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GSDs are mouthy, collies nip, etc. - why it's important to understand dogs

6K views 65 replies 26 participants last post by  David Winners 
#1 ·
I've had to deal with my dog being mouthy. When I first got him he chewed my slippers and mouthed me constantly. I had bruises. Now, at 14 months, it seldom happens. But just the other day he got super excited and grabbed my arm. He was just playing and didn't leave a bruise. But I disciplined him. I don't like having to do that, but I knew when I got this breed that he would require work in this area.

But the thing is - a lot of GSDs get dumped because they get mouthy, a lot of collies get dumped because they nip, huskies get dumped because they run away, etc.

My first dog was a collie. She was rescued from a shelter where she was dumped for herding!

She was an awesome dog. I lived in the country. When friends visited with their kids, she made a great babysitter. She would herd the kids away from the road and back towards the house. The kids laughed the whole time while she kept them safe. I made sure she didn't nip them, however. Collies can do that unless you train them not to.

This is what makes me angry - people who get a pure-bred puppy and then dump it in a few months when it exhibits the behavior it was bred for. Guess what, GSDs and Malinois are mouthy, collies herd and nip, hounds bay... I wish people would research breeds before they bought pure bred puppies. There would be a lot less good dogs being destroyed every day after being abandoned by idiot owners.

OK, thanks for letting me rant.
 
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#2 ·
So many people acquire dogs because they like the way they look. Even some of our members here.Every breed has it's quirks and I agree that a little research before a choice is made is necessary.I enjoy hearing my neighbor's hounds baying (at a distance!).We had collies when I was a kid,wonderful dogs:)
 
#4 ·
Lets play some devils advocate here. I know some people who have had WL GSDs and Mals for decades with out having any mouthy dogs/pups and in the odd occasion it happened it was an easy correction. Now since all of those dogs were out of different pedigrees and breeds how come none were mouthy or landsharks? I believe that it all has something to do with the raising of the dog, therefor being a learned behavior. So the real question is, what is it that everyone is doing wrong to create these landsharks and mouthy dogs/pups?
 
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#8 ·
I think there's a valid point there, about them learning to chew on you. I generally think it comes down to the handling and how unsure people are about just how to be firm but not too harsh, or maybe just as simple as how they pull their hands away from a nipping puppy. I know for the most part it never really seems to explain well, online. It'll be interesting for you going from Labs to a Shepherd.
 
#5 ·
Don’t even want to start on Shar Pei quirks! So many are being dumped at the shelter due to stupid owners!
Yeah, Collies can nip for sure! Our BC is not that bad, although guys that make a lot of noises better be wearing jeans around her, otherwise-nip right on the butt! She hates when my husband or son trying to keep the fire in the fireplace going for some reason... doesn’t trust them with a fire...? Doesn’t mind me or my daughter doing the same stuff.
 
#7 ·
If it is so normal that puppies bite, causing bleeding and bruises, how come their canine parents don't have that issue with them? And why should we? In my 40 + years of having had dogs and pups, I have only had a puncture wound once, caused by a bratty 4 month GSD of mine (!!). He only pulled that off once....Until that time i was able t prevent all these but that one time, my hubby, with the best intentions, had let him out of his crate when I came into the house so the pup could "greet" me (with a puncture wound!). The reason I got bitten was that I was unprepared.
 
#9 ·
"It's all in how you raise them" is the worst fur-baby lie to be foisted on the public since the labradoodle craze convinced people ALL 'doodle' dogs are hypoallergenic! :mad::mad:

Terriers love to dig, and may kill small pets. Yes, of course!

Collies are bred to herd, and tend to nip, and may herd your kids. Yup!

Sight hounds have a strong prey drive, and will chase and kill small animals. Of course!

Certain dog breeds were bred for dog fighting and as game dogs. HOW DARE YOU - IT'S ALL IN HOW YOU RAISE THEM!!

:rolleyes:
 
#19 ·
Here's what can happen when people don't do their homework regarding a puppy they buy. I think this is VERY relevant to this discussion!

