I searched the messages for others with this problem, but there weren't very many responses in the past here, and I'm hoping someone can give me some reassurance and/or advice or their own similar experiences. I brought a 16 week old GSD pup home last Saturday and he barks at other dogs. He was conceived in Germany and whelped here. The first-time breeder runs a Service Dog program and gives classes, both companion obedience and service dog, at the center for the disabled. The puppy had been there on several occasions before he came to me. When I first brought him home, as soon as we came in the door, he barked crazily at my 10 year old dog, who is a non-reactive and safe dog. He isn't interested in playing with her, though they get along perfectly fine. He doesn't pay much attention to her and follows me like a shadow. He is curious and attentive sticking close to me while walking on lead and keeping his eye on me at all times even when checking things out around us. At puppy school registration Monday, there were several non-reactive service dogs there i.e. safe dogs for him to be around and each time he acted up, we held his muzzle for a second and looked him in the eye and said a sharp NO...not loud- just sharp enough for him to know what we meant. It seems obvious that he is lacking in confidence. Then I worked him on lead, just walking all around the center, during which he followed me happily, though another dog is a momentary distraction to him as we go by, maybe barking but not much, as he is most interesting in sticking with me. Then I joined the service dogs in their brush up class as they walked the dogs on lead around cones and doing about turns, fast and slow walks. It was distracting enough to be following along with me(he is very strong in the need to be by my side) and he didn't bark once or have one single problem while I had him focused on doing the exercises with other dogs in front and behind. Then he was able to lie down and watch the class and he was still fine. Then the trainer (his breeder) put him on a tie up on the wall and asked me to sit some distance away from him- he let me know that GSDs have a big problem often with separation, which is an important thing to have him get used to while showing and working him. Anyway, during their class, each person (in wheelchairs or canes) put their dogs in a downstay in the middle of the circle of dogs and had to go over to Mio and give him a treat and return to their dogs and continue the class. I also would return to him every few minutes and give him a pat and leave again but stayed in sight. He had no problem with any of this at all though he was attentive to me across the room. After everyone left, he locked the doors (we were training at the center ) and kept an extremely safe and trusted service dog and us inside and played fetch with the dog. Mio chased and barked at him wildly for the first 5-10 mins, then it began to settle down once it was shown that the dog will give no reaction positive or negative and Mio, I believe was either A. all barked out or B. discovered his barking will not be rewarded by either that positive or negative and he just decided he wanted to run with the dog instead, barking very little. Needless to say, he slept well that night.
He will be either in or at training classes (obedience on Mondays and Schutzhund on the weekends) with other dogs twice a week from now on.
Let me just add that he was brought up by the breeder in the home with different dogs in and out of the house constantly and played in the yard with them. The breeder boards these other dogs as well. At the class that night, 2 of the dogs he had played with often at the breeder's house before he came to me on Saturday were there and he reacted the same way to them! I'm thinking that the change in lifestyle, i.e. leaving his home of almost 4 months and coming to ours just tweaked him out and I don't feel that this will continue, considering the 2 sessions a week being around other dogs and him just settling into our lives. He has no problem with people at all, though he does not act exuberantly towards them and seems a little cautious from the look in his eyes.

Anyone?

Thanks.

If he is very attached and focussed on you, the next time he decides to go nuts about another nearby dog, hand the leash to someone else and walk away from him. If he's really into you, then whatever or why-ever he's carrying on about becomes secondary to 'Why's Mom leaving?'.

Just an idea. It worked for my wife when her dog was a youngster, being kind of a jerk barking at other dogs.

John- that is a super interesting idea. I think I can imagine that working with him! Thanks so much.

Anyone else?