This idea started on another thread but I thought it would be an interesting topic for discussion.
Every day we come to this board and without fail there are posts about misbehaving pooches. Often asking for advice as to how to deal with "desctructive" behaviors, aggression, separation anxiety, obnoxious behaviors of all shapes, sizes and severity. One of the first questions I have begun to post in reply is "how much physical and MENTAL exercise does your dog receive? Daily, weekly, monthly, or when I-get-around-to-it?"
I wish there was some sort of a questionaire that owners are required to fill out before they adopt/purchase ANY dog, mutt or purebred. Something that will not tell them the answers the shelter/rescue/breder wants to hear but something that shows that the people have done their homework and understand what makes a German Shepherd Dog different in EVERY aspect from a Chihuahua, or a Pug, or a Husky. Not only what makes them different but what the breed was intentionally bred for and HOW they are prepared to deal with it.
<Insert my personal Opinions>
I would say about 75%+of the AKC breeds were bred to work in one venue or another. I think if a family wants a pet they need to find what they want from a dog bred to be a pet like the Toy, Non Sporting or Misc Groups of dogs (per AKC). I think this post will fit MANY of the breeds from the Herding, Working, Sporting, Hound and Terrier group of dogs.
I do not feel that all German Shepherds should be a working dog. In a perfect world EVERY GSD would be able to do the tasks that it was originally bred to do. But alas it doesn't work that way. Not every GSD has the balance of drive, nerve, temperament and structure to do police work and there are simply not the shepherds that utilize the GSD to herd their huge flocks. I do not feel that every German Shepherd owner SHOULD compete in dog sports like SCH, Herding, Tracking or Agility, etc. I DO feel that each German Shepherd owner should be prepared to teach their dogs some sort of "task" or "job" to stimulate the mind.
The long and short of this post is for all of us to contribute what types of jobs our dogs have been or COULD be trained to do within our own homes and daily lives! A working dog does not have to be out working the streets with the police; working to save lives such as a SAR dog; Guiding the visually impaired person safely across town; Herding and Guarding the Flocks.
In a nutshell, what is YOUR dogs job? Or what job can you give to your dog?
Every day we come to this board and without fail there are posts about misbehaving pooches. Often asking for advice as to how to deal with "desctructive" behaviors, aggression, separation anxiety, obnoxious behaviors of all shapes, sizes and severity. One of the first questions I have begun to post in reply is "how much physical and MENTAL exercise does your dog receive? Daily, weekly, monthly, or when I-get-around-to-it?"
I wish there was some sort of a questionaire that owners are required to fill out before they adopt/purchase ANY dog, mutt or purebred. Something that will not tell them the answers the shelter/rescue/breder wants to hear but something that shows that the people have done their homework and understand what makes a German Shepherd Dog different in EVERY aspect from a Chihuahua, or a Pug, or a Husky. Not only what makes them different but what the breed was intentionally bred for and HOW they are prepared to deal with it.
<Insert my personal Opinions>
I would say about 75%+of the AKC breeds were bred to work in one venue or another. I think if a family wants a pet they need to find what they want from a dog bred to be a pet like the Toy, Non Sporting or Misc Groups of dogs (per AKC). I think this post will fit MANY of the breeds from the Herding, Working, Sporting, Hound and Terrier group of dogs.
I do not feel that all German Shepherds should be a working dog. In a perfect world EVERY GSD would be able to do the tasks that it was originally bred to do. But alas it doesn't work that way. Not every GSD has the balance of drive, nerve, temperament and structure to do police work and there are simply not the shepherds that utilize the GSD to herd their huge flocks. I do not feel that every German Shepherd owner SHOULD compete in dog sports like SCH, Herding, Tracking or Agility, etc. I DO feel that each German Shepherd owner should be prepared to teach their dogs some sort of "task" or "job" to stimulate the mind.
The long and short of this post is for all of us to contribute what types of jobs our dogs have been or COULD be trained to do within our own homes and daily lives! A working dog does not have to be out working the streets with the police; working to save lives such as a SAR dog; Guiding the visually impaired person safely across town; Herding and Guarding the Flocks.
In a nutshell, what is YOUR dogs job? Or what job can you give to your dog?
