The Michael Ellis videos will teach you how to correct your luring, and get you up to speed on the marker training. Holding the treat over the dog's head is not effective luring. Also, you will learn to solidify behaviors before adding the verbal command (such as what has happened with your sit, which you were unaware of).
There are some misconceptions, or just old-school thinking, in some of your perceptions.

As Connie said, you're reading a lot into the pup's behavior at work. Start another post, and we can deal with that exclusively there. It's not as alarming as you feel.

At our schutzhund club, all pups, regardless of age, start foundation work in OB with markers right from the beginning. This sets up the foundation for discipline in the bitework and tracking. I know a few GSD breeders, and the ones I think highly of start luring the dog into "sits" and "looks", and charging their marks, as early as five weeks.

While it's true that a complete schutzhund dog usually has high prey drive and most schutzhund trainers train exclusively in prey, there is still a lot that can be done in food drive, and almost any dog can get something out of schutzhund training. My dog doesn't have usable prey drive and does not do any bitework, but we still do OB and tracking. She especially loves obstacles.

If a prong collar offends your sensibilities, you might not fit in well with working dog trainers. Most consider the prong an invaluable tool, and you will have to give some sort of corrections at some point.

What Ian said about schutzhund clubs is true, BUT I can understand feeling a little out of place there until you learn the ropes. I studied up on it a little before seeking a club, and visited that club for over a month, including attending their trial, before I joined and brought my dog out. Another thing to remember is that not all clubs are the same; some are more competitive and advanced than others, and may not be as welcoming to rookies. Check them out and make sure you are where you want to be before committing to a club.

Have fun with her Kenneth. Thats what matters most. Starting tracking is easy and fun. Scuff up a square pad of grass in your yard and spread her food around in it. Thats a scent pad to teach her to use her nose.

Make sure she likes coming to you. Reward her, be happy, play. Everything is good when she comes to you.

Leave her home and go out and meet the club. See if they are welcoming new members and if they're a group of people you want to spend a lot of time with.

 Quote: Connie Sutherland

"I work in the IT field and I bring her to work with me. When someone knocks on my office door, she'll often bark. Occasionally the hair on her back will stand up. "

She is new to you. New to that office. New to her whole new life.

What do you do or say to her when someone knocks on the door?

I've been trying to just soothe her, tell her "it's ok", some gentle strokes of the fur etc.

I don't know if it's still favorable but Ed once preached that the puppy or dog shouldn't "meet & greet" strangers. I've been trying to stick with that.

@Duane,

I'm not "above" corrections for a dog...obviously not at this point with a puppy but I do have a dogtra e-collar and anticipate using a prong in the future.

 Quote: Kenneth Friend

 Quote: Connie Sutherland

"I work in the IT field and I bring her to work with me. When someone knocks on my office door, she'll often bark. Occasionally the hair on her back will stand up. "

She is new to you. New to that office. New to her whole new life.

What do you do or say to her when someone knocks on the door?

I've been trying to just soothe her, tell her "it's ok", some gentle strokes of the fur etc.

I don't know if it's still favorable but Ed once preached that the puppy or dog shouldn't "meet & greet" strangers. I've been trying to stick with that.

I'd be more upbeat and calm, without soothing and maybe reinforcing the perception that there's something to worry about.

I might say "It's OK!" to the dog before ever opening the door, establishing that "It's OK" means you have it, the dog has no worries, you are in charge, you are the protector.

I might even go to the door, turn to the dog with a smile and say "It's OK," THEN open it when the dog settles.

" I don't know if it's still favorable but Ed once preached that the puppy or dog shouldn't "meet & greet" strangers. I've been trying to stick with that."


I agree. Eventually, some people will become familiar, but for now I would ask visitors to ignore the dog.

JMO!

Gentle stroking and soothing talk also pretty much rewards barking and hackling. ;-)

Connie beat me to it! Coming from a puppy this young tells me it's more stress then anything else. Many will misinterpret the behavior as being a good protection prospect. Fact is I could be wrong without seeing or understand what all is going on in this situation. What other body language is she showing at this time? Forward movement towards the door? Tail and ear carriage? Getting behind you?
There are a lot of things you can do in Schutzhund without doing bite work. Obedience titles, tracking titles and more. Same thing with AKC obedience.
The "meet and greet" has a lot to do with your goals with the pup. I would expose the pup to everything you can within the limits the dog displays to you. That doesn't mean it has to meet and greet people but it should act neutral at this point. Don't allow ANYONE outside family to fawn over or even pet the dog at least till you are VERY sure of it's temperament.

Thank you everyone for all of the responses.

@Bob Scott - I didn't misinterpret her behavior as anything positive. Again, I could be wrong but I remember reading something about "dogs don't develop defense drive until 12-18 months old..." or something like that. I can't remember precisely but a puppy getting worked up over a stranger isn't a good thing. She should be calm and confident.

Is there a particular order when it comes to the MARKER videos that I should order them in? I don't have a gazillion dollars to buy everything I want right now...but I can order a video once every two weeks or so.

Hey Kenneth, I think the point should be, don't try to interpret a little suspicious barking at a door and a stranger as being much of anything. Keep her out there seeing everything like you're doing.