With desensitization, the initial visits from your friends will be very short. Eventually, they will become longer and longer, so she can gradually get used to the idea of visitors who are not threatening the family.
While you are going through this training process, your shepherd should be kept in a separate part of the house away from unexpected visitors, to avoid reinforcing the current aggressive behavior.
Remember, your dog should be protective, but never aggressive. It's fine for her to bark and check out visitors, but she should respond to your cues to stop. You may want to check out some of the online discussion groups at dogchannel.com for more input on behavior problems with dogs.
Please get professional help for your dog. Good luck and thank you for your question.
Best,
Jon Geller, DVM
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