My 3 year old male GSP has become extremely aggressive around other dogs. He used to get along pretty well, but in the last year or so he has really developed a bad attitude towards his fellow canids. We have another dog in our house that he gets along with great, and she is the dominant one in the relationship. Just this weekend, my buddy brought over his great pyrenees to visit, and my GSP just wouldn't leave him alone, and kept trying to bite his neck. Lucky for him the great pyrenees is a gentle dog, or he may have gotten what's coming to him.

Just wondering if others have had this problem with GSP's and, if so, what strategies were used to reduce this aggression. I've been thinking of getting him a muzzle and introducing him to a variety of different dogs. Maybe even a trip to the dog park, if the individual encounters go well.

I'd love to hear some feedback. Thanks.

http://leerburg.com/pdf/packstructure.pdf

check out the Leerburg site.

I dont know if you are familiar with downloading "torrents". Here is a link to a set of videos on aggression and dominance from the same guy in the above article. I havent watched these videos but they might help you out. Link

Yeah, that's my problem too. We simply don't run into that many other dogs. He's not playing, because he tends to draw blood when he gets into it. I almost wonder if it isn't overprotectiveness on his part. Now that I think of it, his aggression began about the time my son started walking, and they are total buddies. 

Hard to imagine it's a leadership issue, since he obeys my commands and I can get him to lay down and show his stomach with a dirty look, except when there's a strange dog around. He seems to be even more aggressive when on a leash.
I don't want to paint him as some kind of a monster, because he is a good boy with a very kind heart, who gets along great with little kids, adult humans, cats, etc...just not other dogs.

There is a dog trainer near us that I hear good things about, so maybe I'll give him a shot. I'm just surprised because I've owned half a dozen dogs in my life and they've all been very well behaved and obedient. But I won't give up on him.

Thanks for the advice.

Wow, that guy really wants to sell his materials. The truest statement in that article: "You will quickly learn that everyone has an opinion on how to raise and train your dog." That guys philosophy sounds a little too aggressive to me. I don't think I'm prepared to walk the streets of my town spraying other people's dogs with pepper spray if they don't have them on a leash. 

For the person who made the comment about my dog "doing tricks for treats", I'm not sure where you got that. I was trying to say that he's a very submissive dog at home, ready to roll on his back for the rest of his "pack". 

That's why I'm surprised by his dominant behavior around other dogs. But we'll get it taken care of. Time to start over socializing him, and hopefully get him back to where he was a  year ago.

I have two shorthairs, six and three, both are females and both are spayed.  They get along well with each other but the older one(elle) is definately the boss, I have never had a problem with them together.  Both my dogs were socialized around adults, kids, dogs, cats etc from the day I got them. I've had both in obedience classes and work with them every day.  I noticed early on that my younger dog did not tolerate certain dogs, if they were to pushy, dominate, agressive she would have them down on the ground in a second, didn't matter if it was a pit bull, shepard or any other breed  Dog parks were out of the question.  She never drew blood and I wasn't willing to find out if she ever would.  So I enrolled in more obedience classes, which helped.  When  family or friends come over to the house with their dogs I take abby ouside on leash to greet the other dog then take them inside, even if she knows them.  When I hike with my dogs I'm always on the lookout for other dogs and if I see any abby is healing at my side until we pass them.  She is not allowed to great any other dog unless I say so.  I've come to terms that this is her temperment and I have to always be proactive.  The key for me is to always be in control and avoid potential problems.

woops..I read that wrong and I apoligize. I didnt mean to offend. anyway again good luck hopfully you will be reporting back with some good progress.

Your dog has to know you do not tolerate it. Nip it in the bud the second the dog makes the first little growl or any type of aggressive signal.  I let a lot of training dogs in the yard together and usually I am carrying a pooper scooper around, if I see anything starting I give 'em a pop on the butt  with an Ahhh, and it startles them, but also sends a message.  I do not tolerate it...From then on a simple Ahh tells them you better not think it....

I'm going to make sure that he's on a leash from now on for every interaction we have with another dog. I've recently discovered the effectiveness of the gentle leader, which he really responds to, where he will completely ignore a choke chain. Plus, the gentle leader allows me to turn his head away if he lunges at another dog. I'm going to have one of my buddies have his dog on a leash and just slowly move my dog closer to him, correcting any bad behavior as he exhibits it. Hopefully by the end of a couple of sessions they'll be buddies and able to play together (or at least that's my hope).

I think you have some huge expectations about the playing thing.  You should be only expecting the dog to back off when you tell him to. And be happy when he does. Dog needs to know yu are pack leader, not him.   I have seen a couple of males with testosterone when playing and it can also turn real quick.

Well, you gotta have a long term goal, right? Eventually I want him to be able to play with and be around other dogs without incident. Only a couple of sessions is probably too optimistic, but you never know. Like I said, he used to play well with others, so hopefully he'll remember how fun it was and start to behave. My buddy has a huge Rottweiller with a great disposition, so he should be the perfect dog to work with, since I know he won't initiate any aggression towards my dog, and I can make my corrections to him while dealing with a calm, good natured dog, instead of one who is also looking to scrap.