Why is my GSD puppy getting aggressive, biting, and hating his leash?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! German Shepherds are highly intelligent an highly trainable dogs. I recommend hiring a trainer and nipping this in the bud now. German Shepherds are also very large and can be aggressive to strangers as adults so being able to control Bentley is very important. I would start with sit, stay, and leave it. Purchase the gentle leader harness that goes on the muzzle. Use that for all walks. Bring treats on the walk and when he tries to jump have him sit. Once he sits he gets a treat. Jumping is unacceptable in a dog his size and is one of the hardest bad habits to break. He should not be allowed to jump on people. The gentle leader allows great control of the head. I hope this helps and I wish you the very best!

I know this is something you want to do at home on your own however, my recommendation is that you should consult a professional dog trainer. If you do training at home without knowing what you are doing you will end up giving him incorrect/mixed signals. That will confuse him and he will end up with bad habits that are difficult to correct. Please consult a professional trainer so that Bruno gets trained correctly from the start. You can even use the trainers inside of Petco - the classes are not that expensive. I think that is your best bet. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

You can use a head harness, such as a Gentle Leader or Halti, to exert more control and to easily redirect Bruno away from any stimuli. Work with a trainer to reinforce basic commands, especially "sit", "stay" and "leave it".

Because Milo is still so young there is definitely time to correct her aggressive behavior. You should start with basic training commands (sit/stay/come) to help establish the fact that you are the one in charge. It is also important to make sure she is getting plenty of exercise. You should take her on fast-paced walks for 20-30 minutes at least twice a day. I would also recommend that you seek the help of a veterinary behaviorist to help you identify and treat Milo's underlying problem. Good luck.

There is a reason German Shepherds have been chosen as guard and military dogs for ages. They do tend to be protective of their owners and some do not do as well near other dogs. Serious training (and occasionally behavior modification medication) is needed to overcome this in some animals. Neutering also helps reduce protective or aggressive urges in male dogs. Best of luck to you and Bruno!

German Shepherd Dogs are one of the guarding breeds, but Bruno should only go into protection mode when there is an actual threat to you. A benign stranger passing by is most likely not a threat. He needs some training in leash walking and ignoring non-threats. I would enroll him in a good obedience class as soon as possible. I would not recommend your getting another puppy until you have Bruno under control.

That is a very young age to get a puppy and take it from its mother, which can affect socialization some. I highly recommend enrolling in a puppy kindergarten class together once Jerry is old enough to ensure you both set some ground rules, learn how to communicate with each other, socialize with other puppies, and get started on some basic obedience. It is normal for puppies to bark and be active, but if she is being aggressive, growling, snarling, etc, it is also a good idea to speak with a trainer or behaviorist in your area as this is not normal behavior. A trainer can work with you in person to help make sure Jerry is feeling comfortable instead of fearful, and that you both learn how to work together.