[scannergirl]

I have a question about my 7 month old puppy. She has always loved people. I thought she was developing a little of the aloofness that they talk about in the breed standard, but this weekend at the Schutzhund club there was a member she had not met before. She greeted this lady like her long lost best friend, leaping into her lap.....obviously this is not an ideal situation but there are much worse problems

Ok, I have three questions-
When should I begin to see this aloofness?
How should I respond to this sort of situation?
If she never gets rid of her love of people is this considered a temperment fault? By the breed standard, not that I'd have a problem with it.
Thanks in advance,
Lisa

 

[OllieGSD]

I don't have advice, but it seems like an issue a lot of people wished they had w/ thier dogs...

 

[butch33611]

Shes still a puppy, you wont see the behavior your looking for for a few years yet. Sarge is 4 now and still enjoys enteracting with people and getting his pets. I prefer that over having him be aggresive. In our family his role is not protection. Hes our pet and he looks to me to take care of problems.

 

[WiscTiger]

Lisa, she is 7 months old, I would be more concerned if she acted any differently in the situation you described above.

It was at the SchH Club where you have been several times, everyone treates her kindly. Dog sense dog people, no one has ever threatened her at the club, she feels secure there.

 

[dOg]

With maturity, that will subside...and though she's a big dog, @ 7 mos she's still very much a pup, and very far from mature. That lady may have reminded her of her breeder if a woman, and if so, may act that way towards her forever.

Obviously jumping up on folks can be problematic, but clamping that too much could also create an issue with SchH, so it's a balancing act you'll have to recognize before it occurs and redirect with a sit or a down.

At this stage of the game, she's still puppy socializing, something which some folks will say you can have too much of, but myself feel I'd rather wait awhile for more maturity to curb, distrust of strangers when encouraged this young can be plain dangerous, in my opinion.

To each his own, but I can wait for maturity for those judgements, in the meantime, I'd be making all those decisions, and allowing greetings with helpful strangers. In a SchH club, those "strangers" are likely the most tolerant dog loving strangers she'll ever meet, so I'd not be too worried. She probably recognizes who wants to meet her enthusiastically before you do, and was simply obliging!

Just my $.02

 

[scannergirl]

Originally Posted By: dOgWith maturity, that will subside...and though she's a big dog, @ 7 mos she's still very much a pup, and very far from mature. That lady may have reminded her of her breeder if a woman, and if so, may act that way towards her forever.

Obviously jumping up on folks can be problematic, but clamping that too much could also create an issue with SchH, so it's a balancing act you'll have to recognize before it occurs and redirect with a sit or a down.

At this stage of the game, she's still puppy socializing, something which some folks will say you can have too much of, but myself feel I'd rather wait awhile for more maturity to curb, distrust of strangers when encouraged this young can be plain dangerous, in my opinion.

To each his own, but I can wait for maturity for those judgements, in the meantime, I'd be making all those decisions, and allowing greetings with helpful strangers. In a SchH club, those "strangers" are likely the most tolerant dog loving strangers she'll ever meet, so I'd not be too worried. She probably recognizes who wants to meet her enthusiastically before you do, and was simply obliging!

Just my $.02

That was what my gut said

 

[big_dog7777]

Be happy. Be very happy. Unless she walked up to a helper and wagged her tail and rolled over on the field be ecstatic. She was not threatened, and had no reason to be wary of anyone. In another year (plus or minus) when she starts actually getting challenged with some pressure on the sleeve in protection and starts defending prey then you'll see what she has inside her. If you're like me, you want a dog that you can live with, and work on the field, not the hardest sharpest bitch that works like a serious world team dog at 12 months. Work with her correctly to build her up and she can turn into a once in a lifetime dog.