Need help from experienced GSD owners - Page 7

Abby

Yes, it didn't happen...Lucky for the kid and extremely lucky for the OP...I did not say the OP was doing the wrong thing...

Well if you know the German Shepherd breed well enough, you can predict what the dog would have done...

Let's not debate this okay...

Aadilah,

Hunters look for prey drive in their dog so the dog can chase and bring to the hunter. 

In tracking (what I do), we look for prey drive so the dog is willing to work for long periods of time to get his reward.
Prey drive doesn't mean that my dog will eat little kids.  When the guys evaluated prey drive in my dog, they took toys and wanted to see if my dog would chase it.  They didn't mentioned that unfortunately, my dog was having prey drive and she was going to eat anything moving.  They told me that my dog was able to work.   

By the way, who told you that the kid stood ?  I'm curious because I was here and that's not what happened.  My dog didn't stopped and barked neither.  My dog ran in the street to bark at the kid, I called her back and corrected her, we are talking about a situation that lasted about 3 seconds.  My dog didn't have time to stop and bark just like what you see in a Schutzhunt field. 

I will do my homework in training my dog and consulting experts.  Please do your homework in reading about prey drive and why is it needed, and what it actually means... Please don't participate in a post you don't have a clue what you're talking about.  

That is actually the first time I've heard the term 'prey drive' applied to tracking.

I've always understood 'prey drive' to mean a dog's drive to chase a toy (substitute for the 'prey' of a running rabbit) with the determination to catch and claim it.   Used first when working obedience to get a puppy focused on and 'working' for the reward of receiving the object it 'chased' and then in protection as the dog's drive to engage and pursue a fleeing suspect.  

I had a dog who was extremely 'prey driven' who was a mess at tracking because he all he wanted to do was 'chase' and he was constantly looking for something to chase down and  would not settle into the focused work of using his nose and head.  I had to rehome that dog because he was forever chasing my young son.

When working on bloodhounds genetics, breeders focus on prey drive as a quality that makes a dog willing to find the thing it is "chasing".  I was told, for tracking, that it is a very important trait to look for. 
For greyhounds, whippet, running dogs, extreme prey drive to get the toy.
For hunting dogs, prey drive is of outmost importance, to chase the prey and bring it back.
For sheep dog.
I have been told what was prey drive for by expert in working dog.
I don't know why your dog was chasing your son ?  My dog is a family dog, she lives in the house.

My 3 year old put a doll dress on the shepherd today and a pair of sunglasses.  My 3 kids are always running in my house.  She NEVER tried to chase my kids, even when she was a small pup.  The dog is completely switched off in the house.
When outside, switch on.  My dog can track for long period of time.  She is crazy to get her ball.  I hide something, she will get it.  I tried many wheater conditions, like big snow, rain,... she is always willing to get her reward, no matter how long it takes. 
I tried her in farm jobs last summer, very good.  She is a good worker.  Like if she has been a sheep dog forever, she was pretty young last summer.

Rlhar, sounds like your dog was hectic and lacked focus, and discipline. Sometimes you have to tell a dog NO and give them guidance.
Sounds like Verohera's dog has focus and discipline and good nerves to control the high prey drive. Glad you decided to keep her and continue your work with her.

I got him as a green older dog and the foundation work on him was very much prey oriented.  He had beautiful obedience but he was locked into prey and even after dedicated work for a couple of years, he was not a good Schutzhund prospect and he was forever after my son and the cats.

Rehomed him as an only dog with an active family with older children (10, 12) and he's relaxed and happy as a lark with them and I have my current male who does therapy work with my young nehphew and we just titled our IPO 1 in October.  Much better fits all the way around.

Sounds a good outcome for every body :)

Vero you may want to search "Hunt drive" on this forum some really interesting discussions about the different drives from some knowlegable GSD people

Good Luck

VeroHera,

 You wanted to get rid of the dog for that incident...
You came on here like such a novice needed expert advice and now you posting things about drives, etc...
Became an overnight expert...

If it was such a small 3 second thing that you understand so well about, why even waste "experienced peoples" time...

You need to make up your mind...
Your 1 post says the child was calling your dog and your original post says no such thing....

Same dog that growled at kids last April, don't waste other peoples time...
You just saw an earlier post...really.....
Be honest to yourself and your dog....

BTW- thanx minicus for picking this up...
For those that don't know:

The info is on page 1 on this topic....

VeroHera,
Finally, do not take lightly the safety and well being of other peoples kids...

Experienced dog trainers can tell who really understand training terms and who is regurgitating seminars and fifteen minutes of actual work...it's visible in many of the absolute statements they make.