# The funny little quirks we love so much



## GandalfTheShepherd (May 1, 2017)

I've always been amazed at the vast ways dogs express their affection.. my last shepherd Dante from when we brought him home as a pup didn't really like being pet or hugged, it took a long time for him to just be okay with being pet. I didn't mind this about him though, he was a very magnificent dog, he was always so dignified and majestic. When he was about 3 years old he started doing something very strange, when I would come home and sit down he would walk over to me and start ramming his whole body into me with his head down! When he did this his teeth with chatter and his whole body shook. I had no idea what was going on... every time I came home he did this. He didn't do it to anyone else in my family!! One day he knocked me over he was pushing so strong and he put his big paw on my chest and just gave me a billion kisses lol. I eventually figured maybe this was his own unique way of showing love? He was our family dog.. he slept every night in my parents room. One day we found out he had hemangiosarcoma and the vet removed the mass on his spleen, when he came home I made him his bed in my parents room where he slept every night. Later that evening he got up and walked all the way across the house, which was so painful to watch.. I could tell it was uncomfortable for him. I tried convincing him to go back to his bed.. but he wanted to be in my room with me. I think this is where I realized he was MY Dog and had always loved me even though he had trouble expressing it.. he later passed that evening in my arms. I feel so honored to have been given such a best friend.... My first dog Buddy also had a strange quirk! We affectionately called it "Noogying". You know those hedge hog dog toys almost every dog has, with those little nubs of legs and the spiky hair? Our massive 140 pound shepherd (I think he must have been mixed with wolf... he sure looked like a big wolf!) used to take one of those hedge hogs and for hours suck on its head LOL! His eyes would roll back and he would just lay there noogying his hogie all day! It was so funny to see such a huge dog with a pacifier lol. Our new pup Gandalf we like to call the "nibbler". He tries to nibble our toe nails, our finger nails, his own finger nails, our ears and even his toys. He takes his front teeth and nibbles away! Lucky for us this habit has been really gentle on his toys, he still has most the toys we gave him when we brought him home at 8 weeks old. Whats some of the silly quirks your shepherd has?


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## Dunkirk (May 7, 2015)

My dog is an optimist, he always takes his frisbee with him when he goes outside, even for his last 'pitstop' for the evening.


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## newlie (Feb 12, 2013)

Newlie always has been very vocal and just as they learn thing about us by observation, the reverse is true as well. It is amazing how much Newlie can "tell" me by his vocalizations, the whimpers and whining, the snorts and soft woofs and loud barks, the expression on his face and his body language. The other day, he moved up on the bed near me for his morning snuggles and he laid with his bed head on my should, my arm around his body and I alternated giving his soft tickles and scratchies. It would not have been unusual for him to "sing me the song of his people" while I was doing this, but instead, honest to pete, he started making this low, deep sound of complete bliss. I bet it's the closest a German Shepherd will ever come to purring.


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## Sunsilver (Apr 8, 2014)

Star is my toy hog. On her first night home, she and Ranger were playing with a teething toy I'd bought her. Then, after awhile, I noticed it was awfully quite. I looked for the toy and couldn't find it.

She was lying under my desk with her head on her paws. I went to pet her, and when she lifted her head up in response, I found she was hiding the toy under her chin!

She would also sometimes sleep with a ball in her mouth. I had to ban her from playing ball in the house, unless the person playing promised to keep the ball REALLY low. That's because she liked to 'head' the ball (bounce it off her nose) and when that happened, there was no telling where it might go. She destroyed a couple of valuable ornaments/knick-knacks doing this!


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## Dunkirk (May 7, 2015)

Whenever I am on the phone, Nitro finds a squeaky toy and squeaks it, loudly. I didn't mean to condition him to do this. I used to have long phone conversations with one friend, and while talking I would throw Nitro's ball. Now, every phone conversation I have has Nitro in the background going squeak, squeak, squeak.


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## Jenny720 (Nov 21, 2014)

On occasion I will give max the ball in the house so he can crunch on it. So often he lets it roll behind the couch or chair which includes me having to either get it or fix the carpet and rug after it?s been pulled out by him. I get annoyed and the ball will be put away after the third time lol! When the ball rolls under something he will give a strong alert which I?m a complete sucker for so it?s the third time and I?m done though. He will get in the ball zone and it annoys Luna to no end since he pays no attention to her when his ball is out. Luna is like any girl and likes her attention. Luna is not into balls at all unless it means taking them from max. She will watch him like a hawk and the minute the ball rolls away from him -she comes from out of nowhere and snatches it up. She will run and wait in the next room and tried to get him to chase her. But when he is the ball zone he just completely ignores her. Max knows we have a basket of the same balls in the kitchen closet. He will sit at the closet and stare at it until I give him an extra ball. Now they can crunch balls together and max is happy as pea in the pod when he sees Luna partake in any ball enjoyment. The minute Luna drops her ball he grabs his ball back and she will grab hers or wait for the next drop. They are exactly the same ball but he will wait to grab his. Sometimes she will try to grab the ball out of his mouth -she will give him little kisses on his face and then go for it. He is wise to this though. If I sleep in on the weekend and it?s past my usual time that I am up max will sit on me. I will wake up to a 83lb dog sitting on my stomach he had done this a few times. Max also loves to snuggle in the morning he is super affectionate In the morning hours and when I?m getting ready to go out. I wonder it is a gsd thing although Luna is cuddly all day /maybe a male gsd thing. When I go food shopping not only is the kids checking out the goodies the dogs out following me around waiting for some special treat. They will both sit by the closet door where their food is or the kitchen counter where I get there food ready and wait for their dinner as time varies when I feed them-they let me know when dinner is late.

Photo showing max trying to get Luna to have interest in the ball. When she picked it up he looked like proud papa. She grabbed his b-ball and trying to taunt with it. Luna is waiting to crunch on max after he has ignored her. The shepherds can?t wait to see what Dylan got for his birthday they have to be in everything even watched him set up his fish light as if they were deeply interested. Max reminding me about dinner.


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## Jenny720 (Nov 21, 2014)

Followed my son up to his room and watched him set up his new bday present - max reminding me about food.


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## Dunkirk (May 7, 2015)

In the evenings while I'm reading or watching TV on the couch, Nitro will deliberately push one of his squeaky balls under a lounge chair, lay down and stare at it, whining quietly and intermittently in a heroic and patient manner. I usually 'rescue' his ball, using the same dialogue each time, and toss it for him. Nitro was quite young when he came up with this subtle strategy to engage me in play. He respects my "No" when I don't want to play, he immediately walks off with an "I can't believe she said that" look about him.


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