advice for fear aggressive GSP

[rc92au]

Long story, looking for advice.

I have a 2 year old GSP who i got from a breeder who has developed some fear/anxiety towards strangers at home. I got him while i was in college and we lived in a very active neighborhood, so he was socialized extremely well and he was very sweet with everyone and every dog. He did and still does great outside on leash and off leash and has good house manners. He listens great with me and I crate trained, NILIF trained, e collar trained him so he was rarely on a leash by the time he was around 9 months. he listened very well and was a quick learner, and he has a very solid recall.

My roommate got a male puppy while my dog was around 9 months old. My dog did not like his at all, and he would go after him at our house randomly. When they were outside they were best buds and would run and play together for a long time and he wouldn't show aggression towards him at all unless we were inside. Multiple times when we were in my room with the door closed, he would hear this dog's collar or whatever making noise while walking down the stairs outside my room and he would growl at the door. He would especially get bad if he was asleep and he was awoken by that noise.

My roommate's girlfriend has an older male dog around 60 lbs who was over at our place a lot. When my dog was a few months old he went after my dog when he crawled on his bed. Didn't try to hurt him or anything i just think he was claiming his territory. They were always great together, even after this happened. When this dog would walk inside our house, my dog did not try to challenge him in any way at all. They got along great together.

My dog and I lived at my parents for a couple weeks after graduation, and they have an older female boxer and they got along fantastic. I went home a good bit while i was at college so they bonded when my dog was a puppy. Their dog always barks really loud when a car pulls up or someone walked up (even if she knew it was my mom) and my dog started doing this as well. One time this was happening and my mom opened the door because a neighbor was at the door. My dog kind of lunged and tried to bite him. He calmed down after the initial meeting and was ok after that. He was also very protective when my male cousin came over but i grabbed him and after my cousin was inside he was completely fine and happy letting him pet him.

So, after 3 months of living with my dog and his puppy, i graduated, got a job, and moved into my own place which i have been for about a year or so. I work 8-4 and i come home during lunch. When i moved out and had one of the maintenance guys come to the door, i had my dog on a leash just to make sure he was going to be ok and when i opened the door he was very fierce and started growling, hair stood up on his back, and looked like he was going to attack him. He never settled down even after correcting him on the choke collar (figured out he doesn't respond well to the choke collar).

I got with a trainer to fix this issue, and he did the same thing with the trainer when he came up to the door. After trying a few things, we figured out that tossing a few treats while the door is cracked made my dog relaxed and his tail was wagging while my trainer easily walked in and my pup was looking for treats.

At my parents, he is spoiled with them and gets a lot of freedom.

Last week, i was back at my parents with him and i had my niece and nephew come over (6th and 8th grade). I had my dog just to make sure he was going to be ok, and after they got in he was great and happy. We then had probably 10+ people over for dinner, and i had my dog kenneled while everyone arrived. My male cousin came over and he walked over to my dogs kennel which was in the room with everyone and he started to talk nicely to my dog. My dog growled at him. I let him out some time later on when he is relaxed, and goes to check everyone out and is happy and everything (even to my cousin he is very sweet).He then goes to sleep on his bed while everyone is sitting down and chatting. I'm talking with my cousin for 15+ minutes and he stands up to leave, my dog wakes up and goes after him and tries to bite him. He never actually got a hold of his hand or anything. I got my dog and gave him a firm "NO" and he was ok after that. I decided to put him in his kennel after that.It was like he was startled and he was scared (fear biting), but when he's awake and everyone is hanging out inside he is happy as can be.

Also, when he was asleep on his bed one night (no one but my mom, step-dad, and me were home), my parents dog walked up to me while i was sitting on the couch and my dog started to creep up to her dog like going on an attack. I saw him do this and i told him down and he responded immediately and he was fine. He's never went after her before unless he is sleeping on his bed in the room with my mom and she tries to walk in. He growls at her and she turns around and leaves. He also does this with my step-dad, and sometimes growls at my step-dad when he tells him to go to his kennel at night. He also growls when my mom tries to get him in the bath which he hates. He tried to go after me while trying to get him into the shower from his kennel when he was still 9-12 monthsand i showed him what that will get him. He no longer growls or shows any aggression towards me.

