MY 11 MONTH OLD GERMAN SHEPARD IS CONSTANTLY BARKING AT OTHER DOGS CAN YOU GIVE ME ANY TRAINING TIPS TO STOP THIS ARE AM I FIGHTING A LOOSING BATTLE

Hi John your not fighting a loosing battle, have you ever took your dog to socialisation classes?

Warm regards Susan

It is a behaviour of juvenile GSDs that correct socialization will curb, your puppy is in all probablities wanting to play because he isn't used to other dogs ignoring him

GSDs can be very very vocal(my current one is)when wanting to play & playing

Find a good training club(depending where you are there may a branch of the British Association ofr GSDs near)& get your puppy mixing in a controlled environs

I take my to a British Association of GSDs training and its brilliant, my GSD is nervous and it has helped loads. There are also alot of very pushy dominant vocal dogs who bark at others and some very excited ones and you can really see the difference after a few weeks in the dogs. Definately worth going to.

Our retrievers been very well socialised and yet he barks his head off and growls at other dogs when in his garden (he can see them out on the road through our fence) or even when his indoors and a dog walks by, sometimes not even dogs, just people in general, think he just likes to guard his territory, as he doesnt do it when out and about :)

This is normal canine behaviour and is why I ahve a solid gate (well it has a fence panel attached to it as it is a Weldmesh gate.

this is also the reason my dogs are not left free in the living room if I am likely to be out so that they don't see out the windows and start barking.

We do as we get alot of holiday makers walking past our house who tend to `eye up` our house and my car on the drive  then when they hear a deep bark and a growl they soon move along! :D

I agree that its normal canine behaviour to bark when on ones own territory - But it isn't normal behaviour to bark at every dog it see's on walks...However I am assuming that this is when it is happening!  If so I would also question the type of socialisation this pup has/is having?  I take my hound to socialisation classes where pups are present because she looks different and my trainer see's this as an ideal opportunity for young dogs to meet a breed that looks a bit different/intimidating (she is a thick coated, black, afghan hound) if pups bark at her they are taken over to her where they soon shut up ;)  If they continue in her face then she is allowed to tell them to 'shut up' to an extent that is appropriate for that particular situation...It teaches those pupsters valuable lessons in manners :D
Sarah