GSD corrects obnoxious puppy

[e.rigby]

This is more of an informative thread than anything else.

Little background: Rebel is about 5 months old. He's a pretty well trained puppy and can perform novice level behaviors. His biggest problem right now is he's completely obnoxious. I haven't decided if he's just socially incompetent and can't read other canine body language or if he just doesn't care (though I'm leaning more to the 'he just doesn't care).

He can not be trusted around smaller dogs because he pummels them.

My dogs are good for setting limits and rules. I typically do not allow my dogs to correct one another beyond a growl. I am the one who intervenes and removes and redirects the offender.

In the video below, Rebel has proven time and time again to ignore all warnings. I have removed and redirected him for the past 2.5 months. He's an adolescent right now, and his behavior is getting worse (in terms of social behavior with other dogs). He does get to play with puppies his size/age/temperament -- but even with them he typically pushes what is acceptable.

Notice in the video Virgil (GSD) is panting (stressed out). Rebel (GSP puppy) has been harassing him for the past 40 minutes. Also notice how he attempts to gently correct the puppy by quickly grabbing the pup's nose.

The puppy goes above and beyond appeasement behaviors and generally just ignores all warnings from the older dog.

Then the correction. It's very loud but over quickly. Sadly, the puppy still doesn't 'get it' and won't leave Virgil alone (at that point I did remove Rebel and put him in a time out with toys so that he could settle down).

Exercise wise... this pup had a 7 mile run earlier in the day, he's mentally and physically worked every day.

The video just shows an appropriate correction from an older dog using bite inhibition.

GSD corrects puppy - YouTube

[Suka]

Well I'll be darned if that isn't a perfect display on the part of the GSD.

I felt sorry for him though. Dogs look to us to "protect" them from "vicious puppies with sharp pointy teeth" (saying this tongue in cheek jokingly but you know what I mean) and poor Vigil is having to put up with it for too long. I would give him a break long before 40 minutes and not allow the puppy to harass him and start teaching pup that we don't "play in the house" and make sure pup has similar level play friends to play with "outside" where we are supposed to play to keep up the social engagement for pup.

I couldn't help but laugh at the expression on the other dog's face at the end of the video far right. He/she was like "oh god this kid..."

You did state this video is for information reasons only and I am thinking you already know this, is that right?

[Stevenzachsmom]

I'm sorry. Couldn't help laughing. Rebel is just a bundle of energy. I think he will settle down eventually, probably before he is 10. LOL! Good boy Virgil.

[e.rigby]

I've been working with dogs for almost 10 years. Yes, I know this. And I did state I never allow this kind of behavior to occur aside from this time due to the nature of the situation. Quite seriously, the puppy needed to be firmly corrected. Most people experience similar situations with their dogs and they then proceed to punish the dog who corrected the other dog... thus causing even more stress in the household. What the GSD did was not aggression, and the point was to show this.

BTW, the puppy isn't 'biting' ... he's groveling excessively. So even though it's annoying, and I don't fault the adult for correcting it, it isn't anything more than a nuisance.

[e.rigby]

Originally Posted by Stevenzachsmom

I'm sorry. Couldn't help laughing. Rebel is just a bundle of energy. I think he will settle down eventually, probably before he is 10. LOL! Good boy Virgil.

I so so so hope he will settle down!!! You wouldn't believe how much energy this puppy has... he can keep up with me biking the trails even when I hit 23mph going down a bern or switchback... and after a 10mile trail ride (where he's bound to do more than that because he's offleash and running all over the place) he's still WIRED!

I think his off switch is broken!

[Suka]

I realize the puppy isn't biting. I was making a reference to the bunny rabbit in Monty Python's The Holy Grail.

(I've been working with dogs for over twenty years as long as that stick is out. And that's not long enough to know everything. I wish.)

[chelle]

I think it's a great vid and example of good, well behaved, quick, to the point, adult correction of a pup. I like it. To my untrained eye , I see the pup all in the adult's face prior to the correction, then he lays down, neck to the floor and never again in the vid does he approach the muzzle, other than what might be a very short lick? and he backs off.

Thanks for sharing that.

[Lucy Dog]

haha too funny. That correction went completely over that puppy's head. He stops for about a second and is right back to being annoying.