What Age Does A German Shepherdbecome Aggressive
A German Shepherd becomes aggressive at around 3 to 6 months old. This escalates during the adolescent stage from 6 months to two years old as sexual maturity arises and hormones fluctuate. This aggressiveness is part of their hormonal progression but worsens through poor training, inappropriate socialization, and lack of guidance.
Ensure the basics of socialization occur by the time your GSD is 14 weeks old. This helps deter hostile actions. Its easier to deter aggression than it is to resolve it as an adult.
Aggression is one of the most common behavioral complaints in veterinary practices.
Start Socializing At An Early Age
Dog owners can raise well-adjusted pets by introducing their dogs to as many different kinds of people and environments as possible, starting at an early age.
Take your puppy to parks, restaurants, sports games, and any other dog-friendly locales you can find. While you’re there, ask people of all different heights, skin tones, ages, abilities, and genders to interact with your German shepherd puppy. And make sure your pup gets plenty of treats at each new location and from each new person they meet.
Get Into Real Training
Begin by introducing the command for the session. If its sit, say it once and let your German Shepherd puppy smell the treats again. Say it a second and third time while indicating the sitting posture with your arm.
When your dog sits, reward him with a treat and praise and repeat the process 5 to 6 times. Reward your pet every time he gets it right.
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Having A Tail Held High Or Moving Stiffly
This behavior is too subtle for most people to notice but is a display of the kind of anxiety that turns a dog aggressive. If your German Shepherd holds his tail unusually high and moves it stiffly from side to side upon introduction of a specific stimulus , then he may be about to get aggressive.
You can read more about the meaning of German Shepherd tail positions in this article.
It is better to manage this before it becomes a problem. The following section on preventing aggression will give more insight into this.
What Are The Warning Signs And Symptoms Of German Shepherd Aggression
To get an indication of whether your GSD is aggressive, try looking at the warning signs, the act and the result.
Very clear aggressive warning signs and symptoms include consistently displaying the following:
Snarling and showing teeth
Lunging with force
Tensing body muscles, arching back with front body lowered as if appearing to lunge
Nipping or biting at the air as if to warn what is going to happen if the target or threat does not go away
Charging
Very clear acts of aggression include biting, attacking and physical force .
Very clear results of aggression are bite marks, bruising, bleeding, feeling emotionally scared and any form of serious physical or emotional harm, damage or injury.
It is always wise to seek a vet, or animal behavior specialists opinion if you believe your German Shepherds case of aggression is serious.
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Why Are German Shepherds Not Good Pets
German Shepherds can be great pets for the right family. However, there are many cases when they can make very poor pets.
Here are some of the reasons you dont want a German Shepherd:
- You dont want to deal with training. German Shepherd dogs require significant amounts of training. Not only do they need to be taught how to behave, but these dogs are also extremely intelligent. If their brains arent kept stimulated, they will become destructive in an attempt to make their own fun. Therefore, you should continue to train them even after they have mastered all the basic commands.
- You dont want to search for a good breeder. You should seek out a qualified breeder for any dog youre planning on purchasing. However, it is particularly important for German Shepherds. Sadly, good breeders can be difficult to come by. These dogs are quite popular, so there are lots of breeders out there. However, that doesnt necessarily mean that they all follow strict breeding guidelines.
How To Tell If Your German Shepherd Has A Problem With Aggression
There are several ways you can tell if your German Shepherd has a problem with aggression. They may bark, snarl and charge at other dogs on walks or when they see them in the home. This is very dangerous, as it could cause another dog to get injured or hurt themselves while trying to run away from the situation.
Some other signs include:
- Hiding behind their owners legs if a dog comes around while out walking this is an attempt to try and protect themselves from another dog that may be nearby or to keep their owner between them and the dog.
- Refusing to go near other dogs when they are out walking or in the home.
- Hiding behind furniture or in dark areas of your home if they see another animal outside being walked. This is an attempt to try to hide from the situation because its too difficult for them to deal with at that moment.
Always remember that if your German Shepherd is aggressive towards other animals they may need some medical attention as well. Take them to the vet for an examination and to rule anything else out before trying any of these methods yourself.
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German Shepherd Training: Tips From A Professional Dog Trainer
This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get compensated if you buy through these links this is at no extra cost to you. You can read my full disclosure here.
Im sure youll agree that a well-trained dog is a pleasure to live with!
