Catalina left this qusetion on the dog training question page:
“My 3 year old german shepherd is very agressive towards other dogs and unframiliar people. We can’t even take her to the beach without her barking at people walking by, and becoming agressive towards other dogs. When we are at home we have to keep her tied up because she likes to nip at people’s feet. She is perfectly behaved towards the family, but when it comes to others she is very agressive. What should we do?”
Without seeing her in person to assess whether she is truly aggressive or displaying a nervous type of aggressive response, it would be very difficult to provide a comprehensive answer on this one here. The nipping is more than likely your dog displaying her natural herding and protective instincts (she is keeping you where she can protect you – nipping at legs is how most herding dogs control the flock!), but the first thing I would say is if your dog has nipped anyone hard enough to break the skin, or if you are fearful of her, it may be best to call in a dog behaviorist to assess her and provide a training plan.
That said, there is a dedicated section on dog aggression in the Sit, Stay, Fetch ebook that provides information about how to recognize signs of different types of dog aggression, plus action plans for dealing with them. Also included as bonuses are some real life case studies and a separate 28 page “Quick Guide to Dog Aggression” (the guide gives a more detailed description of aggression in dogs, but refers to the main book for training plans). Another useful bonus book is “Secrets of Becoming the Alpha Dog”, which I think will be helpful in this case. If your dog is taught that she is not “the protector” and learns her correct place in the family, you may find the behavior will fade out naturally
