Socialising a nervous dog?

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Laura2408

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Sorry second post in as many weeks but got great advice last time!

I have a young GSD bitch. She is pretty seriously reactive, lunges/growls and barks and tends to sort of snap her teeth together. Obviously she is muzzled when walked. If she is off lead she tends to run up to a person or dog, give it abuse and run back but she would most likely nip given the chance (she isn't off lead for this reason!)
If someone tries to stroke her her default is to spin away and give a warning snap.
She has been like this since she was a puppy but some bad experiences caused the reactivity.
Just to add- she is a sweety at home and never been aggressive to any family.

I have walked her with friends dogs and she is always fine once she knows the dog is 'safe'. In fact I would say she is submissive and wary than outwardly aggressive. She has no idea how to play with strangers and just follows them instead but if they look at her she screams and runs away. On lead she is much more defensive.

She has been under a behaviourist since she was 6 months old following a desensitisation type programme with some success. Sometimes she is calm and others not! She does agility and can cope to an extent but a normal walk she is horrible (being honest!) and we tend to walk in rural areas.

Anyway she is restriting what we can do and where we can take her and I feel sorry for her being left out all the time. Things like holidays are impossible. The trainer has suggested attending some group walks with lots of off lead dogs and also taking her to busy places to try and get her used to being around more.

My concerns are if something scares her she would get worse or just shut down completely. For example a dog attack started many of the dog issues so if she was in a group of dogs and got in trouble I would literally never get her out of the house ever again. If something spooks her she is a wreck for hours after.
I am also not sure I can cope with the embarrassment of a lunging barking shepherd in public- if she was a chihuahua it may be less scary to people but sadly not!

What's best for her, to stay as we are avoiding things or try and push her a bit more?
 
Have you had your dog since an 8 week old pup? If not, when did you acquire her and what was her prior history? How old is she now? What are the qualifications of the behaviourist you have used?
 
Your girl sounds very similar to mine! She was well socialised as a puppy but her fear/aggression increased as she got older. Last year she was diagnosed as having EPI which can have the side affect of causing fear/ aggression and since beginning treatment and having her diet changed she has improved tremendously.
I have found that with mine if I keep her brain occupied then she tends to concentrate on me rather than other dogs and I tell people not to approach her. I have got mine to the stage where she no longer lunges at other dogs whilst we are walking and she will sit quietly with me if there are other people or dogs near as long as they stay out of her comfort zone. I'm not a fan of flooding a dog with lots of something that frightens them as I don't believe it helps. Sometimes you just have to accept that your dog is not social and adjust the things you do accordingly.
 
She was a rescue and given to me as a small puppy very poorly and dumped by the breeder who couldn't sell her. She was not from a good breeder.

She had a tough time as a puppy and was hurt a few times by other dogs being too boisterous which put her off (we fostered two puppies at once and the other would play roughly and hurt her) then when she was older she was attacked by two dogs requiring stitches and she's been terrified ever since. She's coming up to 2yo now.
She lives with another dog currently. She also hates people and would think nothing of nipping someone entering the house or touching her, she goes in all guns blazing to get rid of the scary thing.

We tried to socialise her and thought we had done everything right but she was nervous from day1 and was the type of puppy hiding in the corner not the puppy playing etc. We did classes etc but she hid under the chair and didn't cope, maybe I tried to hard to push her to be friendly I'm not sure.

We have used both a vet behaviourist and also an apdt one who work alongside each other. I am still in contact with both and the agility is ran by the latter of the two.
 
I couldn't possibly keep a dog like that. She cannot have any pleasure in life and it must be like walking with a grenade with the pin out.
 
In all honesty I wasn't really looking for opinions on whether I should have her euthanised or not, it's something as a family we have discussed alongside our trainer,vet and ourselves and I am confident with the decision we have made. If it came to a point I wasn't happy to keep her then it would be an easy decision and one that's been well thought out. We keep her and everyone else safe and there is no chance of harm coming to anyone (but perhaps me although I would say this is very unlikely as I can do anything to her!)
Apologies if that comes across as rude and it's not meant too at all!

