training advice? - Page 1

hi there i'm new but i've been browsing for a while and needed someone's advice on my bitch. She is just coming up for 17 wks old and we have been socialising her now for about four weeks. For some reason in the last week or so she has become very reactive to other dogs, even if they are just minding their own business and sitting nicely with their owners she starts barking like crazy, she's never had any bad experiences with other dogs so i do not know what has started this behaviour. We have two other dogs at home who she is fine with and we have friends with dogs who she is also fine with.

The first time she displayed a reaction was to an on lead dog who was straining at the lead, then we had nothing for a while, i thought it was gone. In this latter instance i just tried my hardest to keep her interested in me and walk on by, but once she's in that frame of mind, and i can see it coming as her ears prick up more and she becomes stiffer in the forquarters, i've tried distracting her when she gets like this but it doesn't work. I'm wondering if maybe she's been scared by the fact our two male dogs had a serious fight about two weeks ago and maybe that could have triggered it? or is there something i'm doing wrong? I've been around shepherds for about 11 years now so i know they go through fear stages and the working lines can be harder to manage, any advice would be really fantastic as the last thing i want is for her to become aggressive to other dogs. We have started taking her to basic obedience classes at a working trials group which specialises in GSD's and hope the exposure to all the other dogs might settle her down when she realises they are harmless. I just don't want this to escalate  as she is a family dog so we'd like to be able to take her places with us all the time...help!!

ps thanks in advance

hi i've had 56 views now and no-one has given any suggestions..can anyone help? please?

Violet,
I wouldn't worry about it too much, keep socializing and do the obedience.   Later you will mainly want to have an obedient dog that will understand leave it or no or be paying attention to you and not crossing the line.  Some dogs will not like other dogs period, go figure.  
What you should really be concerned about is two males and one female.   When her first season hits your going to probably see more fighting. 
Moons.

 Just keep training and socializing her.  Start to teach her focus and that you are the most interesting thing in the world.  The giver of all good things.  Start this with no distractions so she understands what you want.  

Find the level of distraction she can take and work just under this threshhold.  You will be able to increase the distractions as she grows older.  Good luck.

They go thru fear periods, as you know. When she starts barking,  I would tell her LEAVE IT.   Bring treats with you too. Did she have a bad experience with another dog who does not live with you elsewhere? At a park? Or, when she starts to bark, tell her to leave it, and walk the other way with her.

I would not let her go near strange dogs. You do not know how they will react!


Dawn

I do not tolerate aggression to other dogs, PERIOD, even at 4 mos. old. I nip that behavior in the bud with a strong handler correction and a sharp NO! before it goes any further. The last thing I want/need in the ring or on the trial field is my dog making a spectacle of itself with poor behavior.  Booooooo.

SS

Agreed.

Hello Violet

We

Hello Violet

We