My 1yo female GSD is super sweet with my 3 kids.  She is super sweet with my brother's kids too.  She is super sweet with my kids's friends INSIDE the house.
This week, I was outside with her and some kids came in the yard to see my kids.  She started to bark.  I corrected her.  She started to growl.  I corrected her more severely.  the kids came neerer, she continued to growl and she ignored my corrections.  I made the kids pet her and give her toy, she was ok but it made me nervous. Since that time, when I see kids (other than mine or my brother's), I put her back in the house before the kids come in our yard if we are outside.  Please help.

Do not correct your dog for barking or for growling.  What you will do is get the dog to suppress the bark or the growl and go straight for the bite with NO WARNING.

Growling is a warning.  Leave the warning system intact!  If you correct for making noise the next thing that will happen is someone will get bitten "without warning" and that could be tragic!!!

You can try to build a positive association with food.  You feed the dog treats when kids the dog does not know come to the yard.  Keep that going and the dog may start to think that kids are OK. 

I do not know how old these children are.  If they are very young (not teens) then they should not be out alone with the dog without adult supervision PERIOD.. even the kids who know the dog.  Too often kids give dogs the wrong signals (direct eye contract, hugs, pushing into the dog's space and so forth) and the dog can react like a dog to these signals with a bite. 

Verohera,
You need to get some help in dealing with your dog.  If you dog ignored your corrections and continued the behavior, you did not correct severely as you said.  If your dog ignored your correction and continued to bark adn growl then more severe corrections are needed.  You need a good trainer that can show / teach you the proper way to correct a dog.  Positive motivation and training with food is great for basic obedience, but compulsion may very well be needed for inappropriate aggression in this case. 

I would have handled this situation completely differently and would never tolerate that type of behavior.   Then to have the kids come up and pet the dog was asking for trouble.  You need to get this dog under control and fast. 

Rass,
Wow!  Don't correct for the growling and barking?   I completely disagree with you. 

Do what Slam has suggested.

 IMO there is only one way to deal with this type of behavior and that is to let the dog know they will meet their maker if they choose to behave this way around children.

Your female is going through adolescence at this age. Is she spayed?

Adolescence Period (5 - 18 months) Adolescence can appear in smaller dogs as early as five months. In larger breeds, it can start as late as nine or ten months. In giant breeds, adolescence doesn't take place until twelve to eighteen months. In general, the larger the dog, the longer it will take to physically mature. Some breeds can remain adolescents until they are two and a half, or three years old. Adolescence is expressed in male dogs by scent marking behavior. Scent marking behavior is stimulated by the release of testosterone into the dog's system. At this time, males may become macho. Male dogs may become less friendly and even somewhat aggressive to other male dogs. He may begin lifting his leg in the house. He may become very interested in girls, tend to roam, and certainly not interested in listening to you! Some males at this age become totally unruly. In females, adolescence is marked by the onset of the heat cycle, estrus. During this three week period, your bitch could become pregnant. So, keep her away from all male dogs. Bitches exhibit erratic behavior during estrus. Some get real moody and insecure. Others become quite bold or even aggressive. Adolescence is a very difficult time for pet owners. They are surprised when their cute little puppy becomes a free and independent thinker. Adolescence is certainly a good time to start (or reinstitute) rigorous training. You must work hard NOW to mold the dog of your dreams.This course will teach you training methods which are based on sound knowledge of dog behavior. You will gain knowledge about dog behavior and training techniques. This knowledge will help you to get through your dog's adolescence. A dog that you iew as too stupid, too old or stubborn or too spiteful can become a well mannered, enjoyable, and reliable companion. Establish yourself as the leader of the pack. Be realistic about your expectations.You cannot expect young dogs to grow up overnight. Learn to appreciate your dog's adolescence for it is a truly wonderful time. At this time of their lives, dogs are very energetic and exuberant in their responses. They can be full of beans, but still, delightful playmates. You as the owner must learn to channel that energy and exuberance into learning, working, exercising, and playing games. It is not too late to to train (or retrain) your dog to help him to become a long-lasting companion.

Second Fear Imprint Period (6 - 14 Months) The Second Fear Imprint Period is similar to the one that occurred during the socialization period, but, it is much less defined. It occurs as dogs enter adolescence and seems more common in males. It is often referred to as adolescent shyness. Your dog may suddenly become reluctant to approach something new or suddenly become afraid of something familiar. This behavior can be very frustrating to the owner and difficult to understand because its onset is so sudden and, seemingly, unprovoked. If you notice this behavior, it is important to avoid the two extremes in response: Don't force him to do or approach something frightening to him and don't coddle or baby him. To get through situations that make your dog fearful, be patient, kind, and understanding. Desensitize him to the object or situation by gradually introducing him to it and using food rewards and praise to entice him to confront the fearful object or situation. Do not coddle or reassure him in any way that will encourage his fearful behavior. Do not correct him either. Simply make light of it and encourage him give him food rewards as he begins to deal with his fear better. Make sure you lavishly praise his attempts! This phase will pass
 
 .This article is Thanks to: Sue St. Gelais

You should continue socializing your dog to outside places & people, plus get help with more advance training / behavior modification
Good Luck with her

 

 

I will add only; now that your girl has growled at a child, you MUST consider her unreliable around children, & be hypervigilent whenever she is around children, even your own. I know this sounds harsh, but it is better than having someone get bitten. That would be heart-breaking for everyone. Maybe she felt your kids were being threatened, & she was being protective of them, but growling at kids is wrong & a warning as was said, so you need to protect your dog from the consequences of an inappropriate response. Good luck, keep us posted of your progress, thanks. jackie harris

When you see this behavior.  Lift the dog off the ground by the skin just behind the mouth area.  And slam him straight to the ground and tell him "no". 

Now there is a correction.

You're joking right? 

  Slamdunc:

    Why is your name SLAMDUNC??????

    I am pulling yur chain , ya know that...


    I am gonna let you handle this one...YOU ALready GAVE THE RIGHT  COMMAND  to this poster the first post....

     Nothing further....  needed...

     THE correct command is     NO BITE   NO child....or      SITZ,,,,Stay.......Then remove the dog from the situation until you get the dog trained properly..

    NO CHILD    .....OR BETTER YET.....AFTER A MONTH OF TRAINING....USE

      FRIEND    ALL With positive praise and reward when dog shows he understands.


     Find a mentor to help you or find a club and ask for name of a german shepherd trainer not a dog trainer., there is a difference.

    YR

My kids's friends rang at the door today.  I put my dog's leash and answered.  The dog was great with the kids.  They I gave the kids plenty of liver bites.
Then I went outside with the dog.  My kids were running outside with their friends and there were kids in the street too.  I did a little bit of training.  My dog was really attentive to the commands and didn't even cared about the kids.  Then after that little training session, I ask the kids in my yard to come back and give treats again.  She remained sweet. 
I saw my trainer too today and he taught me about better correction methods AND the treats.
My trainer thought my dog wanted to "protect" my own kids BUT I never want to see that again. I will continue with the treats and the training when the kids are around. Of course I never let the dog alone with the kids, even my own kids. 
Thank you all for your advice.