One day back in the mid 90's, I left a grocery store to find a couple and their young child standing next to my car. My labrador Lady was in the passenger seat and I had left the window down about 3 inches. These people explained to me that my dog bit their child's hand (she was about 8-10 yrs old). I asked them how the childs hand came within reach of the dog. They responded" Oh we picked her up so she could pet her" unquote. They showed me the hand and no skin was broken, there wasn't even a single red mark. They proceded to lecture me that my dog was exhibiting aggressive behaviour and shouldn't act like that. They explained to me how they used to be breeders, blah blah blah. They were actually pretty nice people, thankfully.

I never saw Lady bite anyone or even a warning snip, but what those people described seemed like Lady was warning them.

SO when Lady had a unwanted litter (another story) and Nuke showed up, I observed on a few occasions while in or around the truck that he didn't like people reaching towards him (even underhand) to pet him. He would respond with a warning "snip", not a SNAP. He never touched anyone, just warned them. He also exhibited this type of behavior, on a couple occasions, with the vet.

He never diplayed this sort of behavior in my house with guests, or anywhere else for that matter, not in parks, walking and/or meeting people on the street, no agression towards other dogs ever (*). Just around the truck and at the vets on a couple occasions. Oh, in the vets waiting room he was always friendly towards others and their pets and allowed strangers to pet him.

Otherwise he was a confident and very friendly dog.

Have any of you had experiance with this type of thing?

(*) - Nuke was attacked by another dog on a couple of occasions at a local sportsman club and defended himself. My fathers dog was attacked by that same dog.

I lost Nuke on Jan 18th of this year. He died in my arms from a heart attack he suffered while riding in the truck. He was 11 1/2 yrs old.

I live alone, don't get many visitors and was wondering if this was a socialization thing. It was strange to me that both my dogs exhibited this behavior while in the car/truck and for the most part, no where else. I am wondering what I did wrong with them, I am getting a GSD pup in August and want to give him the best chance to succeed and not to repeat mistakes I've made in the past.

Jim

People are stupid.

It always amazes me to see people walk up and pet a dog they don't know. In the car its even more stupid, since many dogs are territorial in the car. My current dog is more territorial in the car than she is in the house!

I don't have any advice to offer, other than to never forget that people are dumb and can't be trusted.

BTW - I never gave strangers persission to reach in to pet Nuke while he was in he truck. I don't remember the first time I saw it, but after that I wouldn't even allow people I knew to reach in the truck either. I did let Nuke out of the truck a couple of times to meet people and observed him doing it. SO after that Nuke was off limits in or around the truck to friends and stragers.

I'm not going to aplogize or even entertain someone that's stupid enough to be sticking their hands inside my car to pet the nice doggies.

In fact I'm more likely to report THEM for harassing and abuse of my dogs.

Most dogs are on guard in the car. A dog is "cornered" in a car, it's a rolling home nest to be defended. Most dogs do this - I'd expect it in your shepherd pup as he matures.
If you walk around any strip mall parking lot you'll find fluffy Fifis snarling and
spraying saliva all over the inside of the windshield.

Jim, I'm not qualified to offer any comment on why your dogs behaved in the exact way they did, other than to say I agree that a dog confined in a car feels territorial and protective of its environment.

You say you want to do things right with your new puppy and not repeat any past mistakes (I'm paraphrasing). I would simply make the observation that we are 100 percent responsible for our dogs' safety and comfort 100 percent of the time, and that includes protecting them from people who are stupid, just naive, or have downright bad intentions. There are people out there who would see an unattended dog in a car with the windows cracked, especially a large breed, as a potential lottery ticket. They can claim the dog bit them and take you to court.

That is one reason why I never, ever leave my dogs in a car with the windows cracked. The other reason is because a cracked window makes it that much easier for someone to open the door and steal my dog. If I must leave my dogs in the car for a brief period of time, I make sure the weather is not too hot, and all windows are closed and doors locked.

I believe anticipating problems and preventing them before they happen is a good philosophy to follow in owning dogs.

Sorry, the dogs ALWAYS get the air they need.
Someone gets bit sticking their hands in my car are going to have to answer to just why their hands are in my car.
Was it for the toll money laying about? Or instead of grabbing the GPS they found a GSD?
No one has any business sticking their hands in my car for any reason!

One positive thing is that most people walk WAY out and around the car when a GSD pop its head up from the back seat.

I've had panhandlers nearly fall over backing away when Tash sits up in alert.

At least no one runs up to wash my windsheild with a dirty rag anymore!

I've seen some dogs be very peaceful in vehicles. Some. I've only had one dog who never got disturbed by passer-bys.

With my last two dogs (both adopted Dutch shepherds), they both re-defined "Get Away."

I do believe, however, in always working at things, even if it means only chipping away at it with the possiblity of little return.

With my last DS, she did get better--if I were in the vehicle. If she was in the vehicle and I was out of it, even at a distance, and someone crossed my path or stopped to talk--she went crazy.

With my current DS boy...well...he's a work-in-progess. I do continue to work with him in the vehicles--and he's gotten better inasmuchas he doesn't transfer aggression anymore. Also, if he settles down on command...even if just to bring it down a notch, he gets rewarded. Small steps.

P.S.: People = you can't fix stupid.

 Quote: randy allen

Sorry, the dogs ALWAYS get the air they need.
Someone gets bit sticking their hands in my car are going to have to answer to just why their hands are in my car.
Was it for the toll money laying about? Or instead of grabbing the GPS they found a GSD?
No one has any business sticking their hands in my car for any reason!

I'm with Randy 100% on this one. Anyone stupid enough to stick their hand(s) inside my car window to pet my dog(s) deserves exactly what they get.

Period.

End of the conversation.