My neutered male gsd (19mths old ) has worn me down with his behaviour when we are at to the point that I dont want to walk him in public places any more.
From a pup he has been well socialized carrying about in my arms then out to lots pof places ,dogs and people and training classes. BUT he has grown more difficult with other dogs , as soon as he is aware of another dog he tries to get at it on or off the lead. A quick lunge maybe a bark and a growl and then in to heavy play? (mugging?) him on top I dont exist at this point. If the dog is ok with it it usually goes in to a chase and very heavy boisterous play. Gsd I know are heavy and bouncy in their play.v He has never bitten  thank god,is fantastic with humans in or out the home and ok with dogs that come to the house although playfull not in a worrying way and lives with a pom/chi . He does have afairly high prey drive. Ask our cats! . Now for the other bit
Husband has been walking him mostly for the last 3mths due to me have broken a bone in my foot and hand  ... no problem apparentlyhe says
Son age 19 wlks him.... no problem.I Have been out with his regular dog walker  (I work )no problem she says she would trust him with any thing including pups . However I go out with OH 2days ago and guess what let him off the lead (dog not OH!)  straight up to a gr who was having a poo and bounced him ignored me for a few minites untill I was able to grab his collar. Very lucky the owner was reasonable. Oh yes although he doesnt bite his heckles on his neck do goo up. Have seen an adpt trainer 1-1 and in class tried her methods but basically no improvement. She says he is not aggressive but wary and is getting in first
Yesterday walking down the high street after good dog freen run and a bit of training and before Iknew where I was he had pulled me across the pavement and tried to mug a large lab. Owners were terrified not suprisingly Mine is big 40kg+ and all black so does look intimidating.
Help please. My next plan apart from never walking him myself is only in dog free areas not easy

Without seeing it is hard to say but it sounds like juvenile behaviour to me and the cure is time and training. Once he is fully mature he will become a sensible mature male. In my experience the neutering may delay the dogs maturing for a while but most do get there in the end. Keep up the training and if you are unhappy with him off lead keep him on it till you are sure he is trustworthy.

Entire and neutered GDDs do make excellent obedience dogs so it will happen just keep on with the training.

I love your mugging reference, I guess it is a bit like that isn't it? :-)

GSD's do play differently to many other breeds, infact quite a lot of breeds interact and play differently with each other which does cause potential problems for the less excitable and full on breeds.

I raised my brothers two GSD's so I know some of what you are talking, it really isn't unusual, the optimistical facts I can give is with age the need to get to other dogs and the high prey instinct dissipates, they settle like all other breeds raised to be domestic dogs to be calm and walk nicely, (usually approx 3 years with GSD's) they can be a real handful if you do not have that air of authority and even with it they are strong powerful dogs the instincts for a young male GSD to play and exercise their bear like hug and scruff grappling is difficult to control, most other breeds find it frightening and other dog owners probably think he is about to eat their dog :-D not to mention I am sure he is stressing you out with his behaviour, it's just the way he plays, and adolescents need to exert themselves it is part of his instincts at this age to show his prowess, not to hurt just to tackle and show his strengths then play and have fun, but I do know it can look frightening.

And alas, he can't do what he wants, unless you know another dog walker well, he is too big for most breeds, you must get him a long line when you walk him, that way he still has freedom to run and explore quite a distance from you, to meet and greet also, and he will probably be calmer than just on a lead as he has some freedom, but you can quickly reel him in too.

Make sure that you are strong enough to hold him, make sure you continue to practice stern eye contact and voice control, recall, all dogs know who they can wrap around their finger, continue to use praise and reward and work him at home in the garden with commands and training sessions you have learnt at your classes, take a ball to keep him occupied on his walks, give him something to chase and retrieve, it will take his mind off other dogs and making his own entertainment. 

He's also at the prime time being an adolescent to being attacked by older males, so be careful, another good reason to keep him on a long line.

Even though he is taking commands from your OH at present tell him not to relax, he can't be trusted at this age, again the long line.

