I had him neutered at age 6 months. The vet had seen the whole litter for their first shots. She was impressed when I brought him for his puppy follow-up, saying the whole litter were fearful, and Sherman was the best adjusted, calm and sociable. He's always been strong-willed and not very compliant. He'll do sit, down, come more easily at home than outside. I've again started walking on leash in addition to off leash at the dog park. I'm trying to not let him walk ahead of me or go through the door first. Now, I'm afraid to return to the dog park and let him off leash because of this rise in incidents of his aggressiveness to certain other dogs, nothing serious yet. But I've seen it escalate with my other two. You asked about their breed. My last two, though littermates, may have had different fathers. I fostered the litter and their mom. Mom was border collie lab. Her son was shepherd and maybe hound. Her daughter had some golden retriever.

Sherman, my present dog is half German Shepherd and half border collie lab. I don't know why these behaviors are showing up now. Nothing at home is different. I'm really in agony over this. I know I need to work on obedience, but I feel exhaustion and rock bottom despair a lot of the time. I cry a lot which might feel destabilizing to him, if I'm not anthropomorphizing too much. I feel lousy that I'm poor, lousy that I'm single and depressed and have a tiny house and not active and athletic. We're a mismatch in terms of energy level and lifestyle and I can't stop the guilt. He should have been with an active family or younger owners. I'm 55 and only getting slower. I can't imagine surrendering Sherman to a shelter and an uncertain fate. I wish I had help with him daily. Sometimes, he's so bored and wanting me to play. Affection from me isn't meeting all his needs nor is it a substitute for discipline and exercise. I have training ideas and tips already from previous trainers. I don't have the energy to put them into action. I'm sorry - I hear myself closing off all options, creating a lose-lose situation, spinning in obsessive, emotionally intense circles. I just have to force myself to do the training. I couldn't live with myself if I gave him up, unless I found just the right home for Sherman. And great homes aren't easy to find. I'm grateful for the input that you've given, JD and Racee.