Dax

Dax

I spend hours on the phone, counseling people who are enduring problems with their adolescent German shepherd dog. It barks and lunges at other dogs, stalks and even nips visitors in the home, attacks other puppies in puppy class, and drags the owner down the street on walks. In the worst cases, the dogs are suspicious, aggressive, reactive, fearful, and sharp.

I have had German shepherds since 1985. They are remarkable dogs: loyal, protective, majestic, silly. As working dogs, they are unparalleled. They are forward, bold, and forceful dogs. They need a job that gives them purpose and direction in life. They need clear rules and boundaries. They need plenty of exercise and mental stimulation, and they need the socialization as a puppy that teaches them to understand and accept normal human situations and behaviour.

Without these, German shepherds can be destructive and aggressive and even a liability.

Without even touching on the differences between well-bred and poorly bred dogs; or discussing the differences between German working lines, German show lines, DDR, Czech, or American dogs, there are some traits that just go hand in hand with being a German shepherd.

German shepherds are active

They were bred to be working dogs: police, military, herding, guide dogs, sport dogs. They have a genetic desire to work, and if they don’t have a job, they’ll find other ways to keep busy, not always good. They can be destructive and hard to control. In some, this need to work can turn into hyperness, where the dog is in constant, aimless motion and can’t settle down. If you are looking for a couch potato, you don’t want a German shepherd.

A good German shepherd is active, energetic, always eager to work, but easily capable of turning it off and settling down when the day is done.

German shepherds are protective

It’s their nature. That’s what they do. Isn’t that why you got a German shepherd?

But this protective nature needs guidance. Your shepherd needs a tremendous amount of exposure to normal people, different places, and other dogs. Socialisation helps develop the confidence to accept and be comfortable in normal situations.

Protectiveness without confidence gives you fearfulness. Many, many GSDs are fearful and their first reaction to anything different is to bark and lunge and otherwise threaten. If your dog is reacting like this because he’s afraid, you can’t correct him into compliance. Punishing a dog who is reacting out of fear just tells the dog he was right to be afraid.

You need to commit to getting your shepherd puppy out to experience as many new things as possible. If your puppy tends towards shyness or fearfulness, you don’t have to insist it meet and greet every person. He should not be forced to accept handling from strangers if he’s uncomfortable, but he should be calm and neutral in new situations.

A good German shepherd is reserved towards strangers. This doesn’t mean shy; rather the dog is neutral, neither fawning nor shying away. He ignores strange people and dogs, preferring to interact with and focus on his owner instead. He reacts to real threats with confidence and power, but calms as soon as the threat disappears.

German shepherds have high prey drive

Prey drive is the need to chase balls and sticks and play tug. It is the behaviour behind sheep herding. High prey drive has been part of the selection process in breeding working German shepherds. Prey drive helps increase confidence and gives the trainer a useful tool to motivate the dog in training.

Unchannelled prey drive can result in a dog that notices anything that moves — and moving things elicit the need to chase and catch. A bored shepherd learns to chase bicycles, horses, cars, sheep, skate-boarders, cats, etc.

A good shepherd has abundant prey drive and an owner who knows how to develop and channel that drive into appropriate behaviours while also teaching self-control, so the dog can contain the desire to chase when not appropriate.

German shepherds are possessive

“Mine” is their motto. Many GSDs are fulfilled when they have a toy in their mouth. They don’t need you to throw it, they don’t need to bring it back to play tug. Just carrying the toy and maybe doing a little “it’s mine and you can look but you can’t have it” dance is all the fulfillment they need.

Teach your GSD to out on command by showing him that the game starts again when he gives up the toy. The sooner he releases the toy, the faster the game resumes. Encourage him to bring the toy to you. Don’t let him play keep-away: you’ll never win, and he’ll have a great time at your expense.

German shepherds are territorial

Shepherds guard home and property with vigilance. This also means they can be obnoxious or even frightening when someone walks near their car. They slam the glass with their teeth and look for all the world like they’re coming through the window. Crate your dog or train them not to guard the car — this is a definite liability!

German shepherds are environmentally aware

They notice things. They might alert on a stranger who is all the way across a parking lot. They might be fearful of an object that they’ve passed by many times, but suddenly perceive as threatening. Many shepherds also have fear reactions to strange or new surfaces like slick, shiny floors.

Again, socialization is key: get your dog out and around as many different people, places and things as possible.

German shepherds are emotionally external

They don’t sit quietly and watch; they’re noisy and rambunctious complainers. They cry, they rooo, they talk, they have to tell you about everything. They hate being left alone and complain loudly. Have a friend hold your dog while you leave momentarily, and your dog will whine and leap and act like he’s sure he’ll never see you again. Some even have levels of separation anxiety which can lead to fence eating or other destruction. (Boarding kennels hate German shepherds.)