This is completely unacceptable to me. I feel like i was on the right track with my dog until my roommate got his dog and everything went downhill.

I'll have friends come over to my place, and meet them outside with my dog on a leash, walk inside and everything is cool. I do not want to kennel him outside, i want a social dog where i can have people over and not have to worry about him doing anything. My old roommates have visited and he is so happy they are there and very loving. My dog has been asleep while i have had friends over for a while, and he does not feel threatened or scared when woken up. He knows I'm the boss and I'm in control while at my place.

Outside of my place he is great, he does sometimes get aggressive when we come up to other dogs around my house while on walks. He gets friendly with other dogs after they meet calmly around my place while on a walk. He is good at the dog park with other dogs, at the vet, and he even does day care at the vet where he plays with other dogs all day and he is fine. He doesn't get as much socialization right now as he used to, but i am moving within a couple months to a more social area of town where he will see strangers and other dogs frequently.

I absolutely will not give him away, i know he can behave. He is everything i want in a dog except for the protective / fear based aggression. I think some of it comes from not having many rules at my parents so he feels that he is the alpha when he is there, but i think the root cause was my roommates dog and it made him fearful and resource guarding. He will not go back to my parents for a long time. I've seen some counter conditioning training where they have a spot command and whoever walks in feeds treats to the dog from a distance so he begins to think that every time someone knocks/walks in it's a good thing and treats and fun are on the way.

Is this fear based aggression (fear biting)? Resource guarding? Something that can be counter conditioned?

Should i contact the breeder to see what he thinks? Should i seek out professional help in the area? Should i send him away for behavior modification?

I'm looking for advice. I'll do whatever it takes to get this corrected. I'm considering sending him to training with someone (open to suggestions) who has experience with this breed and these types of behaviors (I live in Birmingham, AL) or if anyone has any suggestions on training tips it would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Ryan

[Sharon]

Long story, looking for advice.

I have a 2 year old GSP who i got from a breeder who has developed some fear/anxiety towards strangers at home. I got him while i was in college and we lived in a very active neighborhood, so he was socialized extremely well and he was very sweet with everyone and every dog. He did and still does great outside on leash and off leash and has good house manners. He listens great with me and I crate trained, NILIF trained, e collar trained him so he was rarely on a leash by the time he was around 9 months. he listened very well and was a quick learner, and he has a very solid recall.

My roommate got a male puppy while my dog was around 9 months old. My dog did not like his at all, and he would go after him at our house randomly. When they were outside they were best buds and would run and play together for a long time and he wouldn't show aggression towards him at all unless we were inside. Multiple times when we were in my room with the door closed, he would hear this dog's collar or whatever making noise while walking down the stairs outside my room and he would growl at the door. He would especially get bad if he was asleep and he was awoken by that noise.

My roommate's girlfriend has an older male dog around 60 lbs who was over at our place a lot. When my dog was a few months old he went after my dog when he crawled on his bed. Didn't try to hurt him or anything i just think he was claiming his territory. They were always great together, even after this happened. When this dog would walk inside our house, my dog did not try to challenge him in any way at all. They got along great together.

My dog and I lived at my parents for a couple weeks after graduation, and they have an older female boxer and they got along fantastic. I went home a good bit while i was at college so they bonded when my dog was a puppy. Their dog always barks really loud when a car pulls up or someone walked up (even if she knew it was my mom) and my dog started doing this as well. One time this was happening and my mom opened the door because a neighbor was at the door. My dog kind of lunged and tried to bite him. He calmed down after the initial meeting and was ok after that. He was also very protective when my male cousin came over but i grabbed him and after my cousin was inside he was completely fine and happy letting him pet him.

