Xaiver III

How much do the short and long hair shed? Thanks

Kavik, can anybody train for Schutzhund? How does this process work? Does the owner get together with the trainer to teach the dog? Is this training similar to PP training? It is just that I have been told and what this thread deciphers is that having a train PP dog will be more reliable to defend you then a dog with natural protective instincts, so if I want a family guard dog I should look to train this dog in Personal Protection, but am uncertain to whether Schutzhund training is the recommended ;) GSD BTW

Sorry I meant "trained instincts" as to say that the dog who have been trained to harness it's instincts (PPD training etc) - not that the dog is weak nerved and then is taught how to defend. I said that the test will confirm or deny that dogs with natural instincts will do the same in certain scenarios, where it is believed that only trained PP dogs will be able to compete the test succesfully.

Defiantly agree with you there. I just wonder what is the difference between natural instincts and trained instincts? Hopefully the tests would clarify this question. @moosmum Your dogs seem lovely, exactly like the dog I want. (I'm fairly sure my staffy/mastiff puppy is to much of a softy xD) The unfortunate part is that for the GSD's, many breeders have breed the dogs to be to "soft" and thus they have lost their protective instincts. Due to this I have been inclined to look into Schutzhund training.

Wow your dog (or I should say dogs) seem so great!! :D May I ask what breed they are? (GSD?) LOL

Aww thanks brigidstarr I've already contacted Jeff Jones and Nekhbet about purchasing and training the GSD. They recommended a good breeder who tested for Schutzhund since I wanted (and was convinced to think about) getting a personal protection dog because I didn't want a weak nerved dog. Yeah, I was thinking about it (letting the dog inside) and once our girl is toilet trained and after we talk to the vet about her skin odour, that we'll let her sit beside me in the study room (where I spend 99% of my time :D) The room is near the laundry room door and is tilled so there won't be any stains, dander etc stuck to the floor. Plus there is a door to stop the dog from going into the family, lounge room and kitchen. Just out of curiosity, I wanted to crate train the pup, but since she sleeps outside, I can't. Can you give me a link in the fourms or the net as to how I can toliet train an outside dog? (Sorry, my internet is capped so everything is so slow to load ) BTW your GSD looks so beautiful.

Cheers for the adivce/experiences brigidstarr and gsdog2 After advice from other posters as well, I think it will be quite difficult keeping one dog inside and another outside. I really feel that my pup will enjoy having a playmate, so I think after 18 months or so, we will get another puppy and keep them both outside (though we will of course supervise them and separate them initially). I think we will go with our initial choice of a GSD (hehe I've got the perfect people to talk to then ). Any other large dog breeds we should be looking at? (Oh, I will defiantly be getting a male pup ) However, the puppy is still a puppy and thus is making us less inclined to keeping her inside (due to her being naughty, jumping around, biting furniture and cable etc), but once she is an adult and I have fully trained her, I do think that I will let her in (and thus the other dog as well). This will be of course after I get mum tested for her allergies. Here's some pics (sorry for the quality - they're from my camera)

Great news. As a new puppy owner, I think this might be the way to go in order for my dog to come back to me xD

Hi, I made a post about dog jealousy in the general dog discussion, and have been advised to post here. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Well the long road is finally over. About 3 weeks ago my family bought our first dog!! (Well she is technically my dad's dog ) She is a 13 week old female staffy/mastiff cross which we got from the RSPCA! Anyway, she unfortunately is an outside dog because mum does not like the shedding and she is partially allergic to dog dander. After a year or so I am hoping to get my own dog. After much deliberation I am wanting a standard poodle. Having already visited a miniature poodle breeder, mum does not seem to have any problems in keeping the future pup inside. Now the problem I have is whether there will be any jealousy between the poodle pup and our staffy/mastiff pup? Currently our pup prefers the outside (probably becuase dad is always outside) and even when we bring her inside, she doesn't have much interest. However she currently stays out on the patio right next to the kitchen and can see everything, and I'm worried that by bringing a new dog into the household and allowing that dog inside whilst the other not being allowed will couse some problems. One point to know is that the poodle pup can obviously choose where to stay, but at night time she/he will stay inside. Your thoughts please? Also apart from double the vet bills, double the cleaning up, what else should I be aware of? I would also get a male dog right because I have a female one? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- URL of previous post - http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?showtopic=183633

So have the tests all been done?

