Fun Poll--What would your dog do? - Page 13

Blitzen, Trienzbachtal dogs were legendary for working ability. I don't know about Sieben Burgen Kennels, but I have seen some awesome temperament in dogs from from Arlett Kennels, especially the bitches. VA Jack Trienzbachtal was a very hard dog with correct temperament. The Trienzbachtal dogs tended to have very correct front construction and nuice, correct toplines. They used dogs such as Lasso di Val Sol who were known for temperament and working ability. It's probably best for a GSD like yours to be closely handled less others who don't understand his natural, balanced protecttion of his master and the premises get the wrong idea. The Trienzbachtal dogs I have seen in the past did awesome bitework and were highly intelligent. My view is that your dog has a great heritage of true GSD working temperament expressed through the genetic heritrage of his sire and dam.

see and you always claim he's just a pet, I knew better lol he loves his mom all those chucky stares were worth it

Thanks, Preston, I haven't been able to find out much about the Trienzbachtal dogs until now. Blitz does have Lasso in his pedigree 8 times, but not until the 6th and 7th generations. We are careful with him around people he doesn't know well. His tendency to take people by the wrist and lead them where he wants them to go is worrisome for me. I always think that some day someone might try to pull away from him or even try to force him away and I'm not sure what he would do in that circumstance. He's a different dog off of his own property. When we are camping he will watch strangers but doesn't bark unless they come into out campsite. I've had dogs for a long time, but only 2 GSD's and both have been very different from my Malamutes, a breed that is normally not at all protective and most lack the will to serve. I've had a lot to learn.

I have debated whether or not to enter a debate that appears to #1 stir up much emotion and defence and #2 have no agreeable out come or worse, leave hard feelings. This is a topic that brings out much emotions as it relates to the integrity of our dogs. These same dogs that we love and hold in high esteem, the ones we love to brag about and show off.In some respects we may even esteem our dogs as high as we do our children. Not saying we value them as much but they are in many respects cared for and take up as much of our time as our own children. So it is not suprising that a subject that we percieve belittles or exalts our beloved friend would bring out the drive in us to defend them to death or speak for them in their defence. I have no desire to strip away anyones confidence or belittle our wonderful breed. I am just a firm believer in knowing the bare, sometimes ruthless truth. The truth about my dogs capabilitys and my expectations of him far, far out weigh my desire to protect his integrity at all cost. We all know or maybe are the parents that defend our children when infact we should not. If it is reported they are misbehaving in school do I run to the school to defend them, make excuses for them or blame the teacher?

This is not to say that those that are defending their dogs on this subject. I am not trying to compare this to people that defend their children when they shouldn't. It was just meant to bring up an illistration of how we are very much people that are led by passions and emotions and this subject certainly brings up these emotions. If I offend any one it is not done so intentially. I will say that from 1952 when as a child I had a wonderful gsd. I knew this was the breed I wanted when I grew up. I had to learn the hard way though as an adult by purchasing an American bred male that was a coward. I worked my tail off the first year of his life, learning much about confidence building and imprinting. He turned out pretty good but I knew I would never again puchase a dog that did not have the qualities of Rin Tin Tin ( I grew up watching "Rinny")

To try and make a long long story short I studied pedigrees and everything I could get my hands on. At one point I believe I may have owned every gsd book ever in print. I trained, ( not Schutzhund) and loved every minute of it. I was obsessed on the subject of working dogs and gsd in particular. All this to the point that my first wife said enough. She would not tolerate being #2 to my business and time with dogs. I can only share that in my experience with working gsd's, spending lots of time and money to purchase the best available I firmly believe some of the dogs I have owned and worked with would hold up to any challenge presented them as well as any dogs out their. I have had and worked with hard hard dogs that had the sharpness and loyalty of any.

olskool did you ever breed or just train? Would like to know if you still do either.

I do not want to debate what any one else's dogs will do or not do. I just want to say that I am very familiar with dogs that learn to spell, and learn it real fast when they want to. I almost purchase a Larry Filo import years back but ended up backing out. I have had Rotts that were absalutly no nonesense dogs, hard to the bone. All this to say that because a dog will protect itselfs life does not make the dog a "whimp". I am sad that one feels that because a dog will not "give their life in an instant" that this dog is not worthy of being called a gsd with "normal temperament". I am afraid that we are expecting far far to much from our freinds. When we put unrealistic expectations on our dogs then we will also fall real hard when that moment comes when they prove themselves to be just what they are, mans best friend ie. loving unconditionally, putting up the best defence he can WITH OUT losing his life, herding and watching over our children and the many many ways they entertain us. But in the end they belong to the animal kingdom,attached to us deeply, dependant on us deeply, but still an animal that will have enough brains to stay out of harms way when the cost is too high. To expect more is unrealistic even with excellent training and an excellent dog. Look at any animal in the animal world with the exception of dogs bred to fight to death, and you will see the lioness that will put up a good bluff but in the end will give way to the new pride male who is about to kill her own offspring. In the end she knows that she would lose the battle to protect even her own cubs and her inate drive to stay alive will always win out. My hopes are that we can all apprectiate our dogs to the fullest and love them for who they are, not for what we wish they were.there. By the way, No dog should be gun shy or fearfull of any lound noises, spooked for any reason. These are dogs that serve no purpose for work. Rinny was a hollywood dog. But I know there are dogs that will do what they need to do, just don't expect more of them then is reasonable and you will enjoy him/her all the more. I do not appreciate my wife, or any thing in this life because of my hopes and expectations but simply because with all her good points, not so good points I love her, Period. Thanks for reading

4pack, didn't see the post you snuck in there. It was a great desire of mine to breed years ago. I had studied and saved all of my money from training for about 7 years in order to purchase the best bitch possible for breeding. I was a real idealist and did not want to breed simply for the sake of breeding. I wanted every one to have the opportunity to own a true representitive of the breed. Unfortunatly, all of that came to a sudden end. Infact I had an excellent dog that I was waiting on pink papers from Germany for when I was forced to sell her and all kennels, dogs etc. That was the end of training and any hopes for breeding. Sometimes things just don't work out the way we want but in the end it can be a blessing in disguise. I have just recently started to enjoy this site and " talking dogs", how I love talking dogs. The one lesson that I did learn through it all was "love your dog and appreciate them for who they are". I no longer obsess over getting the perfect dog, cause it won't happen. Any way I got to stop going on and on. Thanks for asking though.

4pack, P.S. I can't think of anything more fun and exhilerating then working with dogs, but people can be an absalute pain in the butt. The one thing I absalutly don't miss is the back biting,nasty kicks to the groin and the groins of competitors. Just read the message board! Don't need that any more.