That's a big part of the problem. There doesn't seem to be a common ground for the behavior in these instances. We can be anywhere from right outside the door to walking through the park. It is almost always completely unpredictable. He will be fine, and then out of the blue he will just snap, and starting barking, lunging, and growling at something. We had talked to/met with a couple of trainers when this behavior began, and they were pretty concerned over the way it was happening.

When I walk him, I will give him the length of the leash if no one is around or if I'm not working on obedience commands. Other than that, it depends how close we are to people. If we're really close, he gets much less leash. I realize that you're probably going to say that I'm cueing him. Actually, he does it less often when I give him less leeway. He has done this many a time when I've been completely relaxed and he's had the length of the leash too (6 ft.) I loop the leash around my right wrist, and then grap just below the handle with my hand. My left hand is usually on or very near the leash in case I need to stop and correct him in a hurry. When he needs to be corrected, I try to grab the leash relatively close to his collar, and pop it in a downward motion.

There is no one particular place, time or situation. He has done this to strangers, and he's done it to people he sees outside every day, that he's always been tolerant of before.

He downs on command. If he hesitates, he gets a correction, the same was as indicated above, although he usually does it without a problem. He also knows how to heel, sit, stay, leave it, and out. He will do these beautifully, when he's not having one of these crazy episodes. Come has always been a problem. He was in an obedience class for awhile, and the down and come where the 2 things he refused to do. The down has been taken care of, but the come is still a big problem. If he even bothers to make an attempt to come when called, he'll try to run right past me.

Melissa;
You said initially that your dog had been ill. What; if any, medications was the dog given during his illness for treatment and is the dog on any medication or supplements now? I realize that you are asking a training/behavior question but medications past or present can influence today's behavior.

I think I have your GSD's cousin...my male is 18 months old and has becoming increasingly dog agressive (for no definable reason) until I had to take him out of AKC-type obedience classes.

One trainer suggested I use a gentle leader/haltie type lead on him; I walked him with it once but am not real thrilled about it and I think I read here that Ed doesn't think to much of them. What I'm doing is I now have my GSD in an all-GSD obedinece class which seems (after one class) to be going better.

Also, someone mentioned to me...now nobody laught, that if you get some peanut butter in a dogs mouth when he starts going "nuts" that he'll be concentrating on the peanut butter and not the aggression issues.

Also; there's a herbal tranquilizer called "rescue remedy" that has calmed my guy down some-what; you my want to investigate that. I've heard it advocated for people as well.

Hope my 2cents helped.

Barbara, the vets have determined that his problem is primarily vaccine related (Rabies). He had been given steroids & antibiotics at the same time, which aggravated the situation and have caused chronic problems. The only supplement he is on is for his joints, and he hasn't been on any medications in a year.

Marj, I have been treating Shadow homeopathically for a year now, and have had quite a bit of success. You may want to look into that for your dog. Without it, I believe this dog would have needed to be put to sleep. Unfortunately, Shadow does not respond to Rescue Remedy at all. I always have some of that on hand. It works pretty well on most animals, but some animals don't respond to it at all.

Originally posted by mspindler:
He had been given steroids & antibiotics at the same time, which aggravated the situation and have caused chronic problems. How so?

They suppress the immune system.

We had one similar case in our club. Now I don't say this is your problem because I haven't seen you and your dog.
This dog had a problem of aggression to other dogs and people (reason they think because dog has been put to sleep on very early age and woke up in cage at vet without handler)
They worked with two leashes one shorter leash for handler who was walking his dog and a long leash with an experience handler soem meters behind. We lokked out the aggresion of the dog and as soon as the dog brokeout he got a good correction at the correct time. After a while it stopped but as soon as the handler owner got back alone for some time the dog started doingit again.
In this case it was a problem that the owner was not able to give the neccesary correction at the correct time, but I'm not saying this is your case because I haven't seen the dog.

I guess anything is possible, but when he was going to obedience classes, the trainer used to compliment me on my corrections. I think I'm doing them right. My husband wasn't so good at corrections, but that's no longer an issue since he's gone. The dog has really been pretty good. The only problem we've had lately is the one with him growling, barking & lunging at the dog at the vet's office. He isn't usually in close contact with other people or dog's either though.

Melissa,
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. I had lessons yesterday back to back 8am to 8 pm. needless to say it was a long day.
I had a chance to read your reply regarding how you use your leash. So here is how I normally start with my clients. I erase what they think to be right and then show them a new form of fundamentals just so we are on the same page.
Much like someone who goes to a golf instructor to help them with thier swing. It's all about fundamental.

So lets get to the basic. The leash does not go on your wrist. The loop of your leash belongs and should be mentally glued over your right thumb.
this position will supply you with the best anchor your hand has. Now with the loop on your right thumb slide your right hand down the leash toward your dog and stop about halfway. You should be at the middle of the leash. If you grab that portion of the leash and start to pull it toward you it should automatically make a second loop. Place that loop also over your right thumb.
Close your right hand as if to make a fist and this should force you to grab all of the loops in you hand. Now for the baseball position. Place your left hand just under your right as if you were holding a baseball bat. This position should feel very firm. Yes?
I will stop here and let you respond.

I'm not at home right now to do it that way, but that's how we trained him during his obedience sessions, so I am familiar with it. The reason I have been looping it over my wrist when I walk him is because I'm more secure that way in case he tries to bolt, which he has done. My main goal in life is to keep him from getting away from me...at all costs! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> If I have it looped over my thumb and am just holding onto the leash, to me it seems there would be a better chance of it slipping through my hands and off my thumb than if I have it looped around my wrist and have a good tight grip on the leash. Just my train of thought <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />