So sad my 7 months old German Shepard doesn’t bark, it’s does not frighten people it’s doesnt eat local food o and yet it doesn’t have that brave attitude that it’s suppose to have. I’m so worried. What should I do.

I need your advice dog lovers/Breeders. I’m so worried. You all know that feeling when u spend money into what I live and you not getting the result. It’s so sad. What should I do

at 7 months, the dog is still young.
just give it more time, some dogs are late bloomers.
just try and boost the dog's confidence and let it grow naturally Into being territorial

what was the dog's puppyhood like?

Turn it to peppersoup.

Honestly I know very little about dogs but I do know that how it grows up will definitely affect the way it behaves

And a seven month old dog is still young......

Hi! Seems your dog is bored, that's what I can see...

If you did teach your dog commands, how to speak and stay quiet, some of this tips should work out:
1. Give it a treat, and do it over and over again...
Dogs love rewards and communicate in turn.
2. Make disturbing sounds that could rage it's attention, like knocking the door sequentially.
3. Play with the dog severally, a ball makes dog interact a lot.
4. Make sure it doesn't sleep for longer periods.
5. Take it out on walk, a dog park or a place it could see a lot (other dogs or people).
6. You should change its position too and probably give it some days off it's chain and collar, but be in the watch...

These should possibly help.

Hamatoyoshi:
And a seven month old dog is still young......

yes some dogs don't start barking till 9 months sef
I've seen a guy on NL that was complaining about his dog that was not barking at 6 months but later by 9 months the dog changed totally (you can search for the thread, I can't really remember the name)
some dogs stay till a year sef
he just needs to try to trigger the dog's barking instincts and give it time, the dog will most likely start

Exactly, chain ur dog and bring the chicken close to it. close enough to agitate it but far away from your dogs reach.
preferably, u can feed the chicken from your dogs plate. your dog would get angry and want to bite it hence barking would be triggered.

IamAnderson:

When I tried that with my dog, he tried to eat the chicken alive

tease it with a live chicken
that will bring out its aggression

fowlyansh181:
dont listen to this , if the dog from 7 months isn’t aggressive, then it will be super hard to change .. first isolate it , if it whimpers out of fear in an unfamiliar event, then it would bark crazy when approached by a rigorous event.. don’t use force on it. Lock her during the day and unchain her at night, don’t let her feel like it can do whatever it wants whenever or wherever.

I support what this fellow just said

don't try any aggressive training you'll most likely hear from people
you might just break the dog's spirit, from what I'm seeing, that dog is very meek
build the dog's confidence by;
taking it out to socialize( let it see cars and crowds but don't let people pet it too much if you want a security dog),
letting it roam without a chain for sometime(just keep an eye on it if you don't live in a fenced compound)
exposing it to different sounds so it doesn't get scared of loud noises
playing and interacting with the dog( try playing tug of war if it agrees to play, that game always works)
when all this is done, create a couple of fake scenarios eg; sometimes ask someone to pretend to break into your house when the dog is on guard, when the dog barks, let the person look at the dog and run
this exercise makes the dog understand that people can be intimidated by it and also make the dog brave
during the first couple of barks, never ignore the dog, just congratulate the dog or give the dog attention so the dog will understand that barking gets your attention (just don't overdo it unless you want a noisy dog)

another reason I suspect why the dog isn't barking is that it's being dominated by that other dog
I have a friend who has a gsd and a CO, the CO was the dominant dog in the house so the gsd never barked. some times the CO also humped the gsd and the gsd never even resisted
everything changed when I suggested the separation of the dogs, he moved the gsd to his sister's place and within few weeks we were hearing stories of the gsd barking and fighting other dogs around.
when he brought the dog back, the dog was barking like a regular dog (although the CO was still dominant, the bullying reduced)
I don't know if it will work for you but it's worth try
don't feel bad yet,the dog is still growing so it can change

savagefinder1:
tease it with a live chicken
that will bring out its aggression

When I tried that with my dog, he tried to eat the chicken alive

IamAnderson:
at 7 months, the dog is still young.
just give it more time, some dogs are late bloomers.
just try and boost the dog's confidence and let it grow naturally Into being territorial

dont listen to this , if the dog from 7 months isn’t aggressive, then it will be super hard to change .. first isolate it , if it whimpers out of fear in an unfamiliar event, then it would bark crazy when approached by a rigorous event.. don’t use force on it. Lock her during the day and unchain her at night, don’t let her feel like it can do whatever it wants whenever or wherever.

fowlyansh181:
dont listen to this , if the dog from 7 months isn’t aggressive, then it will be super hard to change .. first isolate it , if it whimpers out of fear in an unfamiliar event, then it would bark crazy when approached by a rigorous event.. don’t use force on it. Lock her during the day and unchain her at night, don’t let her feel like it can do whatever it wants whenever or wherever.