I was looking for an opinion as to whether it will set her back or not to try and take her on this group walk type activity or if it would be detrimental to her :)
 
Laura2408 said:
In all honesty I wasn't really looking for opinions on whether I should have her euthanised or not, it's something as a family we have discussed alongside our trainer,vet and ourselves and I am confident with the decision we have made. If it came to a point I wasn't happy to keep her then it would be an easy decision and one that's been well thought out. We keep her and everyone else safe and there is no chance of harm coming to anyone (but perhaps me although I would say this is very unlikely as I can do anything to her!)
Apologies if that comes across as rude and it's not meant too at all!

I was looking for an opinion as to whether it will set her back or not to try and take her on this group walk type activity or if it would be detrimental to her :)
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No, fair enough, I see that. How would the other people on the group walk feel about their dogs possibly being attacked? Even with a muzzle on she could do a lot of damage.
 
I would say with a sensible group who are prepared to work with her, preferably initially in a secure area with sensible dogs who wont play too hard or take offence to her it should do her the world of good.
Have you put her on calming supplements?
 
Speaking from my own experiences of a severely reactive and fearful dog (came to me at 2.5yrs) I would not encourage you to go on socialising walks/group walks without carefully introducing each dog first and making sure she is happy with each of them, and even then the focus of the walk would be her working with me, not trying to get her to go and play with the others when she doesn't have the skills to deal with that.
I would also do a lot of work to build her self confidence, I find clicker work really useful for this, shaping, trick training, really anything, just getting her to feel safe in trying new things out and being rewarded for it, it made such an amazing difference to my boy.
I know very well what it is like to live with a dog such as yours, it isn't easy, and the first few years I tried so hard to socialise and train so we could go places and deal with things. We succeeded, we could compete at agility, we could walk through a town safely etc etc but it took such a toll on us both. He would literally need 2 weeks of staying more or less housebound after a weekend away at agility in order to let his adrenaline settle and be able to cope with everyday stuff again. It did improve, but I have to say it improved much more when we stopped doing agility, group walks, walking anywhere stressful, trying to socialise him. I just accepted the things he would rather not do, and we stopped doing them where possible. This meant that on the odd occasion we did need to wak through towns, walk with other dogs/attend a large show, cope with crowds etc he could do it much more easily, and recovered far quicker. These days there are few restrictions on what we do/where we go but I am strict on which people he mets that he doesn't know - if he doesn't need to meet them and I don't trust them to absolutely follow instructions (you get a feel for this, my biggest red flag is those who say "oh but dogs love me" - that's an instant lifetime ban!) then he doesn't meet them, end of. If he has to cope with a situation then he doesn't also meet people - we have done a lot of demos at huge dog shows which he loves to do but coping with the crowd around him getting to and from the ring is enough, he is happy, but meeting strangers as well is too much, so he doesn't.
I guess I am trying to say there are probably going to be aspects you can't change, and she will possibly never be the dog you can take everywhere, but there are holiday places for these dogs, there are ways of managing them that limit the restrictions, and it is possible to have an incredible relationship with them, but accepting them for who they are is the first step. If you have worked with behaviourists and trainers who are half decent all this time then much of it is likely to be her personality - we can't all be social butterflies!
As for her being left out, my boy asks to be "put to bed" for a rest because being around too many people all day is just too tiring. He is much happier being given the chance to switch off by going in his crate and being left in peace. I feel he is missing out, but I know that if we tried to keep him with us all the time then he would get very tired, then stressy, then actively cranky. So he has time out, whenever he needs it, and he has periods almost every day where he is shut away to just sleep and be on his own. That is how he likes it - just the two of us, he will sleep near me, but more than me in the house and he needs to be given the space to sleep otherwise he doesn't switch off. She isn't being left out if she doesn't enjoy being there - just make sure she has enough mental and physical stimulation to keep her happy and able to rest.
And for those who say they can't live with a dog like that because they can't possibly be happy, you should meet my boy (but you won't, because he'd rather not). He is the epitomy of joy itself, the happiest boy in the world, he just needs the world to be how he understands it and not the human one others tried to inflict on him. That's just fine by me, because if he hadn't shown me what he has then my world would be infinitely less enjoyable.
 