This is especially true for a large and powerful breed like your GSD.
Of course, starting early with your German Shepherd training will set the stage nicely for the future.
And thanks to the German Shepherds strong work ethic and drive, even older Shepherds will benefit from training at any stage of their life.
As a certified professional dog trainer, I coach dog guardians and their dogs to learn new skills, improve existing skills and work through behavior challenges.
These dogs range from puppies to adult and rescue dogs. So I know its possible to start implementing successful plans in your German Shepherds training no matter their age!
So, whether youve just brought home your first German Shepherd.
Or if youve finally decided its time to teach your old dog new tricks
Youve come to the right place to get my best tips for training your German Shepherd using positivity and kindness.
Youll learn:
But first
Are German Shepherds Dangerous
German Shepherds were originally bred as protection animals. Therefore, they have protective and territorial instincts that other dogs may not have. A tiny Shih Tzu does not have the same protective instincts that a German Shepherd has thats plain and simple.
However, that doesnt necessarily mean that German Shepherds are dangerous. There are a lot of mixed opinions about this topic as well as a lot of mixed science that seems to back up both sides.
Most aggressive German Shepherds are aggressive because of their owners. German Shepherds need to be socialized and trained so that their territorial instincts can be harnessed. Otherwise, they may become territorial towards individuals that you dont want them to, like family friends.
To accept individuals into their homes, German Shepherds need to be taught that not everyone is bad.
If owners perform this responsibility, then their dogs typically arent dangerous. In fact, these dogs can be extremely gentle when raised properly.
However, not everyone who owns a German Shepherd is responsible. In some cases, owners may adopt a German Shepherd because they are cool or because they believe theyre getting a ready-made guard dog. Without the proper knowledge, these dogs may not get the socialization they need to thrive.
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S To Training Your Gsd How To Hand Target
Step One
- Take a treat, and put it in your right hand.
- Put that hand behind your back.
- Bring your hand out quickly, and open it.
- Let your dog access the treat.
- Repeat with your left hand.
Step Two
- Put a treat in your left hand.
- Place it behind your back.
- Now bring your right hand out as if there is a treat inside your closed fist.
- Open your right hand with your palm flat.
- Wait for your dog to come flying into your open palm.
- Repeat with opposite hands.
- Then repeat Step Two.
- End the game here.
- Next time, play the game again, starting with step one and then moving to steps two and three.
- Start phasing out step one when you see your dog flying to your open hand when you present it and keeps touching until you mark and reward.
And before I sign off for today, here are a few troubleshooting ideas for dogs who try to bite, lick or almost touch.
- Change the position of your open palm and have it just above your dogs head.
- Once you get the nose touches you like, you can rotate your palm to a position you find more comfortable.
- For a dog who almost touches, ensure that your dog is actually touching before your mark and reward.
- And use the concept of shaping rewarding for a slight touch and then increasing your criteria to reward for a more intense contact.
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Gsd Animal Aggression Example:
Our Jumbo was clearly never socialized by his previous owner. At least, not with other pets.
When he was alive, he wanted to kill everything he could that was on more than two legs. Whenever he was in close contact with another animal he lost control of his mind and body until it was out of sight. And up until the time when it was out of sight, hed be foaming at the mouth with anger, spit flying about with each furious bark.
No matter what we tried, and we tried a lot, we couldnt get this behavior to stop.
What we ended up doing was walking him during the night when all the other animals and people went in for the night.
Wed also use a modified Dog Whisperer collar technique to help keep him under control. That basically means that we used a regular collar that would sit up higher on his neck, instead of down low just above the shoulders where a collar usually sits.
This would offer us greater control over him, which was beneficial because trying to control an angry 100+ pound dog was no easy feat, even for me who was just out of the Marines, 250 pounds and 64 tall.
I was no slouch, and he was hard.
He also bit two dogs at two different times, before we really had an understanding of what was going on. Thankfully they were both family members dogs, and our fault for putting him in such a predicament, but it was surreal to see such a massive animal with the teeth he had giving a warning bite to another dog.
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Teach Your German Shepherd To Bark On Command
Teaching Your German Shepherd the speak quiet cues.
Speaking or barking on command is a method that is also associated with trick training. But its just as effective in altering excessive barking behavior.
To begin with, the trick is to only reward your dog when you want him to bark. This will ensure that you dont reinforce the excessive barking.
