I just got a 4-1/2 year old male Australian Shepard/German Shepard mix from a local no kill shelter. He is very well obediance trained with great house manners and a very good disposition except with other men. I am the second home for him in the last 3 months. He was returned from the last home because of his male aggression problems. He was adopted by 2 women and was aggressive to any male guest. He has already accepted me as the Alpha and I have not had any issues at all. But around other men he is aggressive. It doesn't matter if it is in his territory or not or whether he is on a leash. My son was home on leave last weekend and the intial meeting was good with no problems. But about 15 minutes later as my son was walking across the room Pluto lunged to bite without any provocation or warning. He doesn't bark, snarl or growl-just reacts. Is is possible that he was abused earlier and is still carrying the scars? Why would he accept me but not other males?
Hi there, it definitely sounds as though he might have had some traumatic experiences. Behaviour problems due to traumatic experiences can be corrected, however it is a big task and will require a lot of time and effort. If you son is confident around dogs in general you could get him to help you. It is important that every experience with males is positive from now on. Your son could start by feeding your dog at meal times or feeding him little treats for simply commands like sit etc. German shepards are known to be wary of strangers as well as being territorial. Every breed was bred for a specific purpose and the role of the GS was to protect. Therefore he might see other males as a thread and tries to protect you and himself. If you use the Alpha Dog Method (the bonus book) your dog will be able to relax more as he will know that you are the one who looks after him and protects him. Let us know how you get on.