German shepherds are easily stimulated

It doesn’t take much to get them leaping and biting. And when aroused, they are loud and boisterous and tending toward the stupid. They have difficulties with self-control and containment.

German shepherds have “hard” temperaments

Traditionally, the Germans were hard trainers and they needed a dog that took corrections well, didn’t shut down, and indeed blossomed under demanding training regimens. GSDs don’t always do well with “purely positive” training. They need clear guidelines for acceptable behaviour.

German shepherds are body insensitive

They can be real body slammers. If you have a toy they want, they think nothing about slamming into you to get it. With other dogs, they play hard: they slam, chest-butt, bowl over and ram into their playmates. We have had a “no having fun rule” around the house for years because of injuries due to rough play.

German shepherds are reserved towards strangers

You want a dog that will be friendly with, and relate well with all your friends. But your dog treats your friends like “landscape”. Your friends can coo and coax, and your dog just ignores them.

German shepherds have to be first

They want to be out in front when you’re walking down the street. They want to be first to the door. Wanting to be first means that shepherds very naturally pull hard on the leash. Teaching your dog to walk calmly next to you on a loose leash is fighting a losing battle against the dog’s natural behaviour.

German shepherds are heavy shedders

They shed like an old couch losing its stuffing! The undercoat comes out in clumps. And when they’re not shedding, they’re still constantly losing hair.

German shepherds have many health issues

Even the name German shepherd is synomonous with hip dysplasia – a debilitating malformation of the hip joint. They also are prone to elbow dysplasia and many different types of spinal injuries. Big, fast-growing puppies can suffer from panosteitis. Skin allergies are extremely common.

The same [expletive deleted] dog who broke my toe last time has done it again! That [expletive deleted] Dax has to be first for everything. If you want to walk down the hall from the kitchen to the bedroom, he has to lead. If you want to walk back to the kitchen, he has to be first. To the point of running you down to get in front!

Of course, once he’s in front, he’s not sure where we’re going, so he walks slowly (taking up the whole width of the hall) looking back over his shoulder to ask “where we goin’?”

And if he’s not jumping up to be the leader, he’s asleep in the hall, once again taking up the whole width. You can try to walk through him, and he wakes up and looks surprised, but doesn’t move. You can step on his tail, and that’ll make him move, but then he looks so hurt and offended, your heart immediately melts.

So, yep, the other day, while I was walking down the hall and Dax was charging to be in front, the little toe on my bare foot and his boney hock collided. Ow! %@!!& My toe went a direction it’s not supposed to, and now it’s all swollen and black and blue. I can’t wear shoes, and I can’t run (missed an agility practice).

But I tell all of this, not to garner sympathy for myself, but to server as a warning:

You DON’T want a German shepherd! Really!

Don’t get me wrong – I love my German shepherds. But when they’re vocalizing in excitement because I picked up the car keys, or body-slamming another dog in their version of play, or charging in front of me to be first to the door, I wonder why in the world anyone would want one!

For active dogs, food can only go so far. Chase a squirrel or eat a treat? Meet that new dog, or accept a treat? Run over that next hill to see what’s there or come and get a treat?

Food is a good place to start in training, but it’s only as motivational as the dog thinks it is.

Rule number one: “Training happens.”

That means every time you and your dog interact, you’re training.

Rule number two: “Make training fun.”

If you’re having fun, and your dog is having fun, you’ll both be motivated to keep playing.

You can do that by making your training time be your play time.

Does your dog like to play tug or fetch a ball? If so, make the game of tug or fetch the reward for performing basic obedience exercises.

Call your dog to you. If  he comes really fast, don’t ask for a sit, just release with an “o-KAY” and throw the ball.

Ask for your dog to sit, and then reward with a game of tug. The faster the sit; the sooner the game starts.

Throw in a SIT-DOWN-SIT and then release and play.

When the dog understands that these silly exercises like sit, down and come lead to play, he’ll be excited to comply. “You mean, if I sit really fast, I get to play? How great!”

And what makes this “real” training? You’re getting to practice COME or DOWN hundreds and hundreds of times so that someday, when you really need it, your dog will come or down the moment he hears the words, without thinking, and it could possibly save his life.

Good dog training is play with a purpose!

Okay, so here’s my theory.

You know how when you get up in the morning, you head for the bathroom and make use of the toilet. After flushing, you wash your hands and then stop at the mirror. You look at yourself, maybe make a face or two, inspect your teeth and run your hands through your hair before leaving. I think it’s a way of reminding ourselves “oh, yeah. That’s me.”

Have you noticed that dogs do the same thing? They head out in the morning, do their business, then turn around and give it a good long sniff.

I think this is their way of looking in the mirror first thing in the morning to remember who they are.

