# Natural Focus - Genetic?



## GSDBESTK9 (Mar 26, 2002)

Is Natural Focus a genetic thing?

Aslan has this amazing natural focus, I've never taught him the watch comand because as soon as I sit him in the fuss position or here position, he immediately looks up at me and maintains the focus. I love it! Even when we are just walking most of the time he is looking right at me.

I have been bringing him to work and a co-worker of mine came out to play with him. She was amazed at how he would focus on her eyes and said it was actually intimidating to her.









I think his natural focus will make training a lot easier.


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## Catu (Sep 6, 2007)

I think part of it is. Maybe not the focus itself, but the willingness to work with their human part is and you can see it even in pups who are like always asking "What can I do? What can I do for you?"

Diabla's lines are known for their focus, which reinforce the idea of the genetic factor.


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

I have seen dogs with natural focus. Most of the time it is due to a fantastic bond between the dog and its handler and good training.


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## GSDBESTK9 (Mar 26, 2002)

> Originally Posted By: lhczthI have seen dogs with natural focus. Most of the time it is due to a fantastic bond between the dog and its handler and good training.


As a new handler, I made lots of mistakes with Gala







I don't want to make them again with Aslan, but I'm sure there will be new ones unfortunately.







I believe Aslan and I have a good bond and hope with Dennis' help and with what I've already learned the training will be great!


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## Vandal (Dec 22, 2000)

IMO, it is genetic. I work every litter I have here with the clicker before they go home and while I can't really remember a litter that didn't show great apptitude for that training, there are some lines I have come to expect that exceptionally strong focus you seem to be are talking about. There are some lines that are a bit more intense than others is what I am trying to say, but I have only seen this ability in pups with better genetics.
The ability to focus, IMO, is related to drive, ( of course), but also nerves. Years ago, I offered clicker training to dogs from different breeds and different lines of GSDs. There were only a very few pups who had the apptitude and were capable of focusing like what I was accustomed to. There were other GSDs from different types of bloodlines and mostly, they were too distuirbed by their environment to be able to focus on their owners.


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## JKlatsky (Apr 21, 2007)

I think it's genetic, or at least a born with personality trait- the ability to maintain attention. 

I remember puppy testing Cade at 6 weeks using Flinks puppy test, and one of the tests had to do with making attraction with the toy, and then lifting it up above their head, where they could see it but not get it...and I remember he just burned holes in that toy with his eyes, and then after some time he got frustrated and started barking, but never lost his focus on the object. Other puppies would eventually lose interest...


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

Halo has VERY strong focus, and I think a lot of it is genetic. I use a clicker a lot with new puppies, working on marking and rewarding the auto-watch, but before I had even done much of that with her she would naturally sit and look at me all the time, to the point where I asked her breeder if she had taught her to do that and she said no! 

Sometimes that focus is on something interesting in the environment rather than me, but when she's working with me, she's WITH me in a very intense way - I can definitely see her working drives.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

I think part of it may be confidence, which is genetic. When I see puppies that are nervy, lack confidence, unsound...they are trying to hide, showing avoidance, or too affected by other things going on. Often they are treating their owners more like an object to crouch behind than a training partner or someone who brings the fun. The confident, sound puppy is not nervous about all these things, and might alert to something or someone but pop right back into focus.


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## G-burg (Nov 10, 2002)

> Quote:There are some lines that are a bit more intense than others is what I am trying to say, but I have only seen this ability in pups with better genetics.


I agree with the it's genetic too.. And really like this statement by Anne..


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## Chris Wild (Dec 14, 2001)

I feel it's genetic too. I've had way too many puppies who would offer this behavior on their own, out of the blue, starting as early as 5-6 weeks old. At that age there is no strong bond with any particular human developed yet, and these are pups who have had absolutely no training or reinforcement for the behavior. They just do it naturally. Seems to me it can't be anything but genetics. That it tends to run strongly in families amongst parents/offspring, siblings, half siblings, etc... lends further evidence to the genetic component.

I also think that in terms of genetics that it goes beyond just a confident pup who is willing to look someone in the eye and who can tune out environmental distractions. While I've never seen this sort of focus in a pup who didn't also have those traits, I've seen sound, confident, non-distractable pups who didn't also have that sort of focus. At least not naturally, right out of the box. They certainly could be taught.


