Hi I'm new on this forum but I've been following it for a while via the Internet, Ed Farwley website.

This question came up because my 2.5 year old GSd, when he was 1.5 yr old male GSD growled at me and tossed his head up when I was disciplining one of his younger pack mate. He is alpha of the dog, group I told him to "get out of here and go play" and he touted off into the yard. She viewed that and mentioned that he may turn on you one day, she even spoke with another pet trainer about it and he agreed with her. Now when her mixed Sheltie/Husky does that and she thinks its cute and that he talking.

But with Mat she fears for my saftey one day. Not that she afraid of Mat, she feeds them Ham bones from her Day care clinic (kids not dogs) they all sit until the last peice of meat is available, then Mat jumps up and takes it. Where talking hambone each time, here.

Now I will admitt he is a dominate, dog but he is under control, he has Obedience training, some Protection, some basic tracking (He knows how to use his noses), I've bought several of Ed's tapes on these topics. And I've worked with a Sheriff Deputy K9 unit a buddy of mines, and his great dog Chec " $20k Checosolvican GSD beautiful, nice and damn he can bite, I feel it through the pad and great OB".

My first training besided OB was Protection training with Rottiweiler trainers, who are not that high on the most versitle Dog in the world (GSD). This first trainer wanted to meet Mat to see if he had the required temperment. When I brought Mat(was 9 months) and Mulan (Female spayed Rottie) in the house, the trainer apparently made a jesture behind me that I didn't see. Mat tried to get at him and when I called for him stop (barking) and sit, it took a while because he was unsure of this guy.

As Mat was carrying on, I told him Mat usaully does not meet people like that, he told me to leave him alone that he had motioned behind me as him to grab or strike me and Mat did have the right stuff. This guy says that he could make a protection dog out any breed, some where just better at it, he favored the AM Bulldog or Rottie.

Another time another helper who likes Rotties tried to tell me that the GSD days as Protector has gone and went. So after some civil bite work (Without a bite shelve) he was happy with Mats responce and control. He had me call Mat to an end of session "enough" and a sit. As this one guy was talking to me and me&mat were looking at him. The other guy tried to sneak up behind me and scare Mat/Me he had crawled behind the car and ran around the front bumper we were about 6 ft for the front of the car. This guy was saying "That GSD do real good until they are stressed, this is were a real man stopper like the Pit bull/Matsiff mix, and Rottiweiler are king".
This guy jumped us Mat saw before I did, and I caught Mat by his lead as he jumped toward the guy, with his mouth opened at about chest neck level. I pulled him back the guy jumping fell to the ground expecting to advance and was met by a mouth full of teeth, and barking. I praised him and so did they, keeping their distance from Mat he asked me to pick him away. And shook my hand asking when they could come back for some serious work. I thought about and later dismissed them because I felt negative vibes
, they really didn't like GSD. I didn't know until viewing one of Ed's Protection video that this could have ruined Mat career as an strong steady Dog (that really pissed me off when I found that out, Thanks Ed).

Now I know why, the Deputy Sheriff helper attack is to walking a circle moving the sheleve this is not to scare or mess up a $15k - $20k dog. Mat would bite in this attack but he didn't bark much prior to the bite almost like "you call this an attack".

We usually use a forward advance like in Ed's protection series. Another question to Ed or someone who has trained dogs in Law enforcement, am I right in the assumption this is not to break these dogs drive.

All the above could have been another question and no Mat could not perform like $20K Chec, but I was proud of him. Mat only limitation is his trainer (me), the Sheriff made mention to that saying "Keep working with him sometimes these dogs are smarter then we are". I just put this in to say that I've tried to get him some fair training there is not much here in OKC, mostly OB stuff.

When walking the dogs, when other dogs walk by they are just fine. But if these dogs are loose and they get at me, by surprise or I see them. Both dogs will meet the challenge standing to get there. But with the "enough" command they calm down and contiue walking, just a little look over the shoulder, if the dog still trail us. I usually turn and tell the dogs to "Stop, and go home!" and they do of course Mat and Mul face as I turn and enforce my command.

I can stop Mat in a full charge at people, dogs or a body of water. He'll come back to me and circle, (now Mulan you got to stop her before she starts the charge at dogs and water, she not that interested in people unless Mat is or asked watch them). Now let me explain these people were either walking toward my back or trying to sneak up on me (stupid, but usually they don't see dogs, until it look likes lunch), and its "Enough, and Back!" The veer off like f15 jets back, still barking sometimes.

Now I have had a to do battle with Mat at about 11 months - maybe 1yr old. As I have my oldest Son, but not to this point.

We were doing the food down and leave it until I say you can have it with two dogs down. It was the last peiece of meat and Mulan turn, he went for it and I issued the "Stop, down" command, He showed teeth and gave vicious growl. I had to nunchuka him, and put him at a down at my feet. He is a very tough dog, I had to really whack him, no yelp, he barley felt it. He did leave the bedroom as I started fussing. This happen a couple of times to a lessor degree and now I'm the Boss. But he still loves me and would give him life for me.
It still also heart warming to see him come tearing out of the window of the jeep when, we do this kind of handler protection drill, this is the hardest time to get him to out, he really wants the guy that trying to get me from the back especially his he's armed.

Now tell me do you think. Is this is an over Aggressive dog? Or is it that my wife does not understand the respect that must be given a dog like Mat, I don't push him around I tell him to "Move!" or "Go lie down", I'm not afraid of him, I mean I can pet him while he's eating even put my hand in his food, call him out of his food and back to a down. Its respect for a warrior even one under my control. He is a pet but he thinks I'm his.

Now, I will not try to Alpha roll him, I want him to keep thinking I'm the Boss not him, I pitty the fool.

If you can help decide this for us, I would be sincerly in your debt.

Try to keep your posts short and sweet. Otherwise its too confusing with all that background information its difficult to tell what your are asking.

Thanks that was my first time posting to this forum. I'll try to break it down and keep it more concise.

You still did not give any advice Is Mat an overly aggressive dog?

With all do respect, this is a bit of a bizzare post....I am not really sure how to respond. Anyone?

I am closing this thread. There is plenty of information on FEAR BITERS on the board - the original post needs to be shortened and simplified. Simly saying that you are new to the board is not good enough to leave this up.