# Why the biggest stick in the forest?



## AHWooWoo (Jan 15, 2013)

While hiking, my almost 7 month old puppy insists on carrying the absolute biggest stick he can find. He starts with a manageable-sized stick and then trades up until he is carrying large branches to small trees. He sometimes talks to the branch/ cries for us to wait while he tries to drag the enormous branch along. My questions are:

1) Is this behavior typical for a GSD?
2) He chooses to carry such a heavy branch as if he's on a mission. Is this tied to a particular working-dog skill?
3) Are there any health risks to carrying so much weight on a walk? 

Thank you for any insight into this odd and funny behavior!


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

1>>> dogs carrying big sticks or small sticks isn't breed specific.

2>>> i've seen dogs of various breeds carrying sticks, large
and small.

3>>> i'm thinking a dog will drop what's he's carrying before
hurting himself. if you're concerned take the stick away. 

youcould give your dog a stick that you think is ok for him to carry.



AHWooWoo said:


> While hiking, my almost 7 month old puppy insists on carrying the absolute biggest stick he can find. He starts with a manageable-sized stick and then trades up until he is carrying large branches to small trees. He sometimes talks to the branch/ cries for us to wait while he tries to drag the enormous branch along. My questions are:
> 
> 1) Is this behavior typical for a GSD?
> 2) He chooses to carry such a heavy branch as if he's on a mission. Is this tied to a particular working-dog skill?
> ...


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## LeoRose (Jan 10, 2013)

He has the same affliction all males seem to have. I call it "Mine's bigger than yours syndrome". 

Actually, it's not cofined to males, nor is it confined to GSD. I'd try to discourage lugging around trees, though. Maybe whenever he tries to "trade up", hand him back the original stick, and make him keep carrying that one.


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## lyssa62 (May 5, 2013)

LOL I would find it amusing and almost be certain he would drop it once he gets tired. I just wish my Roxy wouldn't try to eat every stick she sees. I'd be happy if she'd try to carry it instead of inhaling it before I pry it out of her jaws.


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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

My females don't do this but my male likes to dismantle my wood pile, even the longer sections I haven't cut down yet. I caught him dragging one of the 7ft sections of tamarack around the yard.


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## MichaelE (Dec 15, 2012)

I see you have a Branch Manager same as I do.


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## mandiah89 (Jan 18, 2013)

My last shepherd was like this... No worries they maybe crazy trying to carry those giant sticks/logs/trees lol but they are not stupid they will stop if it starts to hurt. I added a picture of my girl a few summers ago she was just over a year old and dragged this "stick" to the water and expected me to throw it for her... silly girl 

EDIT: oh btw that was about HALF of the log the rest didnt make it into the photo!

EDIT: after she got tired of dragging it around she tried to chew threw it... here is a video of her! https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10150256887067214&set=vb.509832213&type=3&theater


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

that's funny. :laugh:



MichaelE said:


> I see you have a Branch Manager same as I do.


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## GSD2 (Jan 27, 2012)

Like this? :laugh: She brought this stick into the house, I wish I had video of it, it took some real manuvering to figure out how to turn it just right to be able to bring it in LOL 

Not so much big sticks, please be very careful with little sticks tho, I have heard and seen pictures on the internet what a stick can do. It isn't too uncommon for a stick to jam into an object and cause the stick to be pushed into the roof of the mouth or down the throat.


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## Swifty (May 11, 2013)

Shadow totally does this too! When we're on walks and pass some cut limbs piled by the road she stops and picks one to carry home. We're slowly moving the wood pile from the neighbor down the street to our house


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## Saynt J (Feb 22, 2012)

I wish I could find the picture..... But you'll have to believe my fish story 

When Kanan was about 6 months old, it was Spring here. A late night storm with high winds had knocked a few tree branches loose and one fell into my backyard. I didn't notice it as i let Kanan out in the morning to do his business, but when he didn't come back after a few minutes like he normally does, I went to the windows to see where he was. 99% of the yard can be viewed from my kitchen windows. When I went to the window I saw that he had found the branch, actually a tree limb, that had fallen into the yard. He had one of the smaller branches in his teeth and was completely dug in and dragging the limb across the yard. I did take a picture of it and titled it "jackpot!" Lol..... 

When I went outside later to remove it, this thing had to weight 75 lbs easily.


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