Is it Love or Obession? - Page 1

Hi All,

Me again, here with another question. Naya, my almost 11 month old personal protection female has for the last 9 months followed me around constantly. I'm never out of her sight. I love this trait, because to me, what the heck do you have a personal protection dog for if it's in a kennel or never around? I love being her center of attention, her whole world. Egomaniac, maybe, but I am adored by her, and I enjoy it, and can admit to that.

But my question is, is it love, or an obession, the way she follows me around. This dog goes EVERYWHERE I go, (I wouldn't have it any other way) but I'm curious, I feel like it is 50/50. She adores me to the point of being obessed...Does that make sence? Anyway, I want imput. And NO, I do not want this to change, but I want people's opinions.

She is very aloof with everyone else, even for my mother, which she sees on a daily basis, she still doesn't show much affection for her. She is a workingline if that makes a difference.

Thanks all, hope to hear some good, in depth feedback!

How unfortunate for the dog.

the dog is obviously not competent or confident enough to be away from you.

Not a trait I would wish to encourage in my dogs.

Langhaar, I have a Sch3 male who is the most confident dog I have ever had and he does the same thing likes to keep me in his sites even from room to room follows me everywere and is aloof with other family members for the most part. No way a indication of not being a confidant dog.

Navas Mom, You know when you ask a simple question you usually get fifty negatives.  That does not indicate her being not confidant at all. She has developed a bond is all and likes being with her person. Most of my dogs not just Zidane will follow me around if they are out of the kennels. A dog that is not confidant will freak when taken off of his turf, hackle up for no reason, show fear at things like loud noise, storms things along that nature.

Marlene

Does she spend no time away from you.. crated or kenneled?? A personal protection dog (if its really necessary, I don't understand the concept) also needs the confidence to be comfortable in lots of surroundings ..it is not reasonable to think your dog can always be with you.. if you get ill and are hospitalized, if there is God forbid an accident and she needs to trust someone....

However, as far as your question..... I really don't know how to answer.. not anything I've ever thought or cared about.. I expect my dogs to seek out my company .. it's how I raise them. Ther eare many emotions dogs are capable of but certainly not allt he ones we feel and an obsession of any kind in any species is not very often a good thing.. so maybe not the correct word?? But at any rate, why does it matter?   

I urge you to rethink your idea on "personal protection dog".. here's a story for you......guy in a wheelchair had his dog trained to attack anyone who came near him (dumbass, pardon my french).. had a seizure or something and dies because the dog first had to be restrained in order to get to him and then it was too late and now the added burden of what the heck to do with a dog like that??? Bad situation..

Aloof is a word I wish was never used in describing the GSD because so many people will attempt to rationalize fearful, hesitiant behavior with strangers and call it aloof ...

Sorry - not what you want to hear I know , but I have been doing this a long time and had many many dogs thru the years.....  don't knowyour situation, but I do know how to raise a dog..  

How is your dog when you are apart?  Whining, pacing or general agitation may be seperation anxiety, which is a very bad trait and indicative of a nervy dog.  If he just likes to be in your company, I wouldn't worry about it.

I personally DO like my dogs to follow me (as opposed to other family) from room to room in the house because I feel they see me as the " Pack leader". 

BUT at any given time  I want them to be comfortable in strange places, out of sight from me. It is not good for a dog to be so attached to his handler he/she becomes a neurotic basket case the second they walk away or are left with someone else.   This is exactly why pups need to  not always be raised at foot, let them spend some time in a kennel and crate, let them learn to be comfortable alone.  I learned this the hard way, just like everything else with this breed, lol. 

  Huh? Are there actually GSD's that don't stick to their special person like glue? Seems to me to be a normal characteristic of this breed. Lack of confidence? Dunno about that either. My first GSD was velcro and that didn't stop him from trying to take down a man who threatened me in a campground.  He acted pretty damned confident that night. 

If this were my dog, I'd start right now to get her used to being out of my site. Crating her would be the last thing I choose since I prefer to get my dogs out of familar surroundings. I guess it's better than nothing. You could leave her with a friend or a trainer, leave her at a local boarding kennel. Start with a few hours at a time and work up to a few days, even a week.  I've done this with every dog I've owned over the last 45 years   IMO all dogs, regardless of their breed, need to experience time away from mom and dad. In addition what happens to a clingy dog if there is an emergency and the owner is forced to go somewhere without the dog? How about just taking a vacation where the dogs can't go?

We have two GSDs, a SchH1 male 4 and a female 3, who are both house dogs.  They are my constant companions, as I am not currently working and my husband travels frequently.  While they will go off to another part of the house to sleep during the day (particularly on the cool tile), one or both are usually within sight.  My male, in particular, is usually only a few feet away.  At night, they sleep on the floor on either side of our bed.

They are not neurotic or anxious or even very aloof.  They stay loose in the house when we are gone, and I never worry that there will be any negative consequences.  They are friendly to family and friends and workmen, once they have been introduced.  However, I know if they ever sensed I was in any danger, woe be to that idiot.  Since we live on a large piece of property in the country, that is comforting.

All that being said, is it love or obsession?  I don't know that it's either.  I do believe that we are bonded.  We are a pack.  My husband and I lovingly take care of them, and they look to us for direction.  GSDs are a herding breed, a working breed.  It is imbedded in their DNA to keep track of those in their care.  I am their job, and they take it very seriously.  At present, I am at my desk in my office, and one is on one side of my chair and one is on the other.  I have seen the term "Velcro German Shepherd" used here, and I know we have two of them.

Well you gotta know she loves you. 

My personal protection dog is always within sight of me  (And YES there are reasons for having a ppd), except when we get home together and she goes through and searches the house first.  But I think I like the answer "bonded" best.  How does your pup behave when you are not with her?  I leave mine home with other family members.  She acts normal, does not get all "whiney" or anything like that but I sure get a nice greeting when I get home.  Try leaving her with someone so you can get feedback on her behavior when you're out of sight.  If it's normal then no need to worry.  After all, you do need to live a life and that does not always include having a dog with you.

I have 4 breeds of dogs. All herding breeds. All of them follow me around wherever I go. They are not nervous, freaked or in any other way weird. Except for the Aussie.....

To me one of the main things I so love about the GSD is that loyalty. Mine just seem to enjoy being around me while I am there. If I am not, then that is ok too. I would like to think they prefer for me to be there!

I guess the key would be how Naya is when you are not around. My old showline would pout for just a little bit after I would leave but then was just fine. If they went off their food, broke out where they are supposed to stay while you are gone, barked without a break while alone and stuff like that, then I would worry. Then I would say obsession.

If she is fine without you but enjoys your company while you are there - my vote is . I now close the door to the oval office as that is the only way to get a bit of privacy around here.