So, after 3 months of living with my dog and his puppy, i graduated, got a job, and moved into my own place which i have been for about a year or so. I work 8-4 and i come home during lunch. When i moved out and had one of the maintenance guys come to the door, i had my dog on a leash just to make sure he was going to be ok and when i opened the door he was very fierce and started growling, hair stood up on his back, and looked like he was going to attack him. He never settled down even after correcting him on the choke collar (figured out he doesn't respond well to the choke collar).

I got with a trainer to fix this issue, and he did the same thing with the trainer when he came up to the door. After trying a few things, we figured out that tossing a few treats while the door is cracked made my dog relaxed and his tail was wagging while my trainer easily walked in and my pup was looking for treats.

At my parents, he is spoiled with them and gets a lot of freedom.

Last week, i was back at my parents with him and i had my niece and nephew come over (6th and 8th grade). I had my dog just to make sure he was going to be ok, and after they got in he was great and happy. We then had probably 10+ people over for dinner, and i had my dog kenneled while everyone arrived. My male cousin came over and he walked over to my dogs kennel which was in the room with everyone and he started to talk nicely to my dog. My dog growled at him. I let him out some time later on when he is relaxed, and goes to check everyone out and is happy and everything (even to my cousin he is very sweet).He then goes to sleep on his bed while everyone is sitting down and chatting. I'm talking with my cousin for 15+ minutes and he stands up to leave, my dog wakes up and goes after him and tries to bite him. He never actually got a hold of his hand or anything. I got my dog and gave him a firm "NO" and he was ok after that. I decided to put him in his kennel after that.It was like he was startled and he was scared (fear biting), but when he's awake and everyone is hanging out inside he is happy as can be.

Also, when he was asleep on his bed one night (no one but my mom, step-dad, and me were home), my parents dog walked up to me while i was sitting on the couch and my dog started to creep up to her dog like going on an attack. I saw him do this and i told him down and he responded immediately and he was fine. He's never went after her before unless he is sleeping on his bed in the room with my mom and she tries to walk in. He growls at her and she turns around and leaves. He also does this with my step-dad, and sometimes growls at my step-dad when he tells him to go to his kennel at night. He also growls when my mom tries to get him in the bath which he hates. He tried to go after me while trying to get him into the shower from his kennel when he was still 9-12 monthsand i showed him what that will get him. He no longer growls or shows any aggression towards me.

This is completely unacceptable to me. I feel like i was on the right track with my dog until my roommate got his dog and everything went downhill.

I'll have friends come over to my place, and meet them outside with my dog on a leash, walk inside and everything is cool. I do not want to kennel him outside, i want a social dog where i can have people over and not have to worry about him doing anything. My old roommates have visited and he is so happy they are there and very loving. My dog has been asleep while i have had friends over for a while, and he does not feel threatened or scared when woken up. He knows I'm the boss and I'm in control while at my place.

Outside of my place he is great, he does sometimes get aggressive when we come up to other dogs around my house while on walks. He gets friendly with other dogs after they meet calmly around my place while on a walk. He is good at the dog park with other dogs, at the vet, and he even does day care at the vet where he plays with other dogs all day and he is fine. He doesn't get as much socialization right now as he used to, but i am moving within a couple months to a more social area of town where he will see strangers and other dogs frequently.

I absolutely will not give him away, i know he can behave. He is everything i want in a dog except for the protective / fear based aggression. I think some of it comes from not having many rules at my parents so he feels that he is the alpha when he is there, but i think the root cause was my roommates dog and it made him fearful and resource guarding. He will not go back to my parents for a long time. I've seen some counter conditioning training where they have a spot command and whoever walks in feeds treats to the dog from a distance so he begins to think that every time someone knocks/walks in it's a good thing and treats and fun are on the way.
https://www.google.ca/search?sourceid=n ... ral+policy
Is this fear based aggression (fear biting)? Resource guarding? Something that can be counter conditioned?