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## G-burg (Nov 10, 2002)

Also wanted to add that I agree with what Lisa says about the bond (and trust) between dog and handler..


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## cliffson1 (Sep 2, 2006)

I think Lies description is spot on as well as the others. Puppies with genetic confidence tend to have natural focus no matter what the drive level.


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## Ruthie (Aug 25, 2009)

From my limited experience, I think it is a mix of genetics and training. Bison has had awesome focus since he was a pup. There are times when he just sits and stares at me like "What would you like me to do now?" It can get a little un-nerving when it goes on for 5 minutes or more. I am watching TV... he is staring at me...

However, trying to turn that into a formal focus is more challenging since I didn't work with him on this as pup. He is very "social" and curious. He always wants to know what everyone else is doing. I have to really work to be more interesting and to keep his attention. I have no doubts that if I would have started training him as a pup, this wouldn’t be an issue.

So, even though the genetic component is there, the discipline is not. The discipline, I believe, is the trained part.


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## Hera (Dec 8, 2009)

Well first of all, Hello everyone! I just picked up my little girl on Saturday evening. Hera v. Wildhaus! She's just nine weeks. Funny I should stumble upon this topic today. I have been noticing some strange things about this little dog. She will run to me and sit and stare at me for the longest time without breaking eye contact. I get tired of staring at her before she breaks! When out walking, she'll stop randomly, sit down and stare at me. At this point I call her, "Hera, here" and she comes and sits in front of me and stares. Now I know that she surely was not trained to do this, not with a litter of 12! How does she already know what these basic commands mean!?? It can only be genetic. Of course, I am reinforcing her behavior now, and encouraging her. She knows to sit for putting on her leash or taking it off. Her focus is actually improving as she spends time with me. It probably helps that my other dog is super focused on me but Hera actually prefers being close to me rather than the other dog. Very interesting. This is my first working line pup and so far, she's awesome. Really, freaking smart. Good genes and a solid puphood foundation cant be beat!

Jane


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

> Originally Posted By: Chris WildI've had way too many puppies who would offer this behavior on their own, out of the blue, starting as early as 5-6 weeks old. At that age there is no strong bond with any particular human developed yet, and these are pups who have had absolutely no training or reinforcement for the behavior. They just do it naturally.


That's exactly what I'm talking about with Halo. She was offering it up well before I'd had much of a chance to form a bond and to reinforce the behavior. That doesn't mean she's not also distractible, she certainly can be under certain circumstances, (she's ruled by her nose and wants to sniff EVERYTHING, especially if it might be food!) but her focus was very noticeable from a young age around the house where there weren't a lot of distractions, and she's always been one of the most (if not THE most) focused in her classes. 

Keefer will also sit or lay around and stare at me (for HOURS!!!), but with him it's more training and reinforcment, and our bond. He totally lives for me.


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## Jason L (Mar 20, 2009)

By genetic focus do you mean a pup's tendency to stare at anything that holds its interest - whether that be someone's face, a ball, another animal, a piece of furniture, etc? Or are we talking more about biddability, how some pups to instinctively look to human around them for interaction.


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## Ruthie (Aug 25, 2009)

Welcome, Jane!


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## Ocean (May 3, 2004)

> Originally Posted By: Jane St.John It probably helps that my other dog is super focused on me but Hera actually prefers being close to me rather than the other dog.
> Jane


A different topic but related. I've read in other places like the leerburg forum about dogs becoming too doggy if allowed to have free access to other dogs as a pup. I have never had that problem in any of my WL GSDs. They have free access to the other dogs but I am always No. 1 in their eyes and will always leave the other dogs to interact with me even if I don't call them. I think the strength of a natural bond or attraction to their primary human master is also something genetic. I have known GSDs that did not have that inborn quality and perhaps thats what those other forums refer to.
My theory is there are some lines that have brains that are structured to imprint very strongly on a primary human's face and scent. (Sort of like the famous Lorenz experiment on new born ducklings.) I've noticed that this is quite pronounced in some DDR lines.


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## mjbgsd (Jun 29, 2004)

> Quote:Also wanted to add that I agree with what Lisa says about the bond (and trust) between dog and handler..


I too agree. I didn't start seriously training Isa till she was 8months. She didn't start seriously looking at me till she was 21/2-3 years because are bond was getting stronger around that time.


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