German Shepherd

[LOX]

Hi everyone. My 2 year old German Shepherd has just suddenly decided that whenever i tell him off he can growl at me and lift the end of his nose to me!!! I am sure he is only telling me that he does'nt like been told off cos i never feel under threat by him but the more i tell him to 'STOP IT' the more he DOES IT .....The reason i told him off today was cos i sat on the floor with him (giving him a love) when he suddenly stood up, cocked his leg up and pee'd on me!!!! (he's never done this before?) Generally he's a beautifull loving dog...Any advice????

[wishy123]

I suspect your dog's behaviour is linked to a power struggle for 'top dog' status. If you are getting on the floor with him you may be displaying what he perceives to be submissive behaviour, which he thinks makes him more important than you within your own little 'pack'. If you then tell him off he won't respect you. If you stand tall above him he will naturally begin to perceive you differently.

Hard to do I know, but try to resist getting on the floor with him as this 'playfighting' or giving 'loves' is probably more significant to him in determining your respective status than you realise.

[perigra]

give him a good slap and show him where he stands in the pack

[fredpuli47]

Not necessary to give him a slap. He hasn't bitten you , has he? Has he threatened to do so? Stand tall and SHOUT at him repeatedly in a deep a tone as you can manage and look straight at him while doing this.Walk very slowly, shouting, towards him to get him to back off You want to get him to look away. He's trying it on and there can only be one winner .You've got to tell him it's you and outface him. He probably thinks your saying 'stop' is his reward, a response which encourages him to do it again. If he has a lead or collar on and you can get hold, pull him sharply downwards. whilst shouting.
A dog growls as a warning signal, but it's your cue to show him you're bigger and tougher and it doesn't work on you and you'l outgrowl him and win any battle any day.It's his mind you're trying to control. He's quite young yet.You can't let it go on because he may become emboldened to do worse.

[paddywak]

When Max, also a GSD, was a puppy I had a similar problem (without the wee) and I dealt with it in a similar fashion to Freds suggestion, except that he was banished to his basket and made to stay there. If he left without permission he was immediately ordered back and made to stay put untill I called him. It's a dominance thing and he's got to learn that he's not "Top Dog" you are and you must prove it very quickly or it will only get to be a bigger problem

[woofgang]

We had this with our first weimaraner. Once we had dealt with it he was a lovely obedient gentle dog and never again a problem but you do need to deal with it and NOT by hitting. if you don't already leave his collar on around the house all the time so you have something to control him by. We had a short period (about 3 months) when he wasn't allowed on the furniture and had to do something for every treat, meal, stroke, the lot...only small things, sit, lie down, give paw and as has been said, don't sit on the floor with him. We dealt with infractions by an enforced downstay on the lead while being ignored. Once the hormone surge was over, he was as good as gold. We didn't get him neutered ( breeder wanted to use him at stud, he was a well bred chap with an excellent hip score but we decided against it) but its something that you might consider.

[lankeela]

While I don't subscribe to the now outdated 'throw them to the floor and dominate them' school of thought, I do agree that you need to make it quite clear to him who is boss in this relationship, and that any form of dominance or aggression will NOT be tolerated under any circumstances. If necessary get hold of him by the scruff of the neck each side and push him back towards a sit position or instruct him to 'down' if he knows that command, or using his collar or a lead to put him into a down
Be cross, be very cross, saying 'don't even think about it', in a low growly voice of your own, but don't use physical punishment, other than holding him by the scruff. Wait till he either submits or looks very sheepish, and then call him to you for a fuss on your terms. At the first sign of any lip curling or growling then repeat this and he will know there is no chance of you giving in.

A dog that you cannot fuss or command without him having a go back will get ideas above his station and before you know it you are into the realms of being scared to even tell him off, and either end up having him PTS or paying a 'behaviourist' ������s to tell you what you have been told on here. It is a combination of his age, hormones and you allowing him to think he can be the boss that have all come together at once, so unless you are prepared for worse problems get it sorted now and enjoy the rest of his life with a contented loyal friend who is willing to let you be his master.

[kita1]

Are you sure it is an aggressive growl? The fact that you say you never feel under threat makes me think it may not be.

Mostly when a dog is challenging or warning it lowers its head.

I have had dogs that 'talked' to me in a growly way and it could be when he lifts his nose upwards he is exposing his throat in a playful manner.

If there was any hint of laughter in your voice when you were telling him off, then he was probably trying to deflect any anger into a game and inviting you to play by talking in this growly way (to be honest I would find it hard not to laugh if a dog peed on me!, and by the way I have heard of other GSD's peeing on people and it has nothing to do with 'dominance' it is often to do with the fact the dog is confused and cannot 'read' the persons intentions).

I had a dog that greeted his 'special' friends by wrinkling his nose up and showing his front teeth - to people who did not know him it looked like he was snarling at the person, when in fact it was the complete opposite.

Before disciplining him in any way I would make sure that you are reading the situation correctly.

[fredpuli47]

There is a friendly low growl but it's accompanied by a wagging tail. You'll see it with dogs who are well-known to each other and friends, when they meet (here, for example, adult litter sisters do it)

Your fellow obviously isn't about to attack you nor is he seriously threatening. What he's doing 'is trying it on' '. He'd try it with other dogs in the house too. He wants to see what happens if he tries it. If you appear at all compliant, submissive or don't answer him back he thinks that's a point to him. Next time he'll try something a bit bolder and unless checked this will get out of hand . Now, were you another dog you'd either go along with it, and he'd become dominant, or you'd respond in like manner. You'd growl louder and adopt a threatening posture, standing taller, try to dominate, get him to back off, fixing your gaze on him. What we are getting you to do is play the dominant dog by giving signals which he understands in 'dog language.

A dog that has you in what he sees as a submissive posture, on the floor, looking up, is quite likely to **** his leg.It's a marking territory gesture, showing dominance over it. There's an old Irish story of a great wolfhound who overpowered a man, and then arrogantly peed on him.

[LOX]

Many thanks to all of you for taking the time to give me advise. Lankeela, I have had another occasion of him growling at me and i took your advise, i took hold of him by the scruff and spoke to him in a low growling voice but he really turned his nose up and GROWLED and i growled back!! then we both stared at one another (which seemed an eternaty) i did not show him that i was scared -but i was'nt too sure??? it crossed my mind that he was going to retaliate (I'm not sure if he felt threatened by me) but i'm not too keen on doing it again) However, i have started to be more domineering with him and on a command i have stood directly in front of him and towered above him. The last thing i want s for him to 'go' for me if he thinks i am a threat, do you thk he is likely to?