Hi, I have a 3 year old German Shepard, we have had him from a puppy and he is very good natured, he has always got on with other dogs and just recently he has been charging at other dogs barking, as he is a big dog and i know he wouldnt hurt another dog other owners think he is being agressive.
I cant think of any reason why he has started doing this, he is such a soft natured dog . any advice on how to snap him out of this, as i am nervouse to take him off a lead incase a dog turns on him in deffence of him running towards them barking. he is trained in every other way and this is his only problem. any advice would be great .
(sorry for bad spelling )

Nicky, you should not be approaching other dogs with your dog off the lead anyway.  If you see another dog coming, you should recall your dog and put him on the lead.  This is not just for you, but everyone who owns a dog should act in this way.  If your dog's recall is good, he will come even if he wants to run and bark at the other dog - don't give him the chance - recall him before that. 

It sounds like he is highly aroused at the sight of another dog - do you take him to training classes?  If not, it would be a good idea, so he can get used to being around other dogs without behaving like this.

I have a post up at the moment re my GSD and the replys have been very helpful so you might want to look at that. Basically my dog has always wanted to run over to other dogs but I dont let him unless he knows them because he runs over so fast and wont recall till he has had a sniff, its a question of spotting them before him calling him back and putting him on the lead then giving him a big treat. I dont know if mine will ever stop wanting to go (my post question) or if its just a question of managing his urges.

I would say it is management, but I would always also advise that recalling every time will become a negative experience and frutstrating.

I feel it is better to cal your dog back and then go toward the other owner (assumign their dog is under control) and ask if a meeting woudl be suitable (again assuming yours wants to play and not see the other dog off). 

It might be me, but I notice that amny GSD's I meet will run up to yoru dogs to see them off (mine stand their ground) as they feel they are protecting their owner from these interlopers. 

If the other dog is timid and runs they will usually chase, but if like mien they stand their ground but don't fight they go back to the handler.  this can become a bullying game, so needs watching.

For this reason I always try to get a freindly encounter with the dogs and mien, so next time they meet should either owner not spot the other the dogs are on good terms and less likely to cause a nuisance.

Well i am glad to say that i took a ball out with me today, and it seemed to work he was more intrested in the ball and seemed to ignore most of the other dogs .
Im begining to think it is a  G.S.D thing as it sounds  like in morgans post we could have the same dog hehehe.