Dominant? or Submissive? - Page 1

Could you clarify something in your post because I hoping I read it wrong.

You want your 13 week old puppy, who it sounds like is showing confidence and aloofness towards stranger adults, to be dominant and effectively disrespectful to *you*,his pack leader, and children?

Why don't you worry first about raising a pup who is well socialized and later worry about other issues?

This dog is a baby at this point and will be for many, many months. This is a perfect example of someone wanting something they don't understand and then the dog pays for it because it is not what the person expected. Get involved in a group where someone can help you with your lack of experience and teach you about canine behavior and development.

Sorry GSDguy, but you have long been all over the map here showing you have a complete lack of understanding of the breed. Other dogs who did not suit you ended up elsewhere. Is that what you plan for this pup too?

"I was hoping for the more harder, dominant dog that Mambo is known for producing that I see so often since I had intended to do personal protection. "

You want your 13 week old pup to be harder and more dominant. WTF!!!

What planet are you living on. Idiots like you should not be owning dogs, you sound like you don't know the first thing about prey, defense, civil drives; when they kick in and how to develop them.

I seriously hope you are not trying to "make him harder".

Your puppy is a baby! Work on socializing him to many people and surroundings. Do not expect adult behavior (dominant, submissive, aggressive, protective, civil, or anything else) out of him for many, many months!  You want hardness out of a 13 week old puppy??? That's like asking a 6 month old baby to fight a grownup. Are you nuts??

I've noticed people on this board, including me, have tried to help you with your puppies. You always seem to be getting a new puppy because the previous pup wasn't what you wanted. What happened to those other pups, or do we even want to know? Do your pup a favor and LEARN about GSDs. At this point you don't know how to raise a GSD puppy and you certainly don't know how to handle a PPD.  Go back to square one and learn about GSDs and how to raise a GSD pup. The Monks of New Skete have books and videos you can purchase from Amazon or just about any book store or pet supply store. Start there.

If you want a PPD or SchH puppy, you need to be working with a good club and a good trainer - people who will help you make the most of the pup you have. If there is no club in your area, then find puppy obedience classes (not at the big box stores) and learn how to train your pup.

Let him be a puppy, let him socialize, you can still schutzhund train later in the day. I like dogs that have an on, off switch. We walked a college campus, went to play grounds once or twice a week, then on weekends schutzhund train. He shoulds like a very nice puppy. Always, Cee

First off, I'm not an idiot. Second off.....I mean later on in his life. I stated I know he is not mentally mature or anywhere near it.  Nowhere in that did I say I'm trying to make him harder I'm just questioning what he's doing.  And third why on earth would I want him to be disrespectful to me or children? I don't know how you got that. He does great around children I was just wanting to know if it was more of a submission thing.  I also left out things in my post and probably could have posted things in different order.....as it may have made it sound like I was hoping for certain things....which you guys said I wanted/hoped for at this moment/towards children/ect.  Laura keep your idiot comments to yourself. And Hodie, sure if it's what you want to hear, the dog will go to someone else.......no I will not be giving him to someone else if he doesn't suit me. Keep in mind the other dogs were fear biters, socialization issues, flat out aggression issues, and handler aggression issues.. I think dominance may have been the wrong word for what was stated.   I do know that all work is done in prey drive first, and in no way would try to make a puppy "harder" and end up ruining him.  I do question how you got that he is aloof to people? I just stated he ignores people.....as in while we're walking. If people just pet him, he allows it, if they play, he plays. I would sure hope none of your guys dogs want to play with every single person they see on a walk. In fact I'm pretty certain a lot on this board make their puppies ignore other people on walks and a lot don't allow others to pet them period.  I will say that I do understand more about dog psychology than you would imagine.....I may not completely understand the GSD breed as a whole yet, but I have helped rehabilitated many dogs with behavior problems, I've been helping a couple with an aggressive Pitt Bull and an insecure German Short Haired Pointer recently who I'm having a lot of sucess with.  In fact I do a lot of behavior training that I doubt many on this board could do....no thats not an ego trip, or saying that I can do what you guys can't.....it's just saying I know more than i'm given credit for about dogs and dog psychology.

Guys I know about the socialization and everything.....we're still doing it, new people/new environments on a regular basis.........Sam what other puppies are you talking about? I posted a few request to buy adds, but only got 1 PUPPY....I previously had a puppy before....a while back, but he died from being poisoned....not my fault.  He was an awesome dog, but never saw his 1st birthday. I never bought numerous puppies or sold any puppies or anything.  Wherever you got that is behond me also.

You have had other dogs, none of which pleased you ( supposedly, according to you fear biters, socialization issues, flat out aggression issues, and handler aggression issues). And you then tell us how good you are at rehabilitating dogs with problems - yeah, I bet!

You write that above. It was always something. Based on what you wrote then and what you continue to post, I am not sure you have learned much at all. So yes, I am extremely skeptical that you know what you are asking when you post, let alone understand many of the terms you use when you write. As for your experience, if I remember correctly, you are young too. Part of the problem maybe.

And yes, if I take a puppy somewhere, and I do take them places on PURPOSE when they have had their shots, I PURPOSELY let anyone and everyone greet the pup and let the pup do the same. This is called SOCIALIZATION. 

I will bet in the near future that you will find that this dog has something wrong with him, that the breeder lied to you, or that he turns out otherwise to be "defective" in some way or other. Why? Because of you, not what is innate in the dog. You need to work with some people who can help you or you will ruin this pup and continue to go through dogs. Of course, there are always unsuspecting breeders, or those who don't care where their dogs go who will sell to you, so I guess you need not worry.