Introducing me and Sam :)

fidleyspromise

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Hello all,

It's not often I venture in here but fear I may need a lot of advice.
I'm moving in a weeks time (eeek) and have been speaking to my parents about nabbing one of their dogs :)

My parents have 3 GSDs. One is mine. She's 12 yrs old and she became mine by defualt (bought for my mum) and I feel it's unfair to ask her to move home at her age. She is starting to fail. :(

The third one is 1yr old, very quiet and lazy and my parents want to take him out with them when they go in the caravan etc. The third one howls when left alone.

The second one is Sam - he's 3 yrs old, got little discipline in his first year and now is disobedient, unsurprisingly! I've done training with him when I've been able and find it's simply a case of keeping his attention and keeping consistant.

He bounds over the 6 ft boundary fence and takes off. He doesn't yet listen to recall, he doesn't bark but howls. He jumps up on my dad - whether he jumps on anyone else when they walk in the house I'm not sure, but he's stopped jumping at me when I do so - he has given the other 2 dogs nips and drawn blood!! He has also growled and gone for my parents (although not come in contact).

I want him out of there before someone gets hurt. The plan is to give him a couple of weeks to settle in, see how we go and hopefully all going well - get him into agility.
I have 1 and a half weeks off work when I get him. I also get either 5 or 7 days off in a row and I work nights so either my fiance or I will be with him to get him!!

If it starts to go pear shaped in any way, I will be getting a professional in, but am confident that I can handle him as he is a loving dog. :)

Any advice and tips etc would be appreciated however :D
 
A high fence :D
A new set of firmer rules (A new place in order of his new pack) the bottom:D
Lots of stimulation exercise and good training class (as you already suggest)
Balls off, if not already done so.
He sounds a bit confused as to his position at home at present and a bit frustrated abd def unruly, so I think the one on one time with you and your other half will do him the world of good.

Lots of piccies and welcome.
Cavey would normally bang on about GSD's related things forever but she ain't here:D im sure she will find this post and bump it when she is back and suggest the types of trainng you could be doing with him.
 
It does sound as if Sam is trying to be top dog in the gang at your parents, and has obviously been allowed to get away with a lot. I would think he would thrive with a bit more attention and discipline, they are such an intelligent breed they will soon think of things to entertain themselves if left to their own devices . Training classes are definitely a good idea, you will need the basics before you start agility, and perhaps a few clicker trained tricks at home, finding hidden toys etc. The more he uses his brain the more settled he will be.
 
Thanks both :)

He looks so innocent and quiet in these piccies :)

Will definitely be looking at balls off - will need to talk to parents though :( Will look into clicker training - what are the best resources for learning this? My friend is going to talk to her friend who does agility and I'm going to go find a training class as well :D

Oh, and I found some piccies of him:

Introducing him to a kitten - he was very curious so figured it was best to introduce him and after a few lunges at it, he did become gentle and started ignoring it.
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Check those lugs out.:) he is a nice boy.
I always find the whites are a little more temperamental in the handling, so def try a GSD based training class that may help alot, Cavey will be best placed to recommend a class or MurphysMinder.
I would maybe PM CaveCanem, give her a little back ground like u have here and ask re training classes she would recommend in your area.

When having a chat to the parents explain you want to work with him and having a dog less testosterone charged may help you immensely, esp if he has shown aggressive tendancies with the growling, if its a (we would like to breed thing) then explain that, his genes are prob not the best to pass on either with the displays of aggression and he would need full health tests, hip elbow scores. That may help u a little.
I think right now his training and anything that would help you to help him, is what is best and IMO balls off would help.
 
He's gorgeous - but that little puppy's face when his bone is taken away:eek:;)! You need to get that up on loldogs:D
 
I agree with Cayla re the castration,it may well help. Whites are often from a more limited gene pool which can mean temperament problems are increased, but I am sure you will be able to sort him out, it sounds like he has just been allowed to get away with things.
My geography of Scotland is not very good, but there are a few decent breed clubs up there, pm me your location and I can give you some names as I am sure CC will when she is about again.
 
Thank you. Knew I would get what I needed here :)
SU - He has grown into his ears a little but yeah, I think he's beautiful. My mum was put out when she sent me a pic the day she brought him home - I asked it she'd bought the lab she'd wanted, oops.
Cayla - I will def mention that. I don't think she'd be breeding from him (as it's 2 males they have) but she's very definite in what she does and does not want. Will do everything I can to get him chopped. Will get in touch with CC as well.

Spudlet - Yup, pup wasn't happy although it took Sam 5 minutes to decide to move in.

MM - Yep, previous dog got onto train tracks and my mum was devastated so they got this one too early and didn't put the time into him that was needed so he really did rule the roost. Sending you a PM now :)
 
Bumping this so CC sees it! I'm not ignoring your pm mishaspey, just can't find a club that is anywhere near you, hopefully CC may know of one that I don't.
 
PM already sent :p

Also agree with neutering!
He's a white, with attitude and no health tests so I really wouldn't recommend breeding, in the nicest possible way (I have a big grey elephantine one with attitude so I have put my money where my mouth is and had them off!!!)
 
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