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My DDR/Czech GSD was chased off by a deer.

12K views 147 replies 31 participants last post by  hunterisgreat 
#1 ·
LOL. I may be making way too big of a deal out of this. I was throwing his ball across the yard into the wooded lot as I always do. All of a sudden I hear a huge ruckus and out he comes as fast as he can with a 75lb doe hot on his heels. These small whitetail around here are not aggressive like a mule deer. We assumed she was protecting her fawn.

My question is this. He is almost 11 months old and doesn't act scared of anything and has shown a good amount of protection drive. Why was he afraid of a little doe? Shouldn't he have fought back if the deer attacked him? He didn't even bring his ball back. Is it that he is young? Is this part of the slow to mature part?

As I said it may be no big deal. I just have a problem with my supposed to be big bad male DDR/Czech "fight til death" buddy turning tail and running in fear from a deer.
 
#107 ·
Im not sure why people excuse a running dog by comparison to apex predators.
We all know wolves, lions etc dont like to fight. It runs counter to an effective survival strategy. They prefer the old, weak, young and injured as there is minimal risk of injury.

I have no wish for my dog to emulate a wolf in any way. I own GSDs for a reason and its not because I want a dog with a healthy sense of self preservation.
There are plenty of breeds that have that, the GSD wouldnt be very effective in its role as a Guardian or LE dog if it had one.
 
#108 ·
I haven't read ANY of the responses on here.

I have several takes though -

1: dogs who chase and/or attack dear, regardless of the reason, often tend to end up as dead dogs. So I would not mind one bit if my dog was chased off by a dear, hopefully it will teach him to avoid them in the future.

2: very very very few dogs, even within breeds like german shepherds, have the necessary temperament, nerves, and drives to be true, scared of nothing, solid personal protection dogs. VERY few. And the few dogs that do still require the appropriate training to fully realize this lack of fear and utilize it appropriately.

3: he's a puppy still. A 3-4 year old mature animal in their prime may not of been scared off.

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#110 ·
1. Good dogs shouldn't attack dear. Deer though, they act like prey. I've never personally heard of a deer killing a dog here... And folks are big with deer dog hunting and those dogs are small ~30lbs.
2. Agree
3. Agree
 
#111 ·
How about a bit more input from the OP. :p

I have had GSD's my entire life, 45 years. Back when I was a kid my dad always said that our dog was X Generation out of Germany. 2nd, 3rd. My last big boy was West German Showlines. His parents were direct imports. He was a big black and red. He was the most docile gentle giant you could imagine. I never saw him run from anything, though. LOL. He was never confronted by a deer at the same residence.

I wanted a more dominant alpha male this time. I did my research. I already knew of all the lines but looked more in depth. DDR/Czech it was. He is awesome. Very smart and full of drive. I say he is a firecracker. Mt wife says he is a Tasmanian devil. ;)

He has that classic scowl on his face when he sees a possible intruder. Awesome expression.

I am an avid hunter. Bow only for the last 20 years. What? Dude? You ran from a deer? Awwwwwwww man. :) We don't run from deer homie. LOL.

Yes he is young. I was just hoping he would be a bit more "badass" even at a young age.

Oh well, all is not lost. We live to FIGHT another day.

On another note, Texans are generally very welcoming, nice people. However, act a fool and you will be dealt with in a harsh manner. :D

I don't really consider us the south. We're Texas!
 
#112 ·
That and I left a small part out. We have a girl Border Collie that was around at the time. When Gunther ran back into the yard, the deer saw me and stopped by the mailbox. Preslie, the BC went after the deer and boy that deer was not playing and ran her off as well. By this time Gunther was between me and the deer with his hair all standing up and not scared........it didn't matter because I chased the deer off.

He didn't go hide once the chase was over. He came back seeming as if he was ready to at least stand his ground.
 
#116 ·
Wait...did this thread seriously turn into a discussion over who could win a bar fight?? Hunter, your comments always add a nice color to a thread, but you do throw off an air of "I'm-a-badass-and-my-dog-is-an-mma-fighter" attitude that always makes me chuckle. True or not, interesting or not, your message usually gets lost in translation during the eye rolling that is brought on by your comparisons to bar fights, mma wrestling/fighting, etc....some interesting parallels you like to draw.

Anyway.

I have to wonder where the brain and thinking comes into play for some of the owners on here. That's why we love the GSD over the malinois, right? lol, I kid, malinois owners.

I think it was Winners that told a story about a mali that saw it's owner on the ground while it was searching on the roof. Owner called it thinking it would turn around and go down (or something like that) and the dang dog jumped off the roof and broke it's legs....brains.

Love echo, I really enjoyed reading your thoughts. Risk vs reward is an important part of the analysis/expectation. I realize domesticated dogs (GSDs specifically) don't and shouldn't have wolf characteristics (mainly flight)...however, we want a strong level of THINKING there too, don't we? Do those of you that would be "troubled" by this, really want your dog to stay and fight a deer in the woods, just because? Hunter you always talk about the "big wwf wrestling vs mma" or whatever....usually bringing up brains and discernment, and thinking. Where is the reward in fighting an animal with a good amount of weight and height on you, defending it's young? Especially when your "pack" and "territory" is behind you?

