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GSD know GSD people

2K views 14 replies 11 participants last post by  Colie CVT 
#1 ·
I just find this kind of amusing when I think about dogs I deal with every day at my work. My co-workers know I love shepherds and if I see one I always have to go say hello and try to help. They normally don't have any trouble with me, but I have owned a few now lol.

This past Sunday a man brought his 6 month old puppy in because it's eyes were bloodshot in places. With dogs that normally means trauma. I was coming out of laundry and saw the puppy straining at the end of leash with a cloth muzzle on. It was clear he was scared and didn't want to be near the vet and assistant who were trying to add a gauze muzzle over the cloth. Didn't look like his jaw could open much with the cloth in any case to me.

I walked over and gently put my hands on his shoulders and pulled him up against my legs, which got him to sit and quiet. The vet said not to touch him, that he was aggressive. I replied he was just a scared puppy. She believed he was a jerk because he went to bite her in the room for what she believed was no reason. I figure she subconsciously made him feel threatened in the room. It happens. He is a baby after all.

I watched them struggle a little more before I stepped up and once again gently pulled him against me. He say and looked up at me with very obviously scared eyes. He was still however and not fighting me at all. The vet put the gauze about his muzzle and then we moved him over into the area where she had the supplies to look at his eyes. She moved him, so he panicked a little again, but calmed when I gently placed my hands on his shoulders again.

He sat on my foot, I was holding onto the slip leash with two fingers and my thumb, while my other hand just stroked his chest. I had no issues and he was quiet when it was just us. Every time she went to touch him he started whining, but quieted when she stepped back.

He was just scared. e.e I had no trouble taking the muzzles off to walk him back up front. He was making a racket, and dad had stepped outside, but he didn't mind me being near at all. I laughed at his "talking" at his owner and said, you just tell him all about it. The guy I guess bad been a bit rude in the room, but he had no issues with me lol.

My co-worker calls it my crazy shepherd magic. It works with mals some days too lol. But I believe they know who GSD people are and they know it's safe with them. :)


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#4 ·
I have never found a GSD who was not comfortable with me. They know. My friends called me a "dog whisperer" even before Cesar Milan was on TV, but it's just that I feel no fear, yet I give them respect, and I truly love dogs, right down to my bones, and they know it. Especially GSD, and the trust is immediate.
I think most of us on this list can say the same.

Susan
 
#3 ·
A vet griping about getting nipped at? Kind of goes with the territory doesn't it?

I always accompany my dog with the vet and yep I've muzzled him before, but as you say, it's because he was scared or just gets tired of being poked and prodded. Crazy thing is, he still gets excited about going to the vet. Go figure.
 
#5 ·
I think part of her frustration was that it was a busy, long day and the man wasn't very nice. Generally she isn't bad with patients and they weren't being mean to him, just were nervous themselves which I am sure he picked up on. Plus the back is loud, smelly (even if cleaned) and he didn't know what to expect.

We tend to be pretty good about owners and their wishes, but some places clients cannot go if their pet needs it (like x-ray and other advanced imaging, surgery). But he really wasn't hard at all to work with. Just a scared baby who needed reassurance he was safe. :)


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#6 ·
they know, I did a transport. with my sister last year, 2 female GSD's, sisters, bout 16 months old, room full of people and when they brought them in, they both ran to me, stayed by me and ignored the other people
 
#7 ·
they always know IMO. There's something they can just sense. They know who has a better understanding of them than others.
 
#8 ·
I have felt that one myself. I don't tend to have issues with them, and I really do enjoy getting to see all the GSD who come in. :) I remember one day we had one come in with its owner and it actually jumped up and bit the shirt of a co-worker of mine. She never had trouble with them in the past, but that obviously startled her. However when I went up to deal with the man and his dog, I had no problems at all. He didn't growl or anything at me.

Funniest was the day I went to kneel down to give an injection of sedative to a young K9 officer that came in after eating a mag flashlight (malinois lol). He just took one look at me and came right over, leaning himself into me for snuggles.
 
#9 ·
I run into that all the time in my training classes, especially at the beginning before I've gotten a chance to really work on how owners interact with their dogs. Many will look to me and ignore their owners, but I have noticed that breeds that crave clear, consistent directions like German Shepherds, Rotties, Collies, ACD's, and the like tend to attach themselves to me and don't want to look at anyone else. I always challenge owners to learn the behaviors they need to win back their dog's attention. :D
 
#12 ·
I run into that all the time in my training classes, especially at the beginning before I've gotten a chance to really work on how owners interact with their dogs. Many will look to me and ignore their owners, :D
the dogs are giving you your props, as it was explained to me by my trainer whos been doing it for 45 years, the dogs know, that you know, I have seen it a hundred times in class, and unruly dog with its owner, when my trainer takes the leash without saying a word the dog instantly settles down and focus on him
 
#10 ·
I find GSD's just have a low tolerance for strangers manhandling them.

I had one vet talk to me from across the room, then march over and try to palpate my pup's tummy and I thought she was going to get bit (my dog didn't do anything, but snapped her head around).

My regular vet kneels on the floor and pets my dog while we're talking and by the time she needs to do anything with her, my dog is feeling comfortable with her.

I think some people just don't have the patience some dogs need to feel safe and secure before they try to do anything with them, and the GSD is such a good reader of body language and emotions. It often times only takes a minute of calm energy to make them feel secure.

Glad you were able to help the pup have a better experience :)
 
#13 ·
Yesterday a guy who years ago helped found the k-9 police club in the Seattle area was at a pet store. His face lit up so bright when he saw my puppy outside the store. He came within 15 feet squatted down and called, puppy,puppy, puppy. I knew this guy knew GSDs. The two of them had a complete love feast. Very heart warming.
 
#14 ·
He sat on your foot, LOL, that's how you know they trust you! My dogs have just always known my shepherd friends from other friends who may have had a dog or five but none of them were shepherds. The friends with Rotties or Akitas get a pass too -those people know what we know.
 
#15 ·
My dogs all have to be sitting in some way touching me I swear lol. I felt so bad for the little guy, he was obviously nervous. :( Sadly I saw a few other young shepherds who were not being treated like they should have in my opinion. I was heading in to hope to say hi to one of them, and she tried to come over to see me, but the girl handling her got upset that she moved, since she had been randomly getting up and trying to run off. Which makes sense to me. I wouldn't want to stay at someone who got mad at me because I wanted to slip away.

I didn't want to go over to where she was sitting because I didn't want her to feel crowded into the corner of x-ray. I probably should have knelt down near her and let her come near. I always try to sit near patients if I am just hanging out with them. Talk with them, pet them softly. I always try to hold the smaller patients for things, keep my hand or arm under them in some way. Same thing with bigger dogs. People have commented that patients seem to like me that haven't been particularly friendly toward others. I take my ques on how to work with them from other girls I work with who are excellent at patient care and handling. The one woman truly has a way with the little dogs. She's just so patient with them, always concerned about their comfort.

Shepherds are just so hard not to want to go say hello to. :) I just wanna hug them all!
 
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