Cheers Julie and Diablo for your help. Now I have to find a good breeder and learn how to chose a pup with the right temperment It's going to be hard work (esspecially with TEE next year) but hopefully everything goes well and I'll get a new GSD puppy at the end of next year Thanks again

Yeah, I too defiantly believe in what you are saying. After all I want a dog because for a companion and to be a family pet. I will put the time and money into training (that's why I'm getting the dog next year when I finish school), but I am a first time dog owner (well as in the first dog that I will raise from a puppy) I suppose what really got me wondering and worrying is because of this thread, in particulary weak nerved dogs. Having talked to many people about german shepherds, they have allways said that GSD have distinct protective insticts. However weak nerved dogs never crossed my mind. Having a weak nerved dog is going to be, as others have said, a big liability. I certainly don't want to get sued by a stupid robber for my dog biting him, and more importantly, my dog being put down because of it. With the breeding practices changing (breeders not wanting to hear the word "Schutzhund", if I get a show breed dog from a reputable GSD breeder and take the puppy to a professional dog trainer, would I have a chance of getting a "protection dog" i.e the things I wanted in my initial post? I suppose it can only be determined by finding a puppy with the right temperment? Wow, I have got a lot to learn about finding the right GSD puppy A little off topic, but why don't breeders like to test for Schutzhund? Having experience primarily with GSD's Nekhbet, it's most disappointing to see the amount of breedings undertaken with dogs of faulty temperament considered "pet temperaments" due to their weakness which in my opinion is competely wrong. A weak nerved GSD is something in a pet I would never consider steady enough for a family environment. A "pet temperament" is an excuse for a litter that should have never been bred and this problem in the GSD is escalating as time evolves unfortunately. Yeah, this is what I'm worried about and am thinking really hard about getting a puppy from a breeder who Schutzhund the dogs (as kindly mentioned by Nekhbet) Whilst initially I presumed that breeders who breed "guard dogs" were just dogs who were aggressive, I am now thinking otherwise? BTW would be kicked out of the GSD thread if I mentioned that I wanted a puppy who's parents were Schutzhund tested?

Hi everyone This thread is really exciting. I can't wait for the results! My family are considering getting a GSD in a years time (after years of deciding what dog to get ) You guys and gals mentioned (I think it was Jeff Jones?) that essentially getting a trained protective dog is better then a family pet in regards to "protecting" the owner. Anyway there is only 3 people in my family, but I want a nice, friendly dog who will not bite or be be aggressive to small kids, our friends and essentially most strangers. However one reason we do want a GSD is to protect our house and us in case of burgulries etc. (Dad goes on a lot of business trips, so often mum and I are alone in the house) Jeff Jones was talking about training a dog with commands which will make the dog growl and essentially look very scary and menacing towards strangers and a command which stops this behaviour to let the dog know it is ok (saying "watch/growl" and then saying "stand down")? Just to clarify, am I right in saying this is possible? Is it possible to train the dog to growl and then not too? Is there any serious implications of training a dog to do this (behavioural and psychological problems)? The only thing I want the dog to do is to growl and "look" scary BUT I don't want it to attack. I've looked up some dog training centre sites and they all mentioned an "attack command". I don't want this. Would I by right in saying that these commands can only be taught by a professional dog trainers only? Also how would this affect the dogs natural instinct of detecting when it's owner or property is being threatened?? This is exactly what I want Good boy Kaiser Did you teach him to do this?

Firstly congratulations on your new addition. Is there a reason why she would need to be inside all day?? Do you have an enclosed yard that she could stay in during the day? I am sure she would be much happier to be out in the sun (providing she has some kind of shelter) than being locked inside all day. Our little ones are outside during the day but are inside when we are home. With puppies we usually try and leave them in the laundry (or a space like that) with some paper down (in case of accidents) but from around 6months they are usually out in the yard. Personally I would not be encouraging her to go to the toilet while she was crated or in a pen. They learn pretty quick that outside is for toileting and hold on while they are locked away. Toys yes!! Food, I would probably recommend giving her breakfast as you leave (this will keep her occupied and not thinking about you going) and then dinner when you get home. You can leave out some biscuits but most will just eat them all at once anyway. You could try things like kongs filled with biscuits with a blob of peanut butter to block up the end (so the biscuits stay in), keeps them occupied for hours (in summe I add some chicken stock and freeze them). Another trick we do is we leave a radio on for the dogs while we are out, the noise also helps to keep them settled as they think someone is home. Yes the gradual seperation would be an idea, most of them happily follow you are around the house ALL THE TIME!! But our guys are happy enough when we go out, as we make a HUGE fuss over them when we come back. It is important not to give excess attention and make a big deal over them when you are going, do it when you come home. Make sure you ask your breeder for some tips on grooming, all little bits of info help when you are starting out. Thank you Aspyre, this really helped alot ;) I intially wanted her to stay inside because I thought she will be safe there. When I was talking to a toy poodle breeder, she said that leaving a small white dog outside al day is quite dangerous since people might steal them due their apparent high value However we live in a fairly high class area so I hope that might not be a issue. (But then again, would that make it worse?) Another very minor reason was because mum is very hygienic, and as an indoor dog we would like to make sure that she (the dog) doesn't get the house dirty (or allow any minuscule insects to invade the house) I suppose daily brushing will stop this? Anyway, we have a fairly big yard so I will section the area off for him. We've also have a patio so she will get some shade. I just now have to inspect the back yard and make sure there is no way for her to escape or if there are any dangerous plants. What do you think is the best fence to buy? Would some ridged chicken mesh suffice? (Not the bendable chicken wire) Overall, keeping the dog outside will be so much easier (for the dog and myself) since she will be happy and toilet training will be much easier Thanks again Aspyre Oh, how much do they bark? (Edit - Answered already (They don't bark much. but will give warning barks?) EDIT - After not finding any good breeders, it seems like that my family and I decided not to purchase a dog at this right moment After consulting with my family, it is decided that a bigger dog is necessary (since we want a guard/watch dog) and I was concerned that if we decided to purchase a Bichon Frisé as well I wouldn't be able to give the right individual attention to both dogs. Anyway, now I have to start my search on finding the right GSD breeder here in WA Thanks for your help Aspyre. All the best.

