People Guarding - Page 1

I have a 19 month old GSD male, who has recently began, what I would say is people guarding. He guards a good friend of ours from her dog. I would say that hes pretty close to her being that she cares for him when Im away for military service. Here in the past few months my GSD has been attacking her dog and with time the intensity of the attacks has only increased. Is there anyway to handle this in a positve way or in a way that will not squash his prey drive? I would much appreciate any advice. Thanks!

It sounds to me like the simple but very strong emotion of jealousy caused by dominant possessiveness in your dog. I have seen it before in my own dogs as well as those of other people. I am convinced that dogs possess all of the emotions known to humans. Now, it is my assumption that your dog has a dominant personality-very normal for a good male. I think that the intensity of the attacks has increased because your dog now sees that he can "get away with it", so to speak. The only "positive" way to start any correction is by modifying the way that your dog comes into contact with the other dog, possibly through distraction. Past that, all that I can suggest is that some form of progressive, possibly strong and definitely consistent correction must be applied. It sounds as if this behaviour has been going on for a long time and is becoming worse. I do understand the issue. I have one (1) bitch who is a real sweetheart (to me, my wife, her dam, and most male dogs), but can be a holy terror to females younger/smaller than she. She can be called down, but her natural behaviour is to dominate her kennelmates if allowed an opportunity. And given this opportunity she would do it all day. She has never seriously injured another bitch and I do not allow her to socialize with these bitches on a normal basis. And yes, she does have a favourite that she "picks on". I have never been abe to truely correct her behaviour-just modify it in my presence. Bob-O

I should add hat your dog is a young male who is at the moment supercharged with hormones and is trying to determine his true place in the world. His dominant expressions are his way of testing his boundaries. Bob-O

Bob-o I have a female who behaves in exactly the same way. She behaves much better in my presence and will get along with other females as long as she is watched, but as soon if she is left alone with another female she goes back to dominating and sometimes attacking other females. She even tries to dominate my male.