u/Hereforthetardys

I have a 12 year old daughter and a 4 year old GSD. He is generally well trained and well behaved

We live right next to public trails where people ride bikes, walk, etc

We walk him there , allow him to run off leash while he runs while we bike or use electric scooters and he pays zero attention to other people we encounter .

My daughter likes to walk him and has done so for months with no issues

Recently though, while walking him she was approached by an adult couple complaining about poop that was my n the trail. It was not my dogs. He poops in the same place every day like clockwork

The issue is, even though my daughter told them not to approach closer they did and my boy reacted like he had in the past when strangers get to close.

He centered between her lets and starting barking and growling . He wasn’t pulling the leash or trying to get to them. He could easily drag my daughter if he wanted. He’s 90 pounds and she’s a small girl

He’s protective , especially with my wife and daughter

Later that night, animal control showed up saying we should not allow our daughter to walk him by herself

My argument is , adults should not approach and get that close to a child

In my opinion, he did his job. Knowing how he will react makes my wife and I feel safe about her being on the trail. She doesn’t go far. Less that 1/2 mile up the trail to a swimming spot for fetch and then back

Wife is suggesting we muzzle him when she takes him. To me, that kind of defeats the point and makes him less of a deterrent

Looking for additional thoughts and opinions

I have a 4 year old GSD. He’s generally very well behaved but strangers in the yard or new people in the house set him off

He will just bark. He doesn’t try to bite or anything else

I had to correct him. Basically told him to sit which he blew off the first time so I upped my voice - not yelling but louder and he complied

For 2 days afterwards , whenever he would approach me it would be head down , very slow

My daughter had a friend stay the night last night and it happened again

This morning when he came downstairs he practically belly crawled to me for about 10 feet

He very rarely has to be corrected and when he does , if it’s not during active training , the correction is elevated voice (not yelling) where he has to comply or we don’t move on

Both times, I closed distance so I was standing directly in front of him and between him and the target if his barking and told him sit.

After he sits, he gets pets and praise

The submissiveness makes me feel bad. Anyone else experience this?

During regular training he takes correction from the prong I’ve collar like it’s nothing. He loves to train

Just weird

So I realize this is the season for mosquitos and all but are they significantly worse this year or is it just me?

I’m not sure if it’s just the fact that we have a river and 2 shallow remnants of flooding within 50 feet of the house or if they are just horrible this year

Everyone experiencing the same?

I am not currently married. We’ve been together for 25 years and I call her my wife but legally we are single

She is a lower earner. I max out almost every year . She will definitely outlive me. I know my kids may be eligible for benefits but being together for 25 years, she wouldn’t, right?

If we married now and I passed away in a few months or a year would she be able to draw from my record?