Aleron;2002107]Yeah boys don't so much count LOL Not that boy dogs can't have aggression/reactivity/guarding issues, it's just...different. FWIW I don't tend to see GSDs as quite as prone to the behavior being talked about here. Same sex aggression towards household dogs - absolutely. But not being snarky about resources. They aren't generally snarky dogs. Too serious maybe? If they have a problem with another dog, they'd sooner get into an all out brawl than be snarky LOL Not all of course....just my impression of GSDs in general
That's really interesting! Did you do herding with him?[/QUOTE]
No, I'm not a very good herder. He did it all by himself.
Our last GSD was dog agressive (territorial) toward strange dogs, but he was fine with dogs he was introduced to. One time I rescued a pitbull that was running loose on a busy road on a dark, rainy night. Back then, I didn't know that much and I separated them, one in the back yard, and one in the front. (fence in between) They sniffed noses and wagged, seemed to like each other so I put them together and they played and romped, ate out of the same bowl. They were like bosom buddies. I found the owner and that was that. But yeah, Ajax was not particularly dog aggressive once he got neutered. And he got along with the neighbor's dogs, one another GSD (male) and a Rottweiler, also a male. He not only got along, but was good pals with them.
I've never really had any trouble with any of my dogs (and I've had quite a few) over the past 1/2 century (lol) except for my Doberman. He was what I'd call dog reactive more than aggressive. When it came right down to it, he was all show and no go. lol. But yeah....never had any significant behavior problems. Again, one little bit of trouble with Lyric getting guardy toward Jose`, but that was fixed. (with food)
LOL. Primarily, they were pals. And these two Chihuahuas and Toker, my son's dog get along beautifully.
My Dobe acted like my GSDs. When there would be a bunch of us on a hiking trail, single file, (or aproximately single file) he'd run to the front, then to the back, back and forth. The few times he didn't run back to the back of the line, he'd stop in front and look intently to the last person on the trail. He didn't like it when people got too spread out.
When I'd throw the ball for Toker, who was very into retrieving the ball, he'd run behind her and keep her from turning around to come back to me, darting from side to side like a cutting horse. He'd run behind her...couldn't care less about the ball, just wanted to keep her "in line."
He didn't do any nipping of heels or anything or bark but he just positioned himself in ways to keep everyone bunched up.
Our last GSD, Ajax, herded some piglets we were raising at someone else's property (years ago). They got out of their pen and ran off. He ran alongside the hillside where they were and shouldered them back to their fenced area. No training, no direction at all from us. We didn't even know he had it in him. LOL. He just darted off in their direction as we stood there wondering what to do :dunno: and then we saw him getting them turned around and headed back toward the pen.
Of course, Dobermans come from Rottweilers that were used to herd cattle and some other kind of shepherd way early on in their development.
So, I'm glad at my age now, that I have two Chihuahuas....very easy going, (noisy sometimes, but pretty laid back) nice companion dogs. That's all I want these days...easy street.