Hello again,
I have some questions about some of Ed's teachings regarding socializing our GSD. Deacon is 6 months old. We took him to the groomer for the first time last week. When we arrived and went in, he immediately started barking his head off. This dog, and I am sure most GSD owners know, they have a bid dog bark even from six months old. The groomer was alone and no other dogs were present. After we were checked in, she took Deacon back toward the crate and she passed another crate with a puppy inside. Deacon started barking again. She asked me if he had been around any other dogs besides the two at home. I told her no that he hadn't. I aggreed with Ed in that we have done most of out training at home and not with other and unknown dogs around. He barks some at home, usually at the doorbell or at my other two dogs (playfully) and at people he doesn't know. Usually, when he has had the opportunity to smell them he is completely fine and not aggressive in any way.
When we picked him up she let me know that he was defintely dog aggressive and needed training and begain recommending a trainer. He is six months old. Can they be truly dog aggressive that young or is it because it was a new experience? What is right? Now I am thinking I should have been introducing him to other dogs. What should I do?

Exactly how did the groomer come to that decision? Is the groomer putting him with strange dogs? If not, how would she know?

When you take him for walks and a strange dog passes, what happens?

She said that any time another was near him he just went nuts barking. She said "he didn't like any other dogs in his area". On walks my husband takes him because of the heat and I am pregnant but he will bark at other dogs. My husband will give him a leash correction and keep moving. Deacon calms down and keeps moving.

Having been a groomer I have seen my share of nutcases and I'm referring to my fellow groomers not the dogs!!! If I were you and I really didn't want to wash my dog in the backyard I would take him to one of the self service "U Wash Doggie" type shops and do the dog myself.

HAHA I love it. My husband totally aggrees! But Deacon is already 65# and I am the one usually getting that joyous responsibility.

I'm with Sue on this.

Your husband is handling the dog pretty much the way I would, just keeping him moving and not giving the situation unnecessary attention. My aim is for my dogs to be more indifferent than anything else when strange dogs go by.