Judy, you'll LOVE, "City Dog" -- It's all real-life training scenarios with people living in NYC, complete with 'step-by-step' photos <:-)

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............Anyone else who has done this with their dog, I would love to hear what you trained and how. ....

Is it barking you want? If the dog does not already bark when a stranger approaches, and all you want is the barking (to notify the stranger that you are accompanied by a big dog), then you can train "bark." (I'd train "no bark," too.)

I understand that you are receiving answers about training the dog to defend, but it sounds like what you want is barking. Right?

I'm not sure that's what you're asking.

If it is, and the dog does not bark already, and all you want is a bark on command, then you can do this: Find out what makes Gunnar bark. Knocking on the door, maybe? Have someone ready to do it, and say "Bark" or "Speak" or whatever you want as a command. As soon as the knock happens (instantly, so you need some timing here), and he barks, say "Good bark!" After a few times, he will understand that "Bark" means bark, knocking or no. Now you can say "bark" without having to use the knocking. Back up and start over if he forgets.

You can hold up a toy or treat, too, asking for "bark," and when he finally barks at your continued holding of the item over his head, you can praise for "bark" and hand it over, praising "Good bark!"

I use the same word for the command and for the reinforcement of the word by saying "GOOD bark!" (or whetever your marker word is) when I praise for the desired action.

If you use a hand signal too, then you won't have to ask vocally for the bark.

Again, I'm not certain this is what you're asking; maybe you're looking for something more, but this will give you the sound when you want it.

Training to alert is not the same as training to speak on command, but is also not difficult.

If I'm missing the boat entirely on what you're asking, sorry! <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

I have to criticize a little here... <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

You never know what someone's intentions are when they approach your car, so this should definately be a defense training scenario. Perhaps a bark is all you'll ever need, which is true for 99.9% of us on this board. But a defensive mindset is something you can build on, in case you ever want to deeper into training later on.

Just make sure you work with someone who knows what they're doing, who won't overwork your dog. You want to build awareness and confidence at the same time, without creating a dangerous dog.

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I have to criticize a little here... <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

You never know what someone's intentions are when they approach your car, so this should definately be a defense training scenario. Perhaps a bark is all you'll ever need, which is true for 99.9% of us on this board. But a defensive mindset is something you can build on, in case you ever want to deeper into training later on.

Just make sure you work with someone who knows what they're doing, who won't overwork your dog. You want to build awareness and confidence at the same time, without creating a dangerous dog.

I understand 100%, Mike. That's why I said "If the dog does not already bark when a stranger approaches, and all you want is the barking."

I was talking about bark only, for people with dogs from whom "bark" is all they can or should expect. Lots of dogs like that.........

But I should've used more caveats, because you are very correct about what we may need, and it may be more than "bark."

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As far as training the dog to protect in the car, I had my other GSD (koach) trained to to bark extremely aggressively on command. One day while in the car with my children we were approached by a panhandler. I saw him coming before he got to close. I looked into the back seat, said the comman and Koach jumped up and started scanning for the threat. When the panhandler saw the dog spring up, he used an expletive and RAN back to the median, never to bother me again. Just the site of the dog coming up was enough to deter him. I am sure that if he had heard Koach barking he would have soiled himself. But it was a simple, safe and effective way to keep the guy away from my children.

This is EXACTLY what I want. Not only did Terry mention "aggressive" barking which is key, he also said something very important...he said, "Koach jumped up and started scanning for the threat". That's what I don't know how to teach.

I have taught him 2 things already. "Geblaut" which he knows to bark only once. "Pass auf" is the command I use for aggressive barking but here's what I can't figure out how to do...get him to scan for the threat. He seems to want to look at me while he's performing the command for pass auf. I even tried pointing out and looking out in the direction I want him to look to get him to stop looking at me but it doesn't seem to work.

So I thought I'd try an entirely different command in the car and use it for the car only but it would amount to the exact same thing Terry said his dog does.

Terry, how did you do it?

Mike, I'm going to send you a PM.

Beth, I'm going to have to repeat your experience to my friends and family. The "CALL OFF YOUR DOGS??" and "WE CAN'T - THEY ARE NOT TRAINED!" has to be one of the best lines I've seen on this board <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> !

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.......This is EXACTLY what I want. Not only did Terry mention "aggressive" barking which is key, he also said something very important...he said, "Koach jumped up and started scanning for the threat". That's what I don't know how to teach......

I understand now what you mean. Sorry!

Do you have the right dog for this?

Scanning for threats and aggressive warnings are something that you may or may not have the right dog for.......... JMHO. <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

P.S. QUOTE: The "CALL OFF YOUR DOGS??" and "WE CAN'T - THEY ARE NOT TRAINED!" has to be one of the best lines I've seen on this board. END

I agree! <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I think it is amazing all the things you don't think of when you want something from your dog. I had to train both my dogs and it took some doing to NOT bark at people walking by the cars. The bark from both were not aggressive but more of a "hey look in here...I am RIGHT here". The dogs being Pit Bulls I thought this is not a good thing so I trained them to not bark....when I leave the car I say down, they go down in their crates and will not bark now. This post is making me re-think. I am sure if I left them in a sit they would still be on alert...

Something I never thought about as I was always busy being embarressed by them barking at people that walk by the car.

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Do you have the right dog for this?

Scanning for threats and aggressive warnings are something that you may or may not have the right dog for.......... JMHO. <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Well, I'm not sure. One person told me I don't have the right dog in getting him evaluated and trust me, I can see why he did the day we were there getting evaluated <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> . Three other people told me he does. Who's right? Maybe a little of both. Here are a few examples:

About 2 months ago Gunnar charged our fence and was growling ferociously at a guy in my driveway. Last week Gunnar decided the Fed Ex man needed to burn some calories and ran him to the edge of our property with not much other than barking at him. The man instinctively backed away from my dog until he was up against a tree. Two other times (in the car though) he decided he didn't like someone's proximity maybe to our car and did the aggressive barking thing.

Here's the hitch...I didn't tell him a single command during any of those times. He did it on his own. Of course, I want to teach him something that will produce that when I tell him to. I know the pass auf command brings something forth but, again, he keeps looking at me a lot when he does it. Not always but enough to make me concerned using that if I were in an actual situation that I really, really need him to perform.

So I think he has something I can work with. Do I think he has something to move beyond barking and into bitework. No, I don't.

FWIW, here's how i trained the dog who saw me thru college as a single female living off-campus. first, when someone would knock on the door, and she would bark, i'd say "who is it?", encouraging her to bark.

then, when she was in the vehicle with me (works especially well at night, BTW), parked on a street, when i saw someone walking down the sidewalk toward us, i'd say "tess--who is it? who is it?". this resulted in her looking around, growling a little, then , when she spotted the person, she'd really let 'er rip.

sometimes i would then tell her "it's OK" (which she knew meant leave off the barking), or i would let her keep on until the (poor) person either walked on past and she relaxed on her own, or they crossed the street with the same result. or, once they WERE past the vehicle, tell her "ok".

this may not have been very "professional" (now i would try to set it up w/a friend instead of scaring unsuspecting ppl), but it worked, and worked well. i was never worried about anyone approaching my vehicle whether i was in it or not, the "who is it?" morphed into my simply being able to hiss, and she would start looking around, and as soon as i told her "ok", she was absolutely social.

but she was an exceptional dog, and i was young and at least a LITTLE more stupid than i am now (i hope). i've since had dogs that that wouldn't have worked A BIT, so i agree w/other posters--you have to have something to work with in the first place.

and also, we worked up to it from ppl knocking on the door, training the "who is it?" and the "it's ok", to working on it in the vehicle. again, FWIW <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

For me, this is a great thing to try. I never thought to park, especially in the dark and use either my kids or some stranger. I'm going to do it. I know he'll bark if I tell him to, especially doing it your way. If I say, "Who is it?" in the house he always looks around. DUH! Headslap! That's the command I can use to get him to scan around while in the car. Ann, you're a genius! I'll PM you with the results <img src="http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" /> .