Not really a brag but I'm proud of him

[amaris]

It was sunny this weekend after quite a looooong period of rain and snow, so the pupster, Munich, my brother and I headed out on both days for 2-3 hr hikes.

Saturday: He ran into a coated 5 yr old male GSD, and basically made nice with the other dog and romped through the trails...happy as punch...loved how easily he got along with another male dog, and the other dog's 3 owners. They fawned over how young and cute he was, how pretty his coat was and that he seemed to already be in tune with my brother and I after only just a week.


Sunday: 2.5 hr hike, ended up at a fenced basketball court, with cars zipping by just outside the fence and children running around screaming at a playground maybe 10 m away. He held a down-stay (offleash) for a good full minute with me walking all around the court. Doesn't seem like much but considering it was only Friday that he would break a stay the moment I took a step away from him...I'm proud. Also just before we got home, he ran into a mom with 2 children both under 7. The mum taught her kids to approach him calmly and slowly, and taught them to let him sniff their palms first. He sat like a good puppy and when they let him sniff them, he sniffed and licked them, tail going a mile a minute Loved how he handled the 2 young ones, and as they were leaving, the mum told her kids he was a GSD and the little boy said he loved him and wanted one too I thought he was such a good little ambassador for the breed today *proud*

On a side note, he got pinned by an older GSD today the owner was like oh my dog's friendly, is yours. I said Munich was and he was still a puppy so excuse his over-enthusiastic-ness. The 2 yr old OVERSIZED GSD didn't even bother with the sniff and greet, he just placed both his paws on Munich's back and when munich kinda tried to get away, he went after my puppy and pined him. His owner just said "Oh...be nice, play easy etc". Anyway, he released Munich and i moved closer toward the other dog, so i was in between him and my pup and he tried to pin munich again (when the poor pup was just sitting down next to my brother) so i bonked him on the nose with my palm. Not sure if that's the right thing to do, but pin my pup down once (when he wasn't even being obnoxious, just trying to sniff and greet), shame on you, pin him twice, shame on me.

Sorry for the long post, needed to brag and get that GSD and his owner off my chest >.<

[MaggieRoseLee]

Great brag and love how you are taking him out and about on the hikes! Course without pictures you could be making it all up ( ) We need pictures!!!

I love the way your puppy is behaving BUT remember that unfortunately not all other dogs in the world love a puppy in their face. You want all meetings to be positive for the first year or so, and need to assure (as much as you can) that each and every dog meeting is a good one. Truthfully, the older GSD just pinning your pup wasn't as bad as you thought. Sounds like he was trying to teach your pup some 'manners'.

My pups tend to want to play the 'Puppy on the Head' leaping up on any and all dogs they meet. And while many dogs are patient and don't care, there are others that do NOT enjoy this 'game' at all. Specially as my pups get bigger. So while I know it's a happy fun play behavior from my pup. That won't do me any good when she leaps on White Fang and they decide to take her down using teeth and the growling/snapping/puppy screaming that involves.

So I have to start teaching my puppy to mind their manners around other dogs (and they DO have to learn) and some other reliable older dogs also are a huge help with this.

[amaris]

He wasn't leaping on the other dog though, just approaching for a sniff and greet...which was when he got jumped on and pinned...i know he is way past his limit for his puppy pass, so i do watch the other dog's reaction, this guy sorta sniffed, snapped and pinned...which i wasn't happy about...and yes i'll get some photos up here tonight Must learn to bring my camera out with him more often