GSD adopted from shelter in San Diego - Page 1

About 3 months ago I decided to get another dog.I really wasn't looking for a specific breed but personality.I always had GSD (Langstockhaar) and Boxers.
Well,there she was.Barking and barking,skinny about 18 lbs underweight.Being from Germany I felt hesitant towards a GSD bred by who knows who and raised by who knows who and how.She does not meet the breeding standard in my humble opinion,as she is too longlegged,but  I wasn't looking for a pedigreed dog.Her personality is all GSD,which much more important to me.
I decided to meet that girl.Happy go lucky,loves to be everyones friend and high playdrive,yay.
She came home the same day.....
Someone spent time with her as she knew already the basic commands . She's even smart enough to deal with the 2 cats in the house.She shined in our first obedience class.She loves tracking and obedience.So far I have not seen anything that makes me worry about her upbringing.
She bonded easily with us and took to our schedule with ease.
The reason why I am writing on this forum is take a chance and rescue a dog.You might be very suprised,just like me.

Thank you for sharing your rescue story and thank you for rescueing Heidi.  YOu probably saved a life.  Bless you,  Nan

Bless you for adopting her! I'm so glad things are working out for the two of you :)  I too have a GSD rescue and she is the sweetest most loyal dog I could ask for. I wish more people would consider adoption rather than getting a puppy. There are so many wonderful dogs being PTS every day. Please keep us updated and post some pics of your girl! 

Wonderful!!,,

Trying to find what she likes to do.
Sheepherding first day being exposed to sheeps,at least since I have her,which is 3 month.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjO-HOZsgfc

I think they just know you rescued them. I think rescues are the most loyal dogs. I am sure there are the odd bad ones that you simply cannot keep, but for the most part every rescue I have known have turned out to be the most wonderful dogs you could ever want.

Can you post some pictures of your baby??

Very good that you rdscued the dog.
I have never watched shrep herding before, BUT, to me, that video did nothing to make me want to participate.
I thknk a litgle effort should be applied to keep a dog from wanting to take a chomp at the shrep.
Not very fair to them.
Is it just me?

Kitkat,true I agree,but as you might not see,the sheep are extremly wooly.Nothing happens to them.It was her first ever time,and with time that will go away.How do you think they got in the bulls,cows or sheep years ago?Actually they still use dogs today.Nipping and pulling some wool is ok,however biting will be disqualified,and I would be very unhappy about that.
I'm trying to find what my dog likes to do,instead of making her do something she's not capable of.
What kind of work do you do with your dog?

RescuedHeidi- I was not saying anything bad about what you yourself are trying to do with your dog. I think it is fantsatic that you are out there doong anything.
I just question the training method if it is acceptable for the dog to want to take a nip or more st the sheep.
I habe horses and I see that behavior with a couple of my dogs. They want to get in there and push that little extra bite in on the horses legs, which for the dogs could really be deadly.
I have a Belgian draft mare that would like to knock them into next week when she gets nipped.
I also am awaiting the delivery of a little pregnant mini for my grand-daughter so it is just something I myself have been recently working at.
Herding without the biting.
I don't ro anything like you are doing with my dogs.
I do OB with them, several are pretty good in tracking. I badicly live with my dogs.
I tried schutzhund.Actually went wuite frequently. I was so happy to find a local club but to be perfectly honest, A couple of the women that were badicly the club, were not really people I could could comfortably hang with.
I want to have fun with my dogs, When it was not fun, I stopped going.
But my dogs live very healthy active lives with me.

RescuedHeidi, I have friends that do sheepherding with their dogs and I've learned a lot about it from watching them. I can tell you that your dog ROCKS at herding. She did an incredibly good job for a dog that never worked sheep before. You have found what your dog loves to do and is great at doing, and you should go with it. You are lucky to have such a smart talented dog. People pay big bucks for GSDs that will work sheep. Also you found a good trainer which can be real hard to do. Sheepherding is great because the training never gets boring and the dog has to use all her intelligence.

As for biting, your dog was incredibly gentle with the sheep, especially for an excited first timer.

Suggest you post your video in a new thread with a title like Please evaluate my dog's herding skills. That way you'll get some responses from people who know something about herding. If you can embed the video in the post that would work best.