WORDS OFF A VET WHO'S PUT IN THIS POSITION. ...SADLY IT GOES ON DAY IN AND OUT WAKE UP PEOPLE ....
From a vet
Today a man brought his dog in to me. The dog was a large, boisterous adolescent puppy. He hurtled into the room, bouncing up to me excitedly, wagging his tail all the time and nudging at my hand with his muzzle. His big squishy paws crashed against my chest each time he paused to greet me, as he bounded around the room investigating all the smells. He was an unusual cross, very striking to look at and obviously a bright and energetic dog. He was adorable.
The history went like this:
The dog had been bought as a tiny puppy by a couple who were told it was a "designer" cross between two specific small breeds. Now, if the people who bought this puppy had had the slightest inkling about what they were doing it would have been immediately obvious to them that this was most certainly not a cross between two small breeds. But anyway, they didn't have a clue so they bought the cute little puppy from this dubious source (probably at a cost of several hundred pounds) and took it back to their family home, complete with toddler.
The dog grew a bit and it became clear that it was actually going to be really big. It was bouncy, energetic and destructive. It kept racing around and knocking over their small child. So they rehomed it to a family member.
The family member also had children but they were slightly bigger children. The family member really wanted to do the right thing, so they tried to "discipline" the dog. The dog began to show occasional signs of aggression and was completely hyperactive in the home, destructive and unmanageable. I was not surprised to hear this, since it was obvious to me from this dog's heritage that it was the sort of dog which had significant needs in terms of exercise and stimulation. In an attempt to magically resolve the issues the family member had the dog neutered. Which unsurprisingly made no difference.
Today the dog was brought in to be put to sleep. It had growled very aggressively when a child had put its face near his, and between this and an imminent change in circumstances the family member felt unable to manage the dog any more. He had tried local and national rescue organisations, all of which were full. He had nobody to care for the dog overnight tonight. He was not able to take the dog home, partly because of safety concerns and partly because the decision had been taken together as a family that it was the right thing to do.
So I put this healthy, affectionate, vibrant dog to sleep while it munched on treats and the third owner in its short life cried into his fur. Then when it was just me and the body of this poor puppy I had a good old cry myself.
I know there will be people who think I was right to put down a dog who has shown any signs of aggression under any circumstances. I disagree.
I know there will be people who think I was wrong to put down a dog when I could have taken it and found it a new home. I disagree.
I also know that there will be many many people who have no idea that this is happening all the time in this country because of irresponsible ignorant greedy people, selling dogs to irresponsible ignorant feckless people, who then pass them on to naive and thoughtless "rescuers" who eventually get to the end of their tether and bring them to me for euthanasia. All the time.
These are the dogs who bite children in the home due to a total lack of knowledge, reasonable expectations and effort to socialise them adequately.
These are the dogs whose owners can afford four figure sums to buy the latest random mongrel "breed" with a stupid made-up name, but cannot afford fifty quid to get it vaccinated, far less any money at all to treat even minor illnesses.
These are the dogs who clog up rescue centres all over the country, waiting along with thousands and thousands of others for the home with no children, no other pets and eight-foot fences, with an owner who has experience of managing behavioural problems, works from home, has stainless steel furniture and can write blank cheques to pay for the inherited illnesses the dog suffers from. Homes which don't actually exist.
These are the dogs who I have to put down because I know that it is more responsible of me to painlessly take their life than to condemn them to wait with the rest of the enormous population of "difficult" dogs sitting in rescue kennels all over the country.
Please, please, I implore you. Get advice before you take on a dog - from a vet, a qualified positive behaviourist, the Kennel Club, the Blue Cross, the Dog's Trust, the RSPCA - the information is there for the taking, there is no excuse. Go to a decent breeder, who has a waiting list, or a rescue centre which really grills you thoroughly before matching you with a pet. Find out how to bring your puppies up properly so if you do find your circumstances change then at least they are rehomable. Make sure you can afford to pay for the unexpected. Make sure your expectations are fair.
Please, because I can't keep having to do this.
 
#23 ·
There is a reason most of the experienced people on the forum push prospective owners to go out and meet dogs and handlers, watch them work and talk to them about their dogs.

I know I had trained a lot of dogs before I went to handler school and got paired up with Fama. It was a huge eye opener and a steep learning curve.

It takes a certain amount of grit to hang in there during your first working line dog that has some drive. There is no finer animal on the planet IMO, but the entry fee is challenging.
 
#30 ·
I suspect you are a good trainer but that you also get well bred dogs? Maybe?

With my first GSD, I got her from a breeder who was recommended to me, I had no problems with mouthiness beyond normal puppy teething. No behavioral issues.

