Dear Adam:

I am writing about our dog Rudy, a three year old goldie mix that we adopted five months ago from a shelter. We have received different opinions on his mix. Some have said goldie/shepherd, some have said goldie/chow. The latter is the opinion of the [local dog training academy], where he is presently enrolled in their one-month board and train program. We enrolled him because one month ago he attacked a jogger. The jogger was running by my husband, who had Rudy in a sit on a slack leash. The jogger changed direction quickly, running straight toward Derek and Rudy. Rudy lunged at the jogger, jumped up on him, barking and growling aggressively.

He tore the man’s jacket by nipping at it, but he did not bite the jogger.

[You weren't paying attention to your dog. If you were, you'd have already been running the other direction to execute the "attention getter" drill as outlined in the book. -Editor]

The only other time he had displayed such aggressive behavior was toward a UPS driver coming up the driveway, but he was well under control that time.

He has a very strong prey drive and dominant personality. He had been doing very well these past three weeks at the Academy. They were not able to elicit any aggressive behavior from him, and his obedience training was going well. But last Thursday, he bit a trainer. He apparently was being put back into his kennel and ran off down a long hallway. He was not leashed. When he got to the dead end, he first went submissive, rolling over on his back. The trainer then reached to grab his collar and Rudy gave her hand a good bite. She then reached for the collar with her other hand, and he did the same to that hand. He did not give her any warning growl or snap. He did not move forward toward her, just reacted to her reach toward him. After the second bite she backed off, and another trainer was able to coax Rudy to go back with her uneventfully.

I have read your book and believe that the trainer bite was an example of fear aggression? (I don’t know what to think about the jogger, though.) The Academy seems to be saying that they can’t train that reaction out of him; that we will just need to be vigilant and mindful of his triggers. That goes without saying, and I now believe that being cornered is one of his triggers. (Our vet had also mentioned that when they cornered him to get him on a table, that he had snapped out at them.) But your book and tapes led me to believe that you can train such behavior out of a dog. Or am I misunderstanding? Are you merely just getting the dog to react to you instead of following his instinctual reaction? Certainly that’s a good thing, but what if he’s with someone else when he’s triggered?

We need some perspective on this situation. I love him and want to give him every chance to learn correct behaviors. But on the other hand, we live in a dense children and jogger packed neighborhood. We can’t keep him if there is reasonable risk of this kind of thing happening again.

Mary Ellen

Dear Mary Ellen:

Thank you for the e-mail.

You’ve got a couple of things to consider:

1. The dog needs to be firmly corrected lunging. Going after the biker is a prey-based aggression. Correct him for this, as described in the book.

2. Going after the trainer and the veterinarian is the result of the dog being insecure and not trusting the handler. Usually in these types of cases, he will not bite if he is secure that you will not hurt him. Or if he knows that he will only be fairly corrected for behavior that he understands.

With aggressive behavior, we can never say 100% “All” or “Never” that your dog will or will not show a specific behavior.

Regardless, your dog needs to be corrected for such behavior, and then shown that if he is calm, he gets praise and nothing bad happens to him. This can sometimes be achieved by placing the dog in such positions while he is wearing a muzzle. He cannot bite you, and ultimately learns that everything ends up “A-Okay.”

It is a process of deconditioning. Not so for the prey-aggression, which can be fixed with a couple of well-timed and motivational corrections.

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As with most pedigree breeds, there are certain hereditary conditions that can be a problem in the German Shepherd as well as other health issues that are more prevalent in this breed which need to be considered if you are thinking acquiring a GSD.

If you are buying a German Shepherd puppy it is important to ensure that you only purchase a healthy dog from a reputable breeder and a good idea would be to contact the breed council who should be able to provide you with a list of such breeders. Most reputable breeders don?t need to advertise but if they do they tend not to use free papers or other general advertising media but will usually place their advert in a specialist dog magazine or paper. The Kennel Club will provide a list of breeders but this does not signify that they are reputable only that they register their puppies with the KC.

There are a number of common conditions seen in this breed, some of which have a better prognosis than others but all of which are expensive to treat ? so insure your German Shepherd Dog as soon as you get it.

Inherited conditions such as hip dysplasia are becoming more common largely because of irresponsible breeding so you should look for a puppy whose parents are both hip scored and the lower the score the better ? ideally less than ten. This is a distressing and painful condition for a GSD as well as the costs for treating being prohibitive if the animal is not insured. Elbow dysplasia is also a common hereditary condition.

