# What is this all about????



## Kat LaPlante (May 17, 2009)

My 2 year old "pet" GSD is a crack head. Great dog, wont bite. Anyway, I see some interesting new behaviour......3 days ago went after a squirrel, really fast, scaled a 10.5 foot high wood fence would have completely got over had his "WTF have I done?" not kicked in. Today he went after a bird and went up a tree about 4 feet?????

SOOOOOOO, maybe I can channel this new found "drive" into an activity for him? or is it simply ecollar time for his own safety.

Not civil, wont bite, soft dog, too crazy for a service dog at an elderly residence....hes a great pet and awsesome with kids and all dogs, would likely accidentillay kill a cat. Any suggestions for activities, except fly ball as it really doesnt get me too excited.


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## Carol Boche (May 13, 2007)

What about agility work? Herding? Weight Pulling?


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## Kat LaPlante (May 17, 2009)

I thought of hearding, there is a clininc that is run here a few times a year, I am concerned that he would injure one of the animals or he would get injured? We have had a 'horse encounter"....I got yelled at


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

What do you mean won't bite ?? So he just looks at the tug as it whips around, or is he afraid of it ??


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## Carol Boche (May 13, 2007)

Any good clinic/instructor/teacher will be more than helpful for you and they will be able to read the dog so that injuries do not happen or at least are minimized. 

My Mal (who loves to kill things) and I start herding classes here pretty soon and that is a concern, however I am confident that between Laura (top stock dog handler) and an e collar, Jesea will love to learn herding.


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## Kat LaPlante (May 17, 2009)

Jeff Oehlsen said:


> What do you mean won't bite ?? So he just looks at the tug as it whips around, or is he afraid of it ??


Oh for sure, he'll grab it but really, he's all about the chase, he shakes it once he gets it but he would way rather another imediate chase  If I have to work that hard to bring out any civil inclination then i will just leave it and love him for what he is....a retard.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Kat LaPlante said:


> Oh for sure, he'll grab it but really, he's all about the chase, he shakes it once he gets it but he would way rather another imediate chase  If I have to work that hard to bring out any civil inclination then i will just leave it and love him for what he is....a retard.


:-o:-o:-o

Hopefully just semantics but no way in hell should you be trying to bring out any civil inclinations in any dog of you own.

"All about the chase" is definately a beginning.
Have you had the dog evaluated by anyone that knows what the're looking at?


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

Bob Scott said:


> :-o:-o:-o
> 
> Hopefully just semantics but no way in hell should you be trying to bring out any civil inclinations in any dog of you own.
> 
> ...


not on purpose anyhow LOL

if he likes to chase tugs and will bite them, there is no reason to believe he won't bite if worked correctly....put the decoy in a big squirrel suit


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

Quote: Oh for sure, he'll grab it but really, he's all about the chase, he shakes it once he gets it but he would way rather another imediate chase If I have to work that hard to bring out any civil inclination then i will just leave it and love him for what he is....a retard.

I am pretty sure he is not the retard here.


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## Anne Pridemore (Mar 20, 2010)

agility, dock dog, disc dog, fly ball


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## maggie fraser (May 30, 2008)

Kat LaPlante said:


> My 2 year old "pet" GSD is a crack head. Great dog, wont bite. Anyway, I see some interesting new behaviour......3 days ago went after a squirrel, really fast, scaled a 10.5 foot high wood fence would have completely got over had his "WTF have I done?" not kicked in. Today he went after a bird and went up a tree about 4 feet?????
> 
> SOOOOOOO, maybe I can channel this new found "drive" into an activity for him? or is it simply ecollar time for his own safety.
> 
> Not civil, wont bite, soft dog, too crazy for a service dog at an elderly residence....hes a great pet and awsesome with kids and all dogs, would likely accidentillay kill a cat. Any suggestions for activities, except fly ball as it really doesnt get me too excited.


 
What's the interesting new behaviour ? Prey behaviour ? Spring in his toes ?

Tracking's another idea.


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## chris haynie (Sep 15, 2009)

if theres an agility club near you go there and they can get you started and then its really easy to setup a backyard agility course. 

i built my agility a frame for like 50 bucks in materials. jumps and weave poles can be made from 1" PVC for next to nothing, and if you get lucky and theres a sale at a mega toy store near you tunnels can often be found for dirt cheap if you dont mind your tunnel having goofy ass cartoons or kid show stuff printed on them. teeters and pivoting stuff can be harder/more expesnive to make but its not rocket science. utility companies will often give you the big empty cable spools, if you pick them up, which make good pause tables and other stuff. 

and if you have your own agility stuff in your backyard you can work with your dog while drinking coffee and reading the newspaper, no travelling neccesary :lol:


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## Kat LaPlante (May 17, 2009)

chris haynie said:


