Stubborness Like I Have Never Seen

Wolfiesmom · 08-01-2011, 10:56 AM

I have had and been around GSD's all my life. My parents had a foster GSD for a summer, then they got Major when I was 17. A lot of my friends also had GSD's or GSD mixes. Hubby, who was my BF at the time, had 2 GSD's, then after we got married, we got Chief, and then Wolfie. I am sure that my other GSD's were all showlines. Not sure about hubby's since they had no papers and one came from a byb, the other from his aunt's oops litter. Out of all of these dogs, I have never seen one with such stubborness as Wolfie. He will not give up on anything that he wants. For example.. If my son and his girlfriend go downstairs to the playroom and Wolfie wants to go down there, he will pace by the door and whine. I will try and distract him, but he will go right back to it. He knows that he has to go through the playroom to get to the back door, so he will pretend that he has to go outside real bad. I only fell for that one time. He ran right down and jumped in my son's girlfriend's lap. Everytime they are down there, he pretends that he has to go out. Once he pretended that there was something in the back yard. As soon as I let him down to go to the door, he stopped barking and started playing kissy face with the kids. He won't give up until she leaves, and then after she goes, he has to go downstairs and sniff all around the playroom. Only then does he calm down.
Another example is when there is something in the yard, like an animal in the woods behind the house, he will keep trying to get to it, and he won't forget. I will bring him in and even the next day, he will run right to the area and look for what isn't there anymore. He knows where all the piles of rabbit poop are in the yard at any given moment. He also won't give up stalking and chasing a seagull that he focuses on until it is out of sight when we are at the beach. I can't for the life of me get him to forget what is driving him at the moment, unless we are in training mode. Then his focus is on me. If I start doing training when he has zeroed in on something, he will focus on me, but as soon as we are done, it's back to what he was doing before. It's really strange. Is stubborness to this extent a trait of the working line GSD?

codmaster · 08-01-2011, 11:03 AM

It is also of my ASL male GSD. Same approach to life. "I want it, and I want it NOW!

Wolfiesmom · 08-01-2011, 11:32 AM

Then it must be a stronger trait in some dogs then others. The only other GSD that I have had papers for and know for sure was a purebred, was Chief. He was ASL, but not stubborn.

ponyfarm · 08-01-2011, 01:39 PM

He needs patience training. Down stays gradually extending the time. Good luck!

**Samba** · 08-01-2011, 01:55 PM

I wouldn't call that stubborness. Drive persistence maybe. Sure working dogs don't up easily on drive fulfillment. Such can keep them workimg for hours.

Freestep · 08-01-2011, 04:28 PM

I would call that "stubbornness" drive and focus! And yes, it's a trait that working dog people like to see.

Rerun · 08-01-2011, 04:36 PM

I prefer to call it dedication as opposed to stubbornness.

PaddyD · 08-01-2011, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rerun

I prefer to call it dedication as opposed to stubbornness.

Nice way to put it.

My dog is also dedicated. But she has matured and has been given some patience training.... as in NO YOU CAN'T ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU WANT. So she has improved.

cshepherd9 · 08-01-2011, 05:02 PM

If my dogs see a small animal in the yard our out near the fence then the next 2 or 3 times I open the back door they take off flying out to that exact same spot, like that little "evil" bunny is just going to stay right there waiting for them. Cracks me up.

Daisy&Lucky's Mom · 08-01-2011, 05:10 PM

Daisy is not ASL or Wgsd but she from puppyhood on has been the type to push to get what she wants ,out the door to chase animals etc. Over the years I would like to say she has learned patience but some things just dont seem to high on her want list. No is her least favorite word,she listens to it but if your not watching closely will try and try again.Food,toys attention does not deter her from her appointed target.She can and is called off but look out if she beieves she can get it later,She is 11 but still has an adolescent streak a mile wide.Sheis stubborn,her picrure is there in Webster's.

