Discernment - Page 15

My current dog had many homes before I got her at 3 1/2 years. I am at least her 8th owner. She had some issues that I had to work on, she's doing well now 1 1/2 years later and has earned some entry level OB titles, her AD and BH, CGC.   I doubt that would have happened when I first got her. I didn't try to figure out why, I worked on her problems with the help of her breeder and some trainers. I didn't think it mattered why, so I didn't spend a lot of time thinking about that.  Dogs live in the here and now so I tried to give her a happy now.

I have little information on how she was handled other than to feel certain there was no physical abuse and I know at least one was a very loving owner who had some bad  personal luck.  One thought she was too big to "special" so she was returned. I'm not convinced she was exposed to a lot of mental of physical stimulation either. The person I got her from no longer wanted her because she tried to take down a stranger who ran up on them on a jogging path during early morning before dawn run. I thought that was a good reason to take her. As we all know, dogs are disposable to many and it's probably not all that unusual to find a dog with many homes or bad homes that can be rehabbed into a very nice dog.

I'm just not sure how valuable it is to drive one's self nuts trying to figure out what happened before or to use that speculation to try to understand how to help the dog get to thinking straight.

Talking about history, I just wanted to say a couple of things. During WW2 people were asked to donate dogs of any kind. Many different breeds left ordinary families and went to serve. If and when they made it through, they were "detrained", for  lack of a better word, and returned to their original families. My 2nd thing is I saw a 30 minute movie put out by the military, sort of like newsreel thing, on how they took the dogs and trained them. The focus dog was a GSD who belonged to a boy about 10 or so. And yes at the end of his career he was returned to the young man. Gustav said back in the day a lot of dogs were tied out and I will add also allowed to run loose. And as he said the dogs were rehomed and turned out to be new dogs. I agree about the nerves....it's lacking in a lot of dogs this day and age.
As far as where the dog bites, an aggressive dog going after another dog is not (to me anyway) exhibiting herding behavior. I have an aggressive little bitch and she goes for the neck but it has nothing to do with the hold on a sheep's neck--she goes for the neck as to get that part situated because she knows that is the only part on the other dg that can hurt her. I'm no expert at anything but my old dog has several certificates from different herding clubs and the grip on that sheep's neck is way different  than an aggressive dog;s grip cause they are going for the kill. I know my words aren't always the best but I think you get the general idea of what I am trying to say.
The whole problem is so many people have flooded thebreed  and have not a clue other than what they read in books and the prices they see in the classifieds. My favorite saying--the almighty dollar bill is all they are interested in. You good breeders out there who do care and re doing the right ting by the dogs, please keep up the good work. You know who you are--I don't have to mention names. I like seeing the dogs like the ones from back then and hope I can only make a small contribution towards bringing dogs like those back. That is my intent anyway...................Just my thoughts............
 

Good "Dog Behaviourists" and Rescue Home staff  would usually say
it is much better NOT to dwell on the rescued dog's past horrors, or
speculate as to what they might have been.  As Blitzen says, dogs
live in the "now", so to keep worrying about what may have been
experienced tends to get in the way of the new relationship being formed
with the adoptive owner.  Sometimes that can contribute to making
problems worse.
 

GSDStudent's idea about joining more than one Club would
maybe have some merit if the Clubs spent much time trying 
to influence issues  "for the good of the breed";  but in fact
if the posts on this board about the rivalry and discord between
members of the WDA and of USCA are any guide, at least in
America that is, sadly, a very faint hope.

Waves @ Vonissk  

Hundmutter; The clubs are involved with many issues which effect the dog owning population including breeds other than the great GSD. Much effort is placed into breed specific leg. and other DOG problems. Education [ with some propaganda ] is obtainable. I bet if you researched who made the most noise during the ''battle'' between national clubs you will see all they did was make noise. Do not let the malcontents blind you. Take for instance the article from the HGH breeder listed above. If you blow out of proportion the sleave carrying thing, you might not see how it is a positive lesson for any dog in protective sports or other bite programs. It gives the dog a victory, a place to feel accomplishment. Compare the sleave carry to a Human Boxer doing jump rope. Be careful not to call that person a sissy. If you want to find fault with sport, this is the place! if you want to find fault with organization, this is the place. if you want to find fault with the breed , sadly this is the place. If you are not part of the solution, this is your place.

GSDStudent - my concern is that US GSD owners see too much
[on this & other sites] of all the narking about which of USCA or
WDA is 'right' that they would likely be completely put off joining either
of those !   In the UK,  our variety of Clubs have their issues too,
but at least they are 1) about more important things than who accepts
which score books;  or 2) which judge is 'corrupt' because he dared
award a score which was 3 points different to someone else.  When
the League falls out with BAGSD it's about the provision of training
club facilities  to adequately serve those members of our GSD-owning
population interested in working their dogs;  or which hip scheme
works better, or something of that priority.  It is clear that the US has just
as long a way to go before everybody who wants to be able to attend a club
can do so - or even gets a choice between more than one - as we have here
in the UK.

PS  Most dog owners over here cannot BE 'Members' of our Kennel Club;  and while
it is true they can as easily join local all-breed societies as they can their local
GSD club, for many it isn't worth the extra subsciption fee, in terms of canine
progress in health or public acceptance or anything else.  Most action on behalf
of dogs comes from breed-specific organisations, who may, eventually, be able to
get the KC to consider their issue(s), much less kick it into action.  Yes, the broader
based organisations, primarily the KC, do take up the cudgels on some matters -
the trouble is they are too often found to be things the main dog-owning populace
would not prioritise.  

Hundmutter; thank you for the insight into your Country's complexities. I try to balance attitudes which are negative to organized dog sport with thoughts different than many expressed here. I would love to promote beginners to investigate deeper than political problems with this great breed. I hate to be the devils advocate on line, but a lot of these opinions are not helping the breed or the people who love it. No GSD person is an island.

I think a lot of these opinions are from people who love the breed also, and have done far more for the breed than devils advocate....jmo.

angels do not need an advocate. thanks for the debate! It should further the cause.