another one for GSD people please

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paddy555

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whilst all the GSD people are here I wondered if someone could translate what my dog is trying to say into language that I understand?
2yo pet male GSD. 2 people in the house, me and OH. We both handle him, walk him and both do everything else between us so he is used to us both.

The problem is leaving him and happens on 2 separate occasions.
First is in the landrover. He is in the back with a dog guard. OH drives, pulls up to let me out to go to a shop, he stays in the landrover with the dog, as I get out and leave dog barks like mad really seriously.
If we stop in a car park and both get out, lock up and walk away dog is perfectly quiet. He likes the landrover, loves it in fact, he goes to sleep whilst we are away. So why does he bark if just one of us leaves the vehicle?

The 2nd scenario is possibly similar to the first. Around 8/9 pm in the evening at home, OH goes upstairs to his den , I stay in the sitting room, dog is lying on the floor or sofa quite happily. OH has been sitting on the sofa stroking the dog. He gets up, gets a drink and leaves to go upstairs, dog barks and he really means it. OH has gone, I am still there, dog is still there so why bark when just one of us leaves?

The dog is very serious about protecting me if that gives any clue.

Moobli? anyone?
 
My older boy has a variation on this theme. He barks in the morning when we get up. He barks when we come home, even though he knows it's us. In all cases there is a barrier between him and us, even if he can see us.

I think it's a pack communication, he is letting us know his position and that he wants to be with us. I would guess that yours is unhappy about an unauthorised pack split and is attempting to instruct the departing individual to maintain position for safety (don't go alone!). Dog communication is far more detailed and nuanced than we give credit for, and it must be frustrating for a dog when we aren't getting it and he has to shout!

Mine cries when it's just me who is absent from view, he doesn't give a hoot about OH who can obviously be trusted to look after himself. it's a fair assessment to be honest.
 
A Shitsu I walk does the first scenario with anyone that gets out of the car and/or who stands by the car window. It’s just one of his many idiosyncrasies ??‍♀️
 
paddy555 said:
The dog is very serious about protecting me if that gives any clue.
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Just sort of thinking aloud, Paddy.

Is he protecting you or is he protecting himself?

If he is protecting you, is this because you are a valuable resource or because he feels you need protecting?

Why does he feel he needs to protect himself?

If he is protecting you as a valuable resource this can be due to insecurity.

If he feels insecure could that be why he is unhappy when you or OH leave?

Of course this doesn't account for him not making a fuss when you both leave, unless he has come to realise that he is unable to control or change that situation.


Disclaimer. I am not an expert ;).
 
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skinnydipper said:
Just sort of thinking aloud, Paddy.

Is he protecting you or is he protecting himself?

If he is protecting you, is this because you are a valuable resource or because he feels you need protecting?

Why does he feel he needs to protect himself?

If he is protecting you as a valuable resource this can be due to insecurity.

If he feels insecure could that be why he is unhappy when you or OH leave?

Of course this doesn't account for him not making a fuss when you both leave, unless he has come to realise that he is unable to control or change that situation.


Disclaimer. I am not an expert ;).
Click to expand...

I think the protection part has a lot to do with it. He is happy to be left when we both leave as opposed to going round in circles, looking for us type of thing before he finally gives in and settles down. He has never given any sign about being stressed when left, he was left a lot as a puppy (for short times) but always had a beef chew or something that took a long time to eat so he was very accepting of it.

It is not so much he is unhappy if one of us leaves more annoyed. Once OH has gone upstairs and the dog has got pretty annoyed with him he then comes back to me and it also annoyed with me. I can see the thinking that the "flock " has split up and it is not to his liking. However why then I have no idea. He is quite happy for one of us to leave during the day to go outside. He never notices it.

His behaviour if I am in bed alone is very telling, if he hears something he jumps on the bed, straight over me and lies down across me to protect me (or his property). There he stays until the threat has gone. If it was a burglar and they appeared at the bedroom door then, basically, heaven help them.
If I am out walking him on a lead and a passer by raised his arm (even if not aimed at me) the dog would be immediately on guard and see it as a threat.

He was very protective of the house and was immediately at the window if he heard anything. I dealt with that by assuring him I could deal with it and he does accept that.

I have had other GSDs that have been protective but this one does seem to take it to new heights. Alternatively he just thinks I am so hopeless I am not safe be let out on my own :D:D
 
Without reading others replies.

They are pack animals, they like their pack to be together.
This is the reason imo, I've heard of other GSD's doing the same. Thankfully we don't not have that issues.. I have no idea how to fix it but good luck OP!
 
What SD said :) a totally secure dog 'ideally' would not kick off if a passerby raised their arm/wasn't presenting an immediate threat, IMO, I would just apply the same logic, assure him that there is nothing to be afraid of because a person over there moved. Doesn't sound like anyone will be able to steal you though ;)
 
I stopped at a motorway services a few years back. It was about 4 am and I took the dog for a short walk to have a pee. There was a drunk staggering about, he approached me, dog didn't bat an eyelid, we exchanged a few words and off he went. I handed the dog to my OH and went in to use the services and when I came out all hell had let loose. I could hear the dog barking and saw the same drunk backing away from my OH with his hands raised! My OH sensing that I would blame him said defensively; "He didn't like the look of him!". This of course was rubbish, it was my OH who didn't like the look of him and that was enough to concern the dog.
Some GSDs are quite reactive and although this type are a dream to train they don't seem able to regulate their own behaviour. They don't engage their brains which is a shame because the breed should be able to do this. Perhaps when your OH parked for you to run in to the shop he was slightly tense, on a yellow line perhaps, or you raised your voice slightly? This would be enough to alarm the dog. Did you mind when your OH went up to his den? Had there been words before hand? The tiniest bit of tension will set him off. I would be setting more boundaries and it's really important to get everyone to enforce them. Fine for me to say, I'm still in the process of training my OH after many years! Hope you get it sorted.
 
paddy555 said:
I think the protection part has a lot to do with it. He is happy to be left when we both leave as opposed to going round in circles, looking for us type of thing before he finally gives in and settles down. He has never given any sign about being stressed when left, he was left a lot as a puppy (for short times) but always had a beef chew or something that took a long time to eat so he was very accepting of it.

