# Personality from puppyhood to adulthood



## Elmo's Mom (May 21, 2007)

Do you think your dog's personality is similar to that of when he/she was a puppy? Or if you got your dog when they were older, is the personality similar to when you got them?

We got Elmo at 11 1/2 weeks. He was laid back and easy going. If something was out of place and scared him a little, he would cautiously go and investigate. He was never timid. 

He was incredibly eager to please as a baby. He loved being told what to do. He was curious about things, but he really didn't chew on things that he wasn't supposed to. The breeder told us he was like that from early on. 

Elmo also thought everybody in the world wanted to be his friend. His feelings got hurt if someone walked by him without acknowledging him. 

Now, as an adult he has the same exact personality we saw in him as a puppy. He is mellow, confident, obedient and just a big 'ole cuddle bug with a heart of gold.


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## 3K9Mom (Jun 12, 2006)

Yeah, My GSD is the same. Less goofy, more responsible and what's a good word? Stalwart? (He has strength of character and spirit). His "need" for me has been replaced by loyalty to me. 

But his personality (disposition), tendencies, preferences, etc are very much the same as they were the week I brought him home. Looking back, I do see places where he could have gone off course (he was a bit screwy during his adolescence), and I'm glad that we worked with trainers and worked as hard as much as we did. 

But







he's still my little Campie puppy.


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## Amaruq (Aug 29, 2001)

I have had KC and Rayne since birth. At 8 weeks KC exhibited a LOT of drive, energy etc. Perfect working type dog. Perfect for what I wanted. Rayne was a laid back, oh there goes that yellow round thing right past me, ohhh that was a ball and I was supposed to chase it?? Really laid back and non existent drive. Nice personality but VERY laid back pup. Definition of a "pet" quality GSD. Fortunately the pet family never made the last call back to me as it would have been the match from hades. At 10 weeks Rayne came out of her puppy coma. She was jumping to my SHOULDERS to get that ball that two weeks earlier rolled right by her without a flinch of movement by her. Tugging like a fool- high energy, always thinking ALWAYS on the go.

KC at 10 weeks was like a minature adult. She still had all the drive she had at 8 weeks but totally capped. Not the typical puppy drive with crazy energy and no boundries. She looked like a 25 pound adult. She would focus on small things (bugs) and quietly and calmly herd them (or stalk them to eat). 

At 6 months I took both girls to SAR training to do some quick runaways. KC SAT beside me as the victim played with the toy in front of her, got all animated and goofy as we do with pups. KC sat there looking at her like "well go get lost and I will find you. Quit acting like a lunatic." The person and I had a discussion that basicly went "She has no drive for this", I replied "get lost and we will prove you wrong". "She is a waste of time" I replied "get lost and we will prove you wrong". Finally the person walked 10 FEET and stood beside a tree. I gave KC her command and she looked at me and back at this person like "Mom, are you like totally blind she is right THERE". Finally KC got up and sniffed each of the few footprints to the "missing person" sniffed her foot, looked at me and huffed. "There I found her- you are such an idiot that you couldn't see her." Which led to the exact same conversation we had before. I figured it was now or never. I had my friend lay a REAL runaway for KC. My friend got about 10 feet away HIGHLY animated like the last person and then turned and RAN 100 yards or so and actually hid! KC sat there watching with her run and waited. I gave KC her search command and she hit the end of the leash so hard and fast she nearly pulled me on my face. Nose to the ground and she made very short work of the track and made her find. 

Same scenario with Rayne- first person is acting all animated and goofy and Rayne is at the end of a 6 foot leash BOUNCING up and down whining wanting to go go go. "Now she has drive for this".







To me BOTH dogs had the same drive (still do). KC just controls herself, Rayne, well not exactly.









To this day Rayne and KC are both the same basic dog that they were at 10 weeks, not 8 weeks but definitely at 10 weeks that have the same drive, intensity and personality. Both are still excellent working dogs. KC, however, IS more animated now when she is in drive- especially if there is a stick involved.


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## Brightelf (Sep 5, 2001)

Disclaimer: My dog's lines don't mature until 3.5, and Grimm just only turned two.

As a 9-week-old baby fluffoid puppy, he NEVER nipped (you read that right), was never destructive (again--totally, weirdly, true), but was super-enthusiastic, loved everyone, yet sadly had zero patience.

