Hi Everyone,

I hope some one can help me sort out a problem!!

Jack is a 2 year old GSD as some of you may know, we've had him from day one.  Socialized him well, then took him to a puppy group which turned out to be a big mistake ( the trainer believed in letting all puppies off the leads which basically turned into a free for all, leaving Jack nervous and barking at any dog that passed him  ), anyway thanks to you i tracked down a APDT trainer, helped me to manage Jack's nervousness and we passed our bronze and silver awards, would have loved to have got our gold but the trainer moved away. Anyway the problem is the house or should i say the front door.  He barks when someones comes to the door which i don't mind but i have stopped opening the door until he's shut in the room, it's alot easier not having to juggle with a parcel and keep an eye on Jack behind me.  Today my OH went to the door and Jack stood at the side not doing anything until parcel man went to stroke Jack's head and Jack barked at him quite badly, (I think it was the sudden movement the parcel man made as i said he is nervey and really the man should not have tried to stroke him or am i making excuses for Jack?  Anyway OH is not very happy or should i say concerned)this has happened before but the person was just handing over the parcel, and he barked at the Sally Army man too.  Jack is fine out of the house, he goes all over with us and is happy to go in other people's houses, goes to the vets no problems and sees a different vet sometimes, so its not a stranger thing. Is he beginning to think the house is his? if so how do i stop this behaviour or is it a long lasting effect of a bad puppy group? So for all our sakes make sure he's behind closed doors!!

I personally never let any of my dogs(including the Cavaliers)have assess to people I do not know & they do not know who call at the front door. I always pop my BC dog in his crate & shut the others in the lounge before I open the front door or the porch door. My Cavaliers are ultra friendly as is my BC bitch, but I do not want my dogs possibly getting out & I don't want them interferring with me accepting parcels, paying my bread man etc etc etc

My dogs know they do not own the house, but I answer the door not them & unless I am suspicious of callers(don't get many who are not expected as the dogs barking tends to put off anyone dodgy & I still have the GSD sign on the gate)I don't take allow the dogs access to the front door.

I don't blame your dog, he is being a typical GSD, my dad's GSD bitch would bark at everyone who called even those she knew & if they came in she mugged them when she greeted them in a very friendly manner. She was never allowed access to the front down when people came either, unless they were friends who knew her & could walk straight in without getting mugged & knocked down by her (I didn't train her BTW LOL)

I dont allow my dogs to be around me when I answer the door for a similar reason to MM I dont want them to get out , I usually shut doors then open the front door its much easier 
I would imagine he is protecting you rather than an aggression problem if he is well behaved outside the home.

In total agreement with Moonmaiden, dogs should not have access to anyone at the door. Get a dog gate. :-)

GSD's as you know are a guarding breed, he is protecting his home and his family it's what he is good at, ;-) they are loyal to their owner and are not generally a breed that enjoy interactions with complete strangers.

His home is his castle!

If he is good outside and fine with visitors, then don't worry about it, any dog could turn on a stranger at the door, so just keep him out of reach. :-)

I agree totally with all that's been said here and I can't see what the problem is? He sounds like a good guard to me and just what he has been bred for. Just think, if that knock at the door had not been so friendly, you would of been more than a little grateful for his bark. The more aggressive it sounds the better. Don't forget either, he's good out, not aggressive, a good house dog that as yet never bitten and probably he never will. Well not without good reason?

My Dobe is the same as your GSD, I can trust her totally. She makes myself and my daughter feel safer while we're out alone and I find I no longer look over my shoulder on isolated walks or feel nervous at home alone. She will check strangers out and she'll be on her toes. If she doesn't like the look of someone I will know by the way she behaves and I respect her judgement. She has more common sense than me and I'm very proud of the very good girl, who does a very good job.

Thanks for all your replies, i did'nt realise how many people don't let their dogs go to the door.  I feel so much better and i'll make sure that OH and son close the door before opening the front door. we all love Jack to bits and he us, I have never been more proud than when he got his bronzr and silver awards because he worked so hard.
Thanks once again
Jane

hi my dogs go to the door all the time i never really thought anything off it. however you were saying 'do you think its his home' i think you might be right. my dog is great with other dogs but if they come into our house i dont think he like it.

I'm the same here, my main worry being the risk of the road just outside. They both go behind a dog gate before I open the door. :) If it's someone they know they're let out once the door is shut. If it's a stranger I never have them loose in the same room. Not because I'm worried, but just as a precaution.

If I'm expecting a parcel and I see the delivery man, the dogs are shut away - I don't mind them barking out the window (within reason :p), but I won't have them around when I'm taking said parcel.  I'm not too worried about aggression - they are friendly with visitors, so long as I accept them - but a lot of people aren't dog-savvy, and on top of that, only two of my four would stay nearby - the dobes would be off like a shot looking for cats.

