I Need HELP with Gunther(he thinks he owns me) - Page 6

@Blitzen  Thanks for the tip. I did indeed find a trainer (highly recommended) and she is coming to my home She is working with me as well as my   boy, and we have had our first "session" this week.  She is very experienced with GSDs and I think we are on the right track. I cannot thank all of you enough for the insights and input, but as I was told by you a a few others, bottom line is, I needed to get some experitse from someone who is familiar with GSDs. Jessica really seems to understan d the dog and we think she iwll be a good fit. If not, we will keep looking. My boy is worth it. Thanks a lot

That's great, Deb. Let us know how it goes.

Sounds like your on the right track, good job!

@Slamdunc & Blitzen   Thanks fir the encouragement. I think a female trainer was a good idea with mu boy, at least to start with. Jessica is strong, firm, loves the breed. I will work hard to get my boy to be the best he can be, and I cannot thank you enough for the words of encouragement, truth and respect. It has been appreciated

I'd like to hear some updates as you make progress.   

Reckon we'd ALL like to hear updates, as and when you can.
Best of luck.

A lot of good advice!

It is difficult to look back and see how you might have failed your dog when your intentions were always the best.

If you have ever "comforted" your dog only to learn that you were both rewarding the previous behavior and pretty much making certain it would happen again... sigh.

For whatever reason that a dog shows inappropriate aggression, it takes you one step closer to breaking your heart. It may be any combination of things, and the problem may not be solved by just dealing with what the dog is doing or how he interprets the situation. You may need to look at what's going on with you and why you might have misinterpreted his response. It might help prevent other issues in the future. If you are insure or feel afraid, the dog will sense that. If you are inconsistent and either over-react or under-react, the dog will be affected by it. It may feel it needs to step up for an owner that creates in him confusion, stress, and lack of security.

We can carry a lot of emotional baggage and incorrect beliefs about dogs and their psychology. You can snow people by telling them just what they want to hear. But you can't snow a dog. The hardest thing is not just admitting you have screwed up but to then get over the guilt and work on yourself.

If you can feel more informed and confident, and if you can follow that up with calm, consistent treatment, your dog may not feel he has to show aggression in a situation when it is not appropriate.
 

Thumbs up to what Kinolog said.      I too "messed up" my first IPO prospect.   I came on to chat here last December crying about how I broke my dog.  Many good people here listened to my crying and helped me too see my dog for what she really is.  After 3 days of soul searching and crying, here is what I came up with .

The dog does not care about the "plan."  The dog does not care about the titles. The dog does not care about the awards.

The dog does care about YOU.  They love YOU totally and unconditionally.   The greatest time in their life is to have your undivided attention. Everything else, well, it only means something to you.  

With my new attitude, we are having a ball.  Probably will never do IPO.  Hopefully will do agility (plans changed yet again when she came in heat 1 week before our first advanced obedience class) this fall.  In the meantime, I have a very well mannered , now 1 year old dog,  that has never failed my command, even during these rough teenage times.

Hi All,
It has been awhile and thought I would give an update to all those who were kind enough to give me insight and advice. First, thanks to all of you. It never ever hurts to have multiple bits of input, and to be able to sort through and apply what applies, and save the rest for future use.
Gunther is doing quite well. His trainer, Jessica, believes him t obe very intelligent, and says he is reacting primarily to me and the fact that I gave him no clear cut direction. He was pretty much coasting on his own interpretation of what I wanted/needed from him. Now that she is training me he is improving daily. He likes working, and thrives on having lots to do. We are building a small obstacle course in our yard for him, and Jessica is helping me learn how to work him safely, calmly and consistantly. He has pretty much completed his "beginner" stuff and moved right along to more advanced obedience. He is such a smart boy, and is learning fast. We have had no more instances of aggression, and he does not respond in a  negative way to people approaching me any more. He does still stay alert and watches everything, but he also stays relaxed. He now rides in my jeep without hesitation. He seems happier, and I know I am. Thanks again for all the kindness and help. Gunther and I both appreciate it. As soon as I figure out how, I will post a photo of him.
Deborah