My gsd appears fearful of a few of my friends who visit me at my home (this is only a select few. Most of the people are ok w/ my dog). He would bark at them. When my friends would try to pet my dog, my dog would tuck his tail and leave the area as if he were afarid. My dog is about 11 months old unfixed male. He isnt afarid of other dogs (other dogs try and fight my dog and my dog still doesnt show any signs of aggression).
He also seems fearful of some of my son's toys and barks/bites at them
Is he acting this way becasue he is still very young and will this condition improve when he begins to mature (1 1/2- 2 yrs)? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />
He is reading or senting something frome these few people to act fearful. It sounds like a spooky dog but without knowing his background, show dog, working dog, back yard breeder, kinds of socilazition, etc, it hard to determine if this is genetic (probably wont go away), poor socialization,or a combination. A wellbred GSD shouldn't be this fearfull. There are much smarter minds here than mine, so hope you get some other opinions.
I purchased my gsd a few months ago from a breeder who tells me my dog is from working lines. He does have a pretty good prey drive. He fetches a ball/stick and bring it back to me. He loves to play tug a war w/ objects attached to a string/rope. He does well in obedience. He knows sitz/fuss/platz/blieb/hup/come/down in motion.
At the park I am able to down him and have him stay while i walk several hundred yards away where i would call him to come.
I am also trying to socialize him as mush as possible. I take him to the park everyday and out for walks on busy streets so he can get use to different people/dogs.
Sounds like you are trying to socilaze him properly, however,imho, I don't think there is any reason to be going "a few hundred yards" from his down stay, especially until you figure out this fear problem. Who knows what will trigger him when your off that far. If he is from working dogs, these guys/gals on this board could give you more insight on possible temperment problems based on his lines. Hopefully its just a puppy glitch.
I just re read your post. If you got him a few months ago, there could have been a number of problems in his early developement that are now surfacing. Just a thought.
Welcome aboard. Sounds to me like lack of socialization at an early age before you got him. Keep doing what you are doing. Expose hime to new environments and keep up with obedience training. Having a firm, fair leader will build his confidence. Try to ignore or re-direct his fearful behavior with obedience. Don't say "it's ok" or try to re-assure the dog when he is acting fearful. This may be interperated as "I'm being praised for being afraid".
You state that the dog is fearful of a "select few" of your friends and refuses interaction with them. Perhaps your dog is trying to tell you something about these people.
You state that "other dogs will fight your dog". Why are you allowing this to occur?
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