Do you think she is a purebred? - Page 3

You sound like every trainer I have taken her to until evaluate her... and end up tell me she will need a harsher correction. I have owned dogs including GSD my entire life and have never resorted to a professional trainer. The irritating thing is the same trainers/behaviorist that doubt my ability to train her, exercise her, mentally stimulate her, to know what makes her tick, or how to give a proper correction, end up telling me what I already know... she is difficult to correct and an e-collar is a good training tool for her. Yes, even us mere dog owners who don't bred and train professionally occasionally are dog savvy and can correctly interpret dog behavior. I really didn't want to resort to an e-collar but I must say it seems to have worked (yes, I know how to properly use an e-collar).

We have veered off topic and I really don't feel like discussing (what feels more like defending) how she has been difficult to manage. I do know what makes her tick. If I didn't know what makes her tick I don't believe she would be the confident well mannered dog she is today. When I asked you "You have any thoughts on this" I wasn't asking you if you thought she was difficult to manage... I have had three professionals and one breeder who have worked with her tell me she needs a much harsher correction than normal and that it isn't typical of the breed. What I was asking you is WHY do you think she is difficult to manage... I probably wasn't clear in my question. Was wondering if this is typical of working lines or a product of working/SL. One breeder who I discussed her with said it isn't typical of WL however, when you cross American lines with working lines (what he referred to as American/working) you can get some of these weird all over the board temperaments. He has bred both working and SL and has done crosses and he didn't like the unpredictability of the temperament of the pups. It could also be that she was spayed early... it could also be she is just poorly bred and whatever BYB was breeding these puppies had no regard for temperament. It could be she is mixed with something although most people seem to think she is purebred.

Ok, Kevlar. Nevermind. Sorry I tried to help on a discussion board where you asked a question. I won't do it again. Enjoy your perfect dog that you weren't asking about and didn't have any complaints about because, after all, you are clearly an expert, which is why you came to the board to ask if we thought your dog was a GSD or not. Excuse anyone who suggested that "normal" to us may not necessarily be "normal" to a pet dog trainer. It's possible your dog ended up with some character more common to wl than sl and pl. It's very likely that zero thought was put into your dog and her parents were also unbalanced in terms of biddability/hardness/softness/responsiveness and the like. What can we say to make you happy and agree that you know it all? 

Merry Christmas. I'm out. Can't stand when people ask something and want only certain answers that confirm what they already think they know. God forbid someone asks an additional question pertaining to a problem that was brought up to try and glean a better understanding. 

Your right... I don't have any complaints about my dog. It was a statement not an opportunity for you to hijack this thread with your 99 cents. I would appreciate it if you don't comment on things I am not asking about. I don't have a problem handling her... just because she has been difficult in the past doesn't mean that I have a problem that you are all your expertise need to help me with. You are attempting to give me advise and tell me what is "typical" behavior on a dog that you have never laid your eyes on other than pictures and off the cuff statements I have made. When I want advise on how to handle her I will ask. I think you don't like it when people challenge your "expert" advise. I don't happen to like it when know it alls like yourself think you need to comment on every little word that is said. 

Again... you assume I brought her to "pet" trainer and of coarse these "pet" trainers have never seen a GSD and wouldn't have a clue about the breed. Just FYI I took her to a leading GSD trainer in my area who works with several of the WL breeders and does protection work, schutzhund, k9 units, etc. I am sure he would appreciate you calling him a "pet" trainer and that although he works almost exclusively with GSDs he isn't part of your "us". Your statements and assumptions and the way you word things make you sound very arrogant. Please don't help on my discussion boards... I really don't need advise from people who assume they know everything.

This discussion board was intended to be fun and just see if there was anyone who thought she might be a mix. Without a DNA we will never know. I do think she is a purebred but just wanted to see what other people though. I really don't need any of your backhanded "Merry Christmas. I'm out." Sorry that not everyone wants or needs to hear your opinion on everything.

Umm... O.o wow, uh...yeah. Needless to say Jenni I will take advise anytime.

It seems I really upset Kevlar, based on the PM I got.  

