People's thoughts........... - Page 2

perhaps get her focused on learning new things instead of "dominance tests" try bonding and early learning techniques she's so young and will be going through all sorts of changes so you'd need a lot more observation to determine whether she able to take direction and really connect with people. but i'd be careful with labels like "dominant" because they can color your perspective and can close off other more subtle observation so imo this in not the time to be hasty.

you might find this site interesting and possibly helpful

http://www.puppyprodigies.com/VideoClips.htm

She sounds like an alpha female like my Zena was as a pup.If she is weaned and eating on her own.You may want to seperate her from the rest of the pack and give her some challenges...so she can work it out on her own.Set her up in a large area by herself with obstacles..so many things.Dont require her to roll over on her back..It wont happen.

K-9mom, typically a puppy like you describe turns out to be an alpha.  In this case you probably have an alpha female.  If you can commit to a very tought first year this pup will probably be one awesome pet and family protector.  Typically a GSD like this can function in almost any working or pet capacity due to optimal temperament. If you sell this puppy make sure you inform the buyer of what they are in for during the first year.  These alphas are not docile the first 1-3 years and do not fit into every home. They need a great deal of training and gyuidance and need a highly motivated owner. Typically a puppy like this is greatly preferred by those in the know that want correct GSD temperament.

Typical description of an alpha puppy (usually only one per litter): owners and their kids have a lot of small scratches on their hands from playing with the puppy, not from aggression towards the owners and their kids, but just from an instinctive need to bite everything and need to play hard (extreme prey drive and total need to dominate their environment is obvious);  first year these pups usually can go through 10-15 large nylabones and unless kennelled and controlled when not home, they are capable of shredding your furniture in an instant if not constantly supervised (I had this happen to me once); capable of getting through many chain link fences unless they have thick guage wire and small 1.5" holes; they usually will appear hyperactive and charge your front door barking aggressively when the door bell rings; not capable of fear, will run at firecracker reports and no fear of loud gunfire or any loud noises; the owner will almost always have to use a prong collar during the first obediance classes. 

Now if you can get through the first year which is usually very rough with these dogs, they make the best family pets and protectors you can ever have.  But they must be obediance trained at a minimum.  They love all training and sch work. I bought a male black sable puppy like this many years ago from Larry Filo of Steinig Tal kennels in Cambellsport, Wisconsin.  The first year was very rough.  He consumed nyla bones at a rapid rate, but I bought them in bulk and it was cheaper than furniture.  After the first year and three obediance courses he was the best GSD ever owned.  Absolutely fearless, loved our kids and neighbor kids, checked all doors at night and patrolled the inside of the home with a vengeance. His bitework was impressive.  He was filled with courage and dominance.  The GSDs he was out of that Larry Filo owned were top Bundessieger placing GSDs, and occasionally hit so hard they would spin the helper to the ground.  I saw this occur several times.  I don't know what Larry is producing now but for many years his dogs were hard as nails and very correct in temperament. When I bought the puppy he gave me a stern warning beforehand to let me know what I would be in for during the first year or so with such a domiant GSD. I wanted the puppy anyway and everything worked out okay.  He lived to be 10 years old and we were thankful for him every day that we were blessed with him.  This kind of temperament does still exist and it is priceless.

Thank you Preston for putting what I was trying to say.

Hi all -

  Actually, she has stopped the barking when people approach the kennel but when she is held she is still squirmy as most of them are. I have zero intention on keeping this puppy as she is a foster pup. I may have made this post sound nieve like I had never raised a litter or raise working & sport pups. My question came about because I had never had a pup appear quite this alpha at such an early age.

Thank you all for all your suggestions and opinions.

Tina

Rainhaus, you pointed out some things I hadn't thought of.  Good post. I fully agree with your suggestions.  I think Yellowrose has acquired GSDs from Stenig Tal in the past.  Some of her Busecker Schloss GSDs are alpha and many have very tought but correct GSD temperament.  She knows how fearless many of Larry Filo's GSDs have been.  One time his wife placed 2 or 3 in the Budessieger show in Germany  with one of their GSDs and was featured on the cover of the SV Magazine.  I thought I had seen some of the most dominant GSDs until I visited Steining Tal.  His were over the top and some were absolutely fearless when charged by a helper in a non trial situation.  His dogs had good judgement and used progressive force in the amount necessary in order to get dominance and control.  After seeing his GSDs we just had to have an alpha puppy from his V rated stock.

the most important job of a "breeder" (intentional or not) is early socialization; making sure the pups want and enjoy having relationships with humans.  when you have pups that have very strong or overly confident or overly weak temperament often bonding with humans doesn't come naturally, so you have to go out of your way to teach them this skill.

recognizing a pups basic nature is key to placement and can help determine a method of handling but what a human handling a litter needs to focus on is making sure these pups are well bonded to humans.  i believe this is a particular concern when it comes to the "extremes" in a litter.  wheher a pup exhibits "alpha" or "omega" traits (i think it's dangerous to catagories like this but i'll use these labels to stay with the language already put forth in this thread) socialization is key to not only placing them but helping insure the placement sticks.