Questions ? - Page 1

Ok, I have some questions.  Reading other post etc. and forums about the GSD, I come across some stuff that I have questions about, so I'm just going to ask them.  Don't know quite how to put them though, lol.  But here it goes. 

1.  Should ALL shepherds love water?  Chaos will only go in up to the bottom of his tummy, lol.  He will not go in any further.  I've been told by other friends that have shepherds that he is a sissy, lol.

2.  Chaos goes just about everywhere with me.  We are very tight.  He goes to just about every one of my softball games too.  I take a longer leash with me and attach it to the dug out fencing inside the dug out so he can move around etc. with out feeling confined.  When I leave him to go to the rest room or anywhere else, he sits up, and stares constantly in the direction I went, UNTIL I come back.  He doesn't make a noise, or cry or anything.  Just sits there and stares.  Any time anyone tries to get his attention by calling him etc. he won't even look at them, just continute to watch for me to come back.  I know quite a few dogs like this, but some of you make it out to be not normal and lack of confidence.  I don't see that in him, he just wants to know where the heck I went and when I'm coming back.

I can't remember the others at this time so I will post again later when I do.  Damn old age!  JK, lol.

Chaos sounds very normal to me, and this is type of behaviour often displayed by a male GSD. In my opinion this has nothing to do with confidence, and is rather a testimony of his bond with you. I see the same bond between a male of mine and my wife, but the display of this type of bond is not evident between him and me. So, perhaps the difference in gender explains something-that's beyond me.

Regards,

Bob-O

He's still pretty young yet right?  You may have to entice him more to get him in the water all the way.  My older female loves tennis balls so I just had to frustrate the crap out of her to get her to go all the way in the water....

Both of my dogs would look for me too if left in that situation.  Though, they may be able to be distracted more by someone else.

Mine dont sit and look ,,,,mine bark and pull on lead and watch where they saw me last,,but mine are working lines,,,,they to, cant stand to be out of my site...its funny when I hide....and oh no where is she....but tied to truck at Lowes last week  my male like to have pulled the truck out of its parking place  if it had not been in park...he has a fit if he cant go   

Yours has manners......and you have shown him , right.....mine are wild indians.....but later that will change...Im not keeping him anyway....he is for sale.....and it sure hurts when they bond to you and then you kiss them goodbye......

He loves Lowes because they let him come in.....its not like Petsmart......he can love on all the people    only 14weeks old he is a ham.....

Kewl, thanks all.  I remembered another question that I also have.  Chaos's is crated at night while we are sleeping so that he doesn't get him self into trouble.  Every single morning, when my husband gets up to go to work and lets him out of his crate, he makes a v line for our bedroom first!  He jumps on the bed, sniffs me real quick and then jumps off the bed and runs outside to play and do his duty.  WHY does he do this, lol.  It's a every morning ritual with him.  When he jumps on the bed, I tell him morningggg sunshine, lol, and daddy wants youuuu.  And off he goes.  I don't mind it really.  I think it's rather funny that he does this.  I just want to know whyyyy, lol.

not sure i know why, but it's cute!  he's just checking on you i guess.  :)

No not all GSD will or should like water. They are just like people and have their likes and dislikes. My male I recently put down, hated water and would only swim if  I crossed the creek/river and left him behind. He got a  little better about water in time and would play and stand in it, even sit in it  if it was shallow. He just never was a good swimmer or water lover. Just be happy Chaos goes in at all and isn't avoiding it all together.

When you leave your dog, it sounds like he is resoponding just perfectly. No soft or to dependent, if that was the case he would freak out, howl, bark pull or chew what he was tied with. He is just watching you and making sure youa re OK and come back. Any dog worth their hair should do that.

Be careful what you wish for, once they really learn to swim, you can not keep them out. I had one that would sneak in the pool in the winter if I was not watching him.

SheperdWomen, 
Instead of spending alot of time trying to figure out what the water issue is ( sissy or not ) spend the time to teach him to love the water. This can be done with most any dog of any age if they play fetch, or tug.  I am not going to spend tons of time trying to explain how to do it, but if he were mine by the end of the day he would love the water. Just break it down, one step at a time, get wet yourself, have fun in the process and watch his reactions as you work him through this.  Add a new dimension to his life.  Conquer a problem by exploiting his drive.  Any problems of dogs not wanting to deal with or face something head on should be dealt with for the dogs benefit.  Don't worry about the water thing, just conquer it so he has something new to look forward to. Good luck

Thanks 4pack.  Very well put.  Glad to hear that it's not his confidence that I will not come back.  Yes he is perfectly quiet and sits like at attention staring at the very spot he lost me at, when I come back and look around the corner.  He gets all excited wagging his tale when he sees me and is very loveable when I return.