# Where did your reactive dog come from?



## PupperLove (Apr 10, 2010)

Reactive meaning some or all of: dispite training and socialization, the dog is nervous, skiddish, unpredictable, or reactive towards other dogs, strangers, children, other non-threats, or new situations.

I am wondering where the statistics stand in this forum community with reactive dogs as far as how the dog was brought into this world by it's breeder's breeding program. I am specifically wondering more-so about titles, such and IPO/Sch, or dogs who work in SAR, Therapy, or other programs that require stressful environments. Health checks are a bonus, not all that relevant to reactivness.

You should be able to select more than one answer if you have multiple dogs. I am also interested in information regarding dogs who have since passed away. I tried to list the choices from the most 'responsible' breeding program, to the least responsible, and lastly, a lack of information. Thank you all so much!

*****AND, multiple choices didn't work....ADMINS, can you help out with that??


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## PupperLove (Apr 10, 2010)

Does anyone have anything to add about their dog(s)?


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## Zeeva (Aug 10, 2010)

I don't think my dog is reactive per say but she is skittish and a bit unsocialized. She hasn't had training so that's the issue with us. But I answered the question anyway because she does have weak nerves.


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## PupperLove (Apr 10, 2010)

I guess I should have worded it differently, I do mean weak nerved. I guess I just thought 'reactive' because weak nerves usually = big reactions to unthreatening things! So, thanks for answering Zeeva!!


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## Zeeva (Aug 10, 2010)

No problem. Do you have a weak nerved doggie? It's tough to deal with, I understand :c. My husky has nerves of steal but he's a bit DA toward some dogs (as most dogs don't get along with other dogs he just takes it to a bit of fight mode level). But other than that he isn't scared of people, loud sounds (sat through fireworks without flinching) etc. He's a rescue so I've no info on his background. Yadayadayada c:


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

I answered no pedigree because Riley was our reactive guy and though he was mixed, he was adopted from the local humane society.


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## PupperLove (Apr 10, 2010)

Yes, unfortunately Jackson has some issues. His pedigree is filled with dog with titles.....several generations back, there is nothing 'recent'. He has had issues since he was a baby. Ha has made good progress but I constantly feel like I need to be watching him and I have to introduce him properly to situations regardelss if it is the first time or the 100th time. He warms up pretty quick though, and is overly friendly after he warms up. So he definately is managable and an awesome pet, and has also taught me a great deal .


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Onyx is my reactive one. I checked the 'I don't have pedigree info' choice.

Onyx isn't skittish, or timid, but shows aggression when over her threshold. Dog and toddler age kids set her off. She's pretty good with adults and older kids.
She is supposedly from Am pet lines(sire) and working lines(dam)... neither parent were breedworthy, health tested or OFA'd. There was supposedly a pedigree for each but the dams never turned up~according to the breeder after several inquiries and the sire owner wouldn't reveal the papers after a falling out between him and the dam's owner. Sire had an Am name, but I could never trace it anywhere~ Bandit Bear Ghost of the Woods/could have never been registered, I didn't trust either owner to be truthful!

The sire was put down at about 10 due to aggression, after he bit someone. I don't know the reason for the bite incident or why he was put down because of it.

The dam died at about 7(after 3 or 4 litters), breeder wouldn't disclose the reason to me.

Onyx carries anxious behaviors and at maturity is better with her reactivity, but I don't trust her when she gets over her threshold. She has extreme herding intincts/but unstable enough that she can't be competitive anywhere. 
Onyx was a surprise to our family from my DH....I never would have supported this breeder(she was a neice of DH's co-worker). 
Her sire(Onyx gets the bat ears from him)








Dam(pregnant for her 2nd litter)








Onyx:


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## LeoRose (Jan 10, 2013)

Ilka, my mutt, is dog reactive, and always has been. She also reacts badly to kids (other than mine). She used to be okay with kids, but she has gotten to where she doesn't like most of them, mainly due to kids in the neighborhood teasing her. We've managed to get a RE, a BN, and two legs of her CD, but I've retired her from AKC obedience and rally due to her reactivity. I even asked to be excused from the groups in Novice a couple of times because I didn't like the way she was eye-balling the Maltese next to us. 

