HHO young GSDs

[Moobli]

There are a few young GSDs in the HHO family at the moment and as I have been absent with my own bundle of trouble for the past few months would love to know how they are all getting on - Paddy555, Lintel, SadKen ... anyone else? Pics would be good too.

My boy is six months old now and is as bright as a button, very energetic and intelligent but noisy with it. His father, my Zak, is remarkably quiet for a GSD and will only bark to warn of "intruders" near the property but is quiet as a mouse at other times and even in the car even when other dogs or people walk by (lots of GSDs tend to go ballistic). Thankfully Strike seems to have followed his dad's good example and is quiet in the car but does bark when excited or frustrated so we are working on that. He is also quite food aggressive towards the other dogs although not to people. I did wonder if it was due to being one of ten and having to battle for food at mealtimes but his litter brother who I met up with this week is not at all that way. So it could be to do with my other dogs being in close proximity to each other at mealtimes, so I have moved pup further away from them so he doesn't feel he needs to be possessive. As I said in another thread he is tracking well, and really enjoying scentwork (gun oil scent) and finding my lost keys. He is prey driven though so we are working on that around the sheep, although he is fine with the ponies and highland cow (probably because they don't run). He is brilliant with the kids, a real softie and my 11 year old son absolutely dotes on him. Lovely to see.

So any updates from the other GSD pups?

 

[rabatsa]

Zena is 9 months old next week. Basic training is going well and she shows up some older dogs at our BAGSD training sessions. I need to work more at getting her out in company though as she thinks every dog wants to play and can become quite vocal about it.

She has found her guarding voice and is learning when to use it, fortunately having a silent greyhound who does not react to most things helps us here. She is getting the hang of not barking when the neighbours ridgebacks bark as they bark at sparrows farting. Same with not barking at the neighbours children riding their bikes up and down the yard but the lady delivering the parish notes by bike did get barked at.

Good with sheep but a cock pheasant in the yard did lose his tail feathers a couple of days ago.

Now does anyone know how to stop her from eating sheep poo when loose in a field the sheep have been moved from?

 

[Moobli]

She sounds lovely rabatsa - any photos?

In terms of wanting dogs to play and becoming vocal, have you tried encouraging her to play with you at home with a favourite toy and then take the toy on a walk and when she sees other dogs (and before she has time to react) producing her toy and having a good old play while passing the other dog? My pup is a bit vocal with some dogs but I try to keep him under threshold (so at a distance where he won't start to bark) and reward him for being calm and quiet. If we come across dogs without being able to do this, I carry a rabbit fur tuggy that is small enough to fit in my pocket and I produce that and have a play while we pass the other dog. If the other dog is off lead and happy to have a quick play then I will allow it and then call my pup away for another game with me before we head off. I want Strike to be sociable with other dogs but not to the point where he'd rather play with them than me, if that makes sense.

My pup likes to eat sheep (and more recently goose) poo too. I either leash him so he doesn't have the opportunity or I am teaching a solid leave in the house, away from distractions, with his toys and treats and will transfer that to other exciting or potentially edible objects such as poo once we have proofed it indoors.

 

[paddy555]

nice to see you back and hear about Strike.
Merlyn is now 16 months which have been about the longest 16 months of our lives! He has finally started to improve. He is much more pleasant and friendly to us now and about at the stage of a 6mo pup but at last he is starting to listen. We have no idea why he was such a difficult pup. He was worse than all the other pups we have had put together. Anyway hopefully we are on the road forward. He is totally ball obsessed. No way will be give them up. He eats anything but is very gentle with food and hand feeding. One good point is that he doesn't bark either when the neighbours BC barks (which is most of the time) or if we meet dogs out walking. He hates any sort of restraint. The only thing that worked for him was a police dog tracking harness so when we had to give that back he got a K9. His heelwork wallking alongside the bike is good and for parts he is perfect just on the K9 although I always have him double leaded.

Rape and murder are low on my list of worries. He is the most protective dog I have ever had. He really, really means it and it is only me he wants to protect. OH remarked that if I ever had an accident I would just die as he wouldn't let the ambulance men in. I hope the protectiveness is going to subside as he gets older.
He was a nightmare travelling as he barked at every sheep, cow and pony which on unfenced roads is every few yards. That is improving at last.

 

[Moobli]

Oh wow paddy it sounds like you have had your hands full and you have my sympathies as my very first shepherd was similar and it does not make for a particularly enjoyable dog owning experience. Are you still in touch with the breeder or any litter siblings? Do you know if the whole litter are similar? In terms of him protecting you, could it be that he is resource guarding his most precious resource (ie You) or is it more nervous aggression, trying to keep people away? He certainly sounds like a complex character. Are you getting any help in with his behaviour? Oh and any new pics?

