I think we're going to get a GSD for the family. Not 100% decided yet, but close.
- Thread starter AmmoFort
- Start date
He really wasn't that bad. I honestly expected it to be worse. I don't know how he pulls off being both mild mannered and intense at the same time, but that's kinda where he was. He still gets that way with me when we are out cruising around, but he is pretty well subdued with the wife and kids.
Velociraptor phase. I love it. Mine ripped the front drivers seat completely out of my Honda Accord. Maybe it was a calling from God to buy American....
Be patient and firm. You will be rewarded with an awesome dog, great friend.
Be patient and firm. You will be rewarded with an awesome dog, great friend.
The is Coda, he chewed the wheels off this hard case! Will turn 1 next month and still can't be left alone. Otherwise a great dog!
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Has anyone ever dealt with their German Shepherd having a crazy high prey drive for cats? This guy goes ape-fucking-shit when he sees the cat.
"One of my friends," had their dog terrorize their cats and whenever the cats were visible to him inside or out he went into T-1000 mode. The cats were so freaked out one of them hid under the spare tire of "my buddy's pickup", and he ended up running it over leaving his property when it tried to jump out. So for the benefit of his children, that cat "ran away."
Anyhow his pooch was eerily similar to mine <wink> and it is a shitshow struggle when the cat is around. Our dog Tank has made himself an outside dog and honestly the cat is now going to be an outside critter as well. Apparently no one can have nice things. The 2 new pups get along great with the cat. No fucking problems whatsoever, but my GSD just can't handle it.
Aside from needing a much taller fence to secure him he is doing great. If we leave for the day he needs to be in his kennel. I've only had dogs and cats at the same time for a short period in my life and it was a non issue.
"One of my friends," had their dog terrorize their cats and whenever the cats were visible to him inside or out he went into T-1000 mode. The cats were so freaked out one of them hid under the spare tire of "my buddy's pickup", and he ended up running it over leaving his property when it tried to jump out. So for the benefit of his children, that cat "ran away."
Anyhow his pooch was eerily similar to mine <wink> and it is a shitshow struggle when the cat is around. Our dog Tank has made himself an outside dog and honestly the cat is now going to be an outside critter as well. Apparently no one can have nice things. The 2 new pups get along great with the cat. No fucking problems whatsoever, but my GSD just can't handle it.
Aside from needing a much taller fence to secure him he is doing great. If we leave for the day he needs to be in his kennel. I've only had dogs and cats at the same time for a short period in my life and it was a non issue.
Many high prey drive hunting dogs hate cats with a passion if they are not trained from a young pup to be okay around them.
They are natural enemies and compete for survival based on the same food resources.
Discipline and training. Need to be stern and aggressive with the training. Some people cant do this and the dogs walk all over them. Need to send the fear of god into the dog so he knows whos boss... Grab it, set it down and a good scolding.. I had a "dog beater stick".... a yard stick i slapped on the counter and it made a loud crack... Never did I ever hit them with it, but if I told them im getting the dog beater stick out they would instantly listen to me. One all i would have to say "wanna take a bath?".... instant obedience. lol.. You need to find out what "reaches" the dog, what its fears are. They are smart and will play you.
My dog had grown up around cats and a Jack Russell Terrier.
However, he could chase our cat, Jade, because she would pick fights with him. What got me to stop him was positive reinforcement. I used the clicker to associate with treats. I would call "off" and he would halt in just about mid-stride and return to me. That's because I would make the effort to get him a piece of grilled pork chop or smoked brisket, the mother lode of treats. Listening to me was the greatest thing for him and the only thing that worked.
However, he could chase our cat, Jade, because she would pick fights with him. What got me to stop him was positive reinforcement. I used the clicker to associate with treats. I would call "off" and he would halt in just about mid-stride and return to me. That's because I would make the effort to get him a piece of grilled pork chop or smoked brisket, the mother lode of treats. Listening to me was the greatest thing for him and the only thing that worked.
