase or bribe your dog again, everything seems to fall in line after this.

Going by your post its sounds like you stopped OB training or never done it. I beg your pardon if, I'm wrong. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I know they should never be off leash, but I like to watch them run, while I'm jogging along. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

The bark at the door can be taught after basic Obedience training.

Don,
Yep your partly right I am doing half A$$ed obedience training now-once a week- <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> When he was younger I did it every other day and this whole not coming thing is new behavior it started about 2 weeks after I stopped training every other day and dropped it down to 1x a week-sometime we create our own problems and this is what I have done-I will get him back on track and keep you posted. Thank you <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />
Dee

Yeah that sounds like a good idea, with an intact male you will need that type control, some GSD get very protective of their home and humans.

Train how you want him to start barking at intruders that enter your home. If you don't train the responce you want he may take it on himself to handle the situation. Pinning them in the corner growling until you step in to say its ok, or worse he may bite them. Or he may keep doing nothing, you have to train the responce you want.

Try 3 times a week 5 minutes a day. He sounds very trainable (with the little info given) he stops barking outside after you guys ok it. I'd put a command to that for later once he starts barking at intruders inside and out. You will need a "quite comand".

OB for a life time, its kinda like training a man.

How do you train the "quiet" command?

This is how I trained it, while the dog is barking. I'd get his attention by calling his name
then I would call him to me in a command voice "enough" praise him when get gets quite.

Sometimes you he may not get completely quite but he not as loud, you praise and stroke once he quite you really praise him up. When I really praise him my GSD will roll over and want it all over. Now this is not a submissive roll over, if you stop rubbing and just stay still he starts nipping, like what are you doing loofing on the job.

This has become a command that from inside the house, while in my bed, they can be barking and I can say "Enough", in a normal voice (sometimes, I have to shout). And they will get quite, until the next intruder approach our "street". <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

I can't tell them be quite for the night. Any suggestions.

Dove

This is how I taught it, I'm sure there are hundreds of ways to do this. I think Ed has an article on teaching a dog to bark, cehck it out in the question and answer portion of this board.

Good luck.