Hyper lines? - Page 1

Does anyone know which lines produce high drive dogs in the way of hyperness?The reason I ask is my sister has just got a nine month old male pup and he seems ok at home but outside he is a raveing loony! He also seems to dislike being told off.She phoned me in tears this morning because her and Mack were on their normal walk and came accross a dog on the same side of the pavement as them.She reigned the lead in as he was pulling to get to the dog and Mack started to cry and then growled at her.He didnt bare teeth just a short growl.She wasnt hurting him in anyway. I told her this is probably frustration but she's not so sure.Im not sure on his ped as he didnt come with papers,the person who had him before lost them apparently.According to the person who had him Mack has Jeck as his grandsire but thats not really any help. What lines in peoples opinion have shown hyperness or have shown very stubbon streaks? Mick

What color is the dog? Typical black/red or tan, versus sable or black? This might help as to the lineage. If black or sable, I would suspect she has a working lines pup, which she may anyway, even if black/tan. The behavior of this puppy is likely a result of the way it was raised (not socialized with other dogs--might want to start doing that, via formal obedience training somewhere!) not necessarily due to blood lines. Never let a puppy (or any dog you own, for that matter!) growl at you--EVER! They must know that YOU are pack leader, or there will only be problems down the road. I would say, if he growls at her again, tell her to grab the dog by the scruff of the neck and shake it slightly, while using the Pfui or Nein, or whatever command you use for NO. Hope this helps.

she should really look for a good trainer in her area....sounds like she is going to need some help wih this guy. Heather

The pup may or may not have been growling at the owner, but rather, the other dog. I suggest that your sister get someone to help her with obedience and socialization training. Further, tell her to avoid going into situations for now where she has a male dog who is likely stronger than she is, and to boot, at the moment, not trained. If she does walk where other dogs are present, she has to be alert to make sure she can avoid the other dogs. Dogs do not have to be friends with every dog they meet on the street, but they do need to be under the control of the owner. By the way, I have a Jeck granddaughter. We can generalize all we want, but each dog is different whether it be working or show lines, German or Czech, English or American bloodlines. Deal with this dog....not some perceived trait that people on this board tell you and which may or may not be correct. Good luck.

Hi Mick The lines are really secondary at this stage. Your sisters dog is going through puberty right now as any male would at this age. He needs to be told where his place is. A good time to join an obedience club. For better control right now, she should get a Halti (most pet food stores carry them), and a leash that has a clip at each end. She can use two leashes, personally I find that very cumbersome though. If she cannot find such a leash, she can have a seond clip put on a 2 meter leash. One clip goes on the Halti, the other on a regular collar. Never use the Halti just by itself. Use the Halti for correction only when the situation calls for it. The Halti is a head halter, comparable to what you would be using on a horse. A horse can pull a wagon with its neck, but not with its head. Since you are controlling the head, you can move the dog away from things it is reacting to rather quickly, make it face another direction, or make it look at you. What took a lot of strength to accomplish before can now be done with 2 fingers. It is that effective. It also mimicks the mouth across the mouth gesture as dogs do with one another to put a culprit in its place. Next she needs to teach the dog the down. If ever faced with a difficult situation she can simply put the dog in the down, which puts him at a disadvantage and also in a submissive position. She can then step on the leash close to his head or neck for better control, should he try to get up anyways. The down is a good safeguard mechanism. It should only be used after the dog has shown that he will do a long down with some distraction. Dogs are opportunists by nature, and if given the chance, every dog dislikes being told off. This sounds like a typical situation where the GSD is expected to be a good dog just because it is a GSD. Hyper does not automatically translate into bad behaviour. Any hyper dog can be taught how to behave, and when to behave. Many working line dogs that you see in trials are very hyper and do well. The key is always control. And training, because these dogs need something to do. Your sister needs to teach this dog where his boundries are just like with every dog and every person. She needs control and better get it now before this dog has learned how he can have success with bad behaviour. It is hard to give any practical advice on a remote basis without actually seeing the situation. I recommend that you urge your sister to join a club, ideally with a trainer that has some experience in behaviour modification, and that she train regularly with this dog. :o)

Hi Mick The lines are really secondary at this stage. Your sisters dog is going through puberty right now as any male would at this age. He needs to be told where his place is. A good time to join an obedience club. For better control right now, she should get a Halti (most pet food stores carry them), and a leash that has a clip at each end. She can use two leashes, personally I find that very cumbersome though. If she cannot find such a leash, she can have a seond clip put on a 2 meter leash. One clip goes on the Halti, the other on a regular collar. Never use the Halti just by itself. Use the Halti for correction only when the situation calls for it. The Halti is a head halter, comparable to what you would be using on a horse. A horse can pull a wagon with its neck, but not with its head. Since you are controlling the head, you can move the dog away from things it is reacting to rather quickly, make it face another direction, or make it look at you. What took a lot of strength to accomplish before can now be done with 2 fingers. It is that effective. It also mimicks the mouth across the mouth gesture as dogs do with one another to put a culprit in its place. Next she needs to teach the dog the down. If ever faced with a difficult situation she can simply put the dog in the down, which puts him at a disadvantage and also in a submissive position. She can then step on the leash close to his head or neck for better control, should he try to get up anyways. The down is a good safeguard mechanism. It should only be used after the dog has shown that he will do a long down with some distraction. Dogs are opportunists by nature, and if given the chance, every dog dislikes being told off. This sounds like a typical situation where the GSD is expected to be a good dog just because it is a GSD. Hyper does not automatically translate into bad behaviour. Any hyper dog can be taught how to behave, and when to behave. Many working line dogs that you see in trials are very hyper and do well. The key is always control. And training, because these dogs need something to do. Your sister needs to teach this dog where his boundries are just like with every dog and every person. She needs control and better get it now before this dog has learned how he can have success with bad behaviour. It is hard to give any practical advice on a remote basis without actually seeing the situation. I recommend that you urge your sister to join a club, ideally with a trainer that has some experience in behaviour modification, and that she train regularly with this dog. :o)