I have no idea how to make this a short post, though I'll try. I lost 2 fabulous German Shepherds last year. After a short time
I rescued two new dogs. First a female Pekingese last July then another GSD in August.
2 days after getting the GSD her kennel cough showed so the dogs were in different parts of the house for 12 days (difficult)and there was no walking the GSD or running around outside since we didn't want other dogs to catch it.
Once kennel cough was gone and life got back to normal, everything was fine. Both dogs were really nice dogs.
(It's only my husband and myself at home)
Then I started to walk my GSD and UGH the aggression showed itself. She lunged/pulled/barked and cried at people and dogs passing us on walks and dogs with electronic fences.
After a few weeks my son (20 yrs old) came home which was the first time they met and the first person who came into the house, and UGH again, she was aggressive towards my son and if I didn't have her leashed she would have bitten him.

Bottom line is this. After months of trying my way, I decided to try the Leerburg way and ordered dvds and equipment.

10 days ago I ordered the basic command dvd, while waiting I started to read many of Ed's ebooks. First thing I did was change where I had the prong collar sitting. That worked great!! Pop a few times and my girl started paying attention. Then I learned that the prong wasn't tight enough, sure enough I made another change and my girl was even better!! Then the 1st DVD came and I started marker training and basics and my girl got even better.
It's like having a new dog.... almost.
Though I'm in control and it's much easier for me to handle her as we pass dogs she would still "get them" if I was not controlling her. Passing people without dogs it much much better and she'll listen to my voice commands (which is a huge difference)
When I put the long lead on for marker work she gets timid and cowers like I'm going to hit her whenever I move or ask her to do something.
We had company yesterday, I had her muzzled and leashed with prong and she was amazing all day, she didn't bark at them, she staying in the same room as them and layed on the floor (always attached to me and at a distance when muzzle was off) but a huge improvement.
I then watched the dominant/aggressive dog dvd and the pack structure yesterday. I started putting Roxy in a crate and have a drag on her in the house because ED says I should have done that prior to the obedience.
My concern is, that I had a really great dog when she was with only us in the house or in our yard, and I'm worried I've made her timid and confused and seemingly scared of me.
My 3 adult children will all be home in and out over the next month and I don't want her freaked out or gone backwards.

The dvd says keep your dog in the crate until she minds you and doesn't act up in the crate, which she doesn't, then it says step 2 use drag line until she minds you, but she already does.
Other then the aggression while walking (getting better) and towards people coming into our home(getting better) she is an awesome dog.
Where should I be starting for pack structure or should I not be doing that because it will happen on it's own.
Sorry to babble but I wanted you to know some background.
Thank you!!!
Laura
P.S. If I've posted this in the wrong place please let me know.

P.S.
She's confused and I feel horrible.
When I call her to come, she goes into her kennel, if I ask her to lay down she went into her kennel.
This is all in the past 24 hours.

Thanks for responding Connie.

I had a pet sitter come for an interview months ago. Roxy would not let her move from the sofa for an hour she would just bark at her and if the lady moved Roxy would jerk her head forward like she wanted to bite, but she would back off herself (all within seconds) I'm trying to give you a visual.
The sitter did go outside and was able to play ball with Roxy then come back inside for awhile calmly, but when the sitter went to leave all was fine until the sitter was leaving. I told her to just keep walking but she stopped to talk to me and then lifted her leg to go over the gate in the kitchen and Roxy nipped the back of her leg.
Roxy also did this to my daughter. She had come home for a few days and Roxy seemed to like her from the start (the only person I can leave the muzzle off with) but when my daughter went out for a few hours then returned as she walked in the kitchen with her back towards Roxy, Roxy nipped the back of her leg.
Both nips were the same, on the calf with her front teeth.
This was after her only being here a few months. Of course she's always muzzled now.
Anyone who enters my house is told not to look at, talk to or touch Roxy and they don't. If my son is in the living room and the gate is up she'll stand at the gate barking at him. Some days if he's on the sofa she'll go up to him, say hello, put her front feet on him like she's going to his him and he's able to pet her (I no longer allow her to do that)
Sometimes she's barking at him or others and other times she cries like she wants to get to them. She's always seemed confused but never when she was only with husband and I alone

Long lead is a 25' flat lead that I've used both on her martingale flat everyday collar and the prong.
She did get a correction while playing ball and wouldn't drop it while on that lead which is why I think she's scared of it so I'll probably go get a new one to try.

Many dominant-aggression steps do not apply to (and in fact are counter-productive with) fear-aggression, IMO.
- Does this mean I shouldn't be doing somethings, if so what are they?
Sometimes I think I try so hard I may screw things up and I don't want that to happen.

You have a marker training DVD, right? Is it the first one (Power of Markers) or the second (Power of Food)?

There are several really good ways to teach the dog to release the ball to you. It will make a new thread, so I'd probably start a new one just for that, OK? There are no corrections involved.

It would be great if you would search using desensitize and desensitizing and read some of those threads.


The nipping at people leaving and other herding stuff you might see: She has WAY too much up-close-and-personal with new people right now! JMO.

How much exercise does she get? Is it limited because of her reactivity?

Yes, she sounds confused and anxious to me too.


There is so much to address and not overwhelm you ....

Let me ask: is she ever tethered to you? Do you have a light drag line (no handle loop)? What do you do and what do people in your house do when she barks or cries? Does she have a crate (elsewhere) to be put up in when there's too much going on?

How much marker training (short frequent upbeat sessions) do you do?

BTW, keep reading and asking. There are many people here who will help with this.

How old is Roxy?

I don't have a marker DVD, there was some marker training info in Eds basic obedience dvd plus I read ebooks on it.
I have the basic obedience, Dealing with Dominant & Aggressive dogs and the pack structure in the family DVDs.

She gets a lot or exercise, now more then before, but even before she got a mile walk plus lots of ball playing daily. Now that I'm able to control her while walking better I walk her 2 -3 miles a day, then do marker training a few times a day 10 minutes a pop and then play ball.
I work from home so she's with me all day (my husband is home as well)
When someone other then myself or husband are in our house Roxy is always attached to me (I'm always holding a leash) When she reacts to them I correct her and if it's to much for her I put her in our bedroom....but that was before I started Leerburg.
Now for the past 24 hrs (up until 1/2 hr ago) she's been in a crate, leashed to me or dragging a drag lead (no handle) but those things are what started her anxious behavior so I just took the drag leash off and took her out of the crate and she's happier.
Please note, with our without a drag lead unless I tell her to stay or she's sleeping she is always laying under my feet or not far away in the same room.
She is a calm, relaxed obedient dog unless someone else comes in or we pass someone on a walk.

Roxy just turned 5