Potentially controversial....what defines good behaviour?

Haha, very very true - one to one relationships are always far easier. I live away at uni but my dad has set firm boundaries and commands etc which I am usually updated on the minute I walk through the door ;)

We have a young GSD who could have potentially become a problem - however after, a lot of work she has become quite an obedient girl - I don't see her as a servant, but I do firmly believe that if she didn't have these boundaries, she would have become a very insecure, clingy dog. The only issue she has is other dogs and strangers, which we are working very hard on with 'unknown' (to her!) dog friendly people and very steady dogs - she has never been socialised and we think, isn't able to read other dogs body language. Her barking and lunging for other dogs is bad manners in my eyes and we are working to correct this.

Some very interesting comments on this.
K x
 
Alec Swan said:
Two questions for those who have a work styled relationship with their dogs;

A/ Do you find that those who constantly talk to their dog, encourage the dog to ignore the human voice, and

B/ Do you allow your dog to put it's feet on you?

Not trick questions, I'd be interested to hear your thoughts.

A.
Click to expand...

A) I believe that tone of voice is everything to a dog, along with body language. You can talk gobbledegook to your dog all day long ( I frequently do) but when I mean it they know the difference and I expect them to respond immediately.

B) Never. They shouldn't even try.
 
Hmmmm . . . interesting thread.

At the risk of being shot down . . . I'd say my dogs are reasonably well behaved. They come when called when off lead (Fred will turn on a sixpence - Daisy is slightly less responsive), they sit and wait until I tell them they can eat, they ask to come up onto the sofa (and respect "no"), ditto the bed, they don't mouth/nip/bite, they leave whatever's interesting and follow me when commanded (but not otherwise), they don't chase bikes/runners/buggies/small children, etc. (but Fred would chase a horse given half the chance).

However . . . Fred pulls like a train when walked on the lead (we just don't do it often b/c we live in such a rural environment and he's pretty much always off lead), they bark when someone comes to the house (but will quiet down when told), Fred attacks the post (which is why we have an outside postbox), Daisy jumps up (but gets down when told) and if a cat walked through our garden they'd both go beresk.

I don't show them or do obedience/trials with them, they have no particularly anti-social habits and I can (and do) control them both in public so that they are not a nuisance to other people.

They are well-behaved enough for me and my family and friends at home . . . and out and about I manage them so that they don't cause anybody else any bother. That's good enough for me.

P

P.S. As an example . . . Fred just forgot himself and hopped up onto the sofa next to me without being invited . . . all it took was an "exCUSE me" from me and he hopped straight down and curled up on the floor at my feet. He may push his luck sometimes, but he responds to (and respects) correction readily.
 
Very good thread. My OH has a working lab and a companion terrier. Neither of them are allowed to jump up, lick, push past or do anything out of line. They come immediately when called and are impecabbly behaved by all standards IMO.
I have a lurcher and she has me brilliantly trained, she does exactly what she wants when she wants to, I am at her beck and call. She does walk to heel well though, ignores other dogs and never jumps up. See a small and furry though (not cats or other dogs, I did manage to win that argument) and she goes completely deaf. She always comes back though (eventually).

My pet hates - dogs with no recall, aggressive dogs (to other dogs and people), licky dogs (I really hate it), dogs who beg or scavenge while you are eating and WHY does every shoot have a badly behaved male lab who constantly sniffs and harries the bitches and won't leave them alone? (Ususally belings to a man who you suspect may be the same way inclined!).
I have a lot of pet hates!
 
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