Is this Normal for a GSD? - Page 1

I have a male GSD who turned 1 on Dec 31st (Happy Birthday Gunther), He has done three things lately that make me think I am either the proud owner of a brilliant dog, or I am losing my mind and he is the only one who noticed it. I will try not to be too lengthy, but I have to explain so someone can let me know if this is normal behavior.
1st) my mail is delivered between 11AM and 2PM daily. Yesterday, Gunther came and got me from a nap, he whined and cried until I came, even though hubby & son were in the living rm and could have let him out. When I opened the door, e wouldn't go out unless I went as well. He hasn't done that before. I finally went outside with him, he walked to our gate and sat down. As I was puzzling & was about to go back inside, the mail lady came. After I got the mail Gunther happily came in with me. Coincidence or did he hear her & know my routine?
2nd) I sometimes give him a potato chip or whatever I snack on (I know I shouldn't, that is another discussion). I was again in the back room of the house. He came in an whined, and cried. When I followed him, he went to the living room and plopped himself in front of y husband, who was eating potato chips but wasn't giving him one! Gunther then made a little noise, I reached over and gave him one chip, he at it, was happy and went and laid down and went to sleep!
3) Finally, he is friends with my great dane Hilo, who sleeps upstairs with my son. Hilo (the dane) sleeps on the landing at the doorof the bedroom. Gunther came crying to me, and went to the stairs. He looked up, then at me then up. I looked up and saw Hilo sleeping. When I went up & woke up the dane, he came downstairs and the two f them went out to play. Is all this communication normal? Is he brilliant, spoiled, or am I just a nutty owner wh over indulges her dog?
Thanks for ny insight,   Deborah

Oh, he's clever, he is working out exactly what he can train
his over-indulgent owner to do.  lol

AHA! I thought so LOL So he isn't brilliant? Are you saying mommy is the problem? :)

He IS a GSD !  So its fairly normally clever, rather than 'brilliant'  IMO.
Not accusing you of being a complete pushover, TDeb, but you might
want to be a bit watchful of how often / when / where you 'oblige' ...
you wouldn't want him to think he's running the place, heh!heh!heh!

Mine tries to "herd" me along to do what he wants me to do for him.  Of course he knows that I am a pushover when it comes to him and he gets away with a lot.

Thanks for the advice. I fear it is too late, I have gone over the edge in love with him and I think he knows it. He will actually refuse to go outside when he needs to unless I am the one who lets him out. My husband has actually tried to open the door for him and he won't go. He will then come down the hall & find me, cry & run out the door when I open it. He also wakes me up at night but I think it is to help me. I have MS and COPD, and sometimes I know my son says I breathe "funny", and keep inhaler at bedside. SOmetimes I wake up feeling Gunther's paw on my arm or leg and he is whining. Could this be a part of his "thing" with me?

Dogs are used as medical alert dogs, and GSD's are very clever, and very good at communicating. If your breathing is not regular, clever fella would wake you to tell you. Wouldn't be the first to save an owners life. Amazing how much our dogs are in sync with us.

Well, I do not mean to be rude to anyone, but you all need to be aware that Prince Gunther of Raja's Jasmine (also known as honey bunny) is indeed the smartest, handsomest, sweetest dog who ever lived so I will continue to believe he is brilliant LOL Thanks for the insights folks. Let's all enjy our GSDs, aren't they fabulous? BTW< he is my first so please bear with me

They are fantastic insightful dogs. Very clever, and it sounds as though you already have a very deep bond with him, which is wonderful, however, it could be a great disadvantage in the future if nobody except you can do the most simple things with him. There may come a time when it is really important that he listens to your husband if for any reason you weren't there. It could also make it very stressful for him if he couldn't be with you, if you were in the hospital or some other unforeseen situation arose. 
I would begin to encourage him to respond to your husband as well as you, for both your sakes.  He may very well still always have a more special bond with you, my girl has with me, so dont fear that  you would lose that.
It sounds as though he is recognising your medical conditions and is looking out for you . Isnt that wonderful, they are natural protectors.
Can we get to see a photo of him?

sounds  fab,  mummy over endulges him  a little, but  even though i train my dogs, i am  a small bit guilty of  letting them condition me,  i know it they know it , my hubby knows it