As everyone may or may not remember I've been having a few challenges keeping his, at time excessive gaurding behaviour under control in public. It began to rear it's ugly head around the 5 and a half-6 old mark which make sense considering it's around the time young un neutered males get a big boost of hormones.
I have been working on bringing him to lots of public places and asking any stranger who wouldn't mind to possibly give him a treat and then pet him. He is always happy to get the treat and a scratch and yet, at time the barking persists. I'll admit the number of incidences is beginng to drop as he used to literally bark at every single person who approached us on the street, which as can be imagined was rather distressing and embarssing. It is now much more random and sparse and he can go an entire week and walk past many people even through crowds and not let out a sound ( even though he walks very upright with ears perked and very alert) and then another day choose a random far off person and stop dead in his tracks and start letting out short deep alert WOOF's. He does not growl or insanely bark and pull on the lesh as if trying to attack them but he still has not learned when enough is enough.
He is very obident for a 6 and a half month old pup but yet one piticular incident last week really scared me. I am probably going to be shot for this and please believe me I pretty much never let Duke offlesh outside of designated areas but occasionally on a night walks in a very large park away from any streets I let him run off lesh to burn off some excess energy.
Anyways I was on a walk with a friend and her 2 year old cattle dog cross and once we got to the park and survyed the area for any people and after being satisfied noone was in the area we let them go. I was throwing a tennis ball for them as she had a smoke when suddenly a man came out of nowhere and began to walk by us. I immedatly called Duke to get him on lesh so he would not bother the guy and my friend called Gypsy; however instead of coming and stopping at us Duke came and stopped about a 2' in front of me and began barking at the man. I apologized and told Duke very firmly to come but he instead stood their and continued and I had to physically go over and take him and then further apologize to the guy who said not to worry about it.
While I was happy and relieved he didn't actually run over and charge the guy I still felt terribly stupid for letting him offlesh in the first place.
As such I am now trying to decide what our best course of action is.
Should I a) Wait it out for an additional few days until Duke is neutered on Teusday and see if that combined with Basic Obidence ( which he starts on the following Wensday) and see if this makes any difference in the behaviour
or should I b) Contact a behaviouralist ( already found an excellent one but was debating whether or not I could solve the problem by myself) and hold off on the obidence class but still get the neuter done and start obidence after we work with the behaviouralist ( which is very very costly and I can't afford both right now unfortunatly).
I am glad that at least the incidents of Duke over gaurding behaviour ( which I should add he ONLY does when I walk him as my friends,mom and brother can walk him and he does not do it) are slowly decreasing but I am well aware they could still manifest themselfs and get worse if nothing is done.
Just wanted to add I am aware that over gaurding can be caused by boored dogs especially ones with gaurd breeds in them ( as Duke is German Shepherd/Rotti/Collie and came from a BYB) who do not get enough mental and physical stimulation; however I do strongly feel I am meeting these needs, as Duke get's multiple, hour long walks a day, a minimum of an hour back yard time: playing the basketball herding game ( where he get to herd all of the basketballs after I kick them for him) and as well as chasing a tennis ball and doing a small agility course I setup for him in the backyard ( just consists of jumps, a tunnel and a pause stand) and 4 hours of Doggie Club a week, which is an indoor offlesh dog facility.
Anyways I'd like to hear everyone imput on which of those two options ( though your more then welcome to add your own solutions as well) would work best in the short term and then things that can also be done in the long term as well.
Kayla
I have been working on bringing him to lots of public places and asking any stranger who wouldn't mind to possibly give him a treat and then pet him. He is always happy to get the treat and a scratch and yet, at time the barking persists. I'll admit the number of incidences is beginng to drop as he used to literally bark at every single person who approached us on the street, which as can be imagined was rather distressing and embarssing. It is now much more random and sparse and he can go an entire week and walk past many people even through crowds and not let out a sound ( even though he walks very upright with ears perked and very alert) and then another day choose a random far off person and stop dead in his tracks and start letting out short deep alert WOOF's. He does not growl or insanely bark and pull on the lesh as if trying to attack them but he still has not learned when enough is enough.
He is very obident for a 6 and a half month old pup but yet one piticular incident last week really scared me. I am probably going to be shot for this and please believe me I pretty much never let Duke offlesh outside of designated areas but occasionally on a night walks in a very large park away from any streets I let him run off lesh to burn off some excess energy.
Anyways I was on a walk with a friend and her 2 year old cattle dog cross and once we got to the park and survyed the area for any people and after being satisfied noone was in the area we let them go. I was throwing a tennis ball for them as she had a smoke when suddenly a man came out of nowhere and began to walk by us. I immedatly called Duke to get him on lesh so he would not bother the guy and my friend called Gypsy; however instead of coming and stopping at us Duke came and stopped about a 2' in front of me and began barking at the man. I apologized and told Duke very firmly to come but he instead stood their and continued and I had to physically go over and take him and then further apologize to the guy who said not to worry about it.
While I was happy and relieved he didn't actually run over and charge the guy I still felt terribly stupid for letting him offlesh in the first place.
As such I am now trying to decide what our best course of action is.
Should I a) Wait it out for an additional few days until Duke is neutered on Teusday and see if that combined with Basic Obidence ( which he starts on the following Wensday) and see if this makes any difference in the behaviour
or should I b) Contact a behaviouralist ( already found an excellent one but was debating whether or not I could solve the problem by myself) and hold off on the obidence class but still get the neuter done and start obidence after we work with the behaviouralist ( which is very very costly and I can't afford both right now unfortunatly).
I am glad that at least the incidents of Duke over gaurding behaviour ( which I should add he ONLY does when I walk him as my friends,mom and brother can walk him and he does not do it) are slowly decreasing but I am well aware they could still manifest themselfs and get worse if nothing is done.
Just wanted to add I am aware that over gaurding can be caused by boored dogs especially ones with gaurd breeds in them ( as Duke is German Shepherd/Rotti/Collie and came from a BYB) who do not get enough mental and physical stimulation; however I do strongly feel I am meeting these needs, as Duke get's multiple, hour long walks a day, a minimum of an hour back yard time: playing the basketball herding game ( where he get to herd all of the basketballs after I kick them for him) and as well as chasing a tennis ball and doing a small agility course I setup for him in the backyard ( just consists of jumps, a tunnel and a pause stand) and 4 hours of Doggie Club a week, which is an indoor offlesh dog facility.
Anyways I'd like to hear everyone imput on which of those two options ( though your more then welcome to add your own solutions as well) would work best in the short term and then things that can also be done in the long term as well.
Kayla