German Shepherds Forum banner

What was the ONE accomplishment that you were most proud of?

3K views 35 replies 20 participants last post by  wolfy dog 
#1 ·
What was the ONE accomplishment that you were most proud of in regards to raising and/or training your dog?

You can answer for multiple dogs - but only ONE accomplishment for each.

This doesn't necessarily have to be a training or title accomplishment either.

So, tell me, what was the one thing that stands out to you?
 
#5 ·
Getting the IPO1 with Aiden was absolutely huge for us. We had so many people tell us not to expect it to ever happen.


Sent from my iPhone using Petguide.com Free App
That is a HUGE accomplishment! Could you attach a photo (or two)? ;)
 
#3 ·
For Stark and I, it was the day he passed his Temperament Test.

Working with a reactive dog, especially a dog who is reactive to people, this was a huge deal for us. It took me a good year, maybe even two years to really get this under control.

I completely trust him with strangers now, and most kids but am still slightly watchful/selective in who I allow him to interact with. I don't want any regressing so we manage who gets to meet and play and interact with him.

The day he took the TT, and was at ease waiting his turn, and how much fun he looked like he had while actually doing the test.. that was the moment that stood out to me.

The crowd closing in on us - this was a huge one, since he had issues with people coming at him.


 
#4 ·
With Zefra, we are just starting out, but the big one was the day she did her first B&H (bark and hold) on our helper on her own! This was huge, my wild, crazy, drivy little girl actually stopped.... used her brain.... and performed! :)



 
#6 · (Edited)
Without question my most proud moment so far is getting Pimg's CGC. It's funny because while most of you with working dogs have/had such high expectations when you got your dogs, Pimg was bought as absolutely nothing more than a pet. I expected to teach her sit, down, shake, and roll over- that's it. Accomplishing anything at all with her was never in the plans...

I took a basic obedience course with her at I think 4.5 years old and decided that I would like to put a CGC on her. "That would be the epitome of training!" I thought ([EDIT]- LOL!!!). To accomplish something so awesome... Well, we did get a CGC! And I'm very proud. And it turns out that the CGC became my gateway into working and titling my dog! Now she has a number of titles after her name, of which I'm very proud of. But it all started for us with the CGC...

My future "most proud" moment will be when she earns her C-ATCH title, which is the CPE equivalent to AKC's MACH agility title. We are working hard towards that goal now...
 
#8 ·
I think the one thing that sticks out in my mind is that I survived the first year with my pup and have a social and relatively calm dog. Bear was a very hard puppy and the landshark phase lasted about 10 months.

My last dog was DA and it was not fun to have to work around that, so having a dog that is socially adjusted is like a breath of fresh air.

I know it's not like getting IPO or BH etc... but I can only go up from here :)
 
#10 ·
Between May 2007 through December 2007, I got RNs and CGCs on six dogs, three of whom were one year, and two were just over and just under 2 with 10 placements, and only 1 NQ -- first time in the ring, my fault missed a sign.

Arwen -- definitely placing 1st in three shows to get her CD.

Heidi -- definitely taking 1st place for her final RA leg, and moving up on the same day to RE and taking first place, and in between those classes, finishing Babs' CD with a 3rd..

Babs -- traveling around a rally novice course with my leash accidently looped over her ear the whole way, talk about loose leash -- yeah we placed.

Joy -- finishing her RN in 3 days up at the classic, two of the days with the same scores as her litter sister who was owned and trained by someone else from eight weeks onward.

Dolly -- passing her CGC this summer without any CGC preperatory classes, just basic, but we never practiced supervised separation, paws and ears handled, etc.

Gretta -- flunking her CGC this summer, but only the supervised separation, and with her rocky start, I still think that was an awesome accomplishment, we'll take it again.
 
#14 ·
Getting Carly's championship. Her finishing with 3 majors. She's a lovely, fun dog, and I feel she deserves to be a champion.

As for Sage? Well, I'm proud she managed to pass one herding instinct test without trying to eat a sheep. (not so lucky on the second test!). Her prey drive is ridiculous. (ask the cat...)
 
#16 ·
Getting Beau's NAPWDA Certification for Cadaver and Obedience at 15 months. He did so well on the boat problem they gave him special comments on his test worksheet and I am proud that he pulled himself through a difficult rubble problem as he had never been on a significant rubble pile before the test.
 
