I have a new 5 month old male GSD that we purchased 1 week ago. My question is, is it normal for him to bark at every unfamiliar person he meets? Out side and in our home.....outside I can see but I don't much care for it in our house.
Any ideas of why he may do this or how to stop it would be greatful.

Thanks!!

Someone has to have some comments or advice.....or if this is totally normal let me know.
Appreciate it!

My pup barks at the following scenarios:

- Barking out the window at strangers/other dogs (not all people and not all dogs, just the ones that are worth his attention)

- Barking at out-of-place noises inside the house, someone up at 4am, someone coming up the stairs to his room above the garage, barking at random noises that could indicate someone invading his territory, such as knocking on the wall etc. He stops barking pretty quick, and even quicker once he identifies the source of the noise, or identifies the person coming up the stairs (although he never barks at me when I come up).

- Barks at the doorbell, or when he hears the blinds on the door rattle.

- Someones car alarm arming on MY driveway - but never barks at MY car alarm arming, he seems to know the sound of me coming home, but oddly enough, even if I am in someone elses car, he won't bark unless I ring the doorbell, he seems to smell my scent or something - or maybe he only barks when I'm home.

- When he wants to play, he tugs on my bed sheets till i chase him, n barks if I don't react.

- When I am preparing especially nice food for dinner with a nice aroma and he wants some <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

I don't care if my dog barks, it doesn't bother me and it keeps people off my property, so I never correct him for it. But I hear of many people, including Ed Frawley of Leerburg Kennels, having success with no-bark collars.

The only time I see potential for problems with my dogs barking is if I were to stay in a hotel n someone walked in front of the hotel room door, it may annoy people in surrounding rooms hehe.

My dog is 13 months old, and is more barkative than he was at 5 months, but I don't see why a 5 month old couldn't behave in the same way. I think if I recorded all his barking in the whole day and timed it, he might bark a total of 10 minutes a day, but spread out for 5-20 seconds at a time throughout the day.

Lack of SOCIALIZATION- could be one of the reasons. My pup used to bark at people but not anymore but still barks at other dogs. Because I have socialized him with people but not yet with other dogs.

I saw ED's “8 Weeks to 8 Months” puppy video- helped me a lot.


Rashmi

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Lack of SOCIALIZATION- could be one of the reasons.

In some (many) cases I would agree - but my dog has, if anything, been over-socialized. He loves people, he loves other dogs and he loves to bark. If your dog hasn't been socialized much and seems aggressive in his barking, then this could well be a cause.

Up until the last few months, my dog was around people almost on a daily basis, as well as other dogs. If people show interest in him he gets very excited, if they show no interest in him he is neutral. As I'm typing this, my front door just opened, he jumped up and let off a string of barks, ran to the window, saw my neighbors dog, barked at him, looked at me, then laid back down. He enjoys it, it doesn't bother me, so I don't do anything about it.

Oh Mike,
Did you have me laughing at that one!! Mikko sounds very much like your pooch. I don't mind the barking except for when it's a my parents visiting or company comes over. My perfect world would be Mikko welcoming strangers with a "waggin tail" once they are in our home. (once I've opened the door to let them in. etc.) Guess the perfect world thing does'nt always happen hey?

Yeap. Like I said- the Socialization could be one of the reasons.

Funny Mike, my pup does the same. Barks at other dogs and then looks at me and either sits or lies down. CUTE.

Rashmi

Mike,

THis is just too funny. I can't stop smiling. If someone looks at me at this point at my work, may get the wrong idea!!

My pup barks at food too if it takes more than 2 minutes to prepare.

Rashmi

Well, with my GSD puppy that is 4 and ½ months old is the opposite. The only time he might bark is when facing another dog close up to make eye contact or when another dog would pass close to our property. And those barks are just few seconds short. He does not bark at strangers or guests coming to visit, he never barks at me or other members of family, he does not bark at other dogs when we pass by their property, he does not bark at other smaller animals, he does not bark for attention, basically he is not a barker and I’m not sure if I truly want him to be this way. I don’t remember the last time I heard him bark. If an intruder would break in to my home he would probably care less, and if they would give him a treat he would probably even lick their faces. Hopefully as he matures he will become more territorial.

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the Socialization could be one of the reasons

I'm surprised not more folks have jumped on this...

Yes, socialization will make some difference, but if you have a genetically sharp dog, that is, one with a low threshold for stimuli, then it will likely always be there. Training will help, especially if you train for barking on command and then a "quiet" command.

We have a sharp dog...and one that is not. There is a difference: ie, the latter only barks if someone is already at the door....the sharp dog will bark when he hears a strange car come down the street!

The sharp dog notices EVERYTHING and reacts to it, and as a pup his barking drove us crazy! Any movement: squirrels, birds, leaves blowing off trees...would require some noise.
Any unusual sound: doorbell, garbage truck (he can hear it 5 blocks away!), jets, cows mooing, coyotes howling...all worth a comment.

He is now 5 yrs old and is still sharp, but because of training and socialization will chose his moments. ie, the garbage truck stealing our stuff is still worth a warning, but leaves can now fall off trees without his permission.