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My GSD is crying even though we keep active.

2K views 21 replies 8 participants last post by  Baillif 
#1 ·
To start I'm a first time GSD owner. I've had my dog since 6 weeks or so and is now a year old. Since May her, my 14 year old terrier(Tumble) (who still has just as much energy as Dovina (German Shepherd) and I go for 2.5-3.5 mile walks every morning after about an hour or 2 after eating. Dovina gers 2 cups in the morning and night and is at a healthy 70lbs. Anyway, after we go for our walks, we go and get a drink and Dovina still has a ton of energy. So we play Frisbee (which her running really fast and jumping for high catches), football, and just a bunch of running around in the yard. For about 20min. Usually she's tired and will take about an 1-2 hour nap then she's ready to play again.

Well the past two days we've gone for 2
3.6 mile walks, played in the yard as usual and she still ends up crying. Any time I turn my back to her to start working on my computer (free lance programmer, and graphics deisnger). And that's without her taking a nap when she starts crying.

Is there something I'm missing. Is she still wanting to play more. I take her to the dog park in the evening when I'm not having to work at my other job in the evenings that way she can play and rough house with the other dogs.


Any suggestions on why she's crying?

A side note. Some times she won't eat all of her food until after are morning walks and play. And she always eats all of her food at night. We feed her large breed science diet. Lamb and rice and chicken. We switch between bag purchases. The cup size is two measuring cups.
 
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#2 ·
I don't think walking is good exercise for a dog like a GSD, at least not a young healthy one. More frisbee might help.

Regardless of that, if all my dogs needs are taken care of IE food, water, bathroom break, exercise, bonding time and the dog decides to be a little whiney jerk anyway I will mark and punish it (what that is depends on your dog but escalate until effective). Sometimes dogs just act like brats and if that's the case you stop a brat by making being a brat an undesirable option. Condition relaxation in the house too by doing exercises like sitting on the dog or any number of conditioned relaxation exercises.

As I type this I have 22 dogs in this room. They are all relaxed and silent including a 9 week old puppy. I have had most of them in my care for less than 1 week. Take care of their needs, but don't allow the dog to become a demanding jerk.
 
#3 ·
Wow! All i can say is Dovina isn't being a brat. Just just makes the crying sounds. I give her plenty of attention, all her needs are met, the vet and AKC info all say that that German Shepherds need long brisk walks in the morning and plenty of exercise.

Second, sitting on a dog can hurt or even kill a dog. That is abusive. If you actually sit on your dogs then I hope all of your dogs find a better home. Especially if you consider them making a crying noise being a "brat" and they need to marked (which sounds like you hit them) and punished. So, All i hope is someone calls the cops on you for hoarding 22 dogs in a house, and for abusing dogs.

If you have actual knowledge in german shepherds and know why she may be crying. without being an obvious abusive pet owner. Then I'd be glad to hear that.
 
#4 ·
And maybe you should look up what 'sitting on a dog' is. hehe Sometimes young dogs have a problem settling in the house (no 'off switch' at least yet). Requiring them to learn a place command and stay there until released can help teach them to relax and settle down in the house, particularly if they have had sufficient exercise. Giving them more and more just conditions them to NEED more and more.
 
#6 ·
She doesn't have a problem settling. Cause around 1-4 is when she takes her long naps. Which is s during the heat of the day.

I may need to rephrase my question. Going for long walks every day, playing frisbee, and going to the dog park in the evenings not enough activity for a german shepherd. If so, would that be the cause of her crying.
 
#8 ·
She cries/whines then you fuss she's training you.
Walking really doesn't tire a young energetic dog out, try bicycling. Have you done any obedience training with her? Sounds like she's a bossy dog.
 
#10 ·
I've done some. but it's real hard with my work schedule. Bicycling wont work since Im still working on her staying by my side at all times. She also hates bikes. Due to some F***ing kids where charging my fence with there bikes and teasing her. When I saw what they were doing they no longer did it to my knowledge. She was barking and be protective in the yard but those **** head kids were teasing her. So, even when she's seen me ride my bike in front of the house she becomes aggressive.

She's getting better at staying by my side when we walk. The main things that cause here to lunge forward are trucks with flatbed trailers that make a lot noise and rabbits that she sees and wants to chase it. When she does that i short leash her and use the command "stay with Me" and i don't continue walking until she stops. I've gotten her to stop pulling when walking by using a tip an owner at the dog park who's dog is also his therapy dog where you loop the leash around the stomach right in front of their hind legs to where if they pull it tightens. but the second they stop pulling it loosens up. So they learn pulling can cause discomfort.

I don't have the money nor time to take her to obedience classes since I have about $15-20 left of each paycheck that is disposable money. Also, i work so much i don't have the time to either.

So when i have spare time is when we work on obedience training.
 
#9 ·
Brighamb - Baillif works for some sort of training facility, hence "22 dogs".

If your pup is whining when you aren't engaged with her, she could be attempting to get you to stop what you are doing (that doesn't include her) and focus on her. In other words, she is being a brat.

I'd try to give her something to do while you are working. It could be a bully stick, or asking her to stay in a specific spot and rewarding that behavior. You could also practice quiet kennel behavior during the times you need to get work done.

The idea is, you are the leader. If you aren't going to engage with your pup, she needs to settle quietly until you say it's time to play. Only you know the best way to do that with your pup as you know your pup the best.
 
#11 ·
I have water buffalo horns she chews on but after about 15-20 minutes she gets bored of them. We have a ton of toys she can chew on and play with.

When I stop doing what I'm doing when she cries its only for a few minutes. I give her some pettings, belly rubbings, etc. Then get back to work. if she continues then I let her outside and that seems to solve it since she does like keeping overwatch on the front porch or in the middle of the yard at a sitting posture.

If all she's wanting is to stay outside then I'm ok with that. I just didn't know if there was something else.
 
#18 · (Edited)
Correcting the behavior if you knowingly created it is unfair. Correcting it to fix it regardless of how it was created or who created it is the right call here. Just because its unfair doesnt mean its not the way to go.

Behavior like whining and barking can and usually does become self reinforcing so it needs to be punished before it reaches that point if it hasnt already. Then the conditioning of relaxing and switching off can start to occur. But what do I know? I just do this for a living.

Negative punishment (withholding attention) cannot fix this problem if the behavior itself is positive reinforced by the act of doing it.
 
#19 · (Edited)
Furthermore even if it hasn't reached that point yet it could easily reach that point through the just ignore it method suggested above. Why? Let's say you go up to a coke machine and it takes your money even though it's given you a soda every time you've performed that action in the past. Do you just walk away then and there? No usually you get frustrated and hit the button again and again and maybe smack the machine and maybe even put more money in. The dog will do the same thing. Except sticking with the metaphor the dog might find that it really really likes just pushing the button.

If this occurs stopping it even with punishment becomes a much harder task because it becomes a lottery situation if you can't stop it every single time it occurs until the behavior is extinguished.
 
#20 ·
The difference between a coke machine (consistent trainer) and a slot machine (inconsistent trainer) is that when a coke machine fails, you don't try a lot longer after the initial frustrated burst but with the slot machine you know for sure that eventually it will pay off, making that habit ingrained.
 
#22 ·
No disagreement with that statement but what I'm saying is the whining can quickly become like singing in the shower. It helps vent some frustration and energy and is like singing in the shower. They just keep doing it because the action itself is reinforcing and when that happens it doesn't matter how consistent you are, the behavior will remain until punished to the point of eradication.
 
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