I picked her up as a 4 month old stray, so I have no earthly idea about her parents. According to the DNA profile I did on her, she's a mixture of mostly Bulldog and Italian Greyhound, with a dash each of AmStaff and Collie. In other words, it's really anyone's guess what the heck she is.


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## DunRingill (Dec 28, 2007)

Mike is a well bred dog who is extremely dog aggressive. He is fine with Bunny as long as there is a fence (even just an x-pen) between them....but I don't let her touch him, and she SO wants to apologize for whatever it is that makes him not love her. But it's not just Bunny, it's any dog except for the few he has known since he was a puppy. He'll turn 10 in 2 weeks, so there aren't many dogs who meet that criteria! These days the only dog friend he has is Ianna. 

We did everything I could think of, and the dog certainly has enough training! But I came to the conclusion years ago that he's just not wired right. We got him to the point where he does not go after other dogs, and no longer give hard eye contact to every dog we meet.....heck I safely showed him for many years, few people had any idea he has issues with other dogs. 

Fortunately he loves loves LOVES people! That's his saving grace  Yeah he's a butthead but I love him anyway.


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## Zeeva (Aug 10, 2010)

DunRingill said:


> Mike is a well bred dog who is extremely dog aggressive. He is fine with Bunny as long as there is a fence (even just an x-pen) between them....but I don't let her touch him, and she SO wants to apologize for whatever it is that makes him not love her. But it's not just Bunny, it's any dog except for the few he has known since he was a puppy. He'll turn 10 in 2 weeks, so there aren't many dogs who meet that criteria! These days the only dog friend he has is Ianna.
> 
> We did everything I could think of, and the dog certainly has enough training! But I came to the conclusion years ago that he's just not wired right. We got him to the point where he does not go after other dogs, and no longer give hard eye contact to every dog we meet.....heck I safely showed him for many years, few people had any idea he has issues with other dogs.
> 
> Fortunately he loves loves LOVES people! That's his saving grace  Yeah he's a butthead but I love him anyway.


LOL. Aw this post makes me wish we had a like button. So well put! c:


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

training and socializing takes care of most ills but
it's up to the human to go out and train, socialize,
expose the dog to the world, find a trainer when 
don't know what you're doing, puppy class, etc.


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## DunRingill (Dec 28, 2007)

Zeeva said:


> LOL. Aw this post makes me wish we had a like button. So well put! c:


awwwww Thank you! 

I've learned so much from Mike. heck at this point I could probably do a workshop on managing this type of dog! I've learned the hard way that when you have a dog like Mike, you can never completely relax around other dogs. When he's out, I stay on my feet and make sure we don't get caught in a corner....I always want someplace to move if necessary. And I quickly realized that people, even dog professionals, can't be trusted to keep their dogs out of his face, even after I tell them that NO, Mike doesn't want to meet their dog...he wants to EAT their dog!

Here's one of my favorite pics of Mike....how could I NOT love that face?


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## DunRingill (Dec 28, 2007)

doggiedad said:


> training and socializing takes care of most ills but
> it's up to the human to go out and train, socialize,
> expose the dog to the world, find a trainer when
> don't know what you're doing, puppy class, etc.



True.....but there are some things even good training won't fix!


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## PupperLove (Apr 10, 2010)

DunRingill said:


> awwwww Thank you!
> 
> I've learned so much from Mike. heck at this point I could probably do a workshop on managing this type of dog! I've learned the hard way that when you have a dog like Mike, you can never completely relax around other dogs. When he's out, I stay on my feet and make sure we don't get caught in a corner....I always want someplace to move if necessary. And I quickly realized that people, even dog professionals, can't be trusted to keep their dogs out of his face, even after I tell them that NO, Mike doesn't want to meet their dog...he wants to EAT their dog!
> 
> Here's one of my favorite pics of Mike....how could I NOT love that face?


Oh, he's gorgeous! Dispite their flaws they are so dang cute and we just love them anyway :wub:


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## DunRingill (Dec 28, 2007)

PupperLove said:


> Oh, he's gorgeous! Dispite their flaws they are so dang cute and we just love them anyway :wub:


Thank you Laura  I love this dog in spite of everything, he's just a little "different."


