Every little thing that moves...

TankGrrl66 · 10-21-2011, 01:52 PM

Anyone else have a puppy like this? Does it make you burst out laughing too?

She chases, literally, everything that moves. And not just chase, but pounce/bite/latch onto. Woohoo for prey drive!

I'm talkin' flies, moths, BEES, leaves falling from trees, fish underwater, if I have loose clothes, FEET

, dropping anything, shoelaces, moving blankets or towels, sensory overload if it is windy outside...

I let my oldest dog walk with his leash to the door to wait while I leash the other 2. She dashes after the leash trailing the ground and will grab it and play with it, and won't give up.

This is a good thing right?

She loves to play tug. Lives for it. Flirtpole? O-M-G. She literally will do backflips trying to catch it.

In fact, because of her love of movement and chasing it (I am actually very surprised she doesn't even try to chase cars, bikes, etc.) she is easily distracted.

During training with a tug, should I always show it to her during training?

This is posing a problem not only with distraction, but with retrieving. I can't teach her to fetch. She only cares about the first half of fetch, lol. For ex, with a tennis ball she will chase it and not even pick it up. A tug she will usually bring back. Should I slowly mark it with food or are there other tips to try?

Stella's Mom · 10-21-2011, 02:29 PM

My girl did not get interested in actually fetching until she was about 6 months old. Before that she would run to the ball but not retrieve it. Then she turned into a ball maniac. Now we are not playing with the ball anymore after I heard the glue on the tennis balls wears away the enamel on their teeth.

Stella is 9 months old tomorrow and she is on high alert for everything. Walking her is now keeping me on high alert too. She wants to chase everything..and earlier in the week she wanted to chase cars but now she seems to have gotten past that because I will hold a stick in my hand to entice her to keep her focus on me when there are a lot of distractions. I did get a little bite on my thumb today because my hand was in the way when I was enticing her with the stick. I gotta be more careful

We play tug the stick when walking and look for other sticks too. I always let her win the stick to build her confidence. Other times we do a heeling exercise to get past distractions.

WhiteWolfBeauty · 10-21-2011, 06:48 PM

I LOVE the pounce. Im thinking of renaming my girl 'rabbit' or 'bunny' because she is a hopper!

So cute

Josh's mom · 10-21-2011, 06:50 PM

Yep, we picked up Josh in October of last year, every leaf that blew across the lawn got pounced on. Too cute

OzzyGSD · 10-21-2011, 07:49 PM

Many bugs have met their demise at the mouth of Ozzy!

carmspack · 10-22-2011, 12:39 AM

would you care to post her pedigree?

TankGrrl66 · 10-22-2011, 01:13 AM

As far as I know she has no pedigree...she is a rescue.

She is built like the herding type GSDs I have seen (she reminds of them anyway), and is a nice non-washed out black and tan. In fact, her tan gets nicer every time I look at her, and has darkened a lot in the past month or so

Now if only her ear tips could stay up full time. Still a noticeable improvement from a month ago, so I guess she is a late bloomer?

I would post pics but she is in a bit of teenage fugglies...she has that mile long body going on LOL

Ahhhh back on topic! Sorry

Just today we were at the end of a session playing tug and doing some obedience...and a fly crossed between her and me. Off she went. I sighed. Then, I started dancing with the tug (thankfully in the privacy of my own home) and she whipped right around and I rewarded her. close enough...

TankGrrl66 · 10-22-2011, 01:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OzzyGSD

Many bugs have met their demise at the mouth of Ozzy!

I hate to admit this, but all three of my sheps chase bugs...especially flies

Kittilicious · 10-22-2011, 07:24 AM

Trying to do anything with Knuckles outside is impossible right now with the falling leaves/leaves blowing across the yard & roads. We are working on him walking on a leash, which he is doing great, but as soon as we get him walking beautifully beside us... a leaf flies by and his attention is GONE! Must.go.after.leaf.

BlackGSD · 10-22-2011, 10:17 AM

Don't expect get to get any better with age! Siren is 3yo and still has the same issue. Anything that moves is to be gotten! (Don't know if you saw the pics I posted a couple of months ago of her catching grasshoppers.) The ONLY thing that over rides the moving "prey" is her NOSE. I don't call her "super sniffer" got no reason! Don't know how much of that is inherited, and how much s due to the litter being imprinted on cadaver scent from almost day one. (2 puppies in her litter went to SAR homes to be trained as cadaver dogs.)

I have literally had scent hounds and bird dogs that were less ruled by their noses!

10-21-2011, 01:52 PM	#1 (permalink)
TankGrrl66 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: SoCal Posts: 379	Every little thing that moves... Anyone else have a puppy like this? Does it make you burst out laughing too? She chases, literally, everything that moves. And not just chase, but pounce/bite/latch onto. Woohoo for prey drive! I'm talkin' flies, moths, BEES, leaves falling from trees, fish underwater, if I have loose clothes, FEET , dropping anything, shoelaces, moving blankets or towels, sensory overload if it is windy outside... I let my oldest dog walk with his leash to the door to wait while I leash the other 2. She dashes after the leash trailing the ground and will grab it and play with it, and won't give up. This is a good thing right? She loves to play tug. Lives for it. Flirtpole? O-M-G. She literally will do backflips trying to catch it. In fact, because of her love of movement and chasing it (I am actually very surprised she doesn't even try to chase cars, bikes, etc.) she is easily distracted. During training with a tug, should I always show it to her during training? This is posing a problem not only with distraction, but with retrieving. I can't teach her to fetch. She only cares about the first half of fetch, lol. For ex, with a tennis ball she will chase it and not even pick it up. A tug she will usually bring back. Should I slowly mark it with food or are there other tips to try?

