I find it telling that the 'breeder' can't even begin to help you understand your dog. I am very glad to see that you are working with someone who IS helping you, but I urge you to spread the word about the person who produces dogs without knowing how to handle the harder ones. Any breeder worth their salt wouldn't have a puppy buyer saying 'They weren't any help at all.'

What Samantha is saying makes me think about what Will Rambeau is mentioning as well.

So Will, I can only speak about my own experiences. I have met a couple with young children back in 1984 that had a male and female Kuvasock and that is why I went and got one. They were very gentle dogs, he was saying how inteligent and easy to train..These people were obviously experienced with LGD and knew how to approach and educate them. But I strongly believe, putting Ziva special needs or unusual behavior a side, that if one is thinking to get a Kuvasz a lot of research has to be done prior to even get the puppy home.....I did, but obviously not enough even though I started months before she was even conceived. I knew that they were different, I knew about their charateristics,,,,but what I did not know what can pop up in ancient breeds, how to deal with a LGD....their are totally diffrent from any other breed...And even though dog training should be based more depending of the dog's temperment over breed specifics.....one have to know all of that.

My other suggestion would be to make sure you are well surrounded before that the pup gets home....make sure you have professionals specialized or experienced with LGD close to you.....The Kuvasz is a happy dog when left in the mountains guarding his flock of sheeps ....that is what it was made for even before the Hongarians came accross them.....it is so deep in their genetics that modify a LGD that has this strong working needs in its genetics are hard to modify as a family pet. I think that Ziva falls in that cathegory....to bad that the breeder did not recognized that from the start. I don't meen that all Kuvaszok are like that but some do come with these ancient genetics.

I strongly believe that I was not armed properly for Ziva and honnestly realize the luck and blessing we had to meet Willie to help us, for sure Ziva's future would be uncertain now and for the rest of her life if I would not have met someone with experience dealing with these dogs. She will probably face an owner that would not know how to read her and understand her and she would have her natural instinctive pack behavior beaten out of her until a confrontation would be so high that she would be in a shelter or put down. You can not force train a Kuvasz....they have to comply by understanding that is what the rules are in the pack and they must feel that it is in a fare deal....being unfare to a Kuvasz is only to get the ditch deeper and deeper between the dog and its owner.

I really hope I knew all of this before....so Will if you get a Kuvasz....do it right, shoose the right pup in the litter and enjoy it and make sure the breeder can recognize and deal with difficult tempermental dogs......Some if not most make good pets if they have a job to do......they need to work....I don't have sheeps so Ziva will pull my grocery cart in a year or so lol

There are 2 threads on Leerburg called something like Obedience training with different breeds and Are some breeds misunderstood?.....I am not sure of the titles....I find them very interesting.

cheers

Why there is a thumb up beside my last post?...sorry of topic may be....thanks

 Quote: Solange Boivin

Why there is a thumb up beside my last post?...sorry of topic may be....thanks

"Thumbs up" means "good job."

I added it when I posted. It may fall off when others post. I'm adding it again to see.


And back to topic ....

FANTASTIC!!!
A successful beginning to a very hard working team!

The following is a positive report

Today I took Ziva to "civilization". We got out of our routine 4km walk in the country and I took her to town. She had been there a few times when she was 3 months and way before that she was the size she is now and of course, before I started to work with Willie.

We walked 5 km to get there....We encountered, trafic, pedestrians, noisy scooters, big trucks, buses, 2 dogs, strolers and young children at play. We sat at a terrasse for at least 45 min. I had a dog that was sitting at first then laying down at my feet. The waiter came to serve us and she did not budge, my friend joined us and she sat from a lay down.....he ignored her for a while, when she lay down again I authorized him to give her a treat but no petting.....she begged a bit for attention but it did not last very long...For the first time I am the one that said "ok lets go". Before at cafes she would be the one showing signs of needing to move on.

On our walk in the city she did not tried to go to people, she just acknowledged them....the dogs though, I had to get up and control her...she got on 4, barked at them and her pray drive came out.....but I got her to sit and settle....then once the dog got out of view she forgot about it. I went to the post office....there was a long wait....she lay down beside me....people say "oh what a nice dog!!! wanting to pet her. I asked not to and she did not react to the verbal attention just lift her head. She sat on her own at each pedestrians crossing.

Now she has crashed on the tile floor where it is cool and she is sleeping. That was a little over 14 km walking today in total....close to 9 miles.

That was an afternoon fill with tests....she passed them with flying colours.....it confirmed that all the work we have been doing with Willie had not fallen in a deaf ear.....I am sooooo HAPPY!!!

cheers

Solange...what a great day you had with Ziva. It is super that your hard work and Willie's assistance is paying off !!

By the way, my 3 year old German Shepherd is also Ziva, bet we are the only 2 on the board. A friend of mine who lives in Israel tells me that it is a very common name there.

Keep up the good work with your Ziva !!

Sooo very proud of you and the work you are doing.
She would be a challenging dog for a pro handler and you have risen to the occasion and have worked so hard. I couldn't be more proud.

LOL Willie....the flowers I return to YOU.....you are our savior...yes of course if I would have just listen to the guidance you gave and not acted upon them none of this would be happening....but hey....I am a passionate and if I say I am going to give all I have....that is what I will do....but without you none of this would be happening....THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU....now we can proceed to the next step lol.

Marj....I don't know if you know the meaning of the name Ziva.....in Hebrew it means radiance, brilliance or light of God.

cheers.

What a great story! It is so nice to see someone come to this forum clearly in need of help and actually listen, take the advice given seriously and put it to good use. Wow! You should be proud of yourself with all the progress you have made and how your challenging dog is finally turning out. And, kudos to Willie Tilton for all the help she provided and to everyone else in letting her take the lead in doing so.