Pack Of German Shepherd Dogs Running Free - Page 4

One of the things I like the most about GSD's it that they seem to be more apt to live peacefully in a pack vs some other breeds.

I can promise you that one serious fight will put an end to running multiple dogs together and it only takes a few seconds for that to happen.  It happened to me (not GSD's) and I paid a high price, so I will continue to err on the side of caution not allowing more than 3 GSD's to run together while admiring those of you who are able to do that successfully. I love seeing the photos and videos and wish I could get up the nerve to try it .

Blitzen, maybe you are right in that I shouldn't think in terms of ALL

breeds being able to be run like that.  There are certainly some breeds

where it would seem unlikely, if not nearly impossible;  but those are

breeds I haven't owned or lived with, so do not know enough about them,

or how they relate to each other or would relate/behave with me.

When I said "any breed(s)"  I was thinking back to when I was exercising

my mentor's GSDs from the Show kennel;  which I did in London parks.

We had many friends, both dogs and their humans, we used to walk with, &

hang around and socialise with.  Granted that meant we had as many people

as dogs (give or take 1 or 2), so the controls were different.  But they used to

all run around together and get on well with each other,  we rarely had any

trouble (even the sort of minor grumbles KitKat referred to).  Now maybe I

shouldn't describe this mixed bunch of breeds and types as a 'pack', but on a

regular basis we had anything from 5 to 15 dogs running together.

Dogs (and wolves) are "pack animals", after all;  surely with some of the least

likely and most quarrelsome breeds, some could be run like this, if their person

knew what they were doing;  particularly if the dogs were all related to each

other ?

I am also reminded of one or two clients in my pet&house-sitting / dogwalking

days, who had multiple dogs which were habitually walked together.  If they were

used to going out 3 or 4 at a time, I was quite happy to at least try to continue

that as normal for  them.  At least until I'd worked out whether they respected me

enough to control them.

I guess since most breeds no longer need to survive in the wild where the alpha eats first, produces the only progeny, etc, so most no longer view other dogs as competition. Other breeds still retain that survival characteristic or they have been bred to be aggressive to other dogs. The later would be the difficult dogs  to integrate into a pack I think. 

As I've said, I love seeing it, but it's not going to happen at my house because I am a whimp.

I would never trust our dogs to run as a pack with anyone other than me, #1 they wouldn't listen, #2 once the pack leader is gone they need to figure out who's going to be in charge, fights will erupt. 

I have had a really bad dog fight once. I calmly got the weakest members out and down then proceeded to the house for lead ropes, hooked one around the top dog's waist tied it to a tree and then done the same thing with the other dog and dragged it away by its' waist and tied it up. Once one was settled I took her to her crate and then brough the other to her crate. It felt like a long time but I kept my cool and did what I had to. The hardest part is walking away while they're fighting to get the tools you need to stop it! Now I carry leads with me just in case that ever happens again! It was work but they exist together now. The one bitch was coming into heat. Live & learn!

Joan that certainly is Tazer;) He has already claimed ownership over her!!! LOL!

As a one/two dog owner I never had the opportunity to really test my "leadership" qualities, but I think that genetically at least in the German Shepherd dog the social behavior didn´t change at all, their social skills are well structured, and living in a pack seems to be the most natural way for them; but I guess you need a lot of space in case one dog must flee out of any reason while the pack leader ( the human ) is absent.
It´s uncommon over here - the breeders are afraid of any damage of their dogs and the IPO competitors ( including me ) are afraid, that this natural pack behavior might suppress the development of some single dogs.
But, honestly, in case I´d be a dog, I would love to live with my pack instead of being kenneled alone during my whole life ...

Took me a lot of years to change my mind - over here "one German Shepherd dog = one kennel" is the norm - now my dogs live(d) with me in the house for years, no more "one dog kennel", only a fenced yard for the safety of my dogs - all of them loved it, and the relationship became much better - living in a pack with human leadership might be the next level on the "feelgood factor" of a German Shepherd dog.

I really love my dogs in with me but there are times they must be kenneled or in their crates but the kennels are generally empty unless I'm raising a youngster or have a new dog. They're not allowed to run with the pack until they're bonded with me and look up to me for instruction (8 to 18 months depending on the dog). I don't like my dogs to enjoy being with the other dogs more than me, this is when they don't listen. If this happens at any point that dog is separated and re-trained, this would tell me I missed a brick in their foundation/upbringing. I feel this gives me the best of both worlds, a trained dog and a pack member once trained.

I feel when the dogs are with me instead of in a kennel they're less frustrated & more content overall.

I would never trust our dogs to run as a pack with anyone other than me, #1 they wouldn't listen, #2 once the pack leader is gone they need to figure out who's going to be in charge, fights will erupt.

I love this statement. #2 is my favorite.

All the GSDs I'm referring to, at work or at Ronnie's kennel,

were normally kennelled outdoors, in ones or twos,  or with

the work dogs occasionally threesomes.  I honestly have no

idea whether that separation in down-time helped when they

did get together, I do think trouble - if there was going to be a

row between them - tended to happen when they were in the

kennels.  The 'work' dogs were out at night, again as 1, 2, or 3.

That meant they were free, in confined areas, with minimal

supervision.  None had a bad fight, ever.

A very impressive group VTGSD;  just beautiful to boot.  Thx for sharing the pic's and video.  Nan

Joni, let me explain in plain, simple English since you seem to be a bit lacking in the comphrension department. This is the SECOND time you have not been smart enough or just not careful enough to understand what I was saying and went off on a Jerry Springer style rampage.  I'm embarrassed *for* you. You look like the biggest fool right now. You'll probably finally realize what you did and then send me yet another "I'm so sorry" email...save it. 

VK4 mentioned (wrote, said) that no grass would be a red flag where he's from. I brought up the point that perhaps there is no grass because it's a shaded area?? In other words, DEFENDING what might be a very good reason to not have any grass in a certain area. Meaning, I was essentially DEFENDING YOU, if that was the reason there was no grass in the area! Hey genius, perhaps it would behoove you to read through more than once? And if you still don't understand, ask for clarification?

You "don't take ignorance very well"....ROFL...oh, pot, kettle...LOL LOL

And Joni, you're so right. I never should have let my horse go to the best trainer I knew of. I should have kept him on my property for his entire life. It was totally inhumane of me to send my young stallion for professional training since I'm not a horse trainer; what was I thinking?! It's totally my fault he's dead; you nailed it. I should go straight to hell. I should have consulted you first before buying him and then I'd have realized that I didn't deserve to have him. Oh, woe is me. 

Panzer, I sincerely apologize, but I can't let someone so vile get away with that unchallenged.