Question about chickens and puppie(German Shepard )

[Eps32]

Ok guys I think I figured it out. I made two accounts some how lol. But I have it figured out now I think. Sorry about the confusion.

 

[FussyHen]

One possible problem with herding breeds (like yours) is their built-in obsession to herd.

My pup started with herding cats. The cats did not like this. There was a pile of lumber left by previous residents, and she would herd the cats to the upper levels, where they would wait for me to save them, seriously PO'd.

She would try to herd the young chickens, so I put them in a circle of loose wire fencing. Loose, she raced around them, herding them, looking very proud. I put her on a leash and we walked around the circle, putting her on a down-stay every quarter or so. When she calmed down, I removed the leash. She walked around the circle, then came back to me and said, "Chickens are boring. I'm going to eat some grass."

I watched them after that, but she simply seemed to figure that if she couldn't herd them, they held no interest for her. Fifteen years, no chciken injuries or deaths from her.

Always remember one thing: Dogs Cannot Read Your Mind. You have to explain things in ways they can understand. Failure = your fault.

 

[TalkALittle]

The bigger problem with German Shepherds is there are so many with crappy temperments. Hyper-wary and fearful.

 

[aart]

The bigger problem with German Shepherds is there are so many with crappy temperments. Hyper-wary and fearful.

You could say that about almost any breed....

...it really mostly boils down to the individual dogs 'personality' and the owners attitude, aptitude and training prowess.

 

[Eps32]

My uncle is a deputy and got me in touch with a very reputable breeder. She's akc her grandfather was a grand champion. I met her mother very well tempered and smart as a whip. She's already very smart and went in the house once. I told her no very loudly carried her outside and put her in the grass. No accident since. Plus my other dogs are very well trained. And she follows there lead somewhat. I work with her every day. When I feed her I pet her face pull the dish away give it back. She's doing very well and I know I have to be diligent to keep her going in the right direction. I think she will do well she has a very timid personality so far. And the more she sees the chickens the less interested she's become. I have high hopes for her.

 

[TalkALittle]

You could say that about almost any breed....

...it really mostly boils down to the individual dogs 'personality' and the owners attitude, aptitude and training prowess.

But it is rampant in GS dogs. At least around me.

Owner attitude, aptitude and training prowess can't make up for genetically rooted fearfulness. One need only look at Murphree's nervous pointers to see the powerful influence breeding has on temperament. Within just a few generations of selecting for nervousness around humans, they created a line of nervous dogs that, even when removed at birth from their nervous mothers and raised by a stable dog in an enriching and socializing environment, still exhibited severe nervous reactions to humans.

I often hear "puppies are clean slates" but that just isn't the case. I've had clients who I've had to sit down and explain that their puppy will probably grow to be a nervous dog. They can take steps to build its confidence, but their dog is never going to be that rock-solid dog they hoped for. It's really discouraging how often it happens.

You take a breed like the GSD that is already supposed to be reserved and wary and add a careless breeding program that doesn't specifically select for stable temperament and you will get scared timebombs with teeth. Not what the average family wants or is capable of managing but too often exactly what they find themselves with.

 

[aart]

Quote: Agree that nervousness, and other attributes-good and bad, are often hereditary and can be passed down/spread by heedless breeders....
......thus my mention of the dogs 'personality'.......
...and can happen with any 'breed'.

I believe you are a dog trainer by vocation? You probably see many of the 'bad' cases.

Hopefully Eps32 has gotten a good line of dog and trains it well....sounds pretty good so far.

 

[TalkALittle]

I believe you are a dog trainer by vocation? You probably see many of the 'bad' cases.

Yes on both counts. But I often remind myself that there are plenty of people who don't seek out the services of a trainer, presumably because their dogs don't have behavior issues.

 

[Eps32]

Yes I was very cautious about the breeder I was going to get my German Shepard from. That why I put it off for nearly 2 months. Until my uncles friends dog had pups. He set it up where I could get a female. He wasn't selling any of the males. He trains them for working purposes. I sent the papers off two days ago. And akc all ready contacted me via email with conformation of her registration and number. She's well behaved and showed a ton of love. If I could just get her to stop knocking over her water bowl that would be great lol.

 

[TheTwoRoos]

I raised a German Shepard around pups.

Discourage any bad behaviour she does toward them,try keep them up around her letting her know it's ok for you to pick them up,if she begs differ,do whatever you do to discourage that.