> if theres an agility club near you go there and they can get you started and then its really easy to setup a backyard agility course.
> 
> i built my agility a frame for like 50 bucks in materials. jumps and weave poles can be made from 1" PVC for next to nothing, and if you get lucky and theres a sale at a mega toy store near you tunnels can often be found for dirt cheap if you dont mind your tunnel having goofy ass cartoons or kid show stuff printed on them. teeters and pivoting stuff can be harder/more expesnive to make but its not rocket science. utility companies will often give you the big empty cable spools, if you pick them up, which make good pause tables and other stuff.
> 
> and if you have your own agility stuff in your backyard you can work with your dog while drinking coffee and reading the newspaper, no travelling neccesary :lol:


the building idea did not sound to fun until you mentioned drinking coffee and reading the newspaper:grin:


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## Lou Castle (Apr 4, 2006)

If none of the other suggestions give you relief from the chasing behavior consider THIS


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## Charles Guyer (Nov 6, 2009)

Squirrel hunting?


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## Gillian Schuler (Apr 12, 2008)

Jeff Oehlsen said:


> Quote: Oh for sure, he'll grab it but really, he's all about the chase, he shakes it once he gets it but he would way rather another imediate chase If I have to work that hard to bring out any civil inclination then i will just leave it and love him for what he is....a retard.
> 
> I am pretty sure he is not the retard here.


I'd have to agree with you!

There's more wrong with handlers than canines she says without a photo or a video to prove it :lol:


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## Guest (Jun 24, 2010)

How bout nosework? Its the new pet craze sweeping the nation. Basically you train your dog to do SAR but not on people, on stuff like oregano and 9mm shell casings, paperclips, orange peels and such. People and dogs seem to enjoy it. Find scent , indicate, find source, alert. Seems a good way to channel energy and drive regardless of whether your dog can bite.


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## Tamara McIntosh (Jul 14, 2009)

Kat LaPlante said:


> My 2 year old "pet" GSD is a crack head. Great dog, wont bite. Anyway, I see some interesting new behaviour......3 days ago went after a squirrel, really fast, scaled a 10.5 foot high wood fence would have completely got over had his "WTF have I done?" not kicked in. Today he went after a bird and went up a tree about 4 feet?????
> 
> SOOOOOOO, maybe I can channel this new found "drive" into an activity for him? or is it simply ecollar time for his own safety.
> 
> Not civil, wont bite, soft dog, too crazy for a service dog at an elderly residence....hes a great pet and awsesome with kids and all dogs, would likely accidentillay kill a cat. Any suggestions for activities, except fly ball as it really doesnt get me too excited.


Kat,

holding the prey is a taught behaviour and every dog starts somewhere. I can even get my siberian husky playing tug so I am sure you can get your GSD into it. It starts the same as Tom did with your puppy. Get a stronger flirt pole with a rag or even a stuffy and play with him with it. When he gets the game you can move onto other toys such as a tug.

You missed it (he was there day 1-3), but in my club we have a belgian groendal that is not that amazing of a dog, however Tom has progressed the dog to a leg sleeve now. The dog may not ever make a brevet but he does enjoy the "play" work.

What may have looked like play with the puppies is the begining of protection work. Thru what Tom did with the puppies, he was setting drive, bite, grip, etc. Now as a newbie a person might look at a grown dog and expect them to be more advanced however you still have to teach the behaviour the same way. So.. get yourself a stronger flirt pole (use an old broom handle, drill a hole near the end and put some good strong rope to attach to the flirt pole and a burlap/rap/fur/toy, etc) and play with your GSD.

As you have no expectations with this dog, whatever develops... develops. Getting the dog into tug/play with help you with obedience and give the dog an outlet for excess energy.

Tamara McIntosh


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## Lynn Cheffins (Jul 11, 2006)

Alot of GSD make a fun recreational sled dog - skijor or canicross also


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## Chris McDonald (May 29, 2008)

Kat LaPlante said:


> would likely accidentillay kill a cat.
> 
> How’s a dog accidently kill a cat? I want to see this


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

Chris McDonald said:


> Kat LaPlante said:
> 
> 
> > would likely accidentillay kill a cat.
> ...


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## Chris McDonald (May 29, 2008)

Point “b” being where he wants to lay and accidently eat the cat?


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

Chris McDonald said:


> Point “b” being where he wants to lay and accidently eat the cat?


point B...dropping it on the porch at my feet..accidentally


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## Chris McDonald (May 29, 2008)

Joby Becker said:


> point B...dropping it on the porch at my feet..accidentally


Ha, accidents happen, sometimes over and over and over. I got $10.00 that this dog already has one cat accident under its belt that we will just pretend never happened. It was really the cats fault anyway, it was there


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## Kat LaPlante (May 17, 2009)

Chris McDonald said:


> Kat LaPlante said:
> 
> 
> > would likely accidentillay kill a cat.
> ...


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