# Today, Raff Became a German Shepherd



## zetti (May 11, 2014)

My baby is growing up! He had a major milestone this morning. He's just over five months now and hiking his leg like a Big Dog.

I took him out front on leash early this morning to potty, it was still dark. Our neighbors across the street had no exterior lights on. I didn't notice one of them skulking about the parked cars. Raff sure did.

He hit the end of his leash. Ears forward, head up, no hackles and let out a Big Boy bark I've never heard before. Not his prey flushing yap. He was not moving back and forth, it was all forward aggression, very confident.

The guy got in his car and drove away, further reinforcing Raff's self image as the Master of the Universe.

He kept his eyes glued on the car until it drove away and then focused on the spot where he'd seen the neighbor.

Honestly, my first impulse was to hush him, because of the hour. I quickly realized that would have been really stupid.

That was my little Raffi, the pup who loves *everybody*. I mean really loves people.

He did well!


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## squerly (Aug 3, 2008)

Ya Raff!


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## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

typical puppy fear response. keep socializing him and he'll get better at discerning.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

It's kind of like when I had Ramona up on the grooming table and my contractors came, walking up behind me. She let out the BIG GIRL bark. Now she is 13 months old, but being in with her dam with several bitches between her and any possible threats, she doesn't need to concern herself with maybe bad guys. 

Evenso, that was a nice bark. It was just one. I told her I had it covered, and she was ok. I did not let the contractor get up close and chummy with her, mostly because I was attacking her sensitive belly with a comb and rake and I did not want her to measure her thresholds at that moment. 

Yes, good socialization makes it less likely for a dog to sink their teeth in the wrong person. But somewhere around 5 months old, their suspicion of strangers begins, and our reaction to it, can impact how they behave. Not all strangers are to be trusted suddenly. 

We do have a guarding breed, and suspicion is not necessarily a bad thing, like aggression is not necessarily a bad thing. 

Ok, I will go back to my little goldens in black and tan bodies now. (They're really not, but WL people think they have a monopoly on what constitutes good response from a GSD, and it really doesn't hurt me to let them believe it.)


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## zetti (May 11, 2014)

Dainerra said:


> typical puppy fear response. keep socializing him and he'll get better at discerning.


How are you getting 'fear response' from that body language?

He is an extremely social, outgoing pup.


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## zetti (May 11, 2014)

selzer said:


> It's kind of like when I had Ramona up on the grooming table and my contractors came, walking up behind me. She let out the BIG GIRL bark. Now she is 13 months old, but being in with her dam with several bitches between her and any possible threats, she doesn't need to concern herself with maybe bad guys.
> 
> Evenso, that was a nice bark. It was just one. I told her I had it covered, and she was ok. I did not let the contractor get up close and chummy with her, mostly because I was attacking her sensitive belly with a comb and rake and I did not want her to measure her thresholds at that moment.
> 
> ...


Most of the time, Raff *is* a Golden in a dark sable body. He loves all humans to pieces and he is outgoing and confident in the extreme. He has his dam's 'larger than life' personality.

I've only seen this side of him once before when he came up on someone in the wooded area near the field, he let out a defensive warning bark, quickly identified the human and ran over to greet him.

I'm hoping he inherited his father's extraordinary clear headedness.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

zetti said:


> Most of the time, Raff *is* a Golden in a dark sable body. He loves all humans to pieces and he is outgoing and confident in the extreme. He has his dam's 'larger than life' personality.
> 
> I've only seen this side of him once before when he came up on someone in the wooded area near the field, he let out a defensive warning bark, quickly identified the human and ran over to greet him.
> 
> I'm hoping he inherited his father's extraordinary clear headedness.


At just over 5 months, you might see some changes between now and adulthood.


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## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

I remember the first time I heard my kid's Big Boy bark, it was shocking!! That big bellow out of my little boy.

Around the same age I think.


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

I know you are proud of Raff, and what a super dog he is turning out to be. But five months? He is alerting on something new, showing suspicion. Thank him for being alert for you. I would have shushed him, shown him that you are now in charge of the situation, and he can stand down. 

You'll find that this is the age where one day, something is harmless, the next day, it is a puppy-eating monster that must be made to go away. Don't read too much into it.


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## Deb (Nov 20, 2010)

Enya is trained to 'cover me', watch my back. At four months she was laying at my feet at a Christmas Trail facing front as my son and I watched the crowd in front of us. There was a six foot privacy fence about seven feet behind us. My son has severe PTSD. A man went to walk behind us and Enya jumped into position, leaning into me to alert me. No bark, but the guy hit the fence behind us, arms up. It sounds like Raff saw/heard something suspicious and tried out her bark. I, too, would have said, good boy and let him know I had it. He is growing up! Oft times a well trained dog is more menacing than a wildly barking one.


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## zetti (May 11, 2014)

And let us not forget, Raff is Czech.

I'm well aware that he's not going to "protect" anything. He's an IPO dog and has a great deal of natural ability for the sport. His father was a working K9 in the Czech Republic.

What I'm happy about is his alertness and mostly his superb self confidence. He actually went through a fear period when he was a baby. It lasted about a week. Then he suddenly found himself. He had to meet and greet *everybody*. He loves humans. If he spots one down the street, the tail starts going wildly. He may never outgrow that--his mom is super social. Dad is strictly a one handler dog.

Just to be clear--there is *no* fearfulness or shyness in this pup. He was not displaying any type of fear aggression. This was pure forward aggression in the face of a human behaving oddly in the dark of night. He caught me totally by surprise or I would have handled him more appropriately.

Raff is also a very clear headed dog.


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## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

5-6 months is the common age for the second fear period.

I have Czech dogs as well. But the odds that he can actually discern any type of threat at his age are small. It's amazing when they find their "big boy" bark though. I've had a couple dogs that managed to scare themselves the first time lol


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## Jenny720 (Nov 21, 2014)

Yes that seems to be the age they need help sorting out their super senses.


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## Deb (Nov 20, 2010)

Zetti, Enya's Czech as well. I don't think you mishandled it at all. He gave one bark which you didn't expect. Had he gave more I'm sure you would have told him you had it. He's showing you he's growing up, that's not fear or fear aggression. He was suspicious and gave a bark. Suspicion and fear can be closely related, but I think at five months old and from what you said it sounds like he's experimenting to find himself. Had the guy walked over in the dark, then who knows how he might have reacted. Probably a little less sure, typical pup behavior. But he was successful and probably was quite proud of himself!


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## zetti (May 11, 2014)

Deb said:


> Zetti, Enya's Czech as well. I don't think you mishandled it at all. He gave one bark which you didn't expect. Had he gave more I'm sure you would have told him you had it. He's showing you he's growing up, that's not fear or fear aggression. He was suspicious and gave a bark. Suspicion and fear can be closely related, but I think at five months old and from what you said it sounds like he's experimenting to find himself. Had the guy walked over in the dark, then who knows how he might have reacted. Probably a little less sure, typical pup behavior. But he was successful and probably was quite proud of himself!


He was quite pleased with himself. After all, he was ferocious enough to convince that suspicious character to jump in his car and drive away. He watched the car leave intently. Then he turned his attention back to the place where the Bad Guy had first appeared. You never know. There could be more he needs to tak care of.


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Gryffon is half czech,  Puppies are puppies, and Czech lines, in general, are slow to mature. 

Mommy should be looking after the bad guys, not a five month old puppy. You don't want him barking and lunging at every stranger you come across during a walk. That is being reactive. Not anything to encourage.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Totally agree with Lucia, puppies need to know the owner has their back at this age. Discernment is not always judged correctly due to immaturity. 
I want my pups to look to me after they've alerted so that I can direct them further.

Karlo was mentally mature very young(Lucia's boy Gryff's littermate) and he was/is high in threshold. He always looked to me first, but was very confident and not so much 'social' or outgoing...more aloof from the getgo. 
I'd take his personality any day!

Regardless the breed is still intimidating and we always want to keep that reputation going if possible because most often, we do choose this breed because of that and their intelligence. Shaping and foundation for what is to come at maturity is very important, in daily life and on the training field.


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## zetti (May 11, 2014)

Castlemaid said:


> Gryffon is half czech,  Puppies are puppies, and Czech lines, in general, are slow to mature.
> 
> Mommy should be looking after the bad guys, not a five month old puppy. You don't want him barking and lunging at every stranger you come across during a walk. That is being reactive. Not anything to encourage.


Raff adores all strangers, he is extremely social. He noticed this one in the dark and responded appropriately.

This is a pup that will go flying up to *anyone*, tail wagging furiously, full of hugs and kisses. He is not going to *lunging after strangers* anytime soon.

He's a super social, clear headed pup.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

zetti said:


> Raff adores all strangers, he is extremely social. He noticed this one in the dark and responded appropriately.
> 
> *This is a pup that will go flying up to *anyone*, tail wagging furiously, full of hugs and kisses.* He is not going to *lunging after strangers* anytime soon.
> 
> He's a super social, clear headed pup.


Is this something you allow?


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## squerly (Aug 3, 2008)

zetti said:


> Raff adores all strangers, he is extremely social. He noticed this one in the dark and responded appropriately.
> 
> This is a pup that will go flying up to *anyone*, tail wagging furiously, full of hugs and kisses. He is not going to *lunging after strangers* anytime soon.
> 
> He's a super social, clear headed pup.


Raff is my hero...


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