I think triggering the dog's aggression isn't what he should do right now, the dog looks very meek and will probably become unpredictable after the aggression whatever
and it's actually possible for dogs to start barking later than 7 months, I attached a pic of one thread I talked about earlier showing how a dog roughly the same age as this one started barking later
what he should be doing is not locking the dog up throughout the day, instead he should be socializing that dog, the dog looks scared and easily intimidated, aggression training is going to be unpredictable.
you should worry when your dog hasn't started barking at 9 months because puberty has already taken place and if the dog isn't territorial then, it'll be an issue
my dog started barking at strangers at 4 weeks(that's to show you how the time they start barking differs) but my neighbour's gsd doesn't bark at strangers at 3years(the guy tried this aggression training on the dog without properly observing the dog's temperament and now you can simply walk into his house and the dog won't even look you in the eye.
the dog is only aggressive to other male dogs now
well...it's only my opinion but I think this dog is not mentally ready for aggression training what it needs is confidence and bravery first before the aggression to chanel it

If at 7months it doesn’t really bark or still frightened by strangers, just accept the dog as your pet, don’t stress your self or the dog, it’s still A very lovely dog tho.

from my little experience and from what you said your dog may not live up to your expectations at 7months a dog should be barking out of fear, to attack or something

space9880:
from my little experience and from what you said your dog may not live up to your expectations at 7months a dog should be barking out of fear, to attack or something

Hmmm

IamAnderson:

I think triggering the dog's aggression isn't what he should do right now, the dog looks very meek and will probably become unpredictable after the aggression whatever
and it's actually possible for dogs to start barking later than 7 months, I attached a pic of one thread I talked about earlier showing how a dog roughly the same age as this one started barking later
what he should be doing is not locking the dog up throughout the day, instead he should be socializing that dog, the dog looks scared and easily intimidated, aggression training is going to be unpredictable.
you should worry when your dog hasn't started barking at 9 months because puberty has already taken place and if the dog isn't territorial then, it'll be an issue
my dog started barking at strangers at 4 weeks(that's to show you how the time they start barking differs) but my neighbour's gsd doesn't bark at strangers at 3years(the guy tried this aggression training on the dog without properly observing the dog's temperament and now you can simply walk into his house and the dog won't even look you in the eye.
the dog is only aggressive to other male dogs now
well...it's only my opinion but I think this dog is not mentally ready for aggression training what it needs is confidence and bravery first before the aggression to chanel it

Will try this out. Thank u so much

Are you saying your dog has never barked @OP

@OP use what your dog loves doing to taunt him.
it's not normal for a 9month old dog not to bark..

there is one scenario I think that triggered my dog instinct.
Went to see a bitch and her pups. immediately we opened the gate, the bitch started barking with the little pups.
Eragon was scared to hell, it almost ran off but a vet friend around told me to calm her. She became relaxed a bit and same time scared.
Fast forward to 10 minutes later I chained my dog and moved closer to the bitch in her cage. bitch was barking hell. Out of nowhere my dog started barking back at the bitch. I was daised ooo. I moved closer again the bitch barked and my dog barked her out. i.e telling the bitch to not try anything stupid.
that's the day Eragon instinct started kicking..

so @OP would suggest u try same and let see what happens.

it worked for me, might work for you or not.

johnnyn1:
@OP use what your dog loves doing to taunt him.
it's not normal for a 9month old dog not to bark..

there is one scenario I think that triggered my dog instinct.
Went to see a bitch and her pups. immediately we opened the gate, the bitch started barking with the little pups.
Eragon was scared to hell, it almost ran off but a vet friend around told me to calm her. She became relaxed a bit and same time scared.
Fast forward to 10 minutes later I chained my dog and moved closer to the bitch in her cage. bitch was barking hell. Out of nowhere my dog started barking back at the bitch. I was daised ooo. I moved closer again the bitch barked and my dog barked her out. i.e telling the bitch to not try anything stupid.
that's the day Eragon instinct started kicking..

so @OP would suggest u try same and let see what happens.

it worked for me, might work for you or not.

