This is mostly meant for GSD owners because I think different breeds learn, well, differently :

In trying to align my expectations with my GSD's capabilities, I'm trying to determine the age at which he should be performing almost flawlessly. To be able to answer my question, I'll add a couple of details so that I'm not comparing apples to oranges once I receive some answers:

22 months old
intact, male
showline
I work obedience with him every single day since 8 weeks old

And, if his disposition matters:

soft dog
likes ALL living creatures (ferrets, cats, dogs,)
loves people (except my son's friend's creepy father :sick

So, I know full well this is more a working line board but is there anyone out there whose GSD is not a hardcore, Schutzhund trained GSD? A GSD that I can more sensibly compare my dog to?

If so, can you guys post what age you think your GSD was when you were confident that he/she had perfect obedience when under medium to high distractions?

Thank you!

I am by no means a professional trainer, but I can tell you from experience that age doesn’t have a lot to do with it. My two dogs (brothers) are now 20 months old. One has 95% perfect obedience under distraction. The other one is better behaved generally, but is easily diverted by a lot of excitement. Maturity, a dog’s general make-up, etc., has more to do with spot-on obedience than age, IMO.

As an aside, methinks you are seriously considering acquiring another dog. Am I correct? That throws a whole new wrench into the works regarding ‘perfect obedience’. I’m sure other multiple dog owners will have some advice for you if this is the case.

 Quote: Jan Williamson

As an aside, methinks you are seriously considering acquiring another dog. Am I correct? That throws a whole new wrench into the works regarding ‘perfect obedience’. I’m sure other multiple dog owners will have some advice for you if this is the case.

If given the chance, my fiance would probably tell you that I outwit him in just about every verbal debate we ever have - except, of course, the we-must-get-a-2nd-GSD debate!

So, as long as my fiance is alive and well and able to put up a good fight, I'll never be able to talk him into another dog .

Regarding the obedience, can I ask it this way? If all things were equal, at what (approximate) age would the dog be mature enough to handle the medium to high distractions?

Judy , A flawless dog in obedience???everyday??? Never.
I can only say that my 3 year old male is far better than my one year old but in our club we have a few young femlaes that have great obedience close to the level of the older dogs that have been around for a long time.I think it all depends on your handling skills and how much work you put into it.I don't like to put too much pressure on a dogs obedience too early.I do it gradually.But by the time a dog is 14 months it should be able to do a routine for a bh , which has quiet a bit of distraction in that exercise.A dog by rule can do a BH phase by the age of 18 months, so go by that.Look at a BH routine and if your dog can't do it than you know you are behind on your obedience.If you can than you are on the right track! Did I ramble on or answered part of the question?

By the way Judy , I did my first BH on a showline and he's obedience was as flawless as a dog can be by the time he was 2.
I had him since he was 8weeks too, he was a big lover and it took alot of training to stop him from wanting to go off and say "hello" to people but we did it !
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r77/cadogancna/Picture017.jpg
Here is a pic of him, he lives at my parents now.

I don't do any ScH with Remi, he is going to be 2 in early February. Today, my oldest son took Remi to his "sharing week" at school. Remi was able to stay in a down or sit (whichever he was demonstrating at the moment) in front of 15 very excited little kids. And was even heeling next to my son around the field for part of the demonstration. This was a relaxed heel by the way, not competition stuff by any means. So, I'd say that it's possible to have a GSD listen in a high distraction environment by that age if he has respect for his handlers and has been trained properly.

Hope that helps.

Angelique, he's gorgeous! How could you give him up to your parents? I am very partial to long-coated GSDs. BTW, your description of him sounds exactly like my Gunnar .

I think you answered my question but I need clarification...what does "BH" mean ?

Also, I wasn't looking for flawless everytime/everyday. But flawless enough times that I can be confident on walks w/him that whatever reasonable, medium to high distraction comes around the corner, he'll obey my commands. I.E. he never sees horses so if one came around the corner, I don't think I should expect flawless here. He'd probably break from his down and go into a sit or stand position to watch the horse trot by.

Med. to high distractions for him is always other dogs. He loves them. He's getting better but he's still lacking. If I allow interacting with the passing neighbor and his dog, and then command Gunnar to sit for even 30 seconds, his performance is a 3 out of 10.

If I don't interact w/the passing neighbor and his dog, and command Gunnar to sit, he's an 9 out of 10.

With no dog distractions in many environments he's pretty much a 10.

So I guess I wondered if it was his age that was part of the problem or am I solely the problem?? That's a whole other topic but if his age is at least part of the problem, it would help me out to know that.

 Quote: judy troiano

I think you answered my question but I need clarification...what does "BH" mean

http://www.geocities.com/colosseum/loge/4844/BH.html

http://www.bigskyschutzhund.bizland.com/bhbook.htm

 Quote: Jennifer Hart

So, I'd say that it's possible to have a GSD listen in a high distraction environment by that age if he has respect for his handlers and has been trained properly.

Ugh! The truth hurts ! I think that my dog doesn't respect me when other dogs are around .

That being said, I know he'd have a flawless execution of commands under the scenario you presented. That is, if no other dogs were around! Dammit, I'm getting really aggravated with his dogginess.

Jennifer, thank you. That's exactly the kind of example that I wanted to see.

Judy, he's a DOG so being doggie isn't HIS fault, Girlfriend <:-)