[tenderfoot]

It sounds like you have done a good job but he needs even more. You have a good foundation in your relationship but he doesn't trust other large dogs or that you are able to keep him safe. You need to work with him so that he looks to you first before he reacts. This means a ton of practice. This is the kind of dog that needs to be mentally exhausted daily not just physically worn out by carrying heavy packs. I know the packs can subdue the dog but they don't really teach him anything.

Muzzles are great to help keep everyone safe so keep that going.

I think you need to figure out where the missing link is. How good is this dog over all? How big is his vocabulary? It should be 30-40 words. Every action he can perform has a name and hand signal, every toy has a name, every room in the house has a name. You need to use his vocabulary through out the day not just during training sessions.

Next how good is he at 4 different levels? 1) Inside the house? 2) Just outside your door? 3) At distances 10 feet, 20 feet, 50 feet. and 4) with distractions - building from lowest level to other dogs.

He needs to work on his impulse control and learn to look to you for advice on everything. You have to start with small distractions and work from there.

We had a 3 yr. GSD here last week that had been to 6 other trainers in Colorado and Utah and she had level 10 dog aggression. We were their last shot. They did the first 2 hour session with us and then we went outside to present her with some dogs and see how she did. I even had a video camera out to film the transformation. Turns out there was nothing worth filming. Where she would typically begin lunging and attacking at the sight of another dog, she was well mannered and calm. There was not one bad moment - her people were shocked & thrilled. I say this only to let you know that while all dogs are different even the worst can make huge changes in a short time with clear communication & a balanced relationship with their leader.

We have drills that we do that teach all of this. Unfortunately it would be like writing a book to put it all down for you. Please feel free to call us (9 am-9 pm Colorado time) and we can see if we can talk you through some of this.