dollyanna said:
And for those who say they can't live with a dog like that because they can't possibly be happy, you should meet my boy (but you won't, because he'd rather not). He is the epitomy of joy itself, the happiest boy in the world, he just needs the world to be how he understands it and not the human one others tried to inflict on him. That's just fine by me, because if he hadn't shown me what he has then my world would be infinitely less enjoyable.
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I couldn't have put this better!

My eldest son is autistic and he always says that Tiki and him are the same....being around lots of people or strangers is their idea of hell...but being around the the immediate family allows them to shine and show how loving they are capable of being.

I would certainly never even consider having her PTS on the basis that I have to make allowances and take precautions because of her personality.
 
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I completely agree with Dolyanna and Christmas Spirit. A group walk where the other dogs are all running around would be extremely stressful. You might find that a group walk where all the dogs are to be kept on lead and you can follow at the back would eventually improve your dog's confidence as she realises nobody is able to approach her and she can watch and perhaps relax after a bit. Try and see whether any greyhound rescue groups organise walks near you and ask if they would mind you going along to see if it would help your girl. I have personally found that keeping my reactive bitch as relaxed as possible is more conducive to progress than putting her in stressful situations.

It might also be worth having a session with a behaviourist with a different approach to your current one. I have used IMDT behaviourists for this kind of problem with success. The desensitisation protocol they use is one of the best in my experience.
 
Hi all, thanks everyone for your replies!

It's hard to describe really. At home she is the perfect dog. She loves everyone and is really gentle and affectionate. She plays with our other dog (when he isn't grumpy!) and once she knows someone she is over the moon to see them every single time. She loves her walks as long as she isn't pestered, by that I mean by off lead dogs or people trying to stroke her/speak to us. She will bark as a warning if she sees someone that may offend her but she isn't trying to attack them, just put on a big scary show I think!
She still isn't okay with strangers to the house buit we just keep her separate in a quiet room.

I really don't think she would attack another dog, whenever she's been off lead before she's hung back and sussed them out. She generally barks a lot and then tries to avoid everyone really but if someone scares her she will run up and bark at them and it is intimidating hence why she isn't off lead. I muzzle her as if a strange dog runs up to her and she panics I am scared she would bite trying to get rid of it!

So far we have been treating her for looking at the person/dog and looking back. Mostly I ask her to sit as if she's walking she tries to trip me up while reacting if she does and then I treat for being calm and move on. I've spent a long time trying to build it up but she's stalled in the last few months and hasn't got to the point where I can be sure she won't react.

The group is a breed walk, from photos there are lots of muzzled dogs and I'm concerned about her going up and barking and getting herself in trouble or if it's just going to push her too far and set her back. None of them are on lead so if one approaches us she will kick off if she is on lead too. Im not sure how they would feel if she attacked them, I would have to speak to them all properly first and explain the situation. As I say she hasn't attacked before and is terrified more than aggressive but I couldn't say 100% if she's pushed that there wouldn't be a fight.
 
The group walk sounds like a bad move, she needs to walk with one of two calm, non reactive dogs who she can trust, lots of positive experiences will help her, having another dog bark at her will not. I am surprised your behaviourist recommended this approach for your dog.

Have you considered behavioural medication ( Prozac etc) ? It can help some dogs and Prozac is not the only option. Combined with DS/CC work it could give you the window you need to help her see the outside world as a nicer place. You may need to find a veterinary behaviourist for this, your own vet will not have the experience to recommend the correct drug to try.

