Working Line Puppy Behavior: To encourage or not? - Page 2

The defense drive is more of a continuum with a range of responses that can fall anywhere between fight, avoidance,freezing, flight. Experience and genetics both influence where that response falls and training should raise or at least show you where that response happens. Distance from a perceived threat also is a factor. The hackles being raised could be a sign off unsureness especially if the piloerection continues all the way down the back. To me deeper, slower barking is a more confident dog. Where the dog's lips are, ear set, tail set also factor in what is going on inside the dog's head.

Here is a link to her pedigree:  http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/german_shepherd_dog/dog.html?id=2255830-anna-vom-haus-landry

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Very few need a ppd. A dog that will help protect your family will probably be a better goal. They are not the same in my mind. A person walking in the park is not necessarily suspicious. A dog that barks at everyone is annoying to me, and not useful. Keep that dog leashed until control is achieved, a barking charging dog in a park is looking for a soccer boot right in the mouth as you both, are out of control.  I would use what is showing naturally (leashed), mark the behaviors and start associating it by name/command little or no reward once he understands the association/commands and move off it as fast as possible, .  I would work harder training the pup not to bark at every person by marking that behavior as often as possible and setting up the dog not to bark and charge and then massively rewarding that. Side note: I don't know why anyone would 2-3 Uncas, have someone look over that pedigree for you for other bloat dogs. Not a panic, but somethng to keep in mind.

You still need to socialize your puppy...Teach her it's NOT her job to protect you from someone that's doing nothing to warrant it...Another words you need to socialize her and teach her what is good in people and what is bad...Just like you would socialize a child...You teach them that there are good people and bad people...You don't just go out and attack or protect yourself from something that isn't needed...

If you teach your puppy to bark at and attack everyone...then they'll think that's their job and you will be developing a liability...You will be raising a puppy/dog that will NEVER be allowed or trusted around anyone other then you and maybe your family...So be very careful what you teach her to do and in the long run...be...

I would suggest you find someone in your area that can get you some guidance...Some people at local Schutzhund Clubs can help you in what you want...It never hurts to see how other people train their dogs and you can ask around for help in what you're wanting...

 

~Bob~

Just took a look at the pedigree - the mother of your pup, Duchess, was born in 2012. The SZ number says "DDR  DN33803103". What kind of number is this? The DDR doesn´t exist for 24 years now... ?!?

Besides that, the behavior of your pup is not uncommon for a "real" dog at that age - she is suspicious, but not running away. Now you need to train her - no training, and you may get either a fear biter or an overly aggressive dog. Correct training, and you may get the best PP dog you ever dreamed about.
Your dog is not social, but needs to be socialized ( big difference ).

Right now she needs to become self secure, and she needs a lot of obedience ( and no off-leash at all ).

I don´t know if there are children in your family, but dogs like this tend to be one (wo)men dogs. In that case you need to educate your family, too.
Doesn´t sound like a pet, ready to welcome everybody later on.

susie, I think the 'DDR' notation is an attempt by whoever entered the pedigree for Duchess to tag her as coming from the lines that sprung from the former DDR, for the benefit of novices who wouldn't be able to tell that just based on the dogs behind her alone. The DN number is the AKC registration number for Duchess.

 

Susie, you are spot on, again.

Inexperienced breeder, selling to inexperienced owner. Great.  Gigante, me too...first thing I thought when I saw 2-3 Uncas was BLOAT. Ugh...I wish people would at least TRY to learn a few damn things before they start breeding. 

To the OP- this is one  dog I'd consider doing a prophylactic gastropexy on. And if you choose not to, please be VERY vigilant to the signs of bloat/GDV. 

Regarding the actual question, I agree with what's already been said. You can build on this if it's what you want, but always make sure you have control (I teach dogs like this a "leave it" or "that's enough") and understand that a dog like this WILL bite someone and you need to be prepared for that. Think long and hard about whether you're a competent enough handler to be encouraging civil aggression. 

I have no problem with nasty dogs- however, you MUST have control. You must do equal control work to bite work. JMO...unless you want to get sued, lol. 

must be my inexperience and general clueless-ness but I can think of no situation from any dog handling perspective or deployment of a dog for any role whatsoever outside of the apocalypse where

"When any strangers approach her shackles would raise and she would bark in a deep voice."......move forward etc

and an inexperienced handler asking -

"Is it something I should encourage ?"

and alleged experienced people responding in the affirmative;

I conclude the alleged experienced people responding have no actual experience with training or handling civil aggressive dogs or they get some sick entertainment watching train wrecks in progress.

A four month old pup barking at strangers is hardly a positive sign it's going to grow up to be a killer. If that was true, there would not be so many experts complaining the gsd is so watered down. I've seen b/r pups do this at this age, and by the time they are a year old, have mellowed out.