He will calm down, he will get better, this is the worst time for all breeds during adolescents, but work with him and keep in command here, and please get the long line to protect him, you and other dogs. :-)

Thanks for your replies, and suggestions maybe I wont have to be in isolation forever !  Carrington your description really is him to a tee  bear hug and scruff grappling!
He is not my first gsd the previous being a fairly headstrong bitch  but I was with a strong minded partner then where dogs were concerned and she wasnt allowed to get away with anything  this was followed by a female flattie very different!
I think the difference this time is that my dog is strong male I have found him different from owning bitches. and I do worry about how others see him  so I get anxious but try to be consistent and not let him get away with the behaviour.
OH doesnt see it as a problem if he  even believes it exists. Yestersdays comment from him was classic as I was retrieving my disobedient dog in full view of the world and marching him away firmly by the collar OH was heard to say "thats funny he doesnt usually do that" huh , I would have laughed at another time !
Will get long line as you suggest, (where do you recommend) I walk him with a k9bridle on but also attach the lead to his collar  plus lots  treats  and atoy as we go, ( I know a whole suitcase on wheels of chicken looks a bit
strange but heho) He walks beautifully then until we see something more interesting
I should be able to go back to formal training this month  around other dogs in class and walking him  myself now I can walk properly and hold a lead !.So back to my commands , OH is good to walk him but not sure about his idea of training too much armchair Ceasar Milan I think plus a bit of his own ideas which doesnt help.

Only 18months to go to 3 !!

Sounds very familiar with my GSD girl.  In fact she had a best mate - another GSD and John had to stop walking at the same time as they ganged up on other dogs - not meant to be nasty but too much for smaller dogs.  Carly is 20 months now and has started - again - to want to jump up.  Luckily most people know her and I can usually control her sufficiently she comes back or doesn't do a full jump.  She also loves to play chase - usually chasing but happy to be chased - and it is hard to get her back sometimes.  But I find rather than to keep calling her I leave her be for a very short while, call again, repeat and then she finally comes - that way she hasn't tuned out.  Rest of the time her recall is just fantastic.  And yes, I am certain like the posters here have said it is juvenille behaviour, just typical of sheps.  Ah well, but we love them so we just keep going and working hard with them.

Hi Chris,

Just a thought, but I'm mentioning it as it was something that helped me greatly in the early days when my present Husky first came to us (A breed rescue,full of teenage hormones and had been locked in a shed and not socialised for most of that) He was Zebedee on acid! when in a pavement busy street enviroment.

I had two options as I saw it a) Be reactive .. start bodybuilding and pump up the arm muscles..or eat spinach!
                                        b) Be proactive .. Start working on his behaviour and getting him to be mannerly.

Having always owned Huskies I had a selection of 'Walky belts' which previously I'd used for jogging/CaniX. The 'walky' belts are padded belts that have 2 large D rings which you clip your lead to, and they clip round your waist/hips with a bumbag type snap clip. The joy of this is that I had a little more resistance digging my heels in but really the main benefit of this is that your hands are now free, so you can treat (when warranted) and also waggle your toy/ball/whatever his fave distraction is.
There are many different brands of walky belts but this is the one I bought couple of years ago, just for an example: Snowpaws store caniX belt its the blue £22.99 one.

If you have any backproblems make sure you sit it around your hips rather than waist, initially, as a hard lunge from a strong dog can jar!

The next part, and what really worked for me was bringing my dogs attention back to me (and he was a fully paid up card carrying member of the Husky-Blahblah-fingers in ears-Imnotlistening-club!!)
    I used the 'Watch me' techique, basically a que word which would inform him his attention had to come to me and take direction from me.
Now if I can do this with mr.Imnotlistening I believe anyone can do it ;)

There are different ways to train this,and I believe its best to work with a trainer (APDT) til you are 'au fait' with any new technique as tailoring to individual dog and individual owner will get better results 'set them up to succeed' type of premise.

anyyyyyyyyyway (Im an awful waffler!!) I achieved it by taking the lad out, somewhere quiet few disractions (always think 'set them up to succeed') and repeatedly,repeatedly I would say in a singsong voice 'watch meeee!' and each time he gave me his attention when I said watch me he got a treat (garlic sausage!..teeny bits) over and over and over. So to him 'watch me' meant big reward!
Over a period of days/ weeks we gradually moved on to more populated busy areas just building it up step by step, I then broughtin the help of a trainer so that I would have a stooge dog and we started with big circles round the stooge dog, If he moved toward the dog I would give a 'watch me!' and if he looked he was treated and we would walk on nicely :) If he lunged toward the dog this was simply ignored and we would walk on briskly and start again.... slowly but surely we were able to decrese the size of the circle and within an hour he was trotting at my side.

