Hello from Central FL

[Artfish]

Good day, all! I've been lurking for awhile and reading a lot of posts. So far, this board is very informational and entertaining, what an excellent resource. I love reading about all the different breeds.

I have a GSD x chow x possibly something else like ACD mix. He is 45 lbs but people give him wide enough berth for a 100 lb-er! He's a rescue who has a LOT of reactivity issues but I just got Control Unleashed and am working on that before resuming classes. The Pooch is an agility whiz and has a great schutzhund-style heel; if we could overcome his reactivity issues he would be a fantastic competition dog with his drive and intensity but for safety reasons we might never compete in an off-lead situation. This is my first dog and holy cow he is a training challenge! Definitely a "give an inch, take TEN miles" dog, one that very likely would have been PTS if he set foot in a shelter... he does have some herding instinct and I regularly take him to the cattle pastures where he will move and stand up to the cattle, even though I do keep to the other side of the fence. Best tricks so far include jumping through my arms, putting his toys away, throwing away tissues and paper (done ENTIRELY through free-shaping and NO LURING, big accomplishment), weaving through my legs, jumping over my legs, and we are working on a trick where he lies curled up in a closed box and then springs out on the cue of a certain nursery song.... Hooray for clickers!

My main breed of focus is the German shepherd dog. I'm hoping my next dog will be a GSD pup from working lines for schutzhund (breed test, NOT sport) and agility and whatever else we care to do. After that, oh let's see what else interests me....

Borzoi (and other longhaired sighthounds)
Ibizan
ACD
JRT and Jagdterrier (yes I would indeed take up hunting)
Deutsch Langhaar
Catahoula
Rottie (just wanna hug them and squish them and snoogle their wiggly butts)
Papillon
Pyrenean sheps or Mudik
Any of the sennenhunds
English springers/setters (Field/working lines of course... also to help beef up the raw diet)
All breeds assuming working/field bred if a split exists

Yes someday I will take up hunting with dogs..... when I have the $$!

I'm one who will always champion the working-bred dog and I am a firm believer of form FOLLOWING function. It's sad to see so many splits in a single breed (GSD) and I applaud the keepers of the breeds who have managed to keep them true to their original purposes and focus on what is between the dogs' ears before looks.

I can also be wordy..... lol!

[Sweet72947]

Welcome to Chaz! Sometimes we get the dogs we need so that we can learn from them. Many of us have worked with/are currently working with dogs with reactivity issues, so feel free to post any questions you might have. Good luck with your training!

[Baxter'smybaby]

welcome!

[jess2416]

welcome

[colliewog]

Welcome to a fellow Floridian!

[Artfish]

Thank you all! I think I know what I need to do with my dog to resolve most of his issues, it's just a matter of getting treat pouches and clickers sewn onto every piece of clothing I own and placed in every square foot of the house. And then staying motivated to be ready to train 24/7 in a nanosecond's notice!

Tell you what, sure doesn't feel like Florida right now... freeze watch for the weekend.. BRRR!

[smkie]

Welcome to CHazhound!

Writing this from what use to be Kansas city but I am pretty sure it must be the North Pole instead.

I have lost a few jacket pockets keeping treats in them.

[ACooper]

Welcome!

And don't expect weather sympathy from ME! We currently have a "feels like" of 9 degrees F and so much snow going on we had to drive 25mph home from friends! A 15 mile distance took us about an hour with stops to clear ice of the wipers!

[Artfish]

I spent most of my life in Wisconsin so I know all about -40 degree temps, chipping away the ice from the car before letting it idle for 10 minutes to warm up, shoveling the roof, etc. I do not miss it! Stay safe and warm in those snows; you guys had some big ones recently, right?

[Dogs6]

Welcome to Chaz