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Are German Shepherds Aggressive How Can We Stop The Aggression
byJackAugust 30, 2022, 4:48 pm13 Views
As a working dog, one of the most important things that you must be able to do is protect your master and his/her belongings. Yet, you must also be gentle enough not to frighten everyone you meet. The shepherd was originally developed as a protective animal for their safety. Because of this, they havent yet had to exercise their desire for territoriality and defense.
A Shih Tzu, unlike a German Shepherd, does not have strong protective instincts. That is not to imply that German shepherds are inherently dangerous. To control their instinct for territory, German Shepherds require socialization training. Not only that but training your dog can be a great fun activity. Knowing this, you may still be wondering But why are German Shepherds aggressive, and how can we stop it? Read on to find out.
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Training Begins With Engaging Play
Many behavioral issues arise out of sheer boredom, so its critical that you provided a variety of activities to keep your GSD mentally engaged.
A bored German shepherd will be so busy trying to play, bark, and get your attention that training sessions wont work well. Bored puppies dont train well.
Training as play can be very engaging. Teaching your pet to catch a frisbee can lead to hours of insane fun for the both of you.
What Happens With The Teenage Years
German Shepherds enter adolescence around five or six months of age. Their teenage months are extensive, lasting until your dog is two years old.
Many dogs do not come into their full personality until they end puberty and develop aggression at this age.
However, German Shepherds commonly receive training early and develop aggression concurrently. Also, intact dogs often develop aggression more quickly with hormones related to sexual maturation.
Like human teenagers, adolescent German Shepherds are impressionable and rebellious at the same time.
The ages between six months and a year can be almost as critical for a GSDs socialization as the early puppy weeks.
According to TrainYourGsd.com, German Shepherds begin testing the boundaries of authority at 10 to 12 months old.
In a year, a GSD has almost reached his final height and without sufficient exercise and guidance will challenge you and any past training.
He may also begin to demonstrate dominance towards other dogs and territorial aggression. Your first sign of your dog becoming aggressive may be barking when the doorbell rings.
Which types of aggression can affect German Shepherds?
The GSD, like all dog breeds, have complex emotional relationships with their environment and the people in their lives.
A certain level of aggression is normal in German Shepherds because of their breeding and development for security, the military, and law enforcement.
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German Shepherd Restrictions In The United States
Over 30 states have breed-specific legislation in the United States, and many of them include restrictions on German Shepherd ownership.
US breed restrictions generally involve larger dogs, not because they are actually aggressive, but because improper care and handling could lead to more dangerous situations as compared to smaller dogs.
Before you get a German Shepherd, make sure you check state and city-wide legislation. Also, make sure you check with your landlord or homeowners insurance provider.
These are also necessary steps if youre looking to relocate with your GSD.
Toy Food And Body Aggressions:
Its important to note that German Shepherds cant just be aggressive toward other living things, but can show extreme possession toward items or even their own body parts that can lead toward a type of aggressive behavior.
Ive found that the best way to deal with these types of aggression are to nip it in the bud as quickly as you can, and even before the aggressions start.
For example, Im a firm believer that you must get your German Shepherd dog used to being touched in areas where they may not like it. Places like their feet, ears, tail, and anywhere else need to be touched or your German Shepherd may overreact when the veterinarian does touch that spot.
That is bound to happen, and the sooner you can touch and continually pet these areas the better off theyll be for it in the long run.
Weve never had a German Shepherd that was aggressive because their body was touched because weve always conditioned them to that touch.
Same with food and toys. Im working on another article that goes much further into depth on resource guarding, and Ill be sure to link to it when it is done.
But suffice it to say that training your German Shepherd to know that these resources are actually yours is possible.
AT the end of the day the best way to stop aggression from happening is to prevent it in the first place. While this isnt always possible, there are other ways to get that aggression to subside like with exercise and training.
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Aggression To People Example:
When I was a kid my family had a different dog who was also never socialized, only this time, he wasnt socialized around people. This one was admittedly not a GSD, but our other main dog, a Rottweiler.
He was fine with animals but he didnt like anyone outside of the immediate family. Fine for me, but my best friend almost lost an ear because of it.
Another time my uncle stopped by and ended up jumping over a fence that was taller than he was, simply because he hadnt realized the dog was out and was very protective of the entirety of the house.