Footloose Montana will hold a Trapped Pet Release Workshop

Saturday, February 20, 2010, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

at the Public Library, Large Meeting Room, 626 East Main, BOZEMAN.

It’s trapping season from September through May.  Many Montanans think trapping is a relic of the mountain man days, but each year tens of thousands of potentially lethal traps are set on Montana’s public lands.  If your dog got caught in a trap, would you know how to rescue your furry friend?

Learn how to at the Trapped Pet Release Workshop on Saturday, February 20, at Bozeman’s Public Library, Large Meeting Room, 626 East Main.

Many incidents involving the death or injury of pets in popular recreation areas point out how important it is to be aware of traps.  Learn how to act quickly and potentially save your pet’s life.

Sponsored by Footloose Montana, a non-profit organization educating concerned citizens about traps on public lands and promoting trap-free public lands for people, pets and wildlife.

You can call 274-7878 for more information.  Or email:  info@footloosemontana.org

See you there!

Hi All,

I’m heading out of town in the morning. A long-time and very dear friend is on her death bed, and I need to go out and say my goodbyes… I won’t be back until the middle of February. As my students know, I lose my barn in February due to the Winter Fest at the Fairgrounds, so I usually try to do my travelling then anyways.

The good news is I also get to do  five days of training with Michael Ellis. I’m bringing Zappa, the puppy, who came home with me from Michaels’ in February last year; Lexi, who most certainly is going to get titled in Schutzhund this year; and Dax, who actually looks like he might have woken up!

So, no classes, and no one will be home to mind the store. If you place any orders, please be aware that your order won’t ship until I can convince my husband to go out to the trailer, find the item, and then walk him through shipping procedures. Thanks in advance for your patience!

I’ll post picts etc. from my travels,

-sam

Cali the Mali in the Helena shelter

Cali the Mali in the Helena shelter

P1080353

Description:

Malinois X  Color: brown with black muzzle
Female spayed, 3 Yr
STRAY, Holmes Gulch

Notes:

Cali is a very sweet, attentive, smart Malinois cross who can be shy at first, but warms up easily. Cali may seem intense in her kennel, but when you take her for a walk, she does extremely well. She knows all of her basic commands, such as sit, stay, lie down and shake, and is very well mannered. Cali isn’t too interested in playing and would need a little encouragement. She seems to do well with other dogs, as long as they aren’t too over-bearing. Cali would do best in a home where she could go for walks and hikes, with children over 8 years of age, and where she could be kept busy either with a job or with continuous training.

See Montana Pets on the Net at
http://www.montanapets.org/lchs/pictures/09-2017.html

Good day,I am Mr Bruce I saw your advert on net that I will like to patronize you, I need your assistance as a Puppeis trainer or a dog boarder kennel,I reside in state and I went out of State this week to England,I have 1 puppies here that I want to train before I return back to State next month. I decided to search for a dog trainer who can cater for the dogs and train them very well before I come.I’m very interested in leaving my dogs in your care for the period of a month and the 1 dogs are 6mouth old, I will be in State by next month,for one month I want to book your service and am ready to pay you this week, I have called my P A
in USA that work for me to send the payment to you as soon as you tell me what your price is to take care of the dogs for one month so,the name of my puppies are terry and Timmy both are male,(I need to be train for walking,sitting,understanding and homecare etc)I will call the shipping to deliver the puppies to you.

Thanks..

Bruce…

fred_bruce1111@yahoo.com

A perfect front is close, straight, fast and consistently correct. The dog has full understanding of his job. He knows how to be straight because he understands what his focal point is and how to line himself up with it. He understands how close is close. He sits quickly and gives intense, focused eye contact.

But how do you get there?

Fronts are my nemesis. My own dogs have learned that front is a two-step process:

  • come in quickly and sit;
  • then, following my cue of putting my hands together and taking a slight step back, they get up, reposition themselves more closely and more straight, and sit again.

This is not the picture I want. First rule: you get what you reward. If you settle for “good enough”, then that’s what you get. But how to initially establish that perfect front? And how to reward a good front in a way that reinforces the correct position?

I usually reward with a toy by throwing it when I release the dog. I used to throw the toy behind the dog, because that happened to be the direction I was facing. That caused the dog to sit further and further back, in anticipation of the reward. He wanted to be ready, giving himself enough room to turn and get the toy.

So I started throwing the toy behind me. This wasn’t much better. Although I thought I was rewarding for a close position and eye contact, they all seemed to sit too far back. Since you get what you reward, I was obviously getting a behaviour that included sitting far enough back to give themselves room to get around me and get the toy.

I’ve tried throwing the ball between my legs — bad idea for a short person with a tall dog! I’ve tried holding a tennis ball under my chin and letting it roll out for the dog to catch. Another bad idea! Extremely toy-driven dogs have no hesitation about jumping up and grabbing something in motion and whatever comes along with it. Ouch!

