Need dog advice

[alkemyst]

i wouldn't take too much dog advice from someone that had to have a trainer do it. It sounds like you were using the choke collar wrong anyway. These kinds of implements aren't needed with most dogs and in the wrong hands either can severely harm the pet.

 

[RKS]

Originally posted by: 1sikbITCH

Originally posted by: Josh123
Ya, I took him out to the front yard and let him meet my sister. I think another problem is I am nervous when trying to introduce him to people also and I'm sure he can sense that.

Your dog indeed feeds off your energy. If he knows you are scared and nervous, he will protect you from whoever it is in front of you. You need to learn how to be strong and in command. Someone will be pack leader. All that remains is figuring out who.

Also if you are using a choke collar, throw it out and get a prong collar. A choke collar is useless. It can damage a dog's windpipe if the dog goes after someone and you try to correct him, and are generally ineffective as a correction tool because the dog doesn't feel pain when you use it. They just can't breathe. When I got my first GSD, I was practically strangling him with a choke collar every day for 3 months and that never stopped him.

That's when I got a trainer.

A stern command followed by an immediate correction from a prong collar will stop your dog in his tracks and he will have no doubt who the boss is. And the beauty of the prong collar is you only have to do it one or two times and the dog is trained. I haven't had to apply a correction in nearly 5 years (the dog is 6).

We tried a choke collar and a Gentle Leader with our Lab with horrible results. When we finally switched to a self-correcting prong collar we were finally able to walk our dog instead of being pulled by him.

 

[1sikbITCH]

Originally posted by: alkemyst
i wouldn't take too much dog advice from someone that had to have a trainer do it. It sounds like you were using the choke collar wrong anyway. These kinds of implements aren't needed with most dogs and in the wrong hands either can severely harm the pet.

Oh? If you had a clue you would know that the trainer does not train the dog. The trainer teaches you how to train your dog.

As far as the choke chain, for just a normal dog yeah I'm sure that's fine. However, a German Shepherd is not "most dogs" and if you had any experience raising this breed you would certainly not have that perspective. My dog weighs 87 lbs and will rip your face off if I do not have control of him. Like the guy who posted after you, he used to drag me up the street, choker chain and all, on his way to eat the other neighborhood dogs. Once I had him trained properly, now he only attacks on command as he should.

 

[thedarkwolf]

Well I'm glad my two GSDs aren't killing machines. Ones a bit of a bitch but she does listen really well while the male loves everybody and other dogs.

 

[1sikbITCH]

The dog is not a killing machine. He is just highly protective. If you are not a threat, he is bringing you his toys and expecting a belly rub. If you do act in a threatening manner, he will protect his family. The OP's dog is already showing aggressive tendencies at 8 months old. Judging from the pictures, if he is not trained at this young age, he will end up being 80-90 lbs and a menace. Go read the stories behind the dogs at your local German Shepherd Rescue. The number one reason these dogs are turned in is because the owner does not spend time with the dog and does not teach it how to act.

 

[Josh123]

Originally posted by: 1sikbITCH
The dog is not a killing machine. He is just highly protective. If you are not a threat, he is bringing you his toys and expecting a belly rub. If you do act in a threatening manner, he will protect his family. The OP's dog is already showing aggressive tendencies at 8 months old. Judging from the pictures, if he is not trained at this young age, he will end up being 80-90 lbs and a menace. Go read the stories behind the dogs at your local German Shepherd Rescue. The number one reason these dogs are turned in is because the owner does not spend time with the dog and does not teach it how to act.

Well he has been doing tons better around people. I can let him out in the yard with people around as we grill and he is fine. I took him to Petsmart yesterday and he was perfectly fine until we got in the room with the other dogs. The trainer and I talked a little after class and she said it is mainly him being scared and uneasy since it's something he is completely new to and suggested I get him neutered come back and see if he is better. She also said that only having him for a week is still a short time and he needs time to know that I have things under control.

 

[1sikbITCH]

Originally posted by: Josh123

Originally posted by: 1sikbITCH
The dog is not a killing machine. He is just highly protective. If you are not a threat, he is bringing you his toys and expecting a belly rub. If you do act in a threatening manner, he will protect his family. The OP's dog is already showing aggressive tendencies at 8 months old. Judging from the pictures, if he is not trained at this young age, he will end up being 80-90 lbs and a menace. Go read the stories behind the dogs at your local German Shepherd Rescue. The number one reason these dogs are turned in is because the owner does not spend time with the dog and does not teach it how to act.

Well he has been doing tons better around people. I can let him out in the yard with people around as we grill and he is fine. I took him to Petsmart yesterday and he was perfectly fine until we got in the room with the other dogs. The trainer and I talked a little after class and she said it is mainly him being scared and uneasy since it's something he is completely new to and suggested I get him neutered come back and see if he is better. She also said that only having him for a week is still a short time and he needs time to know that I have things under control.

Yep that is crucial. If you are strong and in control, he will see you as the leader and will defer to you. If not, he will assume he is in charge and then will make his own decisions.
Just be calm and assertive and crack down hard on any aggression.

For my dog, after the 3rd Saturday of obedience training, my dog was MUCH more balanced and well-adjusted. Training your dog can be very rewarding. When you can control your dog at 100 yards away with a single voice command or arm movement as a dog owner it's pretty neat stuff.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Did the cop that sold you Bo give him any socialization?

Note, training is something that you have to perform 24/7 and not just in class. Some things may take longer than others and you need to be patient. Good Luck!

 

[Josh123]

Originally posted by: Capt Caveman
Did the cop that sold you Bo give him any socialization?

Note, training is something that you have to perform 24/7 and not just in class. Some things may take longer than others and you need to be patient. Good Luck!

I don't think so and a few other dog owners actually think they mistreated him.