I got my gsd when he was 5 months of age, and it took him only 3 days to become territorial and start barking, he even bites sef! And I got my Rott/GSD mix bitch when she was 1 yr old and guess what? she became territorial on that very day I brought her home, she bites too.

mhd5757:

I got my gsd when he was 5 months of age, and it took him only 3 days to become territorial and start barking, he even bites sef! And I got my Rott/GSD mix bitch when she was 1 yr old and guess what? she became territorial on that very day I brought her home, she bites too.

COol bro.
Mine was 3months when it happened..

Even my 5weeks old pup do bark

johnnyn1:
@OP use what your dog loves doing to taunt him.
it's not normal for a 9month old dog not to bark..

there is one scenario I think that triggered my dog instinct.
Went to see a bitch and her pups. immediately we opened the gate, the bitch started barking with the little pups.
Eragon was scared to hell, it almost ran off but a vet friend around told me to calm her. She became relaxed a bit and same time scared.
Fast forward to 10 minutes later I chained my dog and moved closer to the bitch in her cage. bitch was barking hell. Out of nowhere my dog started barking back at the bitch. I was daised ooo. I moved closer again the bitch barked and my dog barked her out. i.e telling the bitch to not try anything stupid.
that's the day Eragon instinct started kicking..

so @OP would suggest u try same and let see what happens.

it worked for me, might work for you or not.

How old’s Eragon

johnnyn1:
Are you saying your dog has never barked @OP

Since the first week of January that I bought it, it has never barked �

Lol. That dog is still a pup. If his parents are aggressive then it won't take long for him to come along. My GSD took 10months+ to start growling and barking at strangers. Today he's so territorially aggresive that nobody or animal comes close to my house.

Simplesoul05:


Since the first week of January that I bought it, it has never barked �

oops bought as an adult?? from who?

Eragon is Nine month.

Simplesoul05:



How old’s Eragon

diablos:
Lol. That dog is still a pup. If his parents are aggressive then it won't take long for him to come along. My GSD took 10months+ to start growling and barking at strangers. Today he's so territorially aggresive that nobody or animal comes close to my house.

Wow.... can I have your digit sir?

johnnyn1:


oops
bought as an adult??
from who?

Dog Breeder sir. And now he’s telling me to buy a month old female GSD so they can be two but with Rex not barking, I’m not encouraged to buy another. I’m tired of callin him telling him it’s not barking, what he do say is that it use to bark when it was with him. I don’t even know maybe that’s just an excuse from him. But with some writeups here I will still wait till max of when it clicks 10 months

Simplesoul05:


Dog Breeder sir. And now he’s telling me to buy a month old female GSD so they can be two but with Rex not barking, I’m not encouraged to buy another. I’m tired of callin him telling him it’s not barking, what he do say is that it use to bark when it was with him. I don’t even know maybe that’s just an excuse from him. But with some writeups here I will still wait till max of when it clicks 10 months

what about your other dog does it bark?

Simplesoul05:


Dog Breeder sir. And now he’s telling me to buy a month old female GSD so they can be two but with Rex not barking, I’m not encouraged to buy another. I’m tired of callin him telling him it’s not barking, what he do say is that it use to bark when it was with him. I don’t even know maybe that’s just an excuse from him. But with some writeups here I will still wait till max of when it clicks 10 months

Some dogs just don't have it in them to be aggressively territorial, i once had a dog that didn't have it in her, I tried everything but that dog never barked, I chained her, I locked her, I tried everything, I waited till the dog reaches up to 12 months but nothing, then I just got rid of her and got another dog.

My advise to you is that, you should just get another dog, an adult not a puppy and make sure you study how that dog behaves in its territory before you pick it up, study to see if the dog is aggressively territorial or not, if it is then you pick it up. That is how I picked up both of my dogs and now I am very happy with the outcome.

Maybe later on you can sell this one or give it out or just keep it as a pet.