lmao that’s funny and I feel your pain … mine is 6 month now, she has been very good, but she is not without challenges. I fell the same, sometimes i am like she is so good, other times she makes me question my capabilities and I am afraid the worse is comming. I was scared to get a GSD, i was afraid to have my hands full and that fear is justified, they are a handful their combination of prey drive and stubbornness is something else. She made me think, re evaluate research and try new methods. I am not judging I also lost patience with her once or twice I try my best not too and keep that has last resort but sometime it is what it is, i gave her many chances and if you don’t seize them something will happen and you won’t like it. (within reason of course I make sure my timing is bang on, it’s about hurting their ego not them) I am bless to have a land that i can bring them daily, I am off 2 weeks at the time so we can spend time together and do a few training sessions a day, she sleep in a crate which help. I have a wonderful energetic Lab that treated her like her pup at least she did but now that’s giving use some challenges on its own, we have to give them some time apart because we have some dominance issue between them, (two females). We are working on that, right now that’s my biggest challenge, so we are working on leave it and stay. I attributed them some places in the living room and it’s infantry style no more free for all… second is we have lots of work to do on the leash, I found a effective method now so progress is being made, we had some recall issue at first but now she good just maintaining that training. We have done lots of socializing my last time off, that little bugger is a dominant one, she flipped on their back all 3 of my sister dogs ( a GSD (2 year old ish) a young great dane (1 year old) and a older Lab (6 ish)) i was blown away not what i wanted or expected… but at least it was all positives.
I've had several GSD's in my lifetime. One dog at a time. I can't imagine myself having anything else. That
said, I have family and friends that have other breeds, duck, goose, hog and deer hunted with others dogs.
All great dogs for their purpose, even little lap dogs.
It's been years since my last dog. Just didn't think I'd ever want another, but, time changes everything.
My girl was the last sold from her litter. The decision was almost a "rescue" choice. Runt of the litter. Country breeder. We left, but went back to get her. Yep, I couldn't leave that dog in the conditions
she was born in. Food was just thrown on the grown, pens were a freaking mess, parents looked good
but not well kept. No socialization. No shots. No wormer. etc etc The dog was just shy of 12 weeks old.
Almost too old for me to take a chance ( I like 6-8 wk old and start training immediately). Anyway, it took time for her to learn to eat out of a bowl. That's where we started from. Trips to the Vet etc
I live on a farm so I am here everyday. The dog is doing whatever I am. She started out as a farm dog with
us. Outside all the time. She is very active, will fetch anything I can throw, in the water or out. Chase a ball, stick, rabbit, and recently got after a coyote crossing her "area". She's also gotten after a couple of armadillos and tried to get a road runner (bird was way too smart) which was interesting to watch. Tried to catch some deer the other day but once they hit the woods she turned back. I don't want her chasing deer so..... she ignores cows.
The destruction problems were something I had never had a issue with in previous dogs. However, those dogs were all with me almost all the time (different life). Since this dog (farm life) is often on her own I think she was just testing the waters to see what was acceptable. I have 5 strand barbed wire around the property but no interior fencing or dog runs etc The dog stays home when we have to leave for extended hours and is here waiting every time we come home. And with a crazy OMG, you're here!, welcome. She's
turned out to be something I should have done years ago....gotten another dog.
Yes. The dogs Ego can be damaged so careful when discipline is necessary. Can be a fine line but a absolute must. She's got a bed inside now and she is allowed only in that area. I've never crated the dog. If it's real cold or bad storms she also has a bed in the garage at night. Other wise she sleeps outside. She guards all
night. Anything comes out of the woods or under a fence and she's on it. I didn't teach that, she just does it. They are a interesting breed. We're working on finding objects by smell. She tries visual first, then back tracks and expands search area with nose down. Great exercise for her. She won't stop till she finds it. Like a one track mind kind of thing.
