German Shorthaired Pointer Forum:
behavior

i have a 3yr old male gsp, that is starting to bark very mean at strangers, and i always hold him back so i don't know what he would really do. he is the sweetest dog that you could meet, my 2yr old son can do anything and everything to him he makes no fuss. when he was a puppy he never got socialalized right because he was a tinkler and we always stuck him in the back room, so he never got used to strangers, and now it's started to worry me, i was thinking about getting a muzzle so he can come out freely w/o me having to hold him but then people would get the wrong idea about him, i am taking him to vet in a couple of days but was wondering if anyone had any ideas.

You have your work cut out for you, but this is not an impossible situation. First get a gentle leader halter and lead. Next depending on how scared your dog is, try taking him to a shopping mall or park, and ask people to approach him and give him a bisquit. If he is too jumpy, just go to a shopping center and find out the distance that he starts to get nervous at. Then proceed to talk to him and feed him treats when he does not bark. This is working on desensitizing him to the stimulus. I am certain that your vet will have similar advice. You may also want to contact a behaviorist. The cost is a small price to pay to have a happy, well adjusted dog. Good Luck

I agree with the gentle leader and the having strangers feed him biscuits. If you are nervous and tighten the lead that may make him more nervous. If you are not sure about people coming close enough to feed, have them toss a treat close to him until you feel he is capable of handling strangers or friends coming closer. Is this a brand new behavior or one that has been building? If it is a brand new behavior, Have you had his thyroid checked? It is a typical age for male dogs in some breeds to begin showing signs of thyroid deficiency. One of the behaviors is increased agression. Have you had him checked to make sure their is no other issue.Good luck and be patient!