Hi. New Member. German Shepherd needs training

[jayjay]

Hi. My name is John. I have an 18 month old German Shepherd that I need some help with.
He can sit, stand, stay, lie down, come, etc. with no problem. But, he also has a mind of his own and doesn't mind disobeying when he wants to act up.

We live in the country and he has a huge yard to run around (about 2 - 3 acres) and then woods on all sides. I would like him to not go into the woods as there are wolves and coyotes around and I doubt he is any match for a wolf (not sure about coyotes). When I take him outside, he will all of a sudden decide he is going to run and he just goes ... calling him doesn't even get him to turn and look. Sometimes he sees a deer and goes after it, other times he just wants to run off into the woods. He always comes back, but I fear something is going to happen to him. He does know and understand the "Come!" command, but he just chooses to not obey it.

Additionally, he does not like anyone but our family. He will eventually warm up to women, but doesn't like men at all (again, other than family). He's never been beat or abused so that's not it. We were not made aware of the importance of socializing him when he was a puppy so I hope there is a cure for this. He has nipped a couple times, and he will sit and bark and challenge anyone that comes to our home

One last thing he does that is bad ... he has an extreme desire to go after our cats. He has seen them since he was 8 weeks old, but he never warmed up to them. He has nipped at them and hurt one of their tails once. We're not sure if we should chance allowing him to "get to know" them or not as we certainly dont' want him hurting or killing them. (they live in the house with us as well ... 3 of them). I think he just is curious, but not sure if it's a Hunt instinct or mere curiosity with them.

Is there any hope? Can a dog like this be trained proper to obey without being mean to him or physically hitting him? We do not want that at all.

Thank you.

[McMegan]

Hi John,
Good questions, and good news! All these behaviors are things you can definitely work on with your dog, and all can be improved without ever hitting, jerking, pinching, shocking, yelling or telling him "no." Everybody say it with me: first, check out APDT.com to find a trainer in your area. Look for someone who utilizes positive techniques only, no aversives. You'll probably have to ask some questions to find someone who "clicks" with you, but your post sounds like already know what you'd like to work on, that you are willing to do the work, and that you are clear on the forms of techniques you would like to use. This is great stuff!

A thought. Remember that little cartoon with the devil on one shoulder saying "eat the ice cream!" and the angel on the other shoulder saying, "no, first you must eat your peas!"? Everyone's seen that one. This is more or less how dogs go through life. Mother Nature, or instinct, or whatever you want to call it, is perched next to one pointy ear saying "chase the cats! chase the deer! Your ancestors were wolves - go forth and hunt!" You and the cues you have taught him are on the other shoulder whispering, "No, first you must sit and stay and come when called!" Well, when you are in a quiet environment with few temptations or distractions, your voice is louder than Mother Nature's. But when you get out into more fascinating environments, Mother Nature's voice becomes stronger and stronger. There are ways you can make your voice louder and thus make your dog more reliable, however, this does not happen overnight and no dog can be reliable until he reaches a state of emotional maturity (1-3 years, so you're still on the outskirts of the ballpark at 18 months). This is something your new trainer can help you with.

Socialization. Yes, you can socialize an older dog but, again, it takes significantly more time, effort and patience than if he had been socialized as a puppy. That's okay, though. You can do it. Check out books by Jean Donaldson and Patricia McConnell on remedial socialization. Heck, Patricia McConnell lives, teaches and makes frequent appearances throughout Wisconsin and the Midwest. I'm jealous. Go out and attend one of her talks. Again, a trainer can help you set up a personalized plan for socialization and behavior modification that will help your dog feel more secure around strangers (even men).

Best wishes,
Megan