Basic behavioral question - Page 1

I'd like some feedback.

I'm a big, macho guy and my wife is ...reticent.   We have a 2 yo unneutered male gsd.   He has never been remotely handler aggressive with me, but recently he has refused to allow my wife to put his lead back on his collar when she thinks they should be done with their romp in the woods.  He is not disobedient enough to move away when she commands him to stay, but today he growled and snapped at her (or at the lead).  She made him sitz and platz and only then tried again, and he growled again.  She handed him a stick, and then he let her put the lead on his collar, but he remained frustrated and tried to take it out on her older dog.

With me he is really a great dog and very well trained.  I can platz him or stand-stay him at a great distance and he does not move an inch until given a release.  He is already competitive in OB.  And he tears into a sleeve with enthusiasm, but does out without apparent problems.

Time for a prong collar?  Worse?

I have asked her not to walk him in the walks again until I resolve this.  It's hard because it is one of those behavioral problems that never expresses itself in front of me, so I can't see it for myself.  Further, I will have to implement it through my wife.

Dog weighs 101, wife 118.  Not much to her, and no real toughness that can be easily cultivated.

If your wife knows the commands and is confident with her skills, put the leash and collar the dog and walk away and let her work the dog. Let the dog know you are not the only boss in the pack. This is unacceptable behavior.

anyway you can set up a video camera to record sight and sound while she is walking him around nearby?  maybe that would give you better insight into what is going on

Sounds like the dog is thinking he might be 2nd in pack structure,not a good thing for the wife as you described her, could escolate to a dangerous situation if not nipped in the bud.My advice would be,consult a professional trainer.

Dog weighs 101, wife 118. Not much to her, and no real toughness that can be easily cultivated.

Shouldn't matter, if the wife realizes she has got to get tough with the dog, or possibly get bitten!

I've seen six year olds bossing around large GSD's. One little guy, who grew up with the dogs, would just grab the dog's chain, and pretty nearly yank him off his feet, if the dog refused to listen to him. (This was years ago, when the 'yank and crank' school of dog training was about the only one.)

I'd recommend having the wife work the dog while you watch, and stand ready to back her up if needed.

I agree with Minhunt. I have a, now three year old rescued male, now neutered. When I received him in February, he had no training and several major behavioral issues. I bred, raised and trained Belgian Sheepdogs for over twenty years, and I new that I needed help with this dog. It was worth every penny.

Ok, I hear you! Thanks!

I checked out an e-collar today but balked.  I'm afraid he may react badly and mess things up.

I am going to first have her train with me present. She does no ob training with him directly (except very basic stuff).

If I cannot be sure of things then, I will get a pro.

I am amazed that a 6yo could yank a male gsd off his feet! That kid should have gone to the Olympics. There is no way my skinny little road racing wife could rock my boy physically.  He is a 100 lb anvil (formerly 110, and now in very good shape).

Btw, he is okay with me but not at all submissive.  I ran an hour long mountain run with him today, and when we were through he was too aggressive with my wife's middle aged dog (who was lagging, apparently to the annoyance of the shepherd).  I shouted at my dog, and he turned to look at me in the oddest way.  His ears were absolutely forward and on alert, not a drop of submission or anxiety or chagrin or guilt to be seen.  Direct eye contact, nothing at all in his body language suggesting that raising my voice even dented his psyche. 

As another example of his trying to control things, he did something odd at the training field.  I had a pile of bumpers and dumbbells out there, and he apparently wanted to go home.  (It was raining lightly which doesn't bother me, but was bugging him.)  The back of my SUV was open only 30 meters away.  So get this: he took each bumper, one by one, and then each dumbbell, also one by one, to the car, jumped in, dumped it, and returned for the next.  After he was done, he sat in the back of the SUV staring at me intently, as if to say it was time to go.  I took a bumper back and made him retrieve it, but then I gave in and took him home.

I just may have to have him castrated.

time for your wife to go to obedience classes with your dog. she needs to establish her park dominance.

in our club we had the same problem. one of our member hand a dog that competed with his wife.

she started training the dog and put it through BH.......the issue went away.