My current GSD is a rescue who had never been inside a house before I got him. His reaction to being inside for the first time was to cower in my entry shivering. No surprise he's taken a lot more work. For the most part, he's a great dog. But mouthiness was an issue I had to deal with and it still occasionally crops up.

When I've talked to friends at local rescues, they indicate this is one reason shepherds get dumped. Other reasons - people think they want an intelligent and high energy dog when in reality they are couch potatoes and should probably get a pug instead, if they get a dog at all... sorry, I'm feeling cynical, found out about a dog (a Malinois) that is being put down due to horrible owner and it's got me upset.
 
#27 ·
Seriously though, I have had dogs of all shapes, sizes, ages over the years. I love feisty terriers, mouth obsessed retrievers, nose to the ground hounds. I just like DOGS! I like that they lay in the sun, explore random holes in the ground, splash in puddles and sleep in piles.
I thought it was common knowledge that dogs bite. And bark. Apparently common sense, not so common. Don't get a sighthound if you like bunnies, don't get a Coonhound in an apartment, don't get a terrier if you like your garden and don't get a husky if you want to lay on the couch all day. And don't fault the dog for being a dog
 
#32 ·
And this applies to any and all animals of any variety you're ever around!!! They aren't possessions, they are living, thinking, beings. Respect that, learn who they are, and you can within reason often help shape their behavior in certain ways.

But as has been said, you can't "train" their genetics "out of them"...which I hear all too often as what folks expect. Good thread!
 
#37 ·
I agree it's important to match the energy level and personality of the dog and the owner.

Too many people just go by looks...i.e. the owner who hates anything more than a stroll in sunny 70 degree weather, but loves the looks of a husky and gets one...we all know how that ends!!
Looks is probably the least important thing when it comes to picking a dog (that goes for humans, too :) )
 
#38 ·
My husband connected with a high school acquaintance on FB. He lives a few hours away. When he saw we had GSD's he told us that they had gotten a German Shepherd puppy but had to get rid of it because they couldn't handle it. Fast forward a few months and he asked my husband if we had any ideas about where they could find a 1 year or older dog. He sees videos my husband posts of my 18 month old and 1 year old. I suggested checking with rescues for a senior dog that may be more in line with their lifestyle if they were dead set on a GSD and sent links for places to check with. A couple of weeks later they brought a puppy home. About 10 days later they got rid of the puppy. I don't know where they got the pups or how they "got rid" of them, but this just infuriates me. I mean you realized your mistake once....

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#39 ·
To be honest, I had no idea what I was getting into when I got Ole. I have had dogs my entire life... but nothing like this high-energy German Shepherd.

Many days, I have either bruises or scratches on my hands or arms where a game of tug got a bit out of hand. I take Ole out for 90% of his walks because no one else in the family feels comfortable that they can handle him if he sees some prey. There is dog hair everywhere. All the windows are constantly smugged with nose prints. My face, hands, and lips are constantly chapped from all the time we spend outside playing with slobbery toys.

He is a great dog, but he is a lot of work. As I am typing this, we are playing catch. When I am at my desk, he brings an inside ball and drops it in my lap. Then he goes about 15 feet away and waits for me to throw him the ball so he can catch it. He brings the ball back and we do it again. We do this for 10-20 minutes several times a day.

I don't think his energy level is common... but new owners should be aware of what they might be getting themselves into.
 
#44 ·
Omg... my husband just texted that his acquaintance that got rid of the 2 puppies got a 1 1/2 year old male a week ago. The guy messaged him asking what to do because the dog likes his wife but has made low growls at him 3 or 4 times and it scares him. My husband wrote him a very lengthy reply. I'm hoping it works out but I'm not optimistic at this point.

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#47 ·
On to some good news.

Last spring one of my elderly neighbors' sons' moved back in with them to help them out. At least 6 mornings a week the guy who is in 80's and his son who is in his 60's take a two-mile lap around the neighborhood with their two dogs.

They set a pretty high bar for making the best of the pandemic with their dogs.
 
#52 ·
I've asked him to find out, but it's just a guy that he knew of back in the day. He doesn't really know him. They've messaged back and forth about the dogs and if any conversations work there way around to it he will find out. My husband told me earlier if he hears that the guy is going to get rid of this boy, he'll see if he can go get him so we can find him a good home. I don't know why this guy thinks he wants ANY kind of dog, let alone a GSD, when it doesn't sound like he wants to spend any time with one.

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