I don't think you need to make excuses for Jack - this man should not have tried to stroke him without asking you first, and certainly not on his head.  Stroking the head is an unpleasant thing for 99% of dogs - threatening to most and rude to some - and from a stranger, even more so.  Also GSDs being the type of dogs they are, as the others have said, I would expect him to be more reserved/guardy on his home turf.  Out and about all my dogs will try to go up to random people for a fuss - not always welcomed when it's Soli (40kg dobes don't often look the friendly type :D) - but at home, they would never let anyone in the house unless I've OKd it.  It's a breed trait - GSDs were bred as guardians as well as herders.

Mine will bark if a person comes to the door and then they will be quiet because I have taught them to over the months. I will let them come with me to open the door. First on leads and in sits and now I can do it off lead and put them in a sit stay while someone speaks at the door or the guy comes to read the metre etc.  If anyone isn't who they claim to be and tries anything my dogs are then there ready to help me out and by not shutting the dogs in a different room desperately wanting to get to the guest  I make the guest at the door into less of an issue. But my breed are easy to teach to do this..over time that is! lol! Each breed will be different in what is best for them.

The delivery man should have known better.sometimes when people love dogs they are prepared to take the risk.

and by not shutting the dogs in a different room desperately wanting to get to the guest  I make the guest at the door into less of an issue.

Your right, a dog shut behind a door, may bark and bark some more, it needs to see.

This is where dog gates are invaluable, the dog can see everything, the person at the door can also see you have a dog. The dog is not shut out at all, so answering the front door is no issue as our protectors are still watching and happy with that, they can still wag their tail, or growl if so inclined, these gates also allow visitors to come without some dogs over exuberant greetings. :-P

If anyone isn't who they claim to be and tries anything my dogs are then there ready to help me out

:-) Totally agree with what you are saying, unfortunately in our topsy, turvy world now it would most probably end up with you having a law suit.

Just as an example, going back quite a few years ;-) I grew up with two gorgeous Rough Collies their temperaments were second to none, they went everywhere with myself and my brothers all the neighbourhood children could walk up and stroke them infact anyone could approach them, they were well known throughout our village, never on a lead and very, very, friendly, greeted by all, for an aloof breed they were certainly not as per their natural traits.

One morning, I went to the front door whilst my mum was chatting to the milkman who we'd known for years and our Collies followed me, mum had put my hair in ringlets and the milkman touched my hair saying how pretty I looked, well our male RC went potty, barked and growled and went to bite the milkman, he only missed because the man moved. He had never acted as a guard dog before, but obviously did not like the man touching me.

So who knows what may make anyones dog react, all the man did was touch my hair, imagine if a postman were to tap you on the shoulder, shake your hand, a dog may one day decide to take exception to it, you can never guarantee that they won't, that is a lesson that I learnt.

In this day and age you would be in court. :-(

I agree with you there Carrington. No-one knows exactly what is going through a dogs mind at any given time (unless their dinner isn't arriving quickly enough ;) )

Many years ago I had an English Springer. She was in whelp but we had to leave her for a few days with one of our neighbours (we were living in Shetland and had a family emergency on the main land :( ) When we arrived home we took her home and were just sitting down with a cup of coffee when the neighbour walked in on us. The bitch went for him Luckily she was within a few feet of him when she realised her mistake and stopped. This was the most gentlest of bitches normally, but we'd been away and she was just readjusting to life with us.

My dogs are never allowed to the front door unless I know who is there and that they are ok with my dogs. Even then I usually close the inner door so that they don't all rush out into the garden, and only let one out.

Don.t worry Jack was just doing his job ,
Thats the reason I put my two GSD away before I answer the door people can see them through the small panes of glass so know they are there and I only would have to reach behind me to let them out if need be.
We live in a quite safe area(I think) but I always put them away when a knock comes to the door just in case a cat or dog is going by.
Anyone coming up the path will hear them bark anyway so will be aware of them I would never stop them from letting me know someone is around but they are instantly quiet when I tell them.

I live on a busy road on a bus route and never allow my dogs near the front door.  they must stop barking before I answer it. 

My dogs always come to the door with me.By the time i shut them away the visitor would be gone. I could leave the front door wide open and they would never go out,i'm very,very lucky in this respect as they arent interested in being anywhere where i'm not.Having velcro dogs comes in handy at times :D

Mine are pretty good, but all it needs is a cat to cross the drive or one of teh resident squirrels,a dn I coudln't get a command out quick enough.

Agree, why take the risk of taking your dog to the door unless of course you have perfect control or it is on a lead or if the dog is bomb proof.  A well balanced confident GSD would not bark in this way about being stroked but you have already said he is nervy so why put him in positions where he will dispay windiness and put him and you  not to mention others at risk?