[Bill]

Hi @Omni Adding to the observations of others… your conclusion to move to less distracting environments is spot on. We proof behaviors in environments of escalating distractions in incremental levels so that as the dog exhibits the desired behavior/compliance/behavior(s) in no distraction situations – we move to one with some distraction, achieve observable success and continue with the escalation until the dog is “proofed” in a wide variety of environments with varying distractions. This contributes to confidence. If we find we progressed too fast for the dog’s exhibited response, we can just take a step back, reinforce and try again.

During the puppy years rather than a focus on “commands/behaviors” it is my opinion you want to use that time for imprinting, socialization, and intensifying the bond between puppy and owner/handler. Using this time in positive, interactive bonding you enhance the desire of the dog to be a member of the pack and perform for the alpha who is fair, firm, and consistent. Done successfully, you are more likely to end up with a dog that not only is willing to work for/with you, but one that lives to do it and is confident in itself. This is likely to result in a dog more attentive to your every action/request. When the bond is good but sometimes fraught with corrections which the dog cannot connect to not understanding what was expected, the leader becomes suspect and not consistent. When we repeat the same command multiple times with the intent to help them “learn it” – it is more probable that the dog is learning not to listen to the 1st command and waits for the handler to say it multiple times, or with more vocal emphasis.

This is a topic on which there is likely a wide variety of opinion and something no two trainers would completely agree on – and that’s what makes our work as trainers for our dogs so unique and Robert’s site so critical to sharing our experiences so we have a pool of opinion from which to draw.

Happy training and enjoy “puppy time.”

[Bill]

Hi @jandoraa From my perspective, accepting sloppy in an age appropriate and trained behavior is tantamount to encouraging it and therefore repositioning to a proper sit should be done each time. I am not suggesting corrections at all. Simply reposition yourself so the dog has another try. If you get a sloppy sit, take a couple steps forward and stop again and praise the desired sit. If you note your dog is usually too far forward or sideways, monitor how they enter their proximal position. On a structured obedience walk you can try taking a few slower steps before stopping as a non-verbal queue that you will be stopping – this signals the dog so they can prepare and position. The intent here is to increase muscle memory so they always get it right. If you accept the sloppy sit now-it will likely be really hard to fix it later as they will be doing what you have previously accepted. Happy training😎

[Bill]

Hi Andrew. As you have seen the dog confidently “perform” with handlers in whom trust and structure had been established, it is likely a possibility that you will see the same once you have an established structure in your pack. In the former environment, the “leader/alpha” was established and the dog was able to perform as expected. If the dog is not yet sure, or assured who is alpha I believe it it very normal to see some hesitancy and unsureness as there is ambiguity as to who is alpha and what each member of the pack’s responsibility is.

Establishing yourself as alpha is paramount and takes a little time. There can be no doubt. You are the provider, protector, and leader. When roles are defined and routinely established your dog is set up to perform what its role is. Being in a new pack is certainly a different experience for your dog. Dogs thrive in structure and while pack change is not an issue, its the structure within the pack that has the greatest impact on a successful change. In short, a dog changing packs looks to see who the leader is. Leadership is not synonymous with dominance. A dog that is dominated is generally not reliable. A dog that defers to its leader is reliable and able to maximize its potential.

With time, structure, structure, and structure you will successfully establish your role and I suspect “nervousness” will be replaced by confidence and the awesome bond will facilitate the working confidence you witnessed prior to purchase. With structure confidence is possible.

There are many subtle things you can do to affirm your leadership which serves to define roles which I believe will boost canine confidence. You can either opt to train/desensitize in various situations or work on structure that supports confidence which is then present in all situations, new or old. Enjoy the great journey you are on – its awesome!!

[Bill]

Hi Ellie. Great question – Yes – “stay is implied” this helps immensely as Bethmw indicates as once in position, the dog is to hold the position until released. I would add that you then need a “release” command that lets the dog know it’s now dog’s choice time. I universally use “FREE” as the command to let my protection K9 know that he is released from any command. ie: When on a walk and in position – he holds the positioning until “Free” at which point he is free to wander – though maintain some attention to the handler. Another added benefit of the implied stay is that lets say you find yourself in a chaotic situation, you can put your dog in a down/platz and know he will hold it until released.