He is in the middle of rip-roaring teenagerhood right now. He still can be trusted to not destroy things, for the most part. He still loves everybody. (If you have a pulse, you're his friend) His enthusiasm and impatience... well... the enthusiasm and silly crazyness is amped up due to his wacky teenagerhood, but I get the very strong sense that it will simmer down, rather than be like some other GSDs who remain forever high octane. His impatience we are working on... but 6 months ago, If I opened the fridge to get his raw food out, he would shriek, dance, scream, carry on. Now, of his own volition, he lays quietly with head between paws. (the hysterics only happen when I carry his prepared foodbowl to his noshing place) So.. improvements in impatience are happening!


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

i got my boy at 9 weeks old. he has strong nerves. we picked him up at the airport after a 6 hour flight and he was just fine. when we came home he played with our Grey Hound, found a bone and went and laid down on her bed. he was always easy going. socializing and training helped shape his personality. my dog is 18 months old now. he's super friendly with people and other animals.

my dog was always friendly. i've never had a pup that wasn't friendly. i strongly beleive how we raise them shapes who they're going to be when their older. at 18 months old my boy is one big cuddle bear. i would have made him more aggressive but my GF likes him the way he is so a cuddle bear he's going to be.


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## lcht2 (Jan 8, 2008)

tyson is still just a pup but has matured since he was a wee little pup, but he is still just as ornry (which i have grown to love). i get worried sometimes when he acts like an adult and wonder if he is feeling ok haha. the only difference that i notice is that he is not as social with strangers like he used to be, not aggressive, just kinda doesnt care much for them. he never seems to forget a face and i think that he will be one of those dogs that if u have befriended him he will always be your bud.


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## mjbgsd (Jun 29, 2004)

As a puppy, Cody was VERY laid back, didn't want to do much but sleep. As he got older, he started having more drive and wanting to do things right NOW. I had a hard time with keeping up with him but I managed to get him tired at the end of the day. Now that he's almost 6 years, he's slowed down quite a bit, he still loves to chase his tennis balls for a couple of hours and loves to go out for walks but he has arthritis which makes him stiff. He has hard times getting on my bed so we bought him stairs. Because of the arthritis he has gotten much grumpier towards people he doesn't know. He also wants to sleep a LOT. Poor baby. But he gets lots of love!
Isa as a puppy was the most up front in your face puppy. I went to see her litter once a week since she was 5 weeks and she was the only puppy that ALWAYS wanted to near another person. She loved people and had a LOT of drive. She always would chase something if something moved. Now, she's exactly the same, loves people and meeting new people. Is still VERY friendly towards anyone she meets. She also has an on and off switch for her drive. She can go from doing a lot of obedience to sleeping the next minute. It's NICE. *nods* She also likes to sleep when we're not doing anything, ie when we're at a show and she's not doing obedience or walking around with us at the vendors or whatever, she'll lie down and sleep until we move on. I love it. I also have never met another shepherd like her, personality wise.


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## littledmc17 (Apr 9, 2008)

Brady is the same now as when we got him at 8 weeks. except he is 95 lbs heavier and huge!

Brady always loved kids, people and most dogs except goldens. (my dads golden attacked him as a pup)
He was a playful goofball as a pup and still is. Just he's all grown up but I still see puppy in him. 

He is a momma's boy and protects me when DH isn't home but as soon as he does he's his usual goof!!


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## VectorSketcher (Jul 20, 2008)

Well Rogue isn't full grown yet, but her pushy, bulldozer, boldness has been the same since day one!

Now Riddick, has always been my laid back, mellow boy, he was never really a hyper pup, was easily trained, always eager to please, he was and still is my pefect gentleman.


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## ozzymama (Jan 17, 2005)

We didn't get Ozzy until he was 6mos.... So not really a puppy, with the honeymoon after adopting and him becoming a young "gentleman" we didn't realize what a lot of work he would be!







He was high energy, play all day, had to be constantly entertained. He has learned how to control his energy and focus, which is a godsend. He can lounge around the house and turn on in about two seconds if I ask him if he wants to do something. It's nice, but I was much thinner when he was more high-energy.







Control and focus is what he has gained in the last couple years.

Sandi I got at 8 weeks, she has been the same, but she's a Scotch Collie who is afraid of sheep







She has always been calm and sweet dispositioned, as she is aging I am seeing things, whether they were there before and ignored or are developments of old age, she can be a bit crachity, sneaky...... But her and I are like an old married couple, complete with going to bed together at night and sleeping with our backs to one another, complaining about the other snoring, hogging blankets. I'm enjoying her senior years almost more than I have enjoyed her time til now! But she is also the LAST dog I will ever raise from puppyhood. I like them a few months old at least.


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