I have a very scared/reactive dog and have been down the road your are on, including having my normal vet suggest he should be put down. Your dog sounds very lucky to have you.
 
Sorry, this wasn't reccomended by my behaviourist but a friend/ trainer with a reactive dog like mine. She said it helped hers and could help mine. My behaviourist recommended the agility though as it's ran by her and it's controlled/on lead and focuses on keeping her calm inbeteeen everyone's turns.

We have been using a vet behaviourist also since she was 6 months old (after the first and only incident when I didn't realise how bad she was and let someone stroke her!) and she was originally given a calming supplement. It didn't really make any difference if I'm honest but I would be willing to try it again.

I will speak to her again about stronger drugs. There was some discussion earlier as she has some health issues which makes medication risky and we were trying to avoid that if possible. Also due to the fact her problems are from birth due to bad breeding she isn't insured and the costs of her meds plus training are racking up (we have paid for 2 behaviourist sessions every month for around a year!) and I'm not sure I can afford to add more meds in!

I have thought about having her PTS many times but she isn't the dog most people see around us which is why it's so difficult.

I don't think I will attend the walk but do some one to one instead :)
 
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I understand your concern about racking up more bills with medication, but a course of something like Clomicalm, Xanax or Amitriptyline may put her in a better place mentally such that she is more receptive to your training and generally less fearful .

I think it's a wise move to avoid the group walk.
 
In all honesty I would change trainers/ behaviourists, sometimes a new set of eyes and a slightly different approach can help and you don't sound like you are making any headway and that you have not for a while.
Look into IMDT trainers on your area or go straight to the top and contact Steve Man, he has facilities to work with fear reactive dogs safely, he also has dogs he can use to work your dog with.
Taking your dog out into a group of unknown dogs all off lead is not going to help her relax in the presence of other dogs in fact it is likely make the situation far worse.
She is trying really hard to communicate with the world when she feels unsafe and it sounds like the world just keeps pushing- what other option is she left with than to defend herself?
If she is reacting then she is too aroused by something ( too close maybe) she is fearful of and that was she is being pushed too far. You need to start at a distance she is aware of another dog or stranger but not close enough that it takes over, she needs stuff to make her feel good when she is aware but still able to refocus on food or a toy then you move away, her tolerance distance can increase and decrease on a momentary basis depending on other factors ( always work within her comfort level).
What do you feed her/ how much exercise does she Gerald what do you do to stimulate her manually?
Many dogs need to be managed and will not ever interact well will the wider world and if you are happy to do that whilst being able to supply the dog with a good life then you just need to get to the point she can cope with people and dogs being around even she can tolerate being approached. Personally I would always muzzle an unpredictable dog of they are conditioned to the muzzle being a positive thing then it is just accepted and people are more likely to give her space, that does not mean I would put a dig in situations that provoke a reaction just that if a toddler (for example) runs past too close and you are caught by surprise the damage is limited.
Pm me if you want more advice I am happy to help.
Edited to add..
Please don't use heavy sedatives it has (fairly recently) been proven that they do not stop an animals fear just it's ability to react to the fear, therefore in reality the animal is even more terrified as it does not known why it cannot react when it's instinct tells it to-it just can't.
 
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I feed her skinners duck and rice and she is walked roughly an hour a day. I struggle to do more as she makes walks really difficult and i need to wait for someone to watch my baby as I can't cope with her and a baby at once incase something happens. I try to do different things but we generally stick to her safe walk which is along an open bridlepath that I can see for miles on. Downside to this is that it's hard to get enough space if someone's approaching and I often end up pulling her up embankments making room. Sometimes she is triggered and sometimes not depending on what's coming. The other reason I go here is that dogs must be on lead so I'm safe from the friendly dog brigade!

She is really high drive and high energy. She starts screaming (literally!) the moments the lead comes out and she barks in excitement most of the walk. She runs like a whippet given half the chance but opportunities to let her off are hard to come by. She always seems to have her nose somewhere it shouldnt be and is always looking for the next thing to do but I have no idea how to keep her busy that dosent involve her getting into some type of trouble. In fairness she is well behaved at home and generally sleeps her day away once the walk is over but she can be a pain when she's bored! She reacts badly to visitors though hence we don't generally get any!

She was doing really well at one point but seems to have slipped back into old habits, most likely my fault but I am now struggling to get back on track with her as i find her so frustrating! For example today she passed 2 dogs with no reaction and then lost her marbles at a dog she sees all the time, it's unpredictable as to what she will dislike. She's always muzzled when outside as she can't be trusted. When she was doing well I had relaxed with her but we had an incident a few months back involving her slipping her lead and it's made me nervous again and it's turning into a vicious cycle.

She can't be left without my other dog and won't leave him either so I can't walk them separately. She relies on him constantly and can't cope if he leaves her. She won't be crated away from him and I don't have room to crate them together. This may change soon as we are moving to a much bigger house with a designated dog room just for her when people come!

I struggle to keep them busy during the day as she can be possessive over her things. For example if I was to leave them with treats or hide food she is frantic trying to get it before him and I'm worried about a scuffle. She has 0 social skills and won't listen if he growls or tells her to back off, she just keeps on annoying him until she gets bored or I move her. Even basic training turns into barking and racing around trying to play. She wouldn't bite anyone just sort of yaps at them as she's grabbing whatever it is she wants. I would love to find a job for her but I don't know what. She seems to keep herself busy in the day mainly sleeping :)

Can I ask what the difference is between ipdt and imdt is? Mark is very far from me but there are a few closer. Current trainer has been really good and positive but maybe I'm still doing something wrong! I've had GSD all my life so I'm not clueless but she is something else entirely!

Thanks very much for your advice!
 
I can't really add anything to the discussion as I don't have the experience. But something that does stick out is the amount of exercise she gets, which as well as physically may not be mentally enough for her? I have a Bichon who has around 3 hours a day.

Is there any evidence that more exercise helps with her mental state?
 
IMDT is a structured taught course to train trainers, apdt is an assessment of a trainers training.
Can you put a staircase up and give each dig a stuffed Kong with one dog on each side of the gate? Once they have the idea of the Kongs then you can freeze them so they last longer. Also interactive feeding occupies the dogs mind, dogs dont need to eat from a bowl so try throwing the food over the lawn for the dog to find or use a Kong wobbler or similar. Or all feed has to be worked for.
Has your trainer started with teaching the dog a response to name.
Has your trainer ever just followed you on your regular walk to see where you are walking and how you an your dog deal with things you encounter?
As mentioned before if your dog is shouting she is being pushed too far and evertimevthat happens she is rehearsing a behaviour you want to lose and that is your vicious cycle.
Do you have anywhere safe you can hire to give her a really good blast?
I would increase her exercise and keep her more occupied at home, your trainer should also tackle the behaviour she is showing when the routine leading to a walk starts without tackling the little bits you won't make consistent progress. She is showing signs of stress at the thought of a walk by the sounds of it and that needs dealing with.
 
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Thanks all.

She does need more excersise! It's just hard to get her out when she makes it so hard every time. We have hired a field before but she just stood there as she won't chase a ball or play so I ended up walking around the edge for an hour with her which was a waste of money i thought. I thought the barking to go out was excitement as she runs to the door and can't get out quick enough but she is stressed when out too. For example she lunges at other dog constantly because he's off lead and she isnt, but I can't just keep him on to suit her. She's frustrated I think but she won't walk alone and can't be trusted to be off! It would be easier if I could do some ball games or something but she is horrible and starts grabbing and biting at other dog and barking constantly so obviously stressed so that's out.
We don't have any toys out in the house unless supervised for this reason too.