10-21-2011, 02:29 PM	#2 (permalink)
Stella's Mom Master Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 815	My girl did not get interested in actually fetching until she was about 6 months old. Before that she would run to the ball but not retrieve it. Then she turned into a ball maniac. Now we are not playing with the ball anymore after I heard the glue on the tennis balls wears away the enamel on their teeth. Stella is 9 months old tomorrow and she is on high alert for everything. Walking her is now keeping me on high alert too. She wants to chase everything..and earlier in the week she wanted to chase cars but now she seems to have gotten past that because I will hold a stick in my hand to entice her to keep her focus on me when there are a lot of distractions. I did get a little bite on my thumb today because my hand was in the way when I was enticing her with the stick. I gotta be more careful We play tug the stick when walking and look for other sticks too. I always let her win the stick to build her confidence. Other times we do a heeling exercise to get past distractions. __________________ [COLOR="Purple"]Michelle Mom to Stella ~ GSD Figgy ~ Tuxedo Cat CoCo ~ Tabby Cat RIP Rio, GSD SheRah, GSD Mix

10-21-2011, 06:50 PM	#4 (permalink)
Josh's mom Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Texas Posts: 212	Yep, we picked up Josh in October of last year, every leaf that blew across the lawn got pounced on. Too cute __________________ Judy Josh (GSD)- 8/10/10 Daisy (ragdoll cat) 10 yrs old Romeo (ragdoll cat) 9 yrs old Caspurr (ragdoll/snowshoe mix) 8 yrs old

10-21-2011, 07:49 PM	#5 (permalink)
OzzyGSD Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Royse City, TX Posts: 77	Many bugs have met their demise at the mouth of Ozzy! __________________ Ozzy (Dark Sable GSD) - 9/30/2010 Sugar (Boxer) - 2/6/2001

10-22-2011, 07:24 AM	#9 (permalink)
Kittilicious Elite Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Minnesota Posts: 1,101	Trying to do anything with Knuckles outside is impossible right now with the falling leaves/leaves blowing across the yard & roads. We are working on him walking on a leash, which he is doing great, but as soon as we get him walking beautifully beside us... a leaf flies by and his attention is GONE! Must.go.after.leaf. __________________ - Berleen - Knuckles - born 8/21/11 - my big knucklehead and can't forget Saki; the Golden Retriever, Born 11/07/07 The felines that rule the house - Oliver, Serena, Sakura & Bastian. https://www.facebook.com/berleen

10-21-2011, 06:48 PM	#3 (permalink)
WhiteWolfBeauty Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 89	I LOVE the pounce. Im thinking of renaming my girl 'rabbit' or 'bunny' because she is a hopper! So cute

10-22-2011, 12:39 AM	#6 (permalink)
carmspack Knighted Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: ontario - Posts: 3,325	would you care to post her pedigree?

10-22-2011, 01:13 AM	#7 (permalink)
TankGrrl66 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: SoCal Posts: 379	As far as I know she has no pedigree...she is a rescue. She is built like the herding type GSDs I have seen (she reminds of them anyway), and is a nice non-washed out black and tan. In fact, her tan gets nicer every time I look at her, and has darkened a lot in the past month or so Now if only her ear tips could stay up full time. Still a noticeable improvement from a month ago, so I guess she is a late bloomer? I would post pics but she is in a bit of teenage fugglies...she has that mile long body going on LOL Ahhhh back on topic! Sorry Just today we were at the end of a session playing tug and doing some obedience...and a fly crossed between her and me. Off she went. I sighed. Then, I started dancing with the tug (thankfully in the privacy of my own home) and she whipped right around and I rewarded her. close enough...

10-22-2011, 10:17 AM	#10 (permalink)
BlackGSD Crowned Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Eastern Washington Posts: 7,795	Don't expect get to get any better with age! Siren is 3yo and still has the same issue. Anything that moves is to be gotten! (Don't know if you saw the pics I posted a couple of months ago of her catching grasshoppers.) The ONLY thing that over rides the moving "prey" is her NOSE. I don't call her "super sniffer" got no reason! Don't know how much of that is inherited, and how much s due to the litter being imprinted on cadaver scent from almost day one. (2 puppies in her litter went to SAR homes to be trained as cadaver dogs.) I have literally had scent hounds and bird dogs that were less ruled by their noses! __________________ Tracy Siren vom Banach { Sable female GSD 3-20-08} R.I.P. Wrangler male ACD/Aussie mix. 9-29-99 to8-29-11. Last edited by BlackGSD; 10-22-2011 at 10:25 AM.

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