Advice on barking/defensiveness - Page 1

Hi there, firstly, I want to apologise for the subject header as I couldn't really think of how to put my issue, or rather dog's issue more succintly.

I have a black GSD who'll turn a year next month. The thing is that yes, he's endearing, loveable and none of the family will ever part with him. However, we only wish that he would at least bark towards strangers. For example a couple of folks arrived today at my place and the fellow just lay down after sniffing them or just following them...this is normal for him, no charging to wards the gate nothing. He hardly ever barks except when playing with us or my other dog who happens to be a little Pom.

Also, I'd like to point out that we leave him unleashed all day long 24/7....we hardly ever keep him tied. We wanted him to sort of get used to people coming in and out....now it seems like it's backfired on us. All we want is for the guy to be a little more protective of his territory. Is this something that will happen in time? Or do you think we've given him a tad too much freedom and a couple of hours of leashing is in order?

Your thoughts please!

IMO your dog is just a puppy he probably has no defense to speak of yet. Let him grow up. I think the fact too that he seems confident and not fearful around people is a good thing.

Maybe you have a softer dog. It's possible. Go to a local Sch. club to have him evaluated by a pro. Softer dogs are nice companions. Puppies are always a gamble. You never know exactly what you're going to get. Maybe you can build his drive, maybe you can't. Get some advice at the club, and enjoy him. Von Leistung

Well for starters he is still young.  Could also be that he's just not a vocal dog.  My guess would be that part of the reason his suspicion level is not up is because you haven't given him anything to be "suspicious" of.  If you allow him to see everyone that comes into your home as the friendly person who's gonna pet him and play with him then chances are that he's associating every person that comes to the door as the person who's gonna fuss over him.

When he sniffs the person and follows them around he's checking them out even though he's not barking.  Trust me if you had a dog that barked every time a leaf blew you'd be on here asking how to shut him up. lol  The lack of barking may not be such a bad thing if you talk to other's that have Gsd's that bark at everything and everyone.

I have 4 Gsd's and they all react differently to "company".  My oldest Male scares the bajeebers out of the mailman every single day.  I swear he plays a game with him and knows around the time of day he will be approaching.  He hits that door like a lunatic when he sees him round the bend to the box.  What's intersting about him is that he won't bother to bark at the door if he sees it's the kids ringing the doorbell to come in or if it's myself or my husband who's at the door.  Anyone else he will bark and stand there until I let him know it's ok to relax.  My female does not bark at the door.  I've never heard her attempt to bark at the door but if someone approaches her yard, her kennel she will go ape shit.  I presume her reason for not barking in the house is that she's spent her primary time in the kennel prior to me acquiring her.  My 20 month old is only now starting to "get it" that it's ok to bark at the door or if he hears something "unusual" to him.  When I catch him even let out a little grumble I give him lots of praise and he just eats it up.  Your dog is still a pup and may need a little more time to "get it".

I got to agree with Agar I also  have 4 GS my oldest Female is just like yours she loves people and rarely Barks at a person the most barking she does if she sees a Sqirel.

The 3 younger once bark at anything moving, they are NOT agressive toward People but they let me know when someone arives.

It sounds as if he is a confidant dog and if he has never been challenged you would not know if he was soft or not at this point. Good advice is to take him to the Schutzhund club to sort out his temperment with a trainers help. Just because he is not a barker does not mean much of anything one way or the other especailly at this age.

Marlene

When I first adopted Ranger, he did not know he was to bark when someone knocked on the door, as he'd been an outdoor dog.

I hired a professional trainer and she got him stirred up, by knocking on the door, and jumping around and encouraging him, and within less than 10 minutes, he got the idea, and started barking. Now he goes crazy when someone knocks on the door, but he'll quit when I tell him to. Nothing like trying to pay the delivery guy for the pizza with a dog barking its head off...don't need that!  

A trainer will be able to stir up any latent suspicion/protection drive this dog has. As some have said above, he's never had anything to be suspicious of!

It could be he's just not high drive in this area, though. When I brought my puppy home, she'd bark when she saw a stranger, and the hair would go up on her back, too. She still barks, but the hair doesn't go up anymore, unless she sees something unusual.

I had a few buddies in college and two of them stand out.  One was a mouthy, cocky guy that ran his mouth to anyone and everyone at the bar.  He got his ass kicked on a regular basis.  My other buddy, on the other hand, was a calm guy that was very confident with himself.  He was outgoing and made friends.  He usually ended up saving the other guys behind from getting killed because he ran his mouth so much.

Don you put things in a way anyone could understand in Dons fashion! Zidane does not bark one time when people come here a  nervy dog bark sat the wind. If a dog hackles up and barks like crazy all the while backing up this is fear. A confidant dog is the better dog in every scenerio.

Don would be a confidant dog! LOL

Marlene

Zidana is a sissy!