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ForumsGerman Shepherd Dog > Prey drive indications? (29 replies)
Prey drive indications? by fawndallas on 08 May 2012 - 21:07 |
| Ok..Rose's puppies are now 3 weeks old. As this is the first litter of puppies I have owned, I have a few questions about some behavior tendencies I am seeing. Since most of the breeders on this forum is working or show lines, I think this is the best place to get some insight. 1. If a dog is going to have a high prey drive, what do I look for and at what age will I start seeing it? 2. If a dog is going to have a high protection drive, what do I look for and at what age will I start seeing it? I am primarly familiar with what to look for in a potential service dog and I know I have at least another 1 -2 weeks before I can see any potential. The other areas I am not so familiar with; at least not until the puppy is 4 months or older. I would like to get some idea before then though. The temperment testing I use at 5 and 7 weeks is the Valhard Aptitude test. This is the test that I used when I chose Rose at 8 weeks. It worked well for me. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`` For this last week, a couple of the puppies have shown "I will take on anything" attitude. Nothing phased them (bottle feed, solid foods, bath time, medicine, saline flushed up their nose....). This is not to say the other pups had any negitive attitude, they were just a bit more hesitant in the beginning. These are the puppies that I am looking closer at for potential service dogs. I want to be fair to the others though. Am I reading too much into things at this point? |
fawndallas by Niesia on 08 May 2012 - 21:30 |
| I thought that my calm male pup had low to medium drive till he was about 6 months old. Something flipped a switch and now he can be labeled as a 'high drive' dog... All the 'calm' days are gone... I am wondering now if you can tell so early on if the pups are high drive or just high energy? We considered a sister of my 'calm' male pup a high drive girl since she was a baby. She still is high drive, but at the same time she does not have such intensity now as her brother that was very calm as a pup. |
Niesia by melba on 08 May 2012 - 21:33 |
| Prey drive... are any of the puppies hanging onto your pant legs as you walk yet? :) usually a pretty good indicator. I usually start flipping a small rag around at around 4 weeks old to see who is chasing and biting early. I've usually made my pick at 5 weeks on any puppies I'm holding back for K9 or for myself. Most I pick within the first week... I have yet to have one of my picks let me down. Protection... a confident puppy in all situations and crossed fingers. Usually a puppy that also exhibits high prey and willingness to bite a rag and hold on with all it's got, no matter what. Melissa |
melba by fawndallas on 08 May 2012 - 21:54 |
| I have a couple tugging on my pants leg when I sit down to socialize with them. Could be that they are trying to see if I have any food or bottle for them. I'll start the rag the week and see who bites. As this litter was not really created to sell (if I do and recover some of my money, great), what do I look into if I wanted to offer a puppy up for K9 adoption (or is this even done)? |
by Slamdunc on 08 May 2012 - 22:27 |
| What's the pedigree on this litter? |
Slamdunc by melba on 08 May 2012 - 22:42 |
| I tried to offer puppies to LEOs a few years afo. The biggest issue I came up against is that the LEO will be putting his/her time, money and training into a dog that may not work out and and then not be compensated for it. If you want to donate or sell a dog for K9, then your best bet is to raise it as a working dog until it is 18 months old, put foundation bitework, obedience and trailing/tracking, have all health tests done (hip, elbow, spine, DM) and then do so. That is why good dogs go for what they do. So many puppies don't turn out, you may go broke trying. Melissa I have put into service 9 GSD K9s and 3 Labrador K9s. The labs were rescues. Plus produced one Sch dog that I am training/trialing, and 3 others in various states that are training/trialing. |
by melba on 08 May 2012 - 22:43 |
| *double post* |
by aceofspades on 08 May 2012 - 23:04 |
| Ohhhhhhhhh slamdunc |
aceofspades by Slamdunc on 08 May 2012 - 23:50 |
| I guess I missed something? |
by brynjulf on 09 May 2012 - 01:03 |
| Yes Slamdunc you did :) |
by Slamdunc on 09 May 2012 - 01:08 |
| Some one fill me in? |
by beetree on 09 May 2012 - 01:14 |
Wishful thinking at this point, Slamdunc. Just another fan. My best guess... .... think of it as the sound one coyote or cougar makes to announce their arrival. I can go on if need be... LOL |
beetree by Chaz Reinhold on 09 May 2012 - 02:43 |
| http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_j5tDuakKU&feature=youtube_gdata_player |
Chaz Reinhold by Sunsilver on 09 May 2012 - 03:50 |
The mother doesn't have papers, and, of course, if it doesn't have papers, it ain't worth s**t.... |
Sunsilver by Slamdunc on 09 May 2012 - 03:57 |
| Thanks to those that have brought me up to speed. |
by aceofspades on 09 May 2012 - 04:05 |
| I don't have an opinion on the subject of Rose. My previous post was only an indication that this was a hot button topic and it may reopen a can of worms. I actually thought you (slamdunc) had participated in the last thread on the topic and I thought you were being facetious (sp?). My mistake and my apologies if I encouraged the poking of the bear. It was not my intention. I have had nothing noteworthy to contribute to the subject period so I haven't really said anything with the exception of making a clarification on the initial thread on the topic with regards to mention of the CKC. Clarified that the poster was commenting on the Continental Kennel Club when referencing the CKC and not the Canadian Kennel Club. |
by yellowrose of Texas on 09 May 2012 - 04:39 |
| In my litters, the 3 week old is already mauling their siblings. growling, and having a ball rolling around and even stalking each other. BY THE FOURTH week, the mop graspers are out in force. Rag work started at 3 weeks old and in the 3rd week MOMS tail was always the subject of moving around and getting full attack. Funny as can be but yes you can tell a lot, now many of yours may not show you much for 3 or 4 more weeks..they will be the less prey drive...movement that attracts their eye and they move on it is beginning of prey drive and or play drive. SOME of them right now ought to be growling and standing ground like you pointed out..with the attitude ;OF HERE I AM" and these pups watch carefully...if they start attacking the lesser pups seperate them to own kennel...you do not want those good aggressive attitudes to over run a lesser pup... Lesser pup may come along later but not ready to be eaten alive or made a scared or bullied pup and it happens in most litters.. RUN WITH A RAG ON A ROPE OUTSIDE let them catch it and tug on it...carefully ...they can fall over each other and see who is the winner...make a fun game for you to see who is the strongest and the big bully . AT 4 weeks old I was usually able to pic the dog for the SO that was to be their apprehension dog as one female grabbed the mop and I slung her for long long times and had to pry the mop off her growling happy face...THAT PUP, a female sable out of Azesch went to a Brazoria S O officer who already had a male out of her mom ZU. I like big bullies..lol in dogs not people. LOl Yr |
yellowrose of Texas by fawndallas on 09 May 2012 - 16:45 |
| What a great picture Yellow Rose....Thanks. No, these are not papered dogs. Thanks for the straight forward on what it takes for a K9. This was just a curiousity for me. I am gathering all the information to be able to make the best decision for any puppies that I sell or place in a home. For the ones that do not work out for my intent of service dog, it would be great if they could work out for another service to the community (rather than just house pets). Of course, in an ideal world, all of the puppies could be put to a good and worthy use. Thank you all again for the benefital information. |
by ggturner on 09 May 2012 - 23:29 |
| Slam, Maybe this will help you catch up: http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/german_shepherd_dog/forum.read?mnr=178369 |
ggturner by destiny4u on 09 May 2012 - 23:59 |
| what melba said can u get a started young puppy 1 year old maybe so you know what you have? You will have to pay more but it is worth it? |
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