Should i contact the breeder to see what he thinks? Should i seek out professional help in the area? Should i send him away for behavior modification?

I'm looking for advice. I'll do whatever it takes to get this corrected. I'm considering sending him to training with someone (open to suggestions) who has experience with this breed and these types of behaviors (I live in Birmingham, AL) or if anyone has any suggestions on training tips it would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Ryan

This is just my opinion based on a very similar dog I have. The difference is mine is a 25 pound terrier.

I ( and my vet) believe this is a genetic problem - maybe fear-based aggression or territorialism .
The chances of fixing it are slim to not possible. . One bonus for me is that when running with the setter in the bush he ignores anyone we might come upon - which seldom happens.

I think you are taking huge risks that may /will result in a huge scene with someone being hurt. I know you keep exposing your guests etc hoping things will change , but... You are also making excuses for this dog- "doesn't like a bath , parents too easy on him".

Some would put dogs like ours down , I may yet, but I muzzle or crate my dog whenever I have company . If we go for a walk in public areas or go to the vet or..... he is muzzled. I don't want some child or adult bending down to pet him, and .......... I do not trust him and you shouldn't trust your dog either. I take every precaution to make sure others are safe. You need to do the same.

What you see is what you are going to have. You can't give the dog to anyone else. If you are going to keep him , take every precaution to keep others safe.

Probably not what you want to hear, but that is my experience .

[gonehuntin']

I truly despise dog's like this, but let me take a crack at it. First, I'll tell you that the only way to be sure this dog won't bite anyone is to crate him when someone is there. People will tell you to beat the heck out of him when he is aggressive. Aggression never cures aggression unless it's Ina a pup.

I believe you're trainer made a great mistake throwing him treats to get him to stop growling. In my mind he rewarded an undesirable behavior and reinforced it, he did not alter it.

I feel you have given him the mistaken idea that the house belongs to him. He guards you, he guards your mother. So, don't give him the right to do either. Get rid of his bed and keep him a kennel at night. Don't let him claim any area of the house as his own. A dog doesn't make house payments, you do. He has no rights other than those you give him.

These are the steps I would try with him.

1). De bolt him so the only safe area is at your side. Not his kennel, not his bed.
2). Keep him in a kennel whenever anyone visits you, especially children.
3). When someone knocks and he barks or growls, immediately command NO! and kennel him.
4). If he growls at another dog, command NO! and kennel him.
5). When you feed him, don't let him eat until commanded.
6). Don't let him do anything on his own; let him barge through doors, not come when called, etc.
7). It'll get worse as he ages, as it is now. Try not to let it progress.
. This is not fear biting; it's dominance. He's guarding you, his possessions and his home.
9). Contact the breeder and tell him this breeding is mentally flawed. He'll never admit he's had other complaints.
10) be careful. A dog like this will turn on you as fast as anyone else if he feels you are threatening his position.

That's all I got. I don't envy you one bit.

[gonehuntin']

Sharon and I were posting at identical times which is why the posts are similar.

[rc92au]

Thanks for the replies. Would you guys recommend more good socialization outside of the home? Walks around busy areas, dog parks, etc? He is great outside of the home. For example, I can walk him down the sidewalk and we can pass people and he doesn't bark, growl or anything like that. He'll even let them pet him.

[Sharon]

by gonehuntin' » Mon Jan 04, 2016 10:28 pm

Sharon and I were posting at identical times which is why the posts are similar.

.......................

Ah yeh. You were just gleaning from my great experience. LOL ( You know I'm teasing you.) You gave the OP hope his dog will change. I don't believe so. That dog will never be able to be trusted.

[shags]

Watch every Cesar Millan video/show you can. It will help you to get your mind right and show you techniques to get that dog under control, and to set his mind right, too. Millan sort of specializes in aggressive behavior in dogs. His techniques, IMO, are common sense and don't involve violence toward the dog. I have a family member who has had success with a dog that was heading down the same path as yours using some of Millan's methods.