I’ve been giving this a lot of thought, and have finally come up with a plan. I’ll share it here and let you know how it develops. I’m working four very different dogs, so the method should get some real testing.

Since it’s winter and cold and miserable both outside and in the training barn, it’s a perfect time for kitchen training. This is a great opportunity to work on specific behaviours and do lots and lots of repetitions. Food lends itself well to drilling. Work two or three times a day for only a few minutes at a time.

This game is based on the premise that dogs are efficient: over time, they will automatically move closer to the place where they consistently receive their reward.

Step 1: Show where the reward will appear.

  • Hold your hands together at the point on your belly where the dog’s nose would be if he were in perfect front position, looking up at you. The food is held in both hands, with both hands together, thumbs and forefingers touching. First we’re creating a focal point for the dog to orient towards. By keeping your hands firmly placed on your belly and not reaching forward to give the dog the treat, you are helping reinforce tuck sits as well.
    The reward point.

    The reward point.

  • This will always be your reward point for fronts. Even years from now, when your dog nails a front, you’ll bring your hands quickly together to this point to reward. The reward for speed should be a release into a toy; the reward for a perfect front should be food at the reward point. If the reward consistently comes in the very same place, the dog has no reason to be too far away.

    Your reward point varies depending on the dog's height

    Your reward point varies depending on the dog's height

  • Call the dog and show the reward point. When the dog comes and sits, even too far back, mark YES & reward by opening one hand but keeping it planted at the reward point. Let the dog come forward to get the treat.
  • Even if the dog sits too far away, mark YES and keep your reward hand exactly in the same place and make the dog come to get the treat. Don’t reach out!
  • Release OKAY and throw food behind you with the opposite hand. Throwing the food is only a means to get the dog away from you so you can turn around and call to front again.
  • As the dog goes to look for the food, walk forward across the kitchen, turn around at the other end and call to front. You’ll be moving back and forth across the length of your kitchen or training area. Call the dog to one end; throw the food behind while you move to the other end and call the dog.
  • Switch reward hands back and forth:  if you reward with the right hand, release and throw food behind with the left; then reward with the left hand, release and throw food behind with the right. Dogs pick up on patterns very quickly. If he learns that you always reward with a certain hand, he’ll begin to sit closer to that hand.

Step 2:  Eye contact and reward.

Step 3:  Move your hands apart.

  • You will want to do this fairly quickly, as we don’t want the focus point your hands form to become the cue for a good front. The recall command should be the cue, and your hands are just there to help if necessary.
  • Form a triangle with thumb and forefingers, but still reward with hands together in the centre. Show the triangle, mark YES, and move your hands together to provide the reward. Only move your hands together after you say YES.
  • Make the dog come to the reward point, don’t reach out to give the reward.

Focal point

Focal point


Move hands further apart...

Move hands further apart...


... until they're by your hips. But the reward point is always the same, in the centre of your body.

... until they're by your hips. But the reward point is always the same, in the centre of your body.

  • Continue to  mark and reward a sit-in-front even if the dog is too far away. Because dogs are efficient and the reward always comes in the same place, the dog will start to move closer on his own. Don’t ask for the dog to adjust to a better front before marking: that just sets you up to establishing a two-step front. (Come-sit-come closer-sit.).

Step 4: Hands at sides, showing the final recall picture.

  • Think about what forms a visual cue for a perfect front. Your shoulders should be square, head up but looking at your dog, hips square under your shoulders and feet slightly apart under your hips. Your hands should be hanging naturally at your sides.
  • This is a rigid and unnatural stance to the dog: you look like an unmoving barrier, certainly not inviting for the dog, and especially a sensitive dog, to come in close. It will take quite a bit of repetition for the dog to feel comfortable and confident.
  • Call the dog with your hands down at your sides. Move your hands to help show the focal point as the dog comes in. Put your hands back down. Make eye contact and mark YES, then move your hands to the reward point. Do NOT take a step back to help the dog come in straight. The dog needs to figure out how to collect and tuck into a close sit as he comes in; if you help by stepping backwards, you make his landing point inconsistent, and you take away his responsibility.
Nice and close...

Nice and close...

YES and reward
YES and reward

You might need to practice these steps without the dog:

  • Hands down, call.
  • Hands up, help.
  • Hands down.
  • YES
  • hands up.

We would like to introduce you to a very cool new video sharing site just for dogs!! You can upload your pictures and videos and share with everyone just like you tube. It is called Cinemutt. It is pronounced like Cinema, only with a mutt at the end :)

It is a movie house for dogs only. It is a dog friendly place, safe from all the garbage that bombards us on youtube and similar sites. Please stop by for a peek and have fun!! Go to www.cinemutt.com .

Thanks

Kent and Mary Grabau
Three Pines Productions LLC

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