5yr old GSD........a clean slate. - Page 1

since my neighbour got him as a 3 month old puppy ive had alot of contact with the gsd next door.the guy is a drinker whilst the woman goes out to work so very little time is spent with him,i asked him 6months ago if i could take him on as i think i could take more care of him and he suprisingly said yes as he felt he should of and could of done more.
He's a 5 yr old (bday last week) GSD.im aware he was regularly left 5/6 hrs a day in a small kitchen whilst owner was at work,walked only once a day very short walk and kept on lead at all times during any walks as owner 'didnt trust him'.
his discipline was physical,not regular and unnecessarily i must stress.but i think this plays a part in why he tried to bite a jogger the other day.so im just seeking advice on what i could do with this amazing dog in regards to giving him a role in life and training etc?
ive had him about 4 months now and to sum him up he.s very excitable,which causes problems when im tryin to cook etc,also my house backs onto a not so often used footpath and he goes nuts when people walk by which causes problems for the neighbours i imagine as you know its no yorkshire terriers'!  and its difficult to get ghim to settle he likes to play quite rough like play fighting but i dont think i should be doing this? i take him for 3 walks a day 2 ten mins and one 1 hr and always let him off lead when nobody around on fields,i like to throw sticks etc to run him around but instead of retrieving them he just tears it to bits so playin fetch is usually one sided! also he strange around other dogs,i dont think hes had much to do with other dogs.on the five occasions weve seen other dogs whilst out ive let him go near and have a sniff but then the other dog usually becomes aggressive which by then he will come back to me being a wimp whilst the other owner is rollocking their dog so im curious to know what thats all about,is it something he.s doing?
last of all,i feed him WAGG buscuits with a top brand canned meat once a day(advised by a trainer) but i feel like im starving him,he doesnt look unhealthy or anything so is it just me or should i feed him more? i mix the flavours up sometimes but always use the same method and brands.i dont feed him scraps or anything unless its meat is that good?

thankyou to anybody who takes the time to read this and any response and ideas about any of the things ive mentioned will be very welcomed. regards

mitch

Sounds like your dog got next to no socialization and could use more exercise(needs to go out on walks  & become familiarized & comfortable with the world).  While I don't think that everything he says is gospel, check out Ed Frawley's e-books on several subjects.  http://leerburg.com/dogtrainingebooks.htm  It is a good start and you can address some of your concerns as they crop up or you identify them while reading.

BTW, GSD's are spirited playing dogs.  I have two and they play rough enough, however, I've yet to hear a growl or yelp...  In my home, there is only one pack leader and my dogs know that he giveth and taketh away...  Also, I take my two dogs on at least two (often 3) 20 to 30 minute  walks per day and work them on obedience daily.

Hi Mitch,I think that the above posters advice is good in respect to reading some of the information available on the Leerburg site.Also it might be a good idea to find someone local that is a GOOD trainer NOT some fly by night guys that seem to crawl out of the woodwork when it comes to money.Try to bond with the dog before attemping to ask for much of it.You might want to try to maybe throw a proper size ball that he cant swallow instead of a stick which by the way is very dangerous.You could even start him bringing it back to you by using a long line and teach him what you are asking of him.Throw the ball a short distance(cause you have a 30 foot line)and ask him to bring it back using the line to teach him what it is you want of him.There are many ways to teach this,I just threw this one at you as an example.Also try to be carefull with other dogs for now untill you know the dog better.Is he neutered?cause that plays a role as well sometimes with the other dogs smelling the testosterone.There is so much to tell.I think it be best to find someone who is trustworthy and get the help you need.It sounds like this dog has some drive which is good.Good luck to you both and have lots of fun with him.Oh yes,if you are only giving 1 can a day that is not going to be enough.