Please Tell Me This Is Just A Passing Phase !

[Riley'n'Mia]

Yes he is cute all right

My horse was practically born with dogs around him, I have a pic of him as a few hours old sniffing noses with my first GSD

I'd love to see that pic

[Zhara]

I have taken away the charger the day I took the pic actually so unfortunately I can't blame that

How weird is that your neighbour called her twins Riley and Mia I hope they are better behaved than my Riley and Mia ! I really like the name Riley and kind of wish I'd saved it in the event I have a baby boy one day.........

Riley's parents are http://www.sundaneka.com.au/Frontpage.html under the litter page he's was out of litter "K" he was the quietest out of the males in the litter and we wanted a male the other two were biting my hands really hard and running around like mad but he just sat on my lap licking my arm and snuggling into me BOY DID HE SEE ME COMING .........

Thanks for that,

As your boy is from a German import, he is going to have a strong minded disposition because of the years of training in his lineage.

Our current male is from an import and he was a little so and so, so his training started earlier than my husband usually starts his dogs off at.

That dog has gone on to be a very intelligent adult (now nearly 9), he was an excellent worker. Highly energetic and will think for himself if you don't give him enough instruction. He has produced a magnificent daughter who has the same work ethic as he himself has, she is also a very dedicated girl and as loyal as you can get. GSD's are thinkers and need direction.

You have got a pup with a lovely pedigree, his Breeders know what they are doing, and I suggest you speak with them of your concerns. Chances are they have come across these behaviours before and will/should give you a helping hand.

Zhara

(Irene)

[Tibbiemax71]

Yes he is cute all right

My horse was practically born with dogs around him, I have a pic of him as a few hours old sniffing noses with my first GSD

I'd love to see that pic

I will have to try and find it, its either in one of my photo albums or my mums, it was taken 19 years ago

[Riley'n'Mia]

Thanks for that,

As your boy is from a German import, he is going to have a strong minded disposition because of the years of training in his lineage.

Our current male is from an import and he was a little so and so, so his training started earlier than my husband usually starts his dogs off at.

That dog has gone on to be a very intelligent adult (now nearly 9), he was an excellent worker. Highly energetic and will think for himself if you don't give him enough instruction. He has produced a magnificent daughter who has the same work ethic as he himself has, she is also a very dedicated girl and as loyal as you can get. GSD's are thinkers and need direction.

You have got a pup with a lovely pedigree, his Breeders know what they are doing, and I suggest you speak with them of your concerns. Chances are they have come across these behaviours before and will/should give you a helping hand.

Zhara

(Irene)

Thanks for the advice Irene and also the compliments on Riley's pedigree (I have no idea about dogs pedigrees I just thought his sire was a spunk in the pic on the website) interesting to know he could have inherited his traits from his German lineage.

We are actually calling into his breeders place this weekend as Riley is staying with them Sat night (I don't want to leave him at home and we have to go to a family thing) so I will have a talk to them then. They have been breeding for a long time and spent 4 hours with us talking about the breed the day we choose him, they have called us or we've called them about 4 times since we got him just to check on his progress (and we send an updated pic every month which they comment on) I am sure they will be more than happy to offer advice/support.

[Riley'n'Mia]

I will have to try and find it, its either in one of my photo albums or my mums, it was taken 19 years ago

That would be good if you find it but please don't go to too much trouble I know what it's like trying to find old photos ! Although it can be fun bringing back memories as you search through ones you haven't seen for years

[Bonmedia]

Sorry if this is long.............

My male GSD turned 6 mnths on 26 Dec 07 and up until then was quite well behaved for a puppy, he was easy to toilet train, topped the class in puppy school and has quickly learned sit, stay, come, drop, on your bed, etcetera. He sleeps in the loungeroom at night and has never chewed anything, gotten on the lounge or toileted inside since being toilet trained. His breeder gave me a folder with a lot of info on GSD and what to expect hubby and I call it the "Riley instruction manuel" it mentions in there about the 5 critical periods stating that during the 5th period your puppy will possibly go through either a fear period or try to assert dominance over the family members this stage is between 3 and 4 mnths, my dog never went through this period he remained stable in his behaviour up until now.