#18 ·
Actually, I don't think it makes sense to compare accomplishments, they are different dogs and the handlers have different levels of experience, time, etc. When you figure many weak-nerved dogs become biters, or are dumped in shelters or rescues, or are managed so that they never see people and are muzzled to go to the vet, or are euthanized, your accomplishment is HUGE.


Once upon a time a little boy walked along the beach pitching star fish back into the ocean. A man asked him why he did that. He said so that they will not die. The man told him that it was crazy, there are so many, he couldn't make a difference. The boy waved the star fish at him and said, "it makes a difference to this one."
 
#20 ·
LoveEcho, its a breeze with a dog who is born with everything 'just so'. I had a dog (Toby) with weak nerves and what YOU have done is a MAJOR accomplishment!!!!
 
#21 ·
Well my GSD is only four months old so aside from him housebreaking from day one, we haven't had any huge accomplishments yet, lol.

My biggest(and humble) accomplishment is with one of my other dogs who is not a GSD so hope it's ok that I share. :) Sam was a big time resource guarder with dogs to the point of not full on attacking but biting if any dog got near him and his perceived "things". We have four dogs, this was causing a lot of stress in our house because he wouldn't guard just toys/food but he'd randomly guard stupid things like a tiny piece of cardboard so it was hard to predict when he was going to lash out, despite a slight stiffness he gave no other warning.

Anyways I've been working my butt off with him using NILIF and OB classes and this has been the end result... Doesn't seem like a huge deal but this would have NEVER happened before I started working with him.




Untitled (2013-01-05 06:34:00) by snowypony, on Flickr

Untitled (2013-01-05 06:34:18) by snowypony, on Flickr
 
#22 ·
Fiona is training to be my service dog. She showed her true self when she was 6 months old. I had taken her to a park for exercise. While she was playing in water I sat down on a rock. I noticed the rock was too low for me to get up (hence the disability). I looked around the park for someone to help me. I was too embarrassed to ask. I looked at Fiona and called her to me. She has a loop at the one foot mark of her 6 foot leash. I grabbed that and told Fiona "go". She gave me leverage to get up. She got her CA assistance dog license shortly thereafter.


Sent from my iPhone using Petguide.com Free App
 
#23 ·
I am probably proudest of my first titled dog (and that title), Sami, she taught me everything and more, Got her CD in 3 straight shows with a HIT and scores of 195/196/198...I was bitten by the 'bug' after that and it was onwards and upwards:)
 
#24 ·
I've a nervy dog. Few months ago, she stopped being leash aggressive and can now walk by another dog sharing the same path as her without reacting. The leash now hangs loose, I can say hello and smile to other dog owners passing by and even have a little chat. The first time this happened I was thrilled!!

Her weak nerves forced me to learn a lot about dog training and the importance of temperament. It's been a blessing in disguise. =)
 
#25 ·
I'm most proud of Nikon doing flyball. It's not that I'm proud he got on a team and has good times (he really doesn't, other than a really nice box turn he's not very fast). It's not my favorite dog sport (not his either) but three years ago if someone had said that some day *my* dog with all his prey drive, ball drive, and large circumference of personal space would be running races alongside other dogs, passing into other dogs, running around off leash with toys and balls in the chaos with 12 dogs all off leash in high drive in close proximity, lots of people yelling and screaming, and stay on task, neutral, and focused on me I would have said you are crazy!
 
#26 ·
first - biggest accomplishment was when i stepped out of my own peer group and started marker training, was clumsy and awkward but my dog got it and i got it and glad about it.

second - going back to my schutshund club that shunned my unpapered gsd puppy of dubious origin and absolutely blew their same age dogs off the field with his drive and aggression - they had .... to say, suckers.
 
#27 ·
My biggest accomplishment with Koda was when she, after months of working on reactivity, took in an entire litter of puppies and actually protected them from their mother (who was trying to attack/maul them all- that dog was MESSED up in the head from day one). She even followed through and "helped" me nurse them. :wub: It was the proudest moment everrr!
 
#29 ·
I'm most proud of our first place in team obedience at the Wisconsin State Fair this past year. It's a ribbon only 3 other dogs (my teammates) received this year so its really cool. Wish I could've gone with them to nationals (where they won as well) but hopefully next year we get to do that in Philly.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top