And read a bunch over here http://leerburg.com/articles-dominance.htm. This guy's website started out as some training articles, and now it's exploded into quite an enterprise. Apparently he's had some success. Worth a shot IMO.

Good luck to you.

[gonehuntin']

Ah yeh. You were just gleaning from my great experience. LOL ( You know I'm teasing you.) You gave the OP hope his dog will change. I don't believe so. That dog will never be able to be trusted.

Nor do I believe the dog will change Sharon. I was just giving him things to try.

[CWT]

I think if you follow GH's advise you'll have a fairly easy fix. The dog has to know you are the dominate one. Personally I like a dog that growls at strangers at the door. But when I tell them all is ok I expect them to clam down. I'd just continue to work on it and I think you'll have a fine dog. Also for me I would not worry about the dog turning on me as he really doesn't seem that bad. I have a Welsh terrier that has had some issues but I have determined that terriers are half nuts anyway. Also let me say I have had a lot of dogs over the years of many different breeds but I am no expert nor am I a professional trainer.

[ACooper]

1). De bolt him so the only safe area is at your side. Not his kennel, not his bed.
2). Keep him in a kennel whenever anyone visits you, especially children.
3). When someone knocks and he barks or growls, immediately command NO! and kennel him.
4). If he growls at another dog, command NO! and kennel him.
5). When you feed him, don't let him eat until commanded.
6). Don't let him do anything on his own; let him barge through doors, not come when called, etc.
7). It'll get worse as he ages, as it is now. Try not to let it progress.
. This is not fear biting; it's dominance. He's guarding you, his possessions and his home.
9). Contact the breeder and tell him this breeding is mentally flawed. He'll never admit he's had other complaints.
10) be careful. A dog like this will turn on you as fast as anyone else if he feels you are threatening his position.

This is a very good list and I agree with all.

#2 the most important, no matter what do not let this dog around children, he is an accident waiting to happen. No matter how well you think he is doing.

#8 No doubt the OP has misdiagnosed the issue, and by all means lose the trainer you called, any dog reputable dog trainer should have known that treating the dog would be seen as a reward for the behavior.

Good luck.

[RoostersMom]

#7 above, it's really important. My Vizsla, after several years of noticing small issues and really trying to stay on top of it, finally bit someone. It was horrible. And I was VERY diligent about not letting him interact in a situation I couldn't control. Said dog has been to over 50 youth hunts in his lifetime, 15 or more sportshows, outdoor events, etc. As socialized as you could possibly get. He still had some aggression - just enough to warn me to be worried, not enough for me to put him down. Now he has bit someone and my options are very limited. He stays home now and doesn't get to go out in public. And it's all my fault for knowing there was a problem but truly and honestly believing I had it under control and he would never really bite someone.

[Sharon]

Good post ! Thanks for being so honest.

[rc92au]

Thanks for the advice, I plan to follow DHs list. Should I also use the e collar when indoors or should I just give him a firm "no!" The e collar seems to make him more submissive. he does get anxiety when he barks or growls at noises outside and then begins to whine when he realizes it's nothing. I'm not exactly sure what to do in those situations besides ignore him after saying no, and then praise him when he settles down? Also, if we are on walks and see other dogs and he starts to bark/growl, should I turn away from the dogs or keep heading in that direction? Should I use treats for when we see other dogs and he is calm?

[Sharon]

[quote="rc92au"]Thanks for the advice, I plan to follow DHs list.

Should I also use the e collar when indoors or should I just give him a firm "no!" No e collar. If he figures out it is coming from you .........There's a very specific way to condition a dog to an e collar. He must ONLY be corrected for SPECIFIC behaviour he KNOWS is wrong. Timing has to be exact. Normally in the house we get our hands on the dog rather than use an e collar , but I wouldn't recommend that for you.
Also, if we are on walks and see other dogs and he starts to bark/growl, should I turn away from the dogs or keep heading in that direction? Change direction ; you're going to have to pick your battles.