 

[vallin]

Not a GSD owner but enjoying reading all your different experiences, disappointed by the lack of pictures though!

 

[elizabeth1]

Not a GSD owner but enjoying reading all your different experiences, disappointed by the lack of pictures though!

Not a GSD owner but enjoying reading all your different experiences, disappointed by the lack of pictures though!

 

[elizabeth1]

Sorry pressed too soon!
I can’t work out how to post photos
I have a 20 month old German shepherd called George. Someone on here reccommended Nyrvana dogs for temperament
So I went to Margaret Nyrvana Jones and bought George
His temperament is fantastic.
He is steady and non reactive to joggers cyclists small children etc but bright and engaged ( mostly!) in training
Does love chasing squirrels though! That is a work in progress...

 

[Moobli]

Not a GSD owner but enjoying reading all your different experiences, disappointed by the lack of pictures though!

I can rectify that on my part 😂

Strike and brother Jura, first time we met up after the pups came home (27 Dec) and then last Monday (25 March). They grow so fast!

 

[Moobli]

Sorry pressed too soon!
I can’t work out how to post photos
I have a 20 month old German shepherd called George. Someone on here reccommended Nyrvana dogs for temperament
So I went to Margaret Nyrvana Jones and bought George
His temperament is fantastic.
He is steady and non reactive to joggers cyclists small children etc but bright and engaged ( mostly!) in training
Does love chasing squirrels though! That is a work in progress...

Ooh fab! Would love to see photos if you can work out how to do it. I just save FB photos to my phone then click on attach files and add photos.

Who are George’s parents? He sounds lovely.

 

[SadKen]

Well we have had Hector for just under 3 weeks now and so far he has been:

Excellent at house training. Like, astonishingly good.
Quick with training if not consistent yet! Bit of ball drive, good food drive, short attention span!
Good at guarding. He has barked at passers by our garden in a low alert way which is good as my other boy only alerts to the front door so any slightly clever burglars would have been welcomed by a lick.
He's very brave and very endearing.


Other stuff:
He bites a lot.
He shouts when you tell him off (but if you get up he tucks his bum and is off!)
Torments my other dog remorselessly.

He is an amazing addition to our family.

I do worry about him. I've seen him lame on one of his back legs twice. Didn't see what happened the first time, second time my older dog bowled him over. After a couple of steps he was ok. I don't want to run to the vet for no reason (he didn't even yelp or stop playing) as I know I'm a massive worrier. We are due back in two weeks for jabs so might mention it then. I'm guessing it's just puppies but happy to hear alternative thoughts.

As for photos it's pretty much impossible to attach them from my mobile. The interface doesn't seem capable of working with Samsung. A shame as I have millions of him!

 

[splashgirl45]

i am not a gsd owner but love the look of them, very disappointed with lack of pics as well

 

[Moobli]

Hector sounds like a real little sweetheart SadKen. If you are on FB I just save the photo from FB into my photos on the phone and then attach files and add in here. If you are struggling you could send some to me and I could add them for you (same for you Elizabeth). Just PM me and I will send my email addy.

Regarding his being lame, it could just be that he was knocked by your other dog (my pup has been lame a couple of times due to rough play with the other dogs) or it could possibly be pano, which you may or may not have heard of.
https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/panosteitis-in-dogs

 

[splashgirl45]

working GSD thats a very interesting article i now know a bit more which is always useful

 

[elizabeth1]

Ooh fab! Would love to see photos if you can work out how to do it. I just save FB photos to my phone then click on attach files and add photos.

Who are George’s parents? He sounds lovely.

Georges father is Sevvy[Nryana Walk on the Wild Side] and his mother is Ceilidh [Sachsenhaus Xenogenesis]
Thanks for agreeing to help with photos!

 

[Moobli]

No problem. George is gorgeous ❤️

 

[pippixox]

Stop this thread now! I am getting GSD broody! Even with their bad behaviour 😛
been over two years since we lost Harvey our GSD and would love another. But we gained a rescue collie and lab and have two little boys (of the humans variety!) so really need more space....

 

[Moobli]

Stop this thread now! I am getting GSD broody! Even with their bad behaviour 😛
been over two years since we lost Harvey our GSD and would love another. But we gained a rescue collie and lab and have two little boys (of the humans variety!) so really need more space....

Is it two years already? 🙁. You definitely need another shepherd in your life ❤️

 

[splashgirl45]

lovely pics of a handsome boy