Comments on: Goal – The German Shepherd Dog http://www.dogmagazine.net/archives/622/goal-the-german-shepherd-dog/ the lifestyle magazine for dog lovers Sat, 11 Jun 2011 15:23:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Sporty Techie http://www.dogmagazine.net/archives/622/goal-the-german-shepherd-dog/#comment-84735 Sporty Techie Fri, 22 Jan 2010 09:47:59 +0000 http://www.dogmagazine.net/?p=622#comment-84735 Very informative article! I totally agree with the writer, more commonly these days, people just breed and breed German Shepherd dogs just to make money, experimenting with its physical appearance to suit the clients need. I totally hate those kind of people. Dogs are mans best friend! Treat them just like humans too. Very informative article! I totally agree with the writer, more commonly these days, people just breed and breed German Shepherd dogs just to make money, experimenting with its physical appearance to suit the clients need. I totally hate those kind of people. Dogs are mans best friend! Treat them just like humans too.

]]> By: Joy van Veen http://www.dogmagazine.net/archives/622/goal-the-german-shepherd-dog/#comment-68198 Joy van Veen Tue, 10 Nov 2009 01:10:18 +0000 http://www.dogmagazine.net/?p=622#comment-68198 A DDR GSD would not be ideal. DDR dogs are often high prey and/or play drive. When I say high working drive, many confuse this with prey or play drive. The differences are intensity and what motivates the dogs. Starting with motivation. High prey/play drive dogs are easily motivated by food or toys. They work for the reward of these items. a dog with a strong work drive works for the reward of working itself. But more important is intensity. A guide dog must work continuously for much longer periods of time than even police dogs. They must be calm, have stamina to go for hours, and not be too focused. They must be aware of the entire environment but not focus on any one aspect. This is very different from what makes a good sport dog. In SchH and ring sport, the dog has short periods of intense activity. Focusing on what they are doing is a plus for them. Sport dogs aren't expected to have to put up with kids, teens, or even adults making quick moves to pet them, tug on their tails, bark at them, whistle or kiss at them, offer food, or grab their partner's arm without warning. The older style, general purpose GSD; is preferrable. You want medium to medium low prey and play drives and bidibility, high desire to work (This can be tested at 7 to 10 wks by a retrieve test. The pup that without any training naturally runs out to a tossed item, picks it up, and turns back to the human; is often of high working drive.), high acceptance of resposibility, high problem solving ability, high in curiosity, very high in human orientation, and medium low to low in sound and pain sensitivity. I don't breed GSDs. I search for suitable pups from breeders. I keep and train the one or two pups at a time in my home until they are at least 18 months; or I have the pups come to me from a puppy raiser or owner who has raised the pup under my specifications at 8 to 10 months of age to remain with me for the remainder of the training until at least 18 months of age. Although food motivation has been adopted by some guide dog programs, those that have done so have had a significant increase in failures and in returned dogs. They also have an ongoing problem with dogs that realizing their partners can't see what they are doing, begin sneaking food from the ground or from the hands of bystanders who offer food without permission. This is also the reason teaching or playing retrieve with a ball is not a good idea; though training the retrieve without a ball and without developing a food drive; is not a problem for me. If you would like more info, you can e-mail me at joythegeomancer@yahoo.com A DDR GSD would not be ideal. DDR dogs are often high prey and/or play drive. When I say high working drive, many confuse this with prey or play drive. The differences are intensity and what motivates the dogs. Starting with motivation. High prey/play drive dogs are easily motivated by food or toys. They work for the reward of these items. a dog with a strong work drive works for the reward of working itself. But more important is intensity. A guide dog must work continuously for much longer periods of time than even police dogs. They must be calm, have stamina to go for hours, and not be too focused. They must be aware of the entire environment but not focus on any one aspect. This is very different from what makes a good sport dog. In SchH and ring sport, the dog has short periods of intense activity. Focusing on what they are doing is a plus for them. Sport dogs aren’t expected to have to put up with kids, teens, or even adults making quick moves to pet them, tug on their tails, bark at them, whistle or kiss at them, offer food, or grab their partner’s arm without warning.