Should I use treats for when we see other dogs and he is calm? Sure , but he may not know what he is getting the treat for. Better to use some command , he obeys , then treat.


.......................................


My original post was pretty harsh. Not my normal style, but because I've been through this with 2 rescues . That dog is lucky to have you.

[rc92au]

Thanks Sharon. He is conditioned to the e collar since he's been a pup, I just normally use it outside for reinforcing commands. I rarely have to use it and if I do I just use the vibrate to get his attention. Should I still not use it and just give a firm no?

[rc92au]

Also, he will not turn on me even when he starts to bark/growl. He knows better than to do that, he tried that with me as a pup and he hasn't done it since. I've even tested him and can flip him on his back and give him a firm no and he submits without a challenge. If he was going after me repeatedly I would consider other options for him. Should I still just give the firm "no?"

[ezzy333]

It isn'6t what you want to hear but it is clear that everyone is telling you he will always be a problem that will usually get worse with time and even if he is kenneled you can easily have a problem with a small child reaching in to pet him. You do what you want and then tell us what works and what doesn't but always know it is a matter of time before someone gets bit. That is a risk I am not willing to take and neither is your insurance if they find out you knew the dog was a risk. Think about it and make a decision that you and the child that gets bit can live with.

Ezzy

[shags]

No ecollar for aggression issues. You can very easily escalate violence.

On walks, redirect your dog before he shows any aggression. Get his attention on you, not the other dog or person. Make him sit or keep on walking with his attention on you. He has to learn to get along, and avoiding other walkers won't teach him anything.

Skip the treats entirely. You see how effective treats have been, no? Your quiet approval is all the reward your dog needs. No goodies, no gushing praise.

Don't be so anxious and scared. That's part of the reason your dog is acting aggressive - he's taking over your job of leader.
Take back your power.

[gonehuntin']

Another thing you may not realize is that getting bit by a dog HURTS. I'm not talking about a warning nip, I'm talking about a dog that rips you open. Dog's have powerful jaws and getting bit hurts. It is devastating and can have life long impact on a child.

[Luminary Setters]

You have described an unpredictable dog, and it is a long way from being the type of dog you would like it to be.

It could be environmentally created, but if so, its much more complex than the fault of your roommate or the lack of rules at your parents home, and you need to scrutinize what went wrong in the rearing process. You also must accept its the possibility that it is just how the dog is wired.

I would be wary of animal behaviorists that claim they can 'fix' the dog- especially those that suppress the behavior with treats. And as others have said, watch for the behavior to escalate, and don't ever assume that this dog couldn't ever turn on you.

[Trekmoor]

I never take dogs in for training that have aggression problems ......I know I am not nearly good enough a dog trainer to permanently cure this problem. I do worry a bit when folk start talking about "curing" aggression at the growl stage of the aggression. A growl is a dog giving a warning. If the growl is "cured" the dog may then bite without prior warning ?

Bill T.

[cjhills]

You should definitely contact the breeder. If he knows about it he may have a cure. If not he should be made aware of the issue.
Without evaluating the dog it is pretty hard to say what goes on in his head. But likely a dominant dog that is a bit timid.
Watch for signs of dominance. They can be very sneaky. Some signs may be pushing to go thru the door first in or out. Does he sleep on your bed. Does he put his foot on yours or lean against you. Does he look you in the eye. Can you stare him down. It is very easy to miss signs of dominance if you are not aware of what to look for. Marking can be an issue. Train him not to do it when he is with you.
He may be a dog who can not be trusted. He also may be a dog who learned some behavior issues from too many different environments.
I would stop all treat training praise and punishment with this dog. Work on obedience and ignore him as much as you can. basically stop making him the center of attention and train as much as you can with body language........cj

[rc92au]

Cjhills, when you say stop all treat training praise and punishment what do you mean by punishment? We went on a walk today and he was fantastic on the leash, focused on me and where we were going. I'm teaching him to auto sit when we stop walking and changing directions and his full attention was on me until we saw people and cars parking. He didn't bark or anything, he is just getting distracted and starts to put his attention on the distraction. What should I do in situations like this? I just have a regular leash and collar on him and I give him a pop when I notice he loses attention but this really doesn't do much for him so I usually just change direction and walk away until he focuses and then slowly go towards the distraction. Should I use a prong collar or just keep doing what I'm doing?