High prey drive dogs & cat = you are truly training them to rein it in. I don’t have GSDs I have Dobermans, same issue. They will leave the cat alone when I’m around but w someone that is not firm the chase is on.
Its like a cartoon sometimes…I’m watching the cat trying to walk past the doggo… the doggo is watching the cat… the cat starts to walk faster as she passes the dog like this is a bad neighborhood thing. If my dog doesn’t see me watching him or her as soon as the cat sprints they will chase.
Its like a cartoon sometimes…I’m watching the cat trying to walk past the doggo… the doggo is watching the cat… the cat starts to walk faster as she passes the dog like this is a bad neighborhood thing. If my dog doesn’t see me watching him or her as soon as the cat sprints they will chase.
I almost put this same thought into words. Like an old school cartoon of cat’s and dogs. But I’ve seen him corner the cat while she’s elevated and his hackles are now down and while still being intent he is relaxed. I haven’t caught any recent interactions, but have heard from my wife and kids that he is ‘doing better’?
Last one I saw he had tree’d the cat and I went and put him down and told him the cat was our friend and to knock it off. Put his e-collar on him and he didn’t set a toe wrong for the rest of the day. It’s just hard to catch him in the act.
And that is the important part of dog training. I may have said before but it bears repeating.
It is called operant conditioning.
You reward good behavior but you need to link the good behavior to the reward immediately. That is why a clicker is often used for household pets. If you wish to introduce positive punishment, it depends on whether the dog finds it to be a punishment and if it is linked to the undesirable behavior. For example, forum friend had a Cane Corso who could run through the bushes and get bramble thorns on his sac and not care. You are not going to be able to hurt that dog. All you can do is make listening to you the most rewarding thing ever. It's not being soft, it is understanding the linking of events in the dog's mind.
Things differ for police dogs. Especially pursuit K-9 units. They are not trained with treats and this avoids being deterred by a suspect throwing food at them. They are rewarded with tug on a towel. So, fleeing suspects don't realize that by resisting, they are rewarding the dog and he can play this game all day.
Also, there is the temperment of a K-9. Not all dogs fit that role, to be able to bite and hold without damage, and then release upon command in spite of noise and distractions.
It is called operant conditioning.
You reward good behavior but you need to link the good behavior to the reward immediately. That is why a clicker is often used for household pets. If you wish to introduce positive punishment, it depends on whether the dog finds it to be a punishment and if it is linked to the undesirable behavior. For example, forum friend had a Cane Corso who could run through the bushes and get bramble thorns on his sac and not care. You are not going to be able to hurt that dog. All you can do is make listening to you the most rewarding thing ever. It's not being soft, it is understanding the linking of events in the dog's mind.
Things differ for police dogs. Especially pursuit K-9 units. They are not trained with treats and this avoids being deterred by a suspect throwing food at them. They are rewarded with tug on a towel. So, fleeing suspects don't realize that by resisting, they are rewarding the dog and he can play this game all day.
Also, there is the temperment of a K-9. Not all dogs fit that role, to be able to bite and hold without damage, and then release upon command in spite of noise and distractions.
We got this mutt from some people that found her wandering the highway. She had got bounced through 3 other houses before she hit ours. Wife tried to find her owners for a few months. She was chipped by a breeder, but the breeder apparently didn't have good records. We were told by the breeder she was 5 and they didn't know who bought her. Vet said she was no older than 3, and in good health.
She was depressed as hell, slept 24 hours a day, and chewed about $800 in the wife's shoes in the first week...
After 9 months of working with her she behaves, has learned how to play, chases our heeler mutt around non-stop, sleeps with the kids, just being a normal dog. It only took a month to change her from a depressed shoe chewing wreck to a confident loving pup.
All it took was consistent effort and love to break her bad habits.
We're thinking she may have border Collie mixed in from the white feet and the 55 lb weight.
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