Could someone explain the term in regards to the dog.

I have heard it both referred to as a good trait and as a bad trait --

It is both. I guess the simple way is that it is good for the decoy, and bad for the retrieve.

I like to see a level of possessiveness in a dog, even thought it can make training a little more difficult as far as getting your ball, the sleeve, or the dumbbell back from the stupid dog. LOL

It seems to me that it usually is the result of intense drive for the object and a tough minded dog. . .or a dominant dog.

For a maturing dog, I also usually introduce defense by playing to his possissive behaviors by doing some kind of prey guarding work. If the dog is already reluctant to give up that prey object, they immediately see a need to defend it and test their defensive behaviors out on the mean thieving decoy.

Thank you for the explanation.

I disagree with the earlier posts. If a dog is possessive of anything in terms of the handler then there is a rank issue with the dog and handler. In my earler years of working with dogs I too used to think this was an admirable trait - as the years pass I have come to learn I was wrong.

What if the dog is possesive of me? My female pup sticks by my side and growls and intercepts any stranger that approaches me.

This is not possessive of you - its fear of strangers - its weak nerves - I suggest that you go to the archives of this web board and study. You also need to go and read the Q&A section of my web site fear biters because you dont understand what you are seeing out of your dog.

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I disagree with the earlier posts. If a dog is possessive of anything in terms of the handler then there is a rank issue with the dog and handler.

I was told my female had a level of possesiveness that on first impression, appeared typical of a German working lines female...

In my case I can take anything from my dog at anytime but she has a tendency to take toys from other people when they try to play with her and run to our car and put them in the back of her crate. Several months ago, she would not engage in tug with a stranger but does more as she gets older..and we have learned that if they move the tug along the ground she gets excited enough to grab it (I take it they put her in prey?) , but when she wins the toy she just wants to keep it. Since I had not planned on doing schutzhund with the dog and still don't I had not done any tugwork as a puppy and wish I had as it is a great release/reward.

She also steals toys (which means anything i - e.g., balls, sticks, etc.) from other dogs (a very few dogs she has known all her life) and tries to put them in the crate....I can and do call her off on that because I can see that turning into a fight.

As she matures (2) she has become increasingly protective of her car-crate around strange people and dogs (which I have to overcome). No snapping but pretty scary barking.

Outside of her crate she appears fine with people (not friendly, but does not withdraw or show aggression and tolerates but does not enjoy petting - unless it is a child and she adores children) and a bit pushy with other dogs - if they are submissive she ignores them. If they look at her wrong is when she tries to make an aggressive charge.

We are working on the crate barking and the low level dog aggression as it is an issue in SAR. I am getting much more serious with formal obedience now.

I am trying to understand GSDs more in general as I have not had working lines until her and GSD = Natural Aggression = Good but SAR requires solid control, often by people not doing sportwork and interaction with people who do not understand the breed and *want* them to be Goldens and Labs which they are not and should not be...but they still must be a safe dog.

I know people have switched breeds due to issues but I like the intellegence and *work ethic* they seem to apply.

...really what I wanted to know is what do people mean when they say *possesiveness* Is what I am describing that trait or does it mean something else -- btw she was not a natural retriever - she was the puppy who took the toy and ran with it.

Consider "Resource Guarding". This is perhaps what she's doing with her buddy dogs...it's generally not a good idea to have "resources" up for grabs amongst a bunch of dogs.

If you can take anything away...don't worry too much, because it would seem she's not guarding resources from you.

If she gets very defensive in her crate, with strangers while she's in your car...but is OK outside the crate, and outside your car...don't worry TOO much either. ANY decent dog that's all alone in his crate...in his car...that gets approached by a stranger should bark!