I think I understand but I want to run it by you.
"...sharp w/better nerves...reacting to more legitimate threats/stimuli..." My young dog is not quite 9mths old. I've had him around gunfire and his response was--a slight jump and then an interest in what is that noise. Thunder in the distance doesn't seem to bother him--never saw his reaction during a really intense storm yet. The other night my next door neighbor was setting off fireworks. Everything was okay with the firecrackers--they drove me crazy since I was trying to sleep--but when the fireworks themselves started and the lights went over our yard the pup stood up and started to bark like he was going to take on the world. (From what I read this was probably more a defense puppy thing and not really a fight drive.) Would this be an example of better nerve, more legitimate threat/stimuli??

I ussually don't want to see any startle or reaction to fireworks. But he is only 9 months. I would rather he walked around unconcerned. I took my 10 week old male to the Green Bay fireworks show last forth along with his mother. And there was no reaction. If there was a reaction I would want to work through it. I had an import show German Shepherd that would start to pace and bark when it lightinged and thundered and would look really concerned with fireworks and I found that really annoying.

Camp,

Makes sense.

However, I've heard it said 'round here that it's easier to take a confident dog and train suspiscion into him than to take an inherently nervy dog and train confidence into him.

If you agree with that, and I presume you do, what exactly is it called to have a confident dog with suspiscion (sharpness) trained into him? Or is that a matter of manipulating latent defense as opposed to "nerves"?

People often talk about Sharpness in relation to nerve. In some dogs it doesn't have anything to do with nerves (fear). I work a Leerburg dog "Jack" owned by Tony Barbier) at our club that is very sharp (quick to react to stimuli with an aggressive response). This dog is at least 100 lbs. and very intimidating. He comes like a frieght train. If you look him in the eye he harder and the agression goes way up. I'm about 5' 10" tall and 170 lbs and I hate to say not very imposing or intimidating. In my opinion when I look him in the eye I am not creating fear or bringing up his suspision. I am challenging him which ignites his competitive drives. I would like to think in some small way there was some fear-suspition there but I doubt it. Just my opinion.

Good sharpness comes from a dogs desire to compete and beat a challenger not from fear.

Just my opinion I could be wrong. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Thanks for all the info - fascinating - love the description, very apt. Are we talking threshold response to stimuli? e.g. a very laid back dog has to have a very strong stimulus to elicit a response, especially an aggressive one, a very nervous dog will over respond to a mild stimulus and then there is the happy medium. That's the part I'm still wondering about - but I guess it depends on the dog, (and the upbringing?) Please tell me if I've got it wrong!

I hate to be a party pooper but I thought that this post was supposed to be about Czech GSD's General characteristics.

Not that I haven't enjoyed the discussion, quite to the contrary. I am curious if it is possible to make any generalizations about working Czech shepherds.

I read about references to specific dogs in pedigrees and I'm amazed at the amount of info that folks derive from them. I'd love to learn more and this is probably one of the only places that I know that I could do that.

In my procuring police dogs I typically get to choose from one to four dogs from a vendor. Sorry if I offend any vendors but it's kinda like buying a used car. Many of the same tactics. I have to make a choice based on my judgement. Somtimes there is paperwork sometimes there isn't. (Have you ever checked out papers on a Hungarian dog?) whew ! What you see is what you get.

My general experience with Czech dogs has been positive. If a vendor tells me that he has a couple of Czech dogs to see it has been worth taking a look.

See, now we have things getting very complicated. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Lets get back to Czech dogs, or open another thread for sharpness.

Thanks for the info. What I've noticed with all of our new Czech dogs is they learn very quickly , are very focused and have very high play and prey drives. They also have good defensive drives. None I would describe as being Hard dogs though. The other Czech dogs have been on the street for about a year and have already proven themselves there. Mine catches on to things so quickly it throws me off sometimes . I'm used to challenges and this dog isn't one so far . Everything is coming to him quickly. I've only had him for a short time though so I'me sure he'll throw something at me sooner or later.

I have several czech gsd's that are working with a good drive and protection is awesome.Maybe the dog that you have is not the good line that you need, Before you get a dog you need to research on the bloodline and the drive that you are looking for. To get the result that you are looking for, it is also important to see who you have in front of your dog working your dog. One of my dogs parents name is dargo van den thuringer kronjuwelen, the moms name is Unit Gymor. The puppy out of this litter has a outstanding drive. I have a palipanta-rei daughter and the mom to her is Anny Bohemia Bells. These dogs her have excellent drives. If that can help you any?

My 2 posts have given a bad impression of my new k9. I'm sorry about that. He(so far) and the other new Czech dogs in my Dept. are very good police dogs. They are just very differant than what I have dealt with in the past. I only had my k9 for 2wks when I posted my questions. I also made the mistake of critiqueing his civil and apprehension work in comparison to my previous seasoned k9 that was exceptional in those areas. This new dog is progressing great in all areas. I'm trying to learn more about Czech dogs to better improve how I train him since they are new to me. I've studied his pedigree and his parents have good Breed Surveys(5cu1/p ,5vq1/p)and have titled in several things. I'm a novice at this pedigree stuff but he has Ron v. Haus bernhart-mader , Karo z.Ulcova dvora CS , Iro z. pohranicni straze , Bruno Advil , Zar z. Pohranicni straze and Kas v. Furstendamm in his background. I only mention these cause I see they have some sort of title with their names with the exception of Iro who I heard mentioned positively in other discussions. To be honest with you he was selected and tested by our trainers who have a history of getting good dogs and that was good enough for me. He will not be bred so my study of pedigrees will probably go no further. I want a dog thats gonna perform great on the street and so far it looks like I got 1. Thanks to all for their info.