Shakti

Thank you both. Will pass these on. They live in Bundoora in Melbourne

LOL @Stressmagnet - sounds like my life - we have 9 kids - 6 of which live with us - plus three dogs - (one of whom returned with his 27 yar old owner when her relationship ended) I never saw t as a choice BUT I do understand what the OP means. I also felt what it was like to truly unconditionally love someone when I got my first dog and that feeling is pure LOVE regardless of it coming via a child or a dog or a partner etc. I knew what it was to love and be loved and so that was no longer a huge need

Hi...I live 2 minutes from Diamond Creek and would be very happy to meet you there anytime that suits. I have a calm sensible 5 year old Newfoundland who basically sniffs and ignores other dogs and a 4 month old puppy who is timid but not at all aggressive. If you want to pm me or reply on here we can set up a time

Thanks for the feedback and yes, it has cheered me up a bit. However of the 7 puppies at the class 4 were from petshops and interestingly all 4 were Staffies (3 American and 1 English) I know it doesnt necessarily mean they were impulse buys etc etc but.... Isn't it a damn shame that puppies are so freaking cute??? I could NEVER be a puppy trainer - many of these people listened, nodded and then did EXACTLY the opposite of what the instructor was saying...I mean 180 degrees opposite - would have been funny if the consequences weren't so potentially fatal

We have talked to many knowledgeable people and sadly have returned this pup to his breeder. I still love the breed but this was not the right individual pup for us. You have all been wonderful with your advice and knowledge - thank you! It was a hard decision to make but better to have done it now than in a few months. We now have a White Swiss Shepherd who is simply wonderful (and my husband's first choice all along! LOL)

I took my new puppy to our local vet last night and there was a puppy pre-school being run at the same time. I was invited to sit in and did for a few moments. My overwhelming reaction was it was like watching an episode of *Married At First Sight* which is problematic enough between two humans but at least if they turn out to be a mis-match one of them probably wont end up in the pound So many good, well-intentioned people (most of them with very young children in this case) with dogs which are just not the right fit for them or their circumstances. I always read the posts where people ask for dog breed recommendations here and most of the advice is well worth listening to - think it should be mandatory for ANYONE wanting to buy a puppy to come on DOL and really get some help PRIOR to showing up at a puppy pre-school with a dog which has been paid for and is already loved and you can see that the match is a disaster waiting to happen. I am NOT in any way saying that some breeds are just not suitable for families or first time owners etc - just that the people I observed were totally ignorant of the breed-specific traits of their dog and in most cases had chosen puppies whose personalities were not a good match for them either because *It was the last one left* or *The kids fell in love with him* or *We didnt really warm up to the puppy but it was the exact colour we had been hoping for* I could imagine people from breed-specific rescues going around to all the puppy pre-schools and simply whisking the pups away from the owners who are not going to work out - and swapping them for a more suitable puppy (or a fish or frog if necessary!)

Introducing Misha - our 9 1/2 week old White Swiss Shepherd with much gratitude to the lovely Katrina of Coolabah Kennels

Huski - just checked out your online vids - absolutely amazing work! Would love to see some more please?

So Huski - do you carry your pup everywhere or use your best judgement?

So Huski - do you carry your pup everywhere or use your best judgement?

Thanks for the reply! So does this mean you won't be taking your puppy out anywhere until he is almost 5 months old?

Hi all - just wondering what most people's thoughts are on this issue. If you get an 8/9 week old puppy that has had one puppy vaccination and the second one is due at 10 weeks - do you keep your puppy in your home until the 2nd one? Do you take it to friends places, puppy school etc but not out in dog-shared areas such as parks etc? How do you balance up the risk of possibly contracting parvo vs the risk of a puppy that isn't socialised until 10 or so weeks of age?

Hi - was wondering if anyone here could please clarify the differences (and similarities) in temperament between these two breeds? I have heard that the White Swiss is a little more flighty, nervous and sometimes skittish - can be more like a Tervuren or a Groenendal than like a GSD?

You bought a breed that is territorial with strong protective instincts and a hard bite and this can be an undesirable consequence. This is not a "pet dog breed" you are dealing with but a livestock guardian. Put your expectations about what is "normal" in a baby puppy to one side and have a hard look at what you've got. It sounds to me like you've got a pup that's scaring you. Not good. Don't muck about. A bite in the first three days is not how I'd be wanting to start with a pup. Get yourself to an experienced and knowledgeable behaviourist NOW or return the pup. This is going to be a powerful dog and resource guarding doesn't get "cured". I wonder if this is going to work out honestly. Do you have children? There are experienced Maremma and other LGD people here. Change the title of this post to include the breed and hopefully they can assist. No offence to my fellow DOLers but if you decide to keep this pup, don't take internet advice about dealing with this behaviour. It can go very badly wrong. All sad but true - thank you for your advice and yes we have consulted people In real life!

Hi everyone - I cannot tell you all how much I appreciate the advice and support of this community. I have consulted with a dog behaviourist and an expert in Maremmas and am now talking to the breeder in the hope that we can find a way forward.