Lunging and growling at strangers - 4 Month Old puppy! - Page 5

Being too possesive of you is a sort of resource guarding, IMO ; you could try to build a little tiny bit more distance with him - and with your training treats - in a gradually increasing way;  so that he waits a little longer each time for his dinner or a reward of any kind.  If you are consistent he will still be getting the bonding with you, but will learn a little patience around you and that will hopefully start to carry over into how he reacts to the approach of other dogs.  Try also not to make a lot of fuss greeting your friends' dogs while he is there, for the time being.

Susie's suggestion that you take him on walks in the company of other peoples' dogs that are calm, well socialised and well controlled is an excellent confidence building method; he will learn from these dogs that they are no threat to him or to you, and he should start to copy their behaviour around other dogs and people.

Great news about the training class !  He is bound to clown around sometimes, he is still a puppy - this will stop once he realises you don't approve and it isn't getting him anywhere.  Hang in there !

My 4 year old GSD has always been somewhat timid and fearful (not aggressive) in situations outside her comfort zone (my house and park behind it). I wanted to do pet therapy with her but she failed the course. Her obedience work was the best in the class but she was too nervous to interact well with the mock patients. They were starting a nose work class at the facility and thought this might help build her confidence. She went from resisting entering the facility and pulling to get out the door to pulling to get into the classroom. She loves scent work and has passed one odor recognition test at a different facility that she wasn't familiar with. She isn't perfect but I do think the classes helped her and it's very non threatening as all the dogs are kept on leash and they concentrate on the scent work. She has been to several different 4 week classes and there have been puppies as young as yours in the class that do well with scent work. Some of the dogs in the class have been somewhat reactive to other dogs and resource guarders and it hasn't been a problem. My dog is a resource guarder as well and I have to be careful with giving treats around other dogs and I usually don't pet other dogs in her presence. I wish you much success with your puppy!