08-01-2011, 10:56 AM	#1 (permalink)
Wolfiesmom Crowned Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 3,810	Stubborness Like I Have Never Seen I have had and been around GSD's all my life. My parents had a foster GSD for a summer, then they got Major when I was 17. A lot of my friends also had GSD's or GSD mixes. Hubby, who was my BF at the time, had 2 GSD's, then after we got married, we got Chief, and then Wolfie. I am sure that my other GSD's were all showlines. Not sure about hubby's since they had no papers and one came from a byb, the other from his aunt's oops litter. Out of all of these dogs, I have never seen one with such stubborness as Wolfie. He will not give up on anything that he wants. For example.. If my son and his girlfriend go downstairs to the playroom and Wolfie wants to go down there, he will pace by the door and whine. I will try and distract him, but he will go right back to it. He knows that he has to go through the playroom to get to the back door, so he will pretend that he has to go outside real bad. I only fell for that one time. He ran right down and jumped in my son's girlfriend's lap. Everytime they are down there, he pretends that he has to go out. Once he pretended that there was something in the back yard. As soon as I let him down to go to the door, he stopped barking and started playing kissy face with the kids. He won't give up until she leaves, and then after she goes, he has to go downstairs and sniff all around the playroom. Only then does he calm down. Another example is when there is something in the yard, like an animal in the woods behind the house, he will keep trying to get to it, and he won't forget. I will bring him in and even the next day, he will run right to the area and look for what isn't there anymore. He knows where all the piles of rabbit poop are in the yard at any given moment. He also won't give up stalking and chasing a seagull that he focuses on until it is out of sight when we are at the beach. I can't for the life of me get him to forget what is driving him at the moment, unless we are in training mode. Then his focus is on me. If I start doing training when he has zeroed in on something, he will focus on me, but as soon as we are done, it's back to what he was doing before. It's really strange. Is stubborness to this extent a trait of the working line GSD? __________________ Mom to Chases Wolfgang Heinrich Von Ryan aka Wolfie born 12/20/09 Waiting for us at the bridge is Chases Chieftain aka Chiefy Left this earth and left a hole in our hearts July 2000

08-01-2011, 11:32 AM	#3 (permalink)
Wolfiesmom Crowned Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 3,810	Then it must be a stronger trait in some dogs then others. The only other GSD that I have had papers for and know for sure was a purebred, was Chief. He was ASL, but not stubborn. __________________ Mom to Chases Wolfgang Heinrich Von Ryan aka Wolfie born 12/20/09 Waiting for us at the bridge is Chases Chieftain aka Chiefy Left this earth and left a hole in our hearts July 2000

08-01-2011, 04:28 PM	#6 (permalink)
Freestep Knighted Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Northern California Posts: 3,092	I would call that "stubbornness" drive and focus! And yes, it's a trait that working dog people like to see. __________________ Luka von Sontausen, CD Vinca von Sontausen, CGC Freestep's Beluga Whale, BWD

08-01-2011, 05:02 PM	#9 (permalink)
cshepherd9 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 416	If my dogs see a small animal in the yard our out near the fence then the next 2 or 3 times I open the back door they take off flying out to that exact same spot, like that little "evil" bunny is just going to stay right there waiting for them. Cracks me up. __________________ Candie And my Girls..... Dallas - ACD mix, 9 yrs Willow - GSD, 3 yrs, CGC

08-01-2011, 11:03 AM	#2 (permalink)
codmaster Crowned Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: California, US Posts: 4,767	It is also of my ASL male GSD. Same approach to life. "I want it, and I want it NOW!

08-01-2011, 01:39 PM	#4 (permalink)
ponyfarm Master Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 548	He needs patience training. Down stays gradually extending the time. Good luck!

08-01-2011, 01:55 PM	#5 (permalink)
Samba Administrator Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: USA Posts: 6,448	I wouldn't call that stubborness. Drive persistence maybe. Sure working dogs don't up easily on drive fulfillment. Such can keep them workimg for hours.

08-01-2011, 04:36 PM	#7 (permalink)
Rerun Crowned Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Indiana Posts: 5,608	I prefer to call it dedication as opposed to stubbornness.

08-01-2011, 05:10 PM	#10 (permalink)
Daisy&Lucky's Mom Knighted Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Ohio Posts: 2,437	Daisy is not ASL or Wgsd but she from puppyhood on has been the type to push to get what she wants ,out the door to chase animals etc. Over the years I would like to say she has learned patience but some things just dont seem to high on her want list. No is her least favorite word,she listens to it but if your not watching closely will try and try again.Food,toys attention does not deter her from her appointed target.She can and is called off but look out if she beieves she can get it later,She is 11 but still has an adolescent streak a mile wide.Sheis stubborn,her picrure is there in Webster's.

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