He definitely marks and tries to go through the door first. I've been going through the door first and have to tell him to get back and sit until I give him the ok. I can look him in the eye and he will look me in the eye when I give him a command or we're going through obedience. He looks at me even when I get up to do something or I'm walking around. He sleeps in his kennel every night in my room, should I move him to a different room? We live in a townhouse situation so there are noises in the hallway and doors closing which startles him. In my room he can't hear those things so it helps me sleep at night. Should I move him and his crate out to another room even though he will hear and react to these noises?

[cjhills]

First, I would definitely talk with the breeder. He needs to know. I had a litter that was similar when I bred a fairly soft female with a male from more aggressive bloodlines, hoping to get a bit tougher dogs. Two of the litter got over protective of their owners. I would have never known if they did not contact me. We did get both straighten out and they are fine. These two dogs were very different in temperament. One was fine until approached by a stranger and would just try to get away. The other became very protective of his young female owner and reached the point of being dangerous.
Also, I do not know your dog and he may be wired wrong, but I doubt it. But, if he bites the wrong person it will be a life changing event.
If possible I would have him sleep in a different room. If he barks a lot I would use a bark collar. Stopping the barking can change a dog mentally. how you react to situations can have a lot to do with how he reacts. try your best to show no reaction and just walk the other way went he starts getting interested in other people and things. Act the part of the leader. occasionally stare him down when no training is going on just around the house or in the yard. You must win the stare down so be prepared to take some time especially the first time. Have him take food out of your hand before you put his dish down. If he will not, take his food away and try later. Train him not to mark when you are with him. I like a twenty foot stiff rope check cord for this. Just say no and yank him the other way. clasping him around the chest simulates mounting. be aware he may object to some of this and get aggressive. Do not let him lean on you or put his foot on you if he does that it is not an accident. you go out and come in first. Do not make a big production of it just yank him back and go in or out. Do not buy into the " you'll be okay and good boy stuff" just a little yank walk on and ignore.
If a dog in or kennel growls at a human he is on the ground immediately. (twice in fifteen years) and held down 'til he gives up. this is another battle that you cannot lose. Do not try it if you might not win. dogs are very strong for their size and their teeth are sharp and they hurt.
this may seem like overkill and maybe it is . But, being the top dog is more about attitude than anything else. Be very careful with punishment. I do not remember the last time I actually punished a dog. But, I can bring any dog in my kennel to his knees with a dirty look. The Alpha dogs does not have to beat the under dogs, he has to lead them.
One other thing is he getting enough exercise and mental stimulation. Good luck ....Cj

[shags]

^^^ All this.
Another thing to remember is when the dog is showing any aggression at all, to NEVER try to calm him down by talking to him. For instance, on lead and another dog walker comes in your dorection, your dog gets 'that look' to him, don't tell him "It's OK, let's go" or anything like that. Just pop him and redirect or say NO! When you speak soothingly it gives the dog the idea that you're approving of whatever he's doing. That's a big difference between us and dogs, people are calmed down by it but dogs get revved up.

[Leeza]

Stop paying attention to this dog! He has learned that you sleep better with him acting this way, walk down the street with him this way, etc., He has to conform to you, and you need to sleep at night and go to the post office etc., without him freaking out. He doesn't need to "sit" at the doorway before you enter, he needs that door to slam his face and be left out there. He needs to understand being in the house is a privilege not a right. He can spend the night in the car to get the point across. Some dogs learn by withholding attention, good and bad. You have one.