Training goals for a 9 Month Female GSD

11376 Views 43 Replies 11 Participants Last post by Jeff Oehlsen, Sep 17, 2006

Martin Espericueta

Discussion Starter · Sep 3, 2006

Training goals for a 9 Month Female GSD

Hello All,

Just a quick History: I have a 9 month old female GSD, which I've had
since she was 9 weeks old. When Sable was 5 months, I took her to get
evaluated at a SchH club by Gregg Tawney.

She was concidered "ok" by him, not going to win any big SchH
competitions, but just had "ok" prey drive. Again, she was just 5 months at
the time, and Gregg told me to really work w/her on building drive (and focus).

Her temperment is fine. She's beginning to bark at noises outside at night.
I like this, as I would really like her as more of a deterent than PPD. I just
don't think she has the genes. But as a sports dog, I want to do SchH with
her.

She's a "soft" dog, althought I don't correct her much, just only for bad manners.

She recently has begun to pee when I walk up to her, after a bit of time
away from her. I think my sons may have been picking on her. I've never
caught them, but have a feeling. That has stopped (as far as I can tell,
after telling them, "LEAVE MY DOG ALONE!!!"), but now she kind of cowers
- just sometimes, not all the time - when I aproach her.

So, now that I've bored you all w/her history

I'm trying to build up her
confidence (again

) and her OB.

What should I be concentrating on right now? Her sitz/platz
are great, but her heir has diminished, I feel, due to the issue
above (acting scared). She's 100% with her heir when I'm all alone
w/her, and 75% w/distractions. Sometimes, she'll cower and go the other
way

I play tug w/her every day, and (get this...) have made a bite sleeve from
my wife's old jean overalls. I've wrapped it on my arm, and let her tug at
it like the tug she has.

So, what else should I do? and should I continue the jean-tug? I have no
extra $$$ for club membership anywhere (couldn't you tell by my
jean-tug?) and don't know anyone "close" to me who I can train with.

Thanks!

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Debbie High

· #4 · Sep 5, 2006

Martin,

Most heat cycles last about 21 days. That 1-1/2 to 2 week mark is when most bitches are ready to be bred. A loose rule of thumb is a week coming in, a week of being bred and a week of going out.

INHO you need to keep your bitches training positve with very few corrections. As for pack order corrections....is she really that dominate/ pushy? Or does she just sort of actively incorporate into the household? Pack order corrections really don't always have to involve corrections per se, control the situations. From your description she does not sound like a dominate bitch. Lighten-up and enjoy your dog. Make everything fun and games!!!

You still have plenty of time for formal obedience training. I know people that wait until the dog is over a year old before obedience becomes a serious thing to worry about. For safety reasons the most important thing is to come when called. Everything else is a matter of rewarding good behavior. If she doesn't comply...... she doesn't get a reward. Keep yummy treats in your pockets at all times. You'll be amazed after a week.

Just some suggestions that work for me. Think like a dog!!!! :lol:

Debbie

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Debbie High

· #12 · Sep 5, 2006

Hi Martin, Sounds like you're getting on the right track.....

I have a Mal that lives in the house who is a fairly dominate bitch. My husband gives her very few commands. I don't really want him too. She is my dog. If there is a problem he calls me. As for your kids they just need to play with the dog and have a good time since she is living as part of the family. As you said the corrections could be a problem. So if no commands are given there won't be any corrections! End of that problem.

The door thing.....well, sometimes I make them wait and sometimes I let them go ahead of me. If safety is an issue then they always have to wait.

Corrections will often lower a dogs drive. Therefore, if you have a soft dog with medium drive and you over correct the dog OB is not going to look flashy and happy. A harder dog with lots of drive can likely take corrections and carry on as though nothing has happened. There are many combinations of drives and temperaments. It is up to us to figure out what works best for our dog. A simple voice correction, a prong collar an ecollar, food reward, toy reward, etc. etc. and/or any combination of the above. Hope I havent confused you!! :lol: :lol:

Best of luck with your girl. Just give her time to grow up.

Debbie

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Debbie High

· #13 · Sep 5, 2006

Greg Long said:
Ok,Ill be the devil's advocate for you Sch folks.

I correct all my dogs no matter if they are 6 weeks or 6 years.I dont see any ill effects on working ability or the will to work.Of course I dont build prey drive(although I used to) and I dont train for sport so I have different goals and needs.

Just had to aggravate you guys some more.. :twisted:

Greg, Saw your post after I posted mine.....I agree with what you say.......however, the first Mal I owned was a PSD wash out that was very, very,very soft. A firm NO and she would walk around for days as if I had beaten her.....drove me nuts! She doesn't live with me anymore. The guy that has her now loves her! I think our dogs have to fit our personalities, training abilities, family situation and needs. Different strokes for different folks!!! :lol:

Debbie

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Debbie High

· #22 · Sep 6, 2006

Greg Long said:
As for flashy and happy :roll: :roll: you gotta do what you gotta do for points I guess. :x

I'm not always into flashy and happy either, depends on the dog. In the first post Martin said he wanted to do Sch with his bitch, so flashy and happy would certainly be advantageous for him.

Debbie

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