Over the course of the past 10 days or so Riley has been becoming increasingly less responsive to simple commands such as sit, stay and come, he pulls like a train on the lead (I just bought him a halti so he sits down and refuses to walk at all with it on), is very dominant over my 5 mnth old female JRT (he has always been really good with her before now) and he has started humping things and ejaculating very frequently he even straddled the lounge a few days ago ! As he is a larger breed and therefore slow to grow and mature the plan was to desex him when he's at least 12 months old (as advised by several breeders and my vet) however my husband who loves this dog more than he loves me (well almost) said yesterday if he keeps up this attitude and continues his ignorant behaviour he's getting the chop next mnth or he just might kill him. Yesterday whilst I was working hubby took Riley for a walk on the 800 acre horse property I work on and he was swimming in the river as he's done 100 times before ever since he was 9 weeks old and he just randomly ran off and straight into a paddock with a horse in it (about 350 metres from the river and over a hill) and started chasing the horse, he was almost kicked in the head as my husband who was chasing him calling in terror couldn't catch him before he reached the horse. He's been around horses since he was 8 weeks and never taken any notice of them before and never wanders off when off the lead until now (he won't be having off leash walks anymore and only ever has in the safety of my work) ! He is also strutting around the backyard barking at nothing a fair bit and won't listen when told to be quite he wasn't much of a barker before.

There are NO obedience classes in my area the closest is 2 hours drive so I have just ordered some training DVD's off the net in the hope that I can train him myself and I will also be getting some private obedience classes at the local vets with him.

Does anyone have any advice is this just a stage and if so how long should it last ? For a larger slow maturing breed what are the pos and neg to desexing before 12 mnths ?

Hasving owned German Shepherds for nearly 30 years, my advice is. if you are not going to SHOW then get him castrated NOW.

People tend to thing - leave things go a while and they will just disappear. I"m sorry they don't. They only gert worse.

As a behavioural consultant, it sounds to me like your PACK STRUCTURE is totally out of whack and this needs to be rectified as soon as possible. German Shepherds are great dogs, and I love them, but they will take advantage whenever they can.

You have to become a consistent, fair, calm and constant owner. Set the rules and both you and your husband have to abide by them.

More dogs are relinquished to shelters, because of bad behaviour than for any other reason, and it is up to you to take CONTROL now.

Get a copy of the book "Who's the Boss"? This will assist you tremendously. Val Bonney at The Gap in Qld. has these books and you can get one from her. Some Obedience Clubs have them also.

GET ONTO IT NOW or you will possibly lose your beautiful dog because you wont be able to control him. This is brief, but important part covered.

Bonmedia.

[Riley'n'Mia]

Hasving owned German Shepherds for nearly 30 years, my advice is. if you are not going to SHOW then get him castrated NOW.

People tend to thing - leave things go a while and they will just disappear. I"m sorry they don't. They only gert worse.

As a behavioural consultant, it sounds to me like your PACK STRUCTURE is totally out of whack and this needs to be rectified as soon as possible. German Shepherds are great dogs, and I love them, but they will take advantage whenever they can.

You have to become a consistent, fair, calm and constant owner. Set the rules and both you and your husband have to abide by them.

More dogs are relinquished to shelters, because of bad behaviour than for any other reason, and it is up to you to take CONTROL now.

Get a copy of the book "Who's the Boss"? This will assist you tremendously. Val Bonney at The Gap in Qld. has these books and you can get one from her. Some Obedience Clubs have them also.

GET ONTO IT NOW or you will possibly lose your beautiful dog because you wont be able to control him. This is brief, but important part covered.

Bonmedia.

Hi Bonmedia

I have laid down some STRICT ground rules for my husband to follow as he's usually the one not enforcing the training and commands EVERY single time for eg. one time he'll make the dog sit before opening the door to let him in or out the next he won't. After much heartache and arguing with him over the last few months he is finally understanding that what I have said all along is true and the dog can NEVER get away with things no even once or he'll take advantage and run wild. Riley has been a lot better in the last 4-5 days thankfully so I am hopeful we are getting on top of it, I am getting our 5mnth old JRT desexed in 2 weeks and once she recovers Riley is going to get done as well.