So the pup German Shepherd started hiking his leg about 4 weeks ago. So I'm hoping he will start geting more dominant and territorial before long.
He is a great pup. obedient Just a happy lug.

But he seldom will bark unless it's at a cat now and then or gets surprised and does not recognize one of us where we were not expected.

We bought him about 4 months old from a lady that got home from what she said was good. It seemed like he was keep in a kennel and got on to for barking. He put on 20 lb in just a few weeks after we got him.

I don't think he will ever bark to alert like I was hoping but may be wrong if my daughter gets time to really get into his training. She took him over to a big IPO trainer over in Louisville for an honest evaluation and he suggested He would be good at IPO and was impressed at the level he was already at.

It's been over a decade since I have had male dogs and I can't remember what age they stop the puppy and start to become aware of and claim territory as their own. I'm hoping when he does he will be more inclined to bark. Would pr help if he was not pit in a kennel upstairs in my daughter room at night. But that pup when left alone has went through some boots, hats, eye glasses, and more... he seems to be getting past that the last month or so but..

My cur went from puppy to very territorial like a light switch at about 7 or 8 months.

Seems to be around that time from what I’ve noted, although it can occur later at any time.
My Beagle Sampson was dominant at a much younger age. I wanna say 5 months. Gave me a hard time for the rest of his life! Ornery

Helps if you make a big deal, get excited, even “woof” a little when visitors show up. Be careful what you wish for. Can become a pita for sure. I’d start working on the off switch as soon as he starts alerting you.

From what I've seen, the males seem to mature a little later than females, but they're all individuals and the breed matters ,, I'd say a year give or take... basically a young adult...

My two sons got a male puppy from what turned out to be a puppy mill I think.
When both dogs got a little more than a year old they both turned vicious and had to be put down.
Both raised in a good family, one opened up my 3 year old grandsons scalp.
Come to find out many people returned her dogs or put them down for the same reason

Are you wanting him to bark on demand, or to bark when someone shows up at your place to alert you?

Eventually both. On command and get in front to block is a definite goal. Barking when a car pulls up or something is outside Is needed. I'm away alot and there is a lot of comfort in an alarm system with teeth and even when I'm home and finally sleep I'm a heavy sleeper.

I've got Shih-Tzu who I've had for 8 years. He's only barked once in all that time when he saw 3 deer in our backyard.

Never heard someone say, I wish my dog barked more.

Our lab Oliver at 1yr now. is the quietest dog we've ever has but...

when someone comes down our long driveway he opens up like a Junkyard dog...unreal

Yes after some of my beagles I never thought I would either.

My wife has a Chihuahua, which is the activation switch for the real dogs lol

If you have other dogs that bark at strangers or other commotion, usually pups will start barking at a few months old with the older dogs. On their own, small breed dogs, since they mature more quickly, usually start barking around 6 months. Large breed dogs, on their own start barking at around 10 months. If you take the place of another dog, making noise or getting them worked up, pups will bark at just a few months.

Some dogs alert more than others. Slightly timid dogs usually alert the most. More confident dogs shut up sooner. Having more dogs leads to more barking when someone shows up. When you have several dogs, the most timid dog usually alerts first and runs up and then back off slightly, when the more dominant dogs come over, but continues barking.

Multiple dogs are much more intimidating.

Keith

I trained my red heeler to "attack" on command, through sort of pavlolivan training. Whenever he'd see something like a squirrel that he'd naturally get wound up and go crazy over, I'd encourage it by telling him to "attack", "get em", etc. He figured out to go wild on demand with those phrases now. Only problem is, he'll just "attack" whatever is closest-his toy, a towel, the bedsheets, your arm, whatever he can grab and thrash. Not in a brutal viscious beast way, just in a funny wound-up-dog sort of way. He quits as soon as he's told, too. Kids think it's funny to sic him on each other. I suppose the same sort of thing could be done in a more serious manner.

It is all in the training ……

Be careful of a very dominant dog if you are not home a lot. They can think they are the master. It will be good with your wife and kids but not you because it doesn't see you as part of the pack.

He is my shadow when my daughter is not home. Even though I'm not home much. I figured it's because I make him obey and work with him some same as my daughter does. Where as everyone else not so much. Just simple thing like not letting him go outside untill he is released as well as othe thing during the day. But that's just my guess.

Wife snuck this picture this morning when the dumb lug keep wiggling his way on my lap.

About right sized for a lap dog.