[Melina]

I just got to thinking as I'm starting to realize it more with each passing day that even though Koda is friendly with the whole family (I'm currently living with my folks, my Brother is here too, though he's not much of a dog person so Koda ignores him), that he's taken a special liking to me specifically. I had hoped this would be the case as he's "my" dog, but it's very apparent. He only follows me from room to room, no one else. If I'm in the family room with everyone else, he'll sometimes sit by them, but he isn't anywhere near as affectionate with them as he is with me. A lot of times he'll nuzzle next to me and bury his head in my lap, or arm pit, and can't seem to get close enough to me, it's sweet. I'm the only one he sits by the door for when leaving. I'm the only one he is insistent upon greeting when returning home. It's just very apparent that he's chosen me of everyone living here to have a special attachment to. It's surprising actually, I'm probably the most strict with him. I practice NILIF. I don't tolerate bad behavior on walks or in public. Yet, he's still chosen me, it makes me feel wonderful. He's like my shadow, he follows me everywhere...

For those of you living with multiple people in the household (Families, roommate situations, whatever it may be), who has your GSD chosen as their "special person"? Why do you think that is? I'm curious to hear your stories...

 

[Zoeys mom]

I'm definitely Zoe's person though my 6 year old son is a close second. It makes my DH jealous and since my lab is gaga over my daughter she could care less. She showers with me, potties with me, sleeps with me, goes everywhere with me, and makes me trip 100 times a day because she is always literally up my butt. She never leaves the room I'm in and loves to sit her big old butt right on my feet

 

[Jax08]

Me. Definitely Me! :wub:

 

[Montana Scout]

Me. Definitely Me! :wub:

me 2... won't stop following me, and whines when i leave for 5 min, even with my daughters and wife home with him :happyboogie:

 

[Melina]

Haha, one thing I just thought of...

Koda never ceased to amaze me. Of course he's intelligent, we all know Shepherds are, but there's one thing in particular that just astounded me when I figured out what he was doing. It ties in with the whole "attachment to me specifically" thing.

As I said, he wants to be near me at all times, whether I'm in my room, the family room, the backyard, wherever. Well, sometimes when I'm in my room I don't want him in there with me, say when I'm showering (The bathroom is in my bedroom), so I try to get him to leave the room. At first, he would listen to me and leave, then he wised up and realized that when I would call him like that it was to get him out of the room. So then I started walking out of my room a little ways so he would follow me out, then I'd sneak past him and shut the door. That worked for a bit, then he figured that one out and stopped following me out. Just outside my room is a small carpeted area, then around the corner tile starts in the hallway...

So now, he's gotten to the point where if I leave my room, he assumes It's because I want to kick him out for some reason or another, so he actually waits in my room until he hears my footsteps past the carpeting, then a certain number of footsteps on the tile to know that I'm actually leaving my room, then he'll come running after me to follow. How's that for smart??

 

[Dainerra]

Smart boy!

For Rayden it's me. Definitely.

 

[Pattycakes]

Yup, its me too. Uschi will follow me from room to room. When my boyfriend is around, she loves to be with him....but the minute I leave the room...she is right on my heels. LOL

 

[DCluver33]

I'm definitely Dodger's favorite person. My mom and I play this game with him where we tell him to find the other and if I tell him 'go find mom' he won't do it mom has to call him like five times in order for him to go find her, but if my mom says 'go find Steph' he'll take off and find me. He's more prone to cuddle with me and not mom. When I leave he whines for me to come back. :wub:

 

[Cassidy's Mom]

Every female we've had - Sneaker, Cassidy, Dena, and now Halo, have been Daddy's girls. Keefer is my first male and he is a total Mama's boy. All of our dogs have loved both of us, but they've always had a very definite preference.

 

[DharmasMom]

I live alone with my animals so without a doubt I am Dharma's special person EXCEPT when my mom comes over. She LOVES my mom, she will get so excited she actually can't stand still. Then she will sit or lay right by her and follow her everywhere. I don't get jealous or anything because my mom is like Dr Doolittle, animals LOVE her. Even my antisocial bunny, who doesn't like anyone, has been know to hop over to her and sit up so she will pick him up.

 

[elisabeth_00117]

Stark is all about me. My sister lives with me (both University students) and although he loves her and gets excited when she comes home, there is no question, his life revolves around me... and mine him..

 

[Chicagocanine]

Considering that when I come in the door with any family members, Bianca will push past them to greet me, I think it's obvious who her "person" is.
Bianca is my dog and she knows it. She usually doesn't obey commands from my family members (not surprising since I'm the only one who practices training with her.)
Bianca doesn't follow me closely from room to room most of the time, but she does prefer to be in whatever room I'm in. If I leave a room for a while she'll come looking for me and lay down in whatever room I've moved to. For example I left the living room about 5-10 minutes ago, and Bianca just walked in and lay down behind my computer chair. If I'm in the bathroom she'll nose the door open to check if I'm in there (and then walk in unless I tell her not to!)