When I was working with an equine vet there were always stories of stupid pet dogs "challenging" horses and getting either killed or a big vet bill from getting kicked. A lot of times the the horse started it (some horses just hate dogs)...doesn't mean the dog should try and get the horse to "step down" because my dog is "all fight." I want my dog to have the brains to know it will not win a fight with a horse, and running under the fence is a better bet.

I don't want a dog that is all fight, all flight, all prey, all defense, etc. Balance and brains, that's what I want. Most animals that are always looking to fight don't live long (of any species), that's why natural selection has all but eliminated them in nature (brains win over "I want to fight everything" mentality).

I realize that we want to maintain that fight drive in domesticated dogs, I just think sometimes people want the equivalent to a meat-head wrestler, who speaks in grunts, and punches anything just to punch.

Off topic, but the drive I actually like to see the in the breed that seems to be disappearing is the hunt drive (and the high level of intelligence and discernment). The dog's ability to not give up, to have a love for the "track," and to want to use it's nose...when we allow the pendulum to swing so far in only focusing on fight drive...it's just like those obsessed with size. You are singling out one drive/aspect, usually at the sacrifice of others.

PS: One of my friend's works a police canine with over 100 "captures" under his belt, active on the street.....that dog is scared of other dogs. Doesn't get aggressive, he actually chooses flight. Yet he's capturing bad guys all the time. How does that work, "fearless" owners? So many would hear someone talk about how their dog is scared of other dogs and talk about how they wouldn't like that dog....that the dog wouldn't be "real enough" for them....yet this dog is out working the streets...as real as you can get. hmmm
 
#119 ·
:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:
 
#118 ·
dumb some buck lure on yourself, and you'll see a deer come after you:)
 
#124 · (Edited)
Meh I like fight in a dog. Sometimes people want to much. They want the dog to fight in situation A but run in situation B. Its a dog not some mythical Disnep character.

For me I dont care if the dog always picks fight as option A, just as long as there is never a bolt option. A dog that runs in situation B I would never completely trust again.

As for Hunter's comparisons. I find them to be quite apt. I work in an environment on a daily basis that exposes me to alot of anger, testosterone and mental health. You really get to see and deal first hand with a lot of those dynamics he was going on about. We really arent too different from dogs in many of our base interactions especially when it comes to aggression.
 
#126 ·
yeah , standing ovation "Off topic, but the drive I actually like to see the in the breed that seems to be disappearing is the hunt drive (and the high level of intelligence and discernment). The dog's ability to not give up, to have a love for the "track," and to want to use it's nose...when we allow the pendulum to swing so far in only focusing on fight drive...it's just like those obsessed with size. You are singling out one drive/aspect, usually at the sacrifice of others."
 
#128 ·
Dogs and Horses! Had that issue as a kid! Basenji Mix of all things looked like a PB Basenji. That dogs was incapable of making rational decisions! If it had legs he wanted a piece of it!

A long list of dog he did battle with, they never left a mark on him...insanely fast! I remember having to do a full body tackle on him in a field one day when he decided he did not like the look of two horses in his field!!

Never gave a thought to a Basinji as an adult! Ironically enough he lived 18 years uninjured.
 
#140 ·
Well I'll be sure to tell my friend at dinner while our kids are playing that you said his dog is failed and should be moved to detection only hahahahaha. Gotta love dog forum trolls.
 
#144 ·
My dog is around sheep a lot.......he has been bowled over a couple times by our cranky rams in the yards because he has not backed down so he is a toughie ;)
We are lambing down our ewes at the moment so we don't usually take the dogs as it upsets the ewes at this time. I did take them out a couple weeks ago and let them off the back of the Ute while we fixed a trough. Luther approached a ewe with twin lambs and one of our Alpacas wasn't very happy about it and chased him off......was rather funny to watch. He wasn't scared......he just has a very healthy respect for them. He knows he could take one down if he wanted but he chose to retreat cause he is smart.
I don't want a dog who chooses to just attack my alpaca cause he can......I want a dog who can size up a situation and decide if standing ones ground is necessary.......
This pup is only 11months old so he has time to learn that.......Luther would have retreated in the same situation at the same age......not with tail between the legs but with a healthy amount of caution.
I'm not sure I would write a dog off over this one incident......and call him a wussy......time will tell I guess :)
 
#145 ·
I also think again people going on and on about DOGS.... This is not a dog it's a puppy, and to me a puppy running protective mother deer is just dumb, not "brave". Another key point to dogs that excel at personal protection - the intelligence to engage when appropriate

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#148 ·
I will quote Jack London in response

I would rather be ashes than dust!
I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry-rot.
I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.
The function of man is to live, not to exist.
I shall not waste my days trying to prolong them.
I shall use my time.


Men fight and die on a regular basis for the benefit of others. Mock that at your own peril.
 
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