Use it or loose it with training, 3 years on I still now and again have to have little sessions with him but I really cant remember the last time he lunged :)

Sorry this is long and waffly! But hope it helps or inspires.... you *will* have a nice young mannered lad at the end of your lead.
Definately get help from a good trainer (APDT preferably) But really I just wanted you to know it can be done,its such a relief, and its not that hard :)

Good luck, rooting for ya! *passes glass of wine* :)

I love you comments Huskygirl , yep I am a waffler too but apreciate all you help. It makes me feel better to think A) others have had the problem
B) We should get there in the end.
Back to training on Monday I hope , will concentrate on the watch me command. He does it great with a plate of food or even high value titbits.
Think of me this, weeks homework will be
A) Improve recall oh tells me he doesnt do it  any more properly just half hearted and just gives up and leaves Whispa to his own ideas at times
B) Watch me command
C) long line/walkibelt ( could be good my treat/lead/etc co-odination is dyslexic )I think LOL
Thanks guys will let you know how we get on

Hi furriefriends,

Re: The long training line, if you can't find any in your local pet store (they don't always have them in :-) ) you can always find them on ebay, just type in the search engine dog training line and you should get some come up. Invaluable for training, and keeping a dog safe during adolescents.

Good luck, and don't worry in all breeds we have highly strung males, it's just when in the larger breeds it makes it appear harder due to their size and strength, I've seen many an owner dragged to the floor, however, they generally grow up to be the best of dogs my brothers two GSD's are the calmest, most gentle well behaved dogs you could meet, but one of them was a real test of character for me when he was young :-D

You'll soon forget this stage of his life, just manage it by keeping him under control, calm, stern voice always, no shouting or getting cross, he will be suped up and rareing to go at times just keep on the ball and try to anticipate his behaviour, you can be the best trainer in the world but when adolescents kicks in it can all go to pot, so don't expect that you can make miracles happen, and certainly don't think he is untrainable or you are doing things wrong, your fighting against his hormones and natural instincts, it's darn hard work, age and consistancy with your training, will win through in the end though. :-)

Best of luck! Keep your chin up. :-)

I love the "watch me" command!  Personally I think it should rank alongside the recall and sit in importance :-)  So useful.

Yup watch me is a great command, well employed in our house!

What about walking him in a head-collar to stop him towing you around? I use one for my GSD and it does make walking a lot easier once they get used to wearing it.

Yep i use the k9 bridle and also attach to his half check.He is pretty managable on that . Its mainly off lead.
Have decided that some of the problem is me getting anxious when other dogs are about, he is more heavy pawed around me it seems. had long talk to his regular dog walker today, we went out for a stroll together with her pup and my 2. no She is brilliant with him and he does listen to her not perfect but she has a natural way with her which  works with him and I am more relaxed than when I am on my own. Guess what he was good as gold played well with others. Going to take some of the advice here and work on trying to be less anxious. Its funny considering he is not my first shepherd
Thanks people

Just an update  I have started at the new training place lovely trainer who knows gsd inside out. He seems tothink our problem apart form general enthusiasm from ayoung dog is partly protectiveness about me. he sees other dogs as a threat to me. AlsoI need to be firmer with him to reinforce the pack leader thing. I seem to manage it fine indoors but for some reason my dog doesnt seem to listen to me at all if there is something around outside. Have got long line now too. So far this week I have done everything I have been told and then silly dog saw another while we were out traing doing road work and pulled me off balance in to the road in front of a car. Fortunately it was a side road and the car was going slowly so apart form my pride and and my bum all was well.
I really need to sort this as I am even more unhappy about taking him out myself and conscious of poor Stav's situation and although I dont think he would bite he could certainly injured another dog with his weight.

Have spoken to our trainer and he has some other ideas I dont know what yet but I will let you all know.

Hi folks its me and my gsd problems again. Been to a new trainng group for 3 weeks now, all was going well in the hall . He got us to walk between dogs in the hall and outside no problems, the trainer has no problems with him and altogher his behaviour in class is good to very good.

However having told the story of how my dog charged up to a boxer on sight barking when out with my son and that all this is really happening and what should I do to improve things I am now really upset with his advice.

My dog should never be off lead (did not suggest long line) MUST be muzzled (he has shown  no intenton to bite and certainly brilliant with people) and if I dont get a handle on this the best soloution is rehoming. He also feels that the problem is all mine as he has no problem handling my dog ( he has only met in 3 times for an hour and is a hall) and that my dog sees other dogs as a danger to me and that I am far to anxious therfore making things worse. I know I am sensitive and I did ask for advice but I just dont know what to do next I cant face  a basket muzzle (as required by trainer he does not like soft ones.) God knows how I can walk locally once people see him as a danger and will all this stop him running up to dogs baking and "mugging" them with his wait.
By the way having made it look like he is not trained at all, indoors he is great , outside with no distractions around improving
his recall is good 1-1 and his lead walking with a hlti is getting better until he sees a d
your thoughts would be appreciated.
The plan this week at thaining is to let him run free outside with muzzle to see how I handle him and what he does with the other dogs.

thanks people and sorry about the waffle !