# Pedigree, what can I expect?



## Oasiskw (Dec 13, 2018)

Hi everyone!

I know there are some amazing folks on here who know the ins and outs of pedigrees in a way that I will never will. I was hoping some of you might take the time to look at Daxs pedigree and let me know what behaviors I might expect or need to look out for with her bloodlines. 

http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/german_shepherd_dog/breeding.planned?litter=6891

I dont expect to put any titles on her. We had considered doing IPO but the local club is not for me. And I dont have any other local training clubs. So she will know lots of tricks, we will do some tracking of family members and lots of camping and hiking.

Thank you for any info.


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## Hellish (Jul 29, 2017)

I am thinking couch potato. Definitely a couch potato.


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## Oasiskw (Dec 13, 2018)

Hellish said:


> I am thinking couch potato. Definitely a couch potato.


Certainly a possibility...


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## wolfstraum (May 2, 2003)

Far far far from a couch potato


lots of aggression - some thinner nerves - 



Lee


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

I'm definitely not a pedigree expert, but her great grand-sire Hondo vom Rex Lupus is the brother of my Halo's sire.


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

A dog that will need a "job" of some sort to keep her mind active.


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## Oasiskw (Dec 13, 2018)

wolfstraum said:


> Far far far from a couch potato
> 
> 
> lots of aggression - some thinner nerves -
> ...


Thank you, this is what I was curious about. There is just no way for me to learn about all of those dogs and how they would go together.
I did see a few names that you have talked about in a few other posts I have come across.

What exactly is "thinner nerves"? More apt to break from a conflict? As opposed to just pushing through no matter what?


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## Steve Strom (Oct 26, 2013)

Oasiskw said:


> Thank you, this is what I was curious about. There is just no way for me to learn about all of those dogs and how they would go together.
> I did see a few names that you have talked about in a few other posts I have come across.
> 
> What exactly is "thinner nerves"? More apt to break from a conflict? As opposed to just pushing through no matter what?


Just in broad, general terms, thinner nerves will show in a way you'll notice in how quick they are to react to something and how bothered they are by some things. Temperament is a kind of package deal with different amounts of things. One thing can outweigh another, and you may never see much aggression or weak nerves because you never do anything that pushes her to the points that would reveal it.


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## MineAreWorkingline (May 2, 2015)

IMO, the best way to explain thinner nerves is a dog with thinner nerves will be quicker to perceive a threat but not necessarily to react. When a dog reacts to that threat is a function of its threshold.

For instance, dog #1 with thinner nerves may perceive an approaching person at night 100 feet away as a threat and will watch that person whereas dog #2 with stronger nerves may not perceive that same person as a threat until 10 feet away, if at all. 

If dog #1 has high thresholds, dog #1 may wait until the threat reaches out toward him and his owner before reacting. If dog #2 has low thresholds, dog #2, although stronger nerved, may react to the approaching threat from 5 feet away.

Thin nerves is not always a bad thing. Nerves can be so strong as to stop a dog from ever perceiving a threat. That is not always a good thing.


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## Oasiskw (Dec 13, 2018)

MineAreWorkingline said:


> IMO, the best way to explain thinner nerves is a dog with thinner nerves will be quicker to perceive a threat but not necessarily to react. When a dog reacts to that threat is a function of its threshold.
> .


Thank you for taking the time to type this out. It helped alot!

Thank you!


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## Oasiskw (Dec 13, 2018)

Steve Strom said:


> Oasiskw said:
> 
> 
> > Thank you, this is what I was curious about. There is just no way for me to learn about all of those dogs and how they would go together.
> ...



Thank you. This makes sense with how we saw her react to things when we were camping last weekend.


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## tim_s_adams (Aug 9, 2017)

MineAreWorkingline said:


> IMO, the best way to explain thinner nerves is a dog with thinner nerves will be quicker to perceive a threat but not necessarily to react. When a dog reacts to that threat is a function of its threshold.
> 
> For instance, dog #1 with thinner nerves may perceive an approaching person at night 100 feet away as a threat and will watch that person whereas dog #2 with stronger nerves may not perceive that same person as a threat until 10 feet away, if at all.
> 
> ...


Well said! And this is why the whole topic of nerves is clear as mud! I hear people talking a lot about drives too, and how that effects a dog's behavior. So drives, nerves, and thresholds are all in play at all times...which is exactly why people suggest over and over "work with the dog in front of you". That is solid advice! If it's above your experience level, find help! It'll pay off in the end!

What ,OP, are you're intentions for this dog?


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## Oasiskw (Dec 13, 2018)

> What ,OP, are you're intentions for this dog?


First and foremost she is a family companion. We spend almost every other weekend spring through fall in the national forest camping and hiking. You never know who is going to just walk into your camp, and I wanted a visible deterrent.
I wanted a companion to keep our 7 yr old daughter company while we are out there as well. One that I could rely on to be another set of eyes and ears.

I had also considered doing IPO so that she would have a more formal education in protection and not just rely on whatever instincts she naturally has. After visiting the local IPO club I realized that I do not have the time to devote every sunday dawn to dark watching dogs train and waiting for my turn. So IPO will not work for me at this time. Which is a bit of a shame since she has such a rich family history of IPO. So maybe we will revisit in the future. I wouldnt mind putting at least a BH title on her.

So she is going to be a family companion. I am not having any trouble training her. She is super smart and reasonably biddable. She is not biddable like my border collie who passed in September. She is more independent and slightly aloof, but not in a bad way at all. I want her to think for herself if the situation arises and I believe she will do that. We are doing marker training and for now we are having fun shaping different behaviors. She will have solid basic obedience and know a ton of "tricks". We might take some agility and rally classes too.

So far she is house broken, crate and x-pen trained. She knows, sit, down, shake with either paw and wait. We play the 2 toy game and she has the start of a decent retrieve. We have shaped, place, spin, teeth/mouth inspect, lay flat on both sides, nail and paw inspect/clip, ear cleaning, sit pretty, say your prayers, stand on a box, pivoting on a box into heel position on either side. And probably a few I'm forgetting. I do need to work on leave it. But she is a puppy and we are just having fun.

My husband commented that she was a force of nature and he couldn't have imagined getting through the first few weeks with her. I have found her to be a fun pup. I have plenty of scratches and toothy marks on my arms to prove I am putting in the time which is what most dogs needs regardless of what they are going to do. 

Mostly I was just curious what her bloodlines said about her potential as I had seen a few people like Wolfstraum/Lee and others comment on pedigrees and what might come.

Kris


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## cliffson1 (Sep 2, 2006)

Nice open pedigree. Being as you have a female I think you will probably have a nice dog for your stated intentions...she should really enjoy formal obedience and tracker training as she has good genetics for those things on a non competitive basis. Enjoy her...nice looking pup!


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## Oasiskw (Dec 13, 2018)

cliffson1 said:


> Nice open pedigree. Being as you have a female I think you will probably have a nice dog for your stated intentions...she should really enjoy formal obedience and tracker training as she has good genetics for those things on a non competitive basis. Enjoy her...nice looking pup!



Thank you!! We love her! I will be glad to get past the land shark time. Even with diligent redirecting and correcting she still has her crazy moments. 

I am super proud of her this last week. I had to work crazy extra hours and our training and exercise routine really suffered. But she handled it like a champ. Showed the family that she can lay around and take it easy for a couple days. By day 4 she was starting to get pretty wound up. I'm off for several days now and she got to have a good hour of crazy puppy play time in our snowpocalypse here in western Wa last night. Today we are back on schedule and fingers crossed the snow will go soon!!!


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