[Bill]

HI Staskies – I would offer for your consideration that as they are pack animals, dogs are happiest when they know where they fall in the pack structure. As you and your breeder chose a less dominate dog for your pack, that dog is now looking to determine its place in the pecking order in its new pack (your family). You cannot allow it to dominate you or the other pack members. Whether it is simply excited or not is irrelevant, humping is not an acceptable behavior and it needs to stop. As pack members, dogs accept their position in the pack once it is established. Beyond that, you have to consider whether this behavior will be an allowed expression for excitement when it is an adult, I would submit it is not acceptable and is much easier to stop now then when the dog is larger and actually attempting to dominate. I am not sure exactly what the breeder recommends in the “strongly but firmly” correction for the behavior though I’d think you can accomplish that with firm voice tone and “NO!” and then do something else. Your breeder’s experience with the breed should be able to guide you with more specifics if you need to escalate but a young puppy learns fast and will catch on quickly as it is simply trying to determine where it falls in the pack order. Your work with training and luring sounds terrific – Happy Training!!

[Bill]

Hi Melissa,

I know what you mean – as you can see in the included pic, my K9 also likes sticks. I understand that the reason for the fakes is in line with the concern about splintering, choking, and sticks/fragments lodging in the dogs mouth. Bone splintering is of concern though I have read that long bones (femurs, etc.) are safer. To satiate my K9’s desire to chew/gnaw, I do use the Nylabone (fake) chew. A strong chewer, these last a long time and clean teeth while he is chewing away. I had to make an exception and allow him to lug the stick below around for awhile – it was too funny.

[Bill]

Hi Mike – WELCOME to the group!!

[Bill]

Hi Ezekiel – It is never too late to train – in fact you have the benefit of 2 years with your dog so as you identify what you would like to accomplish you know what you need to overcome or modify. It is never too late to teach an old dog (ok, 2 year old dog) new tricks😆 Yes, Robert’s videos would be fantastic foundation information and this forum would be a great place to seek assistance with any modifications/accommodations that you may want to make for your specific situation/GSD. The members here have a vast depth of experiences from which to draw to offer some ideas as you begin your quest! HAPPY TRAINING!!

[Bill]

Hi Riggan – AWESOME, AWESOME, AWESOME – what a testament to patience and consistency contributing to happiness for all!! Thanks so much for sharing an update on your journey with Lance! 😀

[Bill]

Hi Ellie – I suggest you might approach this in at least a 2 prong (forgive the pun) approach.

1.) Let’s Go – I would offer that you would introduce and develop this first with no distractions – then begin proofing the behavior with minimal distractions and progress up to all distractions. This will take some time…. Once you have a nice loose leash walk with no distractions – you progress from there. You want to develop and proof this under ideal conditions and then the world. Trying to do this with distractions and other dogs would make it hard to focus on what you are trying to accomplish and once both you and your dog are frustrated it can become a mess.

2.) The reactivity, or significant interest resulting in hyper-focus and moderate to extreme pulling at the sight of other dogs is a separate matter. I would be remiss not to mention however, that once you have a solid “Lets Go” where there is not constant pressure on the leash – you may be pleasantly surprised that the extreme pulling to get at/to other dogs may actually diminish. As handlers, we communicate a lot of information through the leash, our body language, and our voice tone and inflection, etc. It is common that a responsible owner, aware that their dog is a little iffy around other dogs, tightens/shortens the lead to keep the dog close in anticipation of what we know comes next. This may be the wrong message – unless of course the dogs are too close and there is danger. When we pull the dog in by tightening the leash when we anticipate a negative interaction, the dog may be receiving the message that we are nervous, anxious, or afraid so the dog does what it can to keep danger at bay. Similarly, you may notice that when another dog is walking their person (the dog is out in front of the handler and pulling) your dog may focus intently and then escalate from there. Your goal is to read your dog, and take action. In a natural setting it is not normal for dogs to meet head-on. They approach from the side which plays to their fight or flight, which gives the dog being approached the option to run away (flight). Robert’s videos on leash aggression/reactivity may be beneficial to see what that looks like if you have not been able to view them yet. Likewise, in one of his other videos he demonstrates how you can control 2 dogs meeting using a stacked greeting approach when you know the other handler and you control the meeting.

As to collar choice – my opinion is… handler preference. It is important that you are comfortable and if the prong is working for you and your dog, by all means – use it. Assuming your dog knows how to relieve the pressure on the prong – the choice is his to pull or not.

Hope something here is helpful as you make your plan and develop a loose leash walk where you both enjoy being out and about and enjoying your time together.