Adjusting High Work Drive to House Dog - Page 5

Great ideas!  I have some bungee lines and an extension pole, so I can give it a try.  Has anyone tried Treibball?  Herding a medicine/pilates ball into a goal?  Sounds like good exercise for a GSD!

my dog taught himself how to lunge - I use a retractable leash when taking him out for poddy breaks. he trots around in circles and I encourage him. if he comes into my space, I just take a few steps forward and stop. He starts going again.

Micaho,
If you have such a dog I would suggest complete obedience training for a start.
If you want good excersise, swimming the dog is very effective.
This high energy is not going to go away, sounds like a handful for someone not ready or up to the challenge but good luck anyway.

Moons.

Good suggestions about using the flexi leash for a lunge line, although I would think you would get dizzy before the dog had run long enough!  We do plan to try swimming when we can get a beach to ourselves.  We also previewed a training class which emphasized use of the e-collar.  Neutering prior to enrolling in the training was suggested, even though the trainer has not met my dog. Private agility classes may be an option.  Right now with the heat, his energy is down to a managable level.  We are out in public more and he is doing well.  Thanks again everyone for your input!

Boy, it sounds like you're describing my girl, Molly.  I adopted Molly about 4 years ago.  She's a year old, give or take.  Was a stray then in a kill shelter until the rescue organization found her and snatched her out.  I brought her home a week later (after spaying). Our last dog was a GSD, and she was with us from 3 months to 14 wonderful years.  NOTHING like Molly. She has serious anxiety, way beyond "skittish." Poor thing, when I think about where this must have come from.  I got her some great training (for me, too) from a trainer specialized in problems like hers, but it's blessed exhausting.  A foster kid coming out of the systme with a heart of gold, untrusting of the world, and some good-old-fashioned brattiness from lack of a consistent home with clear limits.  Not was I was looking for either (the rescue folks said that her only issue is cats, which is just about the only issue she doesn't have).  Everyone tells me that in a year we'll be great.  If I live that long.

Osita, 
I wish you luck!  A high energy German Shepherd is a handful!  My dog has a high play/prey drive, but not too much anxiety and he is not as dominant as one trainer described him.  I am finding that after he gets enough exercise, he is pretty easy to handle.  In this heat he has not even required as much exercise before he relaxes on his own.  Since I got him from the breeder at 11 weeks, I am lucky enough to know most of what his experience has been.  So it seems to me, as long as a dog is healthy, lots of exercise and then training/work are the way to deal with most problems.  I still find providing enough exercise opportunities in a leash-law world can be a challenge.  So this forum has helped with ideas. 
Keep up the good work with Molly.  I believe you get back from the relationship as much as you put into it!
Linda