Bloat or gastric torsion is a real emergency and a life threatening condition, which has become more common in deep chested dogs over the years. Experts are divided but good tips for reducing the risk are that it is best to feed 2 small meals rather than one large meal a day and to avoid feeding your GSD before strenuous exercise.

Anal furunculosis is a distressing auto immune condition which can be controlled with expensive drugs for a while but will inevitably progress as is the condition CDRM which is a degenerative disease which will ultimately lead to the loss of use of the dogs back legs and then bowel/urinary incontinence.

For whatever reason there seems to be an increasing number of GSD?s suffering from PI ? pancreatic insufficiency, which presents as chronic watery diarrhoea and failure to thrive. This condition is treatable with expensive pancreatic enzymes and a low fat diet but the regime must be strictly adhered to.

Epilepsy is also more common these days and although it can be controlled by drugs, usually tolerance eventually occurs which will often result in the loss of control of the fits and the likelihood of brain damage as a result of prolonged uncontrolled fitting.

To protect your new puppy and in order to try to minimise long term or future health problems, it is vital that a high quality feeding regime is adopted from the start. German shepherds often have digestive problems so it is important to find a quality food that your dog likes and one that doesn?t upset the digestion. If in doubt ask your vet for advice or contact German Shepherd Rescue UK.

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What makes you love your dogs? Is it because of the way he loves you in return and the eagerness that you feel when he attempts to please? This love can be more emphasized through dog training as it creates the firm bond between you and your pal.

One well recognized method of dog training is through the use of dog treats. But dog treats are not for positive reinforcement dog training alone. Most dog owners have used them as snack alternatives. This does not proceed pleasurable experiences but may also aid in maintaining your pal’s health.

Like with other pet stuffs, there are considerations that an owner should first evaluate before allowing his pet to dog treats. Health components concerning with calorie content is on the priority list.

One of the growing concerns on dog health nowadays is obesity. Almost half of American dogs are overweight. Like with the case of human, obesity may lead to a variety of diseases like diabetes, heart disease and arthritis.

Overindulgence is thought as one of the contributing reason for obesity. This may be due to human factor. Most owners tend to give dog treats on an unregulated basis. For most, it doesn’t matter how many calories does a single biscuit may contain. To resolve this issue, an owner needs to cut back on the daily calorie intake of his pet until he reduces some weight. Controlling the quantity of dog treats throughout the day may be of great help. You may also choose to lessen his foods gradually until he reaches normal weight. In line with this, it is ideal to stick with dog treats with low calories. The subject on obesity may further be resolved through consulting the vet and to implement a regular exercise regimen.

It is also an ill practice to give your dog commercially produced human foods. Some of which may contain elements that are not suited for your dog’s health. Commercial foods are also often rich with fats and calories and low in nutrients and vitamins. Moreover, this practice is really not healthy for your dog’s manners. This only encourages begging. Give him his dog treats in his own place instead but always bearing the thought of how healthy the dog treats you give are.

Tips on Dog Treats Selection

It is always best to buy naturally produced dog treats. These save you from unnecessary additives that may post threats against your dog’s health. Fat and sugar-rich dog treats are complete no-no. look for dog treats that have high concentration of fibers and protein.

Dog treats that are primarily made from fishes are good sources of unadulterated health components. These are great foods for human as well as dogs. They are low in calories and fats.

Avoid giving dog treats before any major meals. If you are training him using positive reinforcement, cut back portions of his meals to balance his diet with dog treats.

There are dog treats that are especially made to optimize your dog’s health. Working in the same principle as that of the vitamin supplements. These are aids to maintain your dog’s health and may even relieve symptoms of certain diseases.

Don’t allow that dog treats may cover as much as ten percent of your pet’s diet.

In choosing the ideal treat, it is helpful to rely on your best judgements. It is you who know your pet well enough but in cases of doubt, you may as well consult a veterinarian.

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I love my pet, but I hate the high cost of pet supplies.

Can you relate to the constant drain on your wallet? Would you like to reduce the cost of your pet supplies?

If you too love your pet or pets and would like to benefit from some ways I save money on pet supplies then take just a few minutes and let me share some cost saving ideas that can really lighten the financial drain for those pets that we consider a integral part of our family.

One of the problems with the cost of pet supplies has become the increasing cost these past few years. It can add up fast. In my house we actually have a line item in our monthly budget because we actually have 3 pets (2 dogs and a cat). In this article I hope to help everyone who loves pets but would like to save money on pet supplies.