She has a reasonable level of training. She knows her name. Recalls well when no distractions. She also knows sit, lie down, wait etc. She can sort of heel but when she's excited it goes out the window. She's very strong and difficult to hold when she's going off on one as I have another hand lost to other dog so she's walked on a dogmatic.

Trainer has accompanied us a few times and she's always well behaved which is frustrating as it's hard to see the behaviour but she tends to be better with a distraction. We have attended training classes and she's seen her in all her glory then though!

I will dig out the kongs, they have had them before but I stopped using them as I was sick of having to stop them stealing from eachother. We have a completely open plan house and can't shut anyone anywhere unless someone is in the garden and someone in the house but neither would be impressed by that! This is another reason we are moving as my house is not equipt for a dog that needs isolated from the rest of us!

I need to go back to square one by the sounds of it, its just so draining as if I let something slip a tiny bit she goes back to as she was before straight away! She is proberbly the least fun dog I've ever owned poor thing!
 
You need to show her how to get the benefit from the field, if you are not interested and giving her things to do why would she just run around in it, the chances are she wants to stay close to you because that is safer than running about.
Hire the field and take lots of food/ toys and not your other dog, the food must be really high value. Keep her on the lead and walk about feeding her constant treats, then start dropping them on the floor so she has to find them. Progress to a long line (at her pace this may take Weeks) and telling her to wait then gradually dropping the treats further and further from her, the idea is to work up to telling her to wait, going and dropping lots of treats and sending her out to find them- all off lead till you get to the point you tell her she can go and she does run round like a loon to find the treats and she enjoys the running.
Just to mention a dog showing the behaviour she is is not currently a happy dog and there isn't shame in admitting you cannot provide what a dog needs to make its existence a good one, I have taken a couple of dogs to be PTS for friends as the dogs were too much of a risk to rehome but to complex for the owners to deal with. The owners at the time were devastated but it is no more stressful for the dog than a vaccine and the friends and partners have all said that they did not realise till after how much stress the dogs bought into their lives.
Good luck
 
Thank you to both of you. I will try the field again and have stuffed the kongs for today.

I know she is stressed a lot of the time and we really are trying hard with her. I have only told the bad half of the story and there are lots of times she is happy, playing and enjoying herself but I suppose the bad outshines the good when you write it all down.

She has made my life worse in a way (sounds awful saying that!) but she is also the most loyal and loving dog I have ever had. I have had her seen by 3 seperate people and they all think she's 'workable' but I'm certainly no dog whisperer and have made mistakes.

If it got to the point I thought I couldn't cope I wouldn't hesitate to PTS and wouldn't rehome her, it's just got to be the right time for me and I need to feel like I've given it everything which I don't currently :(
 
I have had GSDs all my life and would not take on a working line one as I do not feel I have the time that a dog with strong drive needs. My 2 GSDs have a good walk each day and are also running loose in our fields several times a day, plus training sessions etc, but imo that would not be enough for a working line shepherd. Can you do some search or tracking exercises in your garden, using her brain would help her I am sure. Also, I think you should insist she goes for walks etc without the other dog, so you can really concentrate on her and her issues. You could also throw ball for her etc, which again would help burn off some energy.
On your post about your other dog it was suggested you contact Cayla, did you ever do this, because I am sure she could help you with your GSD too
 
Our IMDT trainer runs 1-2-1 socialisation sessions with stooge dogs which can be immensely helpful in teaching such dogs social skills. From the map on the IMDT website there are several fully qualified members around your county. It might be worth giving them a ring, even if it is just for a chat?