The older style, general purpose GSD; is preferrable. You want medium to medium low prey and play drives and bidibility, high desire to work (This can be tested at 7 to 10 wks by a retrieve test. The pup that without any training naturally runs out to a tossed item, picks it up, and turns back to the human; is often of high working drive.), high acceptance of resposibility, high problem solving ability, high in curiosity, very high in human orientation, and medium low to low in sound and pain sensitivity.

I don’t breed GSDs. I search for suitable pups from breeders. I keep and train the one or two pups at a time in my home until they are at least 18 months; or I have the pups come to me from a puppy raiser or owner who has raised the pup under my specifications at 8 to 10 months of age to remain with me for the remainder of the training until at least 18 months of age.

Although food motivation has been adopted by some guide dog programs, those that have done so have had a significant increase in failures and in returned dogs. They also have an ongoing problem with dogs that realizing their partners can’t see what they are doing, begin sneaking food from the ground or from the hands of bystanders who offer food without permission. This is also the reason teaching or playing retrieve with a ball is not a good idea; though training the retrieve without a ball and without developing a food drive; is not a problem for me.

If you would like more info, you can e-mail me at joythegeomancer@yahoo.com

]]> By: Scott Geroux http://www.dogmagazine.net/archives/622/goal-the-german-shepherd-dog/#comment-68178 Scott Geroux Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:05:43 +0000 http://www.dogmagazine.net/?p=622#comment-68178 I have been looking for a "guide dog" for the past year. I am legally blind, possessing low vision. I am seeking a dog that can be self trained in basic guide skills. I have the resources and experience to train to my very basic needs. Call it a "low vision support dog" as well as a family companion. Can you suggest a pup from your breedings or tell me where to go? I have been considering a Czech/DDR line or West German working/show line. I would love some help from someone ike yourself. As the article says, a good GSD is hard to find. Many times the instability is readily observable. I don't trust my own knowledge and experience to make this marital decision :) I have been looking for a “guide dog” for the past year. I am legally blind, possessing low vision. I am seeking a dog that can be self trained in basic guide skills. I have the resources and experience to train to my very basic needs. Call it a “low vision support dog” as well as a family companion. Can you suggest a pup from your breedings or tell me where to go? I have been considering a Czech/DDR line or West German working/show line. I would love some help from someone ike yourself. As the article says, a good GSD is hard to find. Many times the instability is readily observable. I don’t trust my own knowledge and experience to make this marital decision :)

]]> By: Joy van Veen http://www.dogmagazine.net/archives/622/goal-the-german-shepherd-dog/#comment-55503 Joy van Veen Wed, 26 Aug 2009 07:29:39 +0000 http://www.dogmagazine.net/?p=622#comment-55503 I am a guide dog breeder and have found acquiring GSDs that meet my guide dog criteria harder and harder to find. I agree with this article. I do not want to go to other breeds, as a good GSD can't be beat as a guide dog. But the good ones are few and far between anymore. I am a guide dog breeder and have found acquiring GSDs that meet my guide dog criteria harder and harder to find. I agree with this article. I do not want to go to other breeds, as a good GSD can’t be beat as a guide dog. But the good ones are few and far between anymore.

]]> By: Julie Lovell http://www.dogmagazine.net/archives/622/goal-the-german-shepherd-dog/#comment-17452 Julie Lovell Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:51:21 +0000 http://www.dogmagazine.net/?p=622#comment-17452 Loved this very well written article. Such a beautiful breed,but sadly being used and abused in the show world. Lets get back to what they were orignally bred for- tmeperment and working ability. Loved this very well written article. Such a beautiful breed,but sadly being used and abused in the show world. Lets get back to what they were orignally bred for- tmeperment and working ability.

]]> By: Sandy http://www.dogmagazine.net/archives/622/goal-the-german-shepherd-dog/#comment-17226 Sandy Sun, 20 Jul 2008 20:26:44 +0000 http://www.dogmagazine.net/?p=622#comment-17226 Excellent article. I totally agree with the author. It's a sad fact, and one that will most likely continue on the path of the destruction of the German Shepherd Dog. Excellent article. I totally agree with the author. It’s a sad fact, and one that will most likely continue on the path of the destruction of the German Shepherd Dog.

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