@ tooshypanda (and anybody else who would like to reply ) Hi, I'm hopefully going to get a female Bichon Frisé puppy at the start of December. (We live in WA as well ;)) I have a 2 month holiday, but when school starts I'm worried about leaving the puppy at home. She is going to be an inside dog, so I'm not sure whether to leave her inside in an enclosed pen or outside (in an enclosed pen) I will obviously leave her with water, toys, her bed etc .(Should I leave out some food since she will be around 6 months old?) Oh how easy is it for the puppy to get used to pooping and urinating in a litter tray (for dogs) when she is enclosed in the pen? Should I start now be leaving her alone for a few minutes, then a few hours so she understands that is ok? I'm going to see the breeder this week and will ask her these questions, but I would like some feedback from the forum since this is my first dog ;) Thanks

Thank you all for replying. I'm getting a bit worried now that I realise that I should get some type of cirtificate stating that I am the owner of the puppy Since I'm not committed to the breeder yet, does anyone have any recommendations on a miniature poodle breeder here in Perth?

Sounds a bit dumb, but I still havent found a good name for the pup. Any recommend a good name for a black miniature poodle?

Thanks Nekhbet for replying As to the midday food, I was a bit worried because I thought the puppy had to eat three times a day aswell, but the breeder said that two would be sufficient The breeder also gave a diet sheet saying that I should feed the pup porridge/wheetbix with puppy milk for the first 3/6 weeks and also give dry biscuits, raw chicken necks, meaty bones and raw meat like beef and to stay away from low end dog food brands. But she also said that I can feed him peggree puppy food. I don't really want to feed the pup pedigree dog food because I heard it isn't a good brand. Yeah, I agree with you on not leaving the puppy outside alone, especially now that winter is coming and the fact that someone might steal the pup, but I dont want the puppy to get to congested inside. The breeder also said that the puppy will be ok outside. BUT I do have a doggy door in our laundry. Would I be able to close the laundry room door and fence off a bit on the outside so the puppy can come inside when he wants to and outside when he wants to? I could also keep his bed and water & food bowl inside so he can sleep inside. Also thanks luvsdogs for the link. I was looking for a good puppy caring guide

Hey Everyone, Well in approximately 3-4 weeks I'm getting my first ever puppy (miniature poodle). I've been reading around and I definitely realized that there are some very intelligent people on this site. I'm hoping that you guys and girls can help me with a few questions. 1) When I first thought of getting a puppy, I was hesitant because my parents have work and I of course have school. After much talk with the breeder and a family friend (who is also a vet), I realized that if I keep the puppy outside in a enclosed area with lots of toys and of course water and a bed, then the puppy would be ok until I return from school. If I do this, I'm just wondering if I should put a crate (with his bed inside) with an open door in the enclosed area, or whether I should just put his bed there? Is it safe to leave the pup alone outside? 2) Speaking of the crate, the breeder said that at night I should just put the puppy in the laundry with his bed and put newspaper on the floor. I'm bit worried because I thought crate training was the best option for toilet training a dog? If I stayed with this plan (without the crate) and take him outside to the same spot every time he finishes eating and in the morning, would the puppy soon be toilet trained? If I decide to pick the crate training way, should I leave the door open (of the crate) and let him poo/wee outside the crate, or should I just let the pup cry out and then take him outside so he can go to the toilet? Oh, what does crate training teach the dog? I know it toilet trains the pup, but how? 3) When I asked about the pedigree papers, the breeder said that it will cost a few more hundred dollars to get them, but he said that it is only needed if you want to breed the dog. He already let me see the parent's pedigree certificates and showed me the certificates staying that the pups would be free of any eye problems, but I'm wondering do I get any other paper that certifies that the pup is a purebred or any certificate sating that I'm the new owner? Finally, do you have any tips or advice on leaving the pup home alone outside? Thank you for all your help. PS Sorry if there are any typing errors or anything that does not make sense, I'm very sleepy.