My last dog (Golden Retriever) was VERY friendly, and sometimes she'd seem to be ignoring me while she got attention from other people. At first that bothered me, I mean she was MY dog right? People would make a big deal out of how much she "loooooved" them and joke about her going home with them... But then I realized that although she'd buddy up with other people, if I ever tried to walk away and leave her with them she'd immediately follow me, and that if I gave her a command she'd always follow it even if another person gave her a contradicting command, and then it didn't bug me so much. They might monopolize her affection for a little while but I got her all the rest of the time!

 

[PDXDeutschhund]

We've only had Dutch for a week but so far I'm the one he's imprinted on. That doesn't mean that he doesn't love Dayna. I guess it's still early, but he tends to follow me around and wait for me even if Dayna has the leash.

 

[KZoppa]

definitely me. they like my husband and my kids but i'm by far their person. 3 GSDs up my butt all day when i'm home.... the youngest one, unless she's kenneled for a little bit, i cant shower or go to the bathroom without her. the others are content to wait ON the closed door like they're easedropping lol.

 

[PDXDeutschhund]

definitely me. they like my husband and my kids but i'm by far their person. 3 GSDs up my butt all day when i'm home.... the youngest one, unless she's kenneled for a little bit, i cant shower or go to the bathroom without her. the others are content to wait ON the closed door like they're easedropping lol.

.
I'm working on the "stay" command because it's extremely hard to get out of the front door without Dutch haha

 

[KZoppa]

.
I'm working on the "stay" command because it's extremely hard to get out of the front door without Dutch haha

haha yeah i've been working on it myself. Shelby thinks she ALWAYS gets to go for rides with me because i usually take her out at night when i go. But for some reason she is convinced she gets to go to work with me. She knows 'stay'. not a very long one but we're gonna work on it. lol. I'm actually taking a leave of absence from work so i can exercise and lose some weight and do some serious individual training for Shelby and Shasta. I have a lot of training to cram into the next couple months before our vacation trip home.

 

[PDXDeutschhund]

haha yeah i've been working on it myself. Shelby thinks she ALWAYS gets to go for rides with me because i usually take her out at night when i go. But for some reason she is convinced she gets to go to work with me. She knows 'stay'. not a very long one but we're gonna work on it. lol. I'm actually taking a leave of absence from work so i can exercise and lose some weight and do some serious individual training for Shelby and Shasta. I have a lot of training to cram into the next couple months before our vacation trip home.

At the dog park that I volunteer at, they use the word "wait" which I have seen used by trainers before. I'm not sure the difference between wait and stay though. It seems to work.

 

[KZoppa]

At the dog park that I volunteer at, they use the word "wait" which I have seen used by trainers before. I'm not sure the difference between wait and stay though. It seems to work.

the way i use 'wait' and 'stay'.... 'wait' is generally used for when you want them to wait to go through a door or cross the street. I mainly use the wait command for when we're in the car. I'll get out and open a door and tell them to wait until i release them to get out. We use 'stay' primarily for when we leave and they're not going with. I'll say something like "stay" which for them translates to "you're not going" or "dont move, only us." I guess it depends on the meaning you intend behind it but thats how we use the two if that helps explain it. I know i'm not the only who trains the two commands.

 

[PDXDeutschhund]

the way i use 'wait' and 'stay'.... 'wait' is generally used for when you want them to wait to go through a door or cross the street. I mainly use the wait command for when we're in the car. I'll get out and open a door and tell them to wait until i release them to get out. We use 'stay' primarily for when we leave and they're not going with. I'll say something like "stay" which for them translates to "you're not going" or "dont move, only us." I guess it depends on the meaning you intend behind it but thats how we use the two if that helps explain it. I know i'm not the only who trains the two commands.

That makes a lot of sense. The dog park uses "wait" as more of a "stay" command, which is fine I guess. I will probably follow your method and use both words because I could see how they both have their uses.

 

[KZoppa]

That makes a lot of sense. The dog park uses "wait" as more of a "stay" command, which is fine I guess. I will probably follow your method and use both words because I could see how they both have their uses.

the good thing about both is they're trained in generally the same way. When we're on walks, i train my dogs to sit whenever i stop. At corners, they're given the wait command as they sit, for example if a car is coming they're told wait. Another perk to wait is opening the back of my SUV i tell the dogs wait and they're expected to stay their happy hyper butts in that vehicle until i tell them okay or free. They're expected to obey even with distractions. Wait is used for when i go through doors, i'm first. Stay seems to annoy them lol. At least with wait, it generally means they get to go. Stay equals no fun for my dogs. they get that look of pure excitement when they hear 'wait' but you can just see the defeat when they're told 'stay'. wait translates to if they wait when told, a trip to the dog park or pet store is coming next.