Hey Chris, your pup sounds just fine. My pup went through the exact same stages. I read that pups go through 'fear' stages and one occurs around the 16-week age.

My pup was giving out these 'big dog' barks at 5 months and would raise her hackles at anything suspicious during our walks. Encouraged to check out the suspicious 'thing' we then went on our merry way. Now at 9 mos, she is calm and confident, only barking when necessary.

When young, she was socialized quite a bit, especially with children. As she got older, the socializing continued, but less contact (physically), just companionship.

Not knowing your obedience routine, be careful in doling out corrections at a young age. I did not start real obedience until 7 1/2 mos. Before that, it was all motivational.

thanks for the replies.

as for the obedience, yeah, it's all motivational right now. he seems pretty willing to do a lot if he thinks he can get some hot dog pieces or his kong with some peanut butter. he'll go through his whole routine ( sit, down, into his chair, lay down on his bed, heel, etc. - just jump from one to the next as fast as he can go) if he sees me with the stuffed kong or a fresh bone - pretty entertaining. i just stand there and watch trying not to laugh...

as for the leg lifting, i should say he started trying at @ 10 weeks. he couldn't hold his balance long enough. still doesn't every time, but he tries. then again, he walks while he pees sometimes, too - one leg up, step, other leg up, etc. it' s like he just can't concentrate enough. and no, no adult male to copy, so i was surprised, too. not to mention when he started trying to hump things at the same age...

Chris
I may be wrong interpeting what you meant by routine.

But if understand you, it sounds like he is doing the same routine over and over. Once you think he has the routine. Change it up, break it up so he can't just go through a routine. Thats good but to insure that he will be reliable break it up and change it up.

Change it so he working on each command separately because you want to lead into various routines that makes him think. It sounds like he is just a tough for his age, remember the guys in high school with the full breads. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

My GSD is 18 months and still doesn't lift his leg, Geez, I hope he's not gay.

Hey Kim,

If your dog still goes WOOOOOF WOOOOOOf and not Boowsey wowsey, I don't think you have a thing to worry about. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Could not resist :rolleyes:

Joyce M. Burrows

sorry for the confusion - by 'routine' i mean he makes it a routine - he tries to think of everything i MIGHT ask him to do to earn his treat and does them one after the other as fast as he can. it's funny to see him think about each one and jump to it.

yes, i teach everything separate and in short sessions.

thanks for the replies, all.

Anticipation, which is what you are describing, is part of the learning process.

Chris

Sounds like you are doing everything right, I was just a little confused on how he was preceiving your Ob commands. It sounds like he is not only a tough little guy but he is smart too. I can't wait to see/hear about him when he is 9 months and a year. I think that at this age you really start seeing some of the adult dog characteristics, you kinda know what you got.

I know there are puppy test that can tell the what kind of dog the puppy will be, but its only assumptions if all goes well. Any puppy can be mistreated or stressed to the point where its development/working ability can be hampered. At about 1 year old the dogs mindset has been formed, Prince or Paulper or somewhere in between.

Unless you have been breeding dogs since Noah like Cindy, its hard to tell. That was a indept concept that most pups that have that trait (early leg raising) turn out to be sharp dogs.

Keep socailizing, Ob and prey drive work I bet he likes that!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

hello to all !! iam a newbe to these boards!! i hope someone can help me ? i dont know if iam over reacting ? but here it goes ...i have a 13 week old male g.s.d. when i take him out with me in the cab of my truck and we go for a ride , he starts to cry and then all he does is lays his head on my lap , he will not stand up or look out the window he just lays on my lap ? and i have been takeing him out every day since i got him 5 weeks ago ? also he follows me around like glue were i go he goes , my wife says that when i go out to the store all he does is cry ? and the last thing is he hates to be locked in his crate , he will sleep in it but as soon as i close the door he screems bloody murder, i have been leaveing him in the crate 1 hour every day and i will not open it till he stops crying !! but i have been doing this for 3 weeks now and he still screems like a nut !! what's going on here ??? please anyone help ...thanks ..al

AL
You are just going through the puppy break in process, in 5 weeks a lot has happened to this little tite. At 13 wks he seems to be bonding to you because he is following you. Its time to start Obdeince work and getting him use to the the leash (just place it and let him drag it around). The puppy needs to find its place in the family. You need to start having confidence in the puppy start praising him for the smallest things, like following you and coming, and sitting. Start short training sessions to use what he does naturally the "come" should be easy to to teach because he follows you anyway.

Structure his life and he will become a strong and confident GSD.

But right now he is a puppy, when he in you lap while driving stroke him and comfort him, don't fret he'll be the dog you want, after he through being a puppy.

When he is in his crate place a wind up clock that ticks wrapped in a towle or turn a radio on low and place a night light behind the crate. He has to get use to being without his Mom and pack makes and you. The good thing is that he seem to love being around you that something you can work with. Play the catch the rag thing, no hard tug of war just yet, all this builds confidence. I don't see any problems with the puppy just an over anxious puppy owner. Slow down all puppies are not as rambunclous as others. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />