"He's got some pyrenees in him!" NO. :| (plus general questions)

[Ironside]

My boy, Church, is about 9 weeks now. When would be a good time to start seriously training him? I know now he'd focus in for like, two minutes then get side tracked by a leaf.

He's a bit of a pansy too. I love him to death but he screams over everything. Took him for his 8 week shots yesterday and he started crying while the vet was just looking in his ear. Our vet said that shepherd puppies have the tendency to be pansies when they're pups but get more brave when they're older. Is Church just a skittish puppy or is this generally true?

And on a side note, you know what drives me crazy? Being told my white GSD just HAS to have some pyrenees in him. Deeefinately has some pyrenees in him.

I just might start carrying around his papers so people will quit trying to convince me that he's not a GSD. -huff-

[Scarlettsmom]

Get used to hearing "I didn't know they came in white." :0)

[vomheinolf]

A lot of people who aren't familiar with GSDs don't know they come in colors other than black & tan with a saddle. I know I get the statement "I didn't know shepherds could be sable or bicolor" quite a lot with my dogs (I have two sables and two bicolors). It can be annoying. But, I take it as an opportunity to educate those people and let them know GSDs DO come in other colors.

[Emoore]

Time to sign up for puppy class! Puppy class is a great way to start training and get him socialized at the same time.

Also, every GSD I've ever owned was a bit of a drama queen at the vet. Kopper had an ear infection and he screamed bloody murder when the vet was looking in his ear with her flashlight. Just looking with a flashlight!

[jocoyn]

Cyra is a drama queen and Grim and it appears Beau are both very very very stoic. (Beau is a pup) ..............I have to warn them about the female, Cyra, though because she screams like a stuck pig. Fortunately she just screams - no lip curling, no snapping.

[Freestep]

GSDs are known to be drama queens, and many are very vocal when they don't like something. When I took Vinca to be tattooed, she whined and moaned and carried on to beat the band, with her tail wagging furiously the whole time. There were some people waiting their turn who almost changed their mind about getting their dog tattooed after watching Vinca, but both I and the tattooer reassured them that it was a GSD thing.

The "pansiness" seems to be a social behavior rather than a sign of real pain, as it always comes when someone is doing something *to* them, and not when they do something to themselves (like crashing into something while chasing a ball, or getting a thorn in the foot).

All my GSDs have gotten more stoic as they mature, so many of them grow out of the "pansy" behavior. However, a good many never do, and I wonder how much of it is due to the owner "comforting" them when they cry (which the dog interprets as praise).

[Rott-n-GSDs]

IMO, training can never start too early and you can never do too much of it, so long as it's FUN and never too serious.

My white GSD is frequently called a wolf. lol.

[k_sep]

Originally Posted by Ironside

I just might start carrying around his papers so people will quit trying to convince me that he's not a GSD. -huff-

Even with papers, people still try to convince you that you're crazy. Didn't you know GSDs can never be all black or white? I have a black and tan saddle back and people still tell me she must be mixed.

[NewbieShepherdGirl]

I don't know about all GSDs because Sasha is my first one but she is a huge drama queen. It also doesn't matter if she does it to herself or if you do it to her; it is YOUR fault. She smacked her head really hard on her table the other day and she just looked back at me with the "You just beat me" eyes, and slinked away. I turned around and just laughed. Like FreeStep eluded to, just don't encourage the behavior in any way (petting, consoling, etc.) it just seems to validate their response.

[chelle]

Originally Posted by Scarlettsmom

Get used to hearing "I didn't know they came in white." :0)

Or..... "They're making them that way now!" (Overheard conversation at dog park in reference to my pup.)