Discernment - Page 5

The general public are being taught that if a puppy, of any breed I guess, doesn't greet them with tail wagging and jumping all over when the people first meet them, that's a RED FLAG, RUN! RUN!! So aloofness is criticized and the breed changes because people believe that's not how puppies should act, regardless of the breed. Is it any wonder the true gsd is hard to find?

Play has always been developmentally accepted as practice for real life, I don't see it as a problem, but as correct for survival, even. An eighteen month old adolescent will be driven by other innate urges. But that is about aloofness definitions, not discernment. Thanks Koach for your "oldie" explanation and definition.
 

Thank You, Koach!

would not the level of discernment to be good or bad depend on the intended role of the dog?

Vk, you mean like, over qualified for a job?

I wonder if there are examples of GSD's from the past that illustrate the "oldie" definition of discernment, such as provided by Koach, that would also support the assertion that such a trait has been bred out of the GSD today, by current breeders?

Assistance dog partners who do not have previous experience handling a dog with a strong Protection drive, a fierce Territorial instinct or a hereditary dog aggression problem should not attempt a partnership with one of these breeds.  Those who do choose to work with one of these breeds must respect the darker side of its nature, learn how to avoid triggering it and never ignore the potential for a misunderstanding.  Occasionally one hears of a Doberman or German Shepherd or a Rottweiler that seems to lack the normal hereditary breed traits that earned such dogs the reputation of being formidable guard dogs.  But atypical specimens like that are extremely difficult to find, nor do they come with a lifetime guarantee.   Realistically, your odds on a pup from those breeds growing up to be an adult that lacks his breed's guard dog instinct is very slim.   Hereditary breed traits should always be considered part of the package when
making a breed choice.

Geez they make it sound like these breeds are vicious man-eaters!  If that's the concept of the GSD they are pushing, NO WONDER so few GSDs are being used!

SS, that's what I thought when I read that piece.....

With using a different set of gear for my Ulf for each task I ask of him, I never have issues with him understanding which rules/task he is preforming when I am asking something from him. He is my service dog 100 percent under use of his service vest and never shows protection/ gaurding during that task. Zero agression or prey drive while doing service dog work. I also train him in schutzhund and he understands that seperate role when we are there and with that gear. He is a complete different dog at schutzhund, and that point was drove home recently to me. It is like having two dogs with the change of his gear. He is never expected to watch over me when I am at training, the other members watch over me and know what to look for or do for me. Ulf relishes his service "off time" and knows he is off that duty while at training. 

  The gsd is supposed to be a utilility breed. This is balance at work. I ask and he does. He is intelligent, a thinker, fully capable from going from zero protection in service dog attire to schutzhund dog in a change of gear. He never watches people in a survailance way while in service vest or amps up with people running by or yelling or noises. He is stable in service vest and reading so much as I have recently here and on a service dog forum,  saying gsds cannot turn that off for service work is total bunk IMO. 

He is intelligent, a thinker, fully capable from going from zero protection in service dog attire to schutzhund dog in a change of gear. He never watches people in a survailance way while in service vest or amps up with people running by or yelling or noises. He is stable in service vest and reading so much as I have recently here and on a service dog forum,  saying gsds cannot turn that off for service work is total bunk IMO.

And THAT is exactly what this thread is all about!

When I first started doing schutzhund with my service dog, she didn't light up right away. After a couple of weeks, though, she was able to throw off her service dog training, and really started to fight for the tug. Our training director turned to to me with a grin, and said "I'm starting to see two different dogs here!"