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## KristiM (Oct 18, 2011)

It's funny the GSD I got from a reputable breeder (well known dogs, breeding for the right reasons etc) is a bit of a head case. Low threshold, dog aggression issues, thin nerves etc. don't get me wrong I love him to death and he's an amazing worker but as a pet/companion he is so much work! I am always on my toes when he's out, I always have to watch him and can't just relax. The older he gets it seems the more this is becoming an issue, sigh. 

My other GSD is from basically a puppy mill, breeder is an idiot and after I realized just the scale of her operation I felt super dumb for buying a dog from her. BUT Odin is the best dog I have ever owned, not reactive, never need to worry about him, can take him anywhere and do anything with him. Plus at the end of the day he is just as good a worker as my high stung dog.


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## angierose (Apr 20, 2009)

My male is my reactive one. He came from the humane society and was a dog who was picked up very often for getting out of his owner's fence. I can only speculate that he was left outside alone a lot, and not socialized. No idea of his pedigree. 

When we got him he was reactive to just about everything alive...dogs in any situation, cats, strange humans. He tried to play with my female but was way too violent about it, and he tried to hump constantly. We did a lot of confidence-building activities and socialization with him, and also NILIF. He had no idea how to control himself, but he learned. 

He still carries a ball in him mouth just about everywhere, and does get aggressive with dogs outside our fence. But his recall is solid, and he learned how to play and "speak dog." He will get anxious if he's not exercised enough, but I simply try not to let that happen. I still don't really let him meet other dogs on walks...frankly he's not interested anyway.


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## TankGrrl66 (Jun 29, 2010)

It only let me vote once, but here is some info on the one I voted with:

Only one of mine has a pedigree. There is a big chunk of Sch3 dogs, one of whom is well known and common in many pedigrees (his name is Grief) right outside his papers. So about 4-5 generations back. Those are the only titled dogs anywhere in his pedigree.

It looks like somebody a long time ago took the most crap puppy from an otherwise lovely looking breeding and then that dog became my dogs great grandsire or great great grandsire. I can't remember which. All the other dogs are meh, with stupid pet line type names. No health certs or titles.

He has multiple health issues common to the breed. He is a bit of an example of how not to produce GSDs.

As far as temperament goes...

I have to give him some credit. I have only ever seen him scared of something TWICE. His first one is the vet, and considering his health record, I can't blame him. He just tries to escape the hospital itself, but is otherwise OK. His other spook was at the ocean, of all things. I brought him to a beach, and he just went NOPE! as soon as he saw it (within about 30 feet of the water line). 

He also has shown nerve issues towards weed whackers, vacuum cleaners, lawn mowers...He tries to attack them if allowed. Not the vacuum cleaner anymore (I worked with him on it. He doesn't care about it anymore). But the yard stuff? Must. Destroy.

Worth mentioning as well: I had a guest at my house who invited another guest, who we both had mistakenly thought my dog had met before. He had not. When this guest walked into my house (this is a man who was well over 6' tall and 250lbs), my dog immediately blocked him into our entryway. He held him in place by barking and standing his ground, not allowing this person to move. My dog was apparently scared, because there was anal gland funk on my floor. As soon as I rushed up to grab him and apologize profusely, he let me lead him away, but kept an eye on the guy until it was more obvious he was a friend of ours. Then he was all smiles and tail wagging. I am very thankful no biting was involved(no hard feelings either from our friend although it terrified him). I'm still on the fence with what this means.

Also, me and my dogs were attacked by 3 loose ones one time. After fighting off the 3 large other dogs, my 2 GSDs happily greeting the owner, who rushed over to talk to me after he put his dogs up. I was still a bit in shock at the time, and he came up and started petting my dogs - the same ones who were just in a brawl with his dogs. As in literally 30 seconds beforehand. I was very proud of them both!


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## Thesilentone (Jan 5, 2013)

Sam comes from very good German lines as I've seen his pedigree and his parent's pedigrees, it goes way back. He's already showing signs of being highly reactive and prey driven. He has a lot of SCH titled dogs from his parent's lines, both of his dad's parents were police dogs for example. I know 7 generations back on his mom's side there was an infamous shepherd by the name of Alk vom Osterburg Quell.. I thought that was really interesting! That makes him 8th generation. I think Sam has more of his mom's qualities though; high prey drive, fascination in tugging and herding instinct. Then obviously gets his great bite from his dad.


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