I don't respond secretly to nasty PMs so there is never any question about what I did or did not say. So, for the record, since Kevlar doesn't seem to be able to let this go, nowhere did I say I knew what was going on with the dog. I asked QUESTIONS pertaining to behaviors Kevlar stated the dog was displaying and suggested possibilities. I spoke in generalizations intended to point out that most things related to behavior and training are relative, and one person's "defiance" is another person's "slightly dominant" or heck, even "easy as pie." Those who have been around a while know how hard it is it define a behavior or temperament type via internet. I guess Kevlar doesn't struggle with the same semantics issues the rest of us mere mortals have.  Kevlar's ASSumptions of what I supposedly said or meant are so off the mark it's almost silly, but definitely paranoid. I just HATE pissy PMs. If you don't like a public post, state so in an adult, candid manner. I will no longer ask questions in order to gain background knowledge. From now on, only the OP is permitted to ask questions, and unless addressed specifically, we (the "us" Kevlar suggests I refer to, lol) are NOT to engage in any kind of offering of guidance or experience on this discussion forum. This won't be a problem vice versa, as Kevlar has sworn to not respond to any of my posts. 

I now see the error in my ways, and now that I know "oh, mylanta" is so offensive, I beg forgiveness. 

Again, here is my post that fired him up, for clarification: 

Do you think she is a purebred? by Jenni78 on 21 December 2011 - 12:12

Jenni78 Posts: 1213 Joined: Sun Sep 24, 2006 03:24 pm  Owner edit

I'm not sure it's defiance you're seeing. Never met her. Or you. I have nothing to go on except what you're telling us. If people truly  understood dog behavior like they think, they wouldn't have so many problems. It's all about the communication. I don't have a problem with an e collar (not a shock collar...that's not how it should be used in most cases), but I do have a problem with it when it's seen as the easy way out or a last resort, and I think most people don't have any business using one. I'm not questioning your use of it on her, but I'm wondering what else you tried before deciding she's simply defiant and needs an e collar. You've said a few things that have cast some doubt as to what really motivates her as opposed to what you might think motivates her. Obviously, if you think she's that defiant at a young age, then, you haven't truly found what makes her tick (most likely) or you wouldn't still be having these issues. What's up with the barking at you under the table? Can you explain that? I don't see anything odd about not caring about fireworks. If you're used to a kind of dog who would be timid and fearful in those situations, perhaps she's just more dog than you're used to.  This isn't your original question and has veered way off, so don't feel obligated to answer if you don't want to. It just seems like you are not wanting to accept what's been said here and by all means, tell us why you disagree that this is normal behavior. Maybe we're not getting the clear pic online.

Well Jenni, you tried...lol!

Seriously, you provided some great information and asked good questions. Just too bad the OP cannot answer, listen, and learn!

Since you would like to make my "secret" PM public here is my "nasty" PM for everyone to read. I was simply trying to communicate with you one on one instead of in a public form which really isn't the place for this type of communication. My point is that your communication comes off as sarcastic and insincere. Apparently I am not the only one who has sent you a "pissy" PM You are blowing this whole thing out of proportion and you too can't seem to "let it go". All I am saying is that my post was related to my dog being a purebred german shepherd. I really didn't want to get into the back and forth of if she was or wasn't hard to handle. She is fine now... I am more interested in why. Breeding, mixed with another breed, spay, etc. As a puppy I sought out help with her and got the help I needed. End of discussion. My PM was about how you always have some little biting comment to make after I post something. Was just trying to let you know in a one on one conversation that I find your comments to be sarcastic. Apparently you don't care that I find them sarcastic and and would rather take the opportunity to make it sound (in a public forum) that I made some sort of nasty comment to you. I am not sure why you want all this drama drama but I can really do without it. Like I said in the PM I wrote to you... won't comment on ANYTHING you say anymore... Done and done.

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Hmm... I second that, KellyJ.

Personally if I had any problem or question about dogs, Jenni is probably the first person I'd go too.

But I'm not going to get into this. Cute dog, looks purebred and sounds pretty typical too me.

No matter how much advice is given, it will not be heard by deaf ears. (Or be read by blind eyes). 

What food are you feeding her ? Is it the best you can find , are you over doing it ? Is it possible she is getting so much protien that she is acting like a rock star or a spoiled kid hyped up on sugar ? Sometimes food causes extra hard to handle energy. Some dogs react to grains with hyper activity, some get lazy and fat. With horses, if you feed them a high protien food they get 'hot' or really hyper and aggitated, especialy if your not working enough.  Just a thought.

Whisper