SOCIALIZING

Question
IS IT EVER TO LATE TO START SOCIALIZING YOUR GSD?
MY DOG IS ABOUT 2 1/2 YEARS OLD AND DOESNT LIKE ANYONE BUT US IN THE FAMILY. HE BARKS LIKE CRAZY AT ANYONE ELSE. WE TAKE HIM FOR WALKS EVERYDAY BUT FIND OURSELVES BEING PULLED BY HIM (HE ISNT NEUTERED)AND HE BARKS AT ANY PERSON OR DOG HE SEES. HE SHOWS AGGRESSION TOWARDS THEM. I DONT KNOW HOW ELSE TO SOCIALIZE HIM.I CANT TAKE HIM ON WALKS ANYMORE BECAUSE I FEAR HE MIGHT PULL ME AND GO AFTER SOME1, SO MY HUSBAND CAN ONLY TAKE HIM PLEASE HELP.. I WANT TO WALK MY DOG AND I WANT HIM TO NOT BE AGGRESSIVE TOWARDS PEOPLE AND OTHER DOGS. WHAT ELSE CAN I DO ??

Answer
At that age it will take a lot of work.  Go ahead and have him neutered.  Obedience train him.  The key to most behavior problems is approaching things using the dog's natural instincts. Dogs see all the people and dogs in the household as a pack with each having their own rank in the pack and a top dog. Life is much easier if the 2 legged pack members outrank the 4 legged ones. You can learn to play the role of top dog by reading some books or going to a good obedience class. A good obedience class or book is about you being top dog, not about rewarding standard commands with a treat. Start at http://www.dogsbestfriend.com/ For more on being top dog, see http://www.dogbreedinfo.com./topdogrules.htm

A head collar should help to control him on walks.  The leading brands are Promise, Haltie, and Gentle Leader. They have a strap going around the dogs nose looking something like a muzzle. They work by pulling the dogs head around. No other way gives you such great control with so little force. The prong collar is now a dangerous relic of value only for its macho looks. Do not consider using one without hands on instruction from somebody with plenty of experience with them.