It is not so much he is unhappy if one of us leaves more annoyed. Once OH has gone upstairs and the dog has got pretty annoyed with him he then comes back to me and it also annoyed with me. I can see the thinking that the "flock " has split up and it is not to his liking. However why then I have no idea. He is quite happy for one of us to leave during the day to go outside. He never notices it.

His behaviour if I am in bed alone is very telling, if he hears something he jumps on the bed, straight over me and lies down across me to protect me (or his property). There he stays until the threat has gone. If it was a burglar and they appeared at the bedroom door then, basically, heaven help them.
If I am out walking him on a lead and a passer by raised his arm (even if not aimed at me) the dog would be immediately on guard and see it as a threat.

He was very protective of the house and was immediately at the window if he heard anything. I dealt with that by assuring him I could deal with it and he does accept that.

I have had other GSDs that have been protective but this one does seem to take it to new heights. Alternatively he just thinks I am so hopeless I am not safe be let out on my own :D:D
Click to expand...


You clearly have more experience than me when it comes to German Shepherds. :) I have only had 2 and they were completely different.

My first GSD was my only non rescue dog, not working lines. I raised him from a pup. He was calm and confident around people, interested but not effusive. Comfortable about accepting petting from others. The only time he ever demonstrated that he was prepared to protect was when I was walking along the river in the dark with my dogs and a fisherman approached from behind, I wasn't aware he was there so I may have been startled. The fisherman was given a brief verbal warning to keep his distance.

My second GSD was a troubled soul when I got him at 18 months. He needed to know that he could rely on me to look out for him, which is the opposite of what most people expect from a GSD.
 
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CorvusCorax said:
What SD said :) a totally secure dog 'ideally' would not kick off if a passerby raised their arm/wasn't presenting an immediate threat, IMO, I would just apply the same logic, assure him that there is nothing to be afraid of because a person over there moved. Doesn't sound like anyone will be able to steal you though ;)
Click to expand...

Nope! rape and murder are not high on my list of priorities. :D:D
 
Fellewell said:
I stopped at a motorway services a few years back. It was about 4 am and I took the dog for a short walk to have a pee. There was a drunk staggering about, he approached me, dog didn't bat an eyelid, we exchanged a few words and off he went. I handed the dog to my OH and went in to use the services and when I came out all hell had let loose. I could hear the dog barking and saw the same drunk backing away from my OH with his hands raised! My OH sensing that I would blame him said defensively; "He didn't like the look of him!". This of course was rubbish, it was my OH who didn't like the look of him and that was enough to concern the dog.
Some GSDs are quite reactive and although this type are a dream to train they don't seem able to regulate their own behaviour. They don't engage their brains which is a shame because the breed should be able to do this. Perhaps when your OH parked for you to run in to the shop he was slightly tense, on a yellow line perhaps, or you raised your voice slightly? This would be enough to alarm the dog. Did you mind when your OH went up to his den? Had there been words before hand? The tiniest bit of tension will set him off. I would be setting more boundaries and it's really important to get everyone to enforce them. Fine for me to say, I'm still in the process of training my OH after many years! Hope you get it sorted.
Click to expand...

I can see the dog reflecting human tension idea. I can also see that whilst OH would have no tension whatsoever about stopping on a yellow line I could be worried that the dog will kick off barking. He also does it in a parking space we have paid for so no tension about stopping but possibly some from me about the noise. If we plan to stop ie no risk to other traffic, OH will distract him with a treat.

As for OH going up to his den then no tension at all. He does this each evening, it is quite normal and predictable. Possibly the dog anticipates it.

He is an extremely sensitive dog, far more so than the other GSDs we have had who have all been "normal" . His whole outlook seems to be protect. I was walking him down a lane and another walker came into sight at least 200 yards behind. I had no idea he was there but the dog stopped and looked round. He tracked that walker every inch of his walk till he caught me up. We moved to the side and sat. He let the walker go by happily but every inch of the dog was attentive to what I presume was the perceived danger as he saw it.
 
We can probably blame the walker for that one! Dogs sees walker, walker watches dog's reaction and maybe hangs back, dog picks up on this and is curious. As a shepherd owner you will know what the general public's attitude is towards them. I wish I has 50p for every owner who's clutched their dog to them and called out to me; "he doesn't like Alsations!" even when we're nowhere near them (for some reason it's always Alsation rather than GSD regardless of owners age).
We can all share opinions on here but it's always good to have someone you trust on the ground. FWIW I would suggest; don't let him 'track' people, it's not his job to make decisions because with that temperament he'll probably draw the wrong conclusions! I would keep walking and 'check' your dog/give the command "leave" and keep repeating until his focus is totally back on you. Then praise him. As I said, we all need someone on the ground sometimes :-)
 
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