Most of us are genuine pet lovers. We love to keep animals as pets for our enjoyment and companionship. Over time, these pets become a regular part of the family. Our pets deserve the very best care just as anyone in the family would. Because of our love and commitment to care for our pets, We’re constantly looking for little nick knacks we can buy while shopping..

The pet supply and pet product industry has grown quite a bit over the past decade. Thus a large number of new pet stores have opened up all through out the country. There are many pet products and pet supplies outlets available in the market today including where you live or at least over the Internet. As a Pet lover, you can buy these products from discount pet stores or order online from the comfort of your home of office.

The goal is sorting through these new shopping options in search for the true values, the genuine best and Lowest discounted prices available. In terms of pet supply inventory, this too has increased dramatically over the past decade. Today there are virtually endless products and pet food options available. Most of the discount pet supply stores have a large assortment of these different products that offers a variety of sizes. In addition they carry a growing selection of pet supplies and pet gifts.

There are a wide variety of online and local discount pet stores for you to choose from. Both online and traditional discount pet supply stores offer a growing selection of items for the pets that you love. The online pet discount stores carries a wider range of product for your pet because their not limited to physical shelf space. These online discount pet stores are a great resource for checking out a discount pet supplies and price comparisons without the need to actually visit stores in your area. Online stores are easy to use as they are easier and more convenient to order from. When purchasing anything online including pet supplies or pet foods you can save money by not having to pay sales taxes in most cases. In addition, you can have many online pet supplies stores offer free shipping to first time buyers or in many cases for a specific period of time of if your order exceeds a certain dollar amount.

Most of the pet supply discount pet stores are pet friendly. They are designed to provide a nice comfortable place for the pet owner and your pet while your buying pet supplies. Some of these discount stores offer many additional benefits and services in addition to the normal services you’ve come to expect. Some of these extra services include pet grooming services, pet photography and veterinary services, Community services such as obedience classes, pet adoption clinics and seminars on pet care are also offered.

Well I hope this article has helped you and I hope it has shed some light on the challenge of saving money on your pets supplies regardless whether you use a local regular pet supply store or an online store. This may take a little research and price comparison on your part but the savings will be well worth it.

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Despite what it seems to be from a distance, dog training doesn’t need you to be a fearless Hercules, all it asks of you is to keep a few basics in mind. First, establish who the boss is, remind your dog again and again that you are the one on two feet while he is still on all fours, and thus what you say is Gospel and what he barks is not. Second, speak in a tone which oozes superiority, something on the lines of your first grade math teacher. Third, routine is everything so keep your training tactics consistent. Once you master these three techniques you will be the master of every single dog around!

Your heart might melt into a mush every time your cute little pup cocks his head, but don’t let that get in the way of your establishing who the master is. Go gooey eyed too frequently and you are likely to pay with your carpets and sandals, which it will most merrily chew through. Treat your pup the way you would treat a little kid, setting it strict boundaries and letting it know what goes and what most definitely doesn’t. Establish gestures like pointing etc. which will give the dog a cue to act in a certain way.

You might not think it possible but dogs, like your kids, can tell when you mean business, slacken up a bit with them and they’ll know you can be taken for a ride. Interestingly enough they also have this instinct for intonation; be strict when you want him to stay put at the yard, but be enthusiastic when you are asking him if he would like to go for a walk. It’s funny how you’ll see your own mood reflected in his responses. This is the primary step for you to establish the kind of communication with your dog which will allow you to calm him or set him up for work with a single word.

One of the main methods of training your dog is to keep a certain consistency in your approach towards him. Keep your intonations, gestures and words for expressing dissatisfaction the same every time, so that he gets used to the idea easily. A young pup who grows up with a certain set of commands will respond to them more promptly than one who is frequently confused by conflicting orders. The more consistent your commands are, the better trained your dog is, the better trained your dog is the greater your confidence in him regarding his obedience to you. A few other ways of establishing consistency are to use the same door when taking your doggie out for a walk, give him the same kind of pat every night before retiring for the day, so that he knows exactly what time it is.

Little things like these will help you predict your dog’s behavior more accurately. Most importantly, however, remember to shower your love and affection on the little one, continue your training through little games which he might enjoy, and remember to treat him every time he does a task well, after all like a child it too needs to be appreciated and given its bit of fun.

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