I use a long line attached to a harness on my reactive girl after training her (and myself!) in an enclosed field. I wear gloves, use a padded line and have my hand through a loop so I cannot let go. To be safe you need to stop the line going slack at any time by coiling and uncoiling it as needed. Any slack will mean the dog can hit the end of the line at speed, damaging herself and you. I have started doing 'man trailing' with my husband's help. I am the 'hare' and follow a pre-arranged course, 15 mn. later my husband follows with the dog on a longline tracking me. My dog does it naturally as she is desperate to find me. The course lasts 20mn at the moment. We do it just to give the dog a purpose and it combines physical and mental exercise. I would imagine a GSD would be a natural. A dog with drive will usually ignore distractions and keep his focus on the search. Scent work in the hired field id also a possibility but needs training. there are some good books about on starting scent detection with a dog.

Just some ideas to give your girl some interesting things to do. It helps me cope if I concentrate on what we can do instead of all the problems.
 
Yes I've actually had two nervous GSD both at once (or at similar sort of times) and they fed from each other hence he was rehomed to family and I concentrated on her plus old collie. I got them both around the same time from rescue as I work in the field and it was felt I could help with her medical issues and I had just lost my older 2 boys at the time and thought I could cope, obviously not. Since then circumstances have changed, horses were sold and i have less time so it was the right thing to do! I should never have taken them in the first place but hindsight is a wonderful thing.

My garden is way to small for any sort of entertainment until we move but I am going to explore the field option. I tried to take her out alone a few times but she turned herself inside out with stress and the behaviourist suggested we don't stress her out right now. I didn't contact anyone but the one trainer who was recommended by my vet so as not to confuse matters or get conflicting advice.

Scent work sounds like a good idea I will look into!
 
Scentwork in the house and garden would also help to satisfy her brain and help lower her stress levels, and when she knows the game well you can use it outside on walks too to give her something else to focus on - it has kept mine happy on a number of occasions, he was searching for his gingercake and an offlead dog came bounding over from miles away. Because he stayed focussed and working it was much easier to chase the dog away. You don't need a lot of space either, there are other ways to make it challenging.
I would recommend Talking Dogs Scentwork as a starting point, there is an excellent book that is not expensive, as well as some good dvds if you work better that way. The best would be to take her to a course though, so you can get hands on help, and all of them are equipped for dog reactive dogs - they will clear the hall for you to work undistracted. If you are willing to travel a little way for a day's course then I would really really recommend the ones run by Morag Heirs and Clare Ross of Well Connected Canine - they are based in York but do some further afield, and are excellent behaviourists as well.
 
You have already been given lots of advice. Just thought I would say my story.... I have a now 5 yo gsd who we got aged 2. At first it was not clear how unsocialised and reactive he was. I took him on a walk with previous owners and we met a group of small dogs. They said he was fine with dogs. He lived with a small poodle fine. But now looking back, he just froze with the little dogs but didn't socialise or threaten them. Bigger dogs are much worse for him. He was first on a farm and we were told he was bullied by the other dogs (also gsd) on lead he pulls towards other dogs but then wants to run away. If he can't he would then react with aggression.

What have we done..... Went to group classes and they were great at giving space and trainer was very understanding. Did practise scent to distract- like scattering food to help him ignore other dogs. But sometimes he is too wound up to focus on food. But mostly he improved as he recognised the dogs and it was mostly on lead- he can't cope with them running around.

He has met a few dogs that he is friends with and sees regularly. They are smaller than him and not threatening.

Basically we have altered things around him. I tried for over a year to regularly walk him in busy areas and he has got better at coping, but still stressed him out. So mostly he is off lead in my horses field and barns, but other wise always on lead and if on pavement we literally cross the road to avoid other dogs as he needs lots of space. We do take him places but have to be aware of other dogs bad just keep enough distance. But his saving grace is everything else- he LOVES people and is very friendly to everyone.

I do need to order him a yellow dog I need space jacket, as I now have a baby as well which he protects and also means I am not always as able to watch for other dogs.
 
Also when we got him he did not play or understand fetch even! But with time he learned and loves fetch! We can play catch and fetch in the garden while my baby naps. Also I sometimes scatter all his kibble around the garden so it takes ages. Helps occupie when it is hard to fit in extra walks and uses his brain
 
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