Another domoniate action will be he may become territoral, anything or strange person he will alert on (bark at and may approach aggresively), if it comes into his precieved boundaries. Small animals and other dogs he will aggresively go after.

Obedience will be important here, for control and to help him realize what he can and cannot do.
Socailizing with other dogs and as many things and people as possible will help, him adjust.

The small animal aggression, I don't really think you can get that totally out of their system, when you are not around they return to their instinct. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

I have noticed my 11 month old GSD barking at any car's or strange people walking too close to the house. I have brought small dogs into the yard and he appears to be ok with that. perhap he will go after the small dog if i am not around?. He is beginning to occassional lift his leg when he goes pee and does dominate acts like putting his head and paw on other dogs.

I noticed he has started being more protective. At nite time when I take him out to the front yard to pee, he notices people down the street getting out of their car,talking,walking. He would stare and go to the edge of the yard and act like he is ready to defend the front yard if need be. <----when this happens I call him back inside the house just to be safe.

My GSD is no longer afarid of all my friends even the person he was terrified of.

Could most of the above be good signs of adulthood for my GSD?

Thanks for all the great advise.....keep them coming!!

The other day, my buddy came over to visit me but I sleeping and didnt answer the door so he decides to enter my yard to play w/ my 1 yr gsd. My gsd is use to seeing my friend and I together only...he just never saw him w/o anyone else present.

Anyway, I was awaken w/ lots of barking. I look out the window and I see my gsd running around the yard barking at my friend(he didnt run around my friend..he ran around the entire yard and at one point he even stood at the patio door like he wanted to come in. It seemed like my gsd went into avoidance. After I went into the yard, my gsd calmed down was stopped barking, however he was still nervous of my friend and shyed away whenever he attempted to pet him. Later on in the day my gsd was ok and allowed my friend to pet him.

Is this normal behavior for a 1 yr old gsd or could this be a result of weak nerves?

Explorer104 wrote

Anyway, I was awaken w/ lots of barking. I look out the window and I see my gsd running around the yard barking at my friend(he didnt run around my friend..he ran around the entire yard and at one point he even stood at the patio door like he wanted to come in. It seemed like my gsd went into avoidance. After I went into the yard, my gsd calmed down was stopped barking, however he was still nervous of my friend and shyed away whenever he attempted to pet him. Later on in the day my gsd was ok and allowed my friend to pet him.

Is this normal behavior for a 1 yr old gsd or could this be a result of weak nerves?
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At 1 year old he still sorta a puppy, so for some dogs this is a normal responce until they are taught how to react to an intruder friend or foe.

A strong willed 1yr old would have met him at the gate and barked not letting him enter. If he was already inside the gate the dog may have cornered him growling and barking or If he recognized him as a friend walked up to him and let him pat him.
This is the reaction of serveral of my GSD that I've owned at 1 year old. Of course I had a white one that would have cowered in a corner or tried to escape once the fence was opened.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but that does sound like avoidance. He maybe still too young to expect a strong or relax reaction.

Keep working with him, and try to build his confidence in whatever you want him to do. He did wake you so that part of detection. And far from the Golden Retriever rape/mugging story. So you still got something to work with.

They say you can't expect a puppy to defend the yard or you, its like asking a 10 yr old child to protect the house, while you are away.

He needs a little work, All GSD can't and won't do Protection work. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />