# Proud Daddy showing off his sonny!



## Kaz (Nov 21, 2011)

Hello Good folks,
Thanks for all your advise and good will :hug:. Manfred is thriving and happy, and I have never met a more well behaved (mostly ), gorgeous dog in my life.

So here are some videos of my pup. I am sorry if I sound like I am bragging  a little about my pup, but what can I do? I am a proud daddy! 














:wild::hug:
Kaz


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## GSDBESTK9 (Mar 26, 2002)

Awwww, he is adorable!! I miss having puppies in the house.


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

Look at those ears starting to stand! He's a very handsome little guy I can see why you are so enamored with him


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## Kaz (Nov 21, 2011)

Manfred's coat care. Please critique


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## Micky (Jan 1, 2011)

great videos, please keep posting i will enjoy watching Manfred grow up!
BTW you must be living alone no girlfriend would allow nails in the wall to hang the doggie brushes !!! 

Both you and Manfred make a cute pair!


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## Kaz (Nov 21, 2011)

@Micky
Haha, good point. Yes living alone at present, girl friend is finishing her PhD in Lithuania. But she will be home for good during Christmas. She is already trying to impose long distance rules... like no pup in bed, etc. LOL.

Maybe the brushes will have to go off the wall. LOL.


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## 1sttimeforgsd (Jul 29, 2010)

Manfred is an adorable little fellow and he is growing so fast. I enjoy the videos you post on here and getting to watch him grow. Thanks for sharing with us.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

it's good to be proud and there's no such thing as
bragging, you're telling the truth about your pup.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

very cute. "come" is a one word command, like all of the other commands.


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## Kaz (Nov 21, 2011)

Manfred is a smart kid, and just like any kid, he pushes my buttons. He knows he is not allowed to play with the books from the book shelves. But he will pull one out and drop it and then run away, just to annoy me. LOL.

When I put the book back, he will come back to it, while I am there, pretend to pick up the book... then shy and run away when I say NO.

I know he understands "No" and "Come", but some times he doesnt listen, just to be playful. 

This pup never ceases to amaze me with his intelligence!

Also, as I watch his video posted 11/11 vs 11/29, there is such a size difference!!

On 11/12 I had taken him for a stroll, and basically carried him for 4 miles (2 miles in and out), but on 11/28 when I was with him at a grocery store, my arms hurt carrying him around while doing just some normal shopping!

I am so proud of my pup!!!

I am going to be out of town for more than 30 hours tomorrow, hope he will be fine!!


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## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

such a sweet boy, they are amazingly smart aren't they? who will take care of him while you're gone???


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## Kaz (Nov 21, 2011)

I had gotten him rather large sized bowls for food and water, and in preparation for tomorrow, I have gotten him 2 more SUPER sized bowls for food & water. It will hold a lot of food and water in 2 rooms, so he should be fine. I have monitored it and he is not able to finish even the water in just the super sized bowl in a day. So for 30 hours he should be fine.

I cant wait for my fiancee to get here! lol. Just holding the fort till Dec. 22nd!! LOL.


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## Kaz (Nov 21, 2011)

New Manfred pictures on the album.


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## Kodias Bear (Nov 30, 2011)

he looks just like my little cody! same age too!
keep up the good work


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## Mary&Stella (Jan 1, 2011)

I really enjoyed watching your video, reading through the comments I read that you will be away for 30 hours? Surely you have someone coming to your place to look after the wee guy right? I do not think it is wise to leave Manfred alone with 2 big bowls of food and water and no supervision fo 30 hours!!
You will come home to a disaster, they can destroy things quickly, not to mention the need to go and relieve himself!!

Again you both are a charming pair.:help:


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## Suka (Apr 9, 2004)

I LOVE watching Manfred videos! Plus, your accent is charming. I am remembering a general rule regarding puppies. "It is unfair to expect a puppy to hold it for more hours than they are months old plus one". So, a 3 month old puppy shouldn't be left for longer than 4 hours, etc. Just a general rule, not strict but something to live by. Hire someone to come take him outside to relieve himself, if you have not yet.


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## Kaz (Nov 21, 2011)

Another Manfred Video  :hug:!!


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## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

please post when you return and let us know manfred is okay after 30 hours. i will worry about him all the time you're gone. they can get themselves into SO much trouble. i am a worrier, lolol, but i mean well...))


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## Kodias Bear (Nov 30, 2011)

wow 30 hours, i turn around for a second and mine already is destroying my shoes! good luck


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## WendyDsMom (Nov 18, 2011)

Kodias Bear said:


> wow 30 hours, i turn around for a second and mine already is destroying my shoes! good luck


I know! I was making dinner last night and went to pull veggies out of the fridge drawer - in less than a minute Wendy had both kitchen towels off of the counter and in her "corner" with big holes in them! Luckily they were my old cheap WalMart kitchen towels.... The good stuff was put away the night before we went to pick her Wendiness up!

Had to visit the bathroom. Just as I set myself down - Loud Thump - trash can was knocked over.

Was getting ready for her evening walkies - couldn't find harness, leash, treat bag, my black sneakers, or my walking gloves. ALL were in the Wendy Cave - she must be planning for Armageddon and gathering her necessities... She gathered her gear while under constant supervision shared between Me, My Hubby, and my 14 year old Son. Guess we could use some remedial training on watching puppies..... :crazy:

30 hours would be the end of the house in my environment!


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## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

all i can think of is him eating two bowls of food and drinking a ton of water and bloating. or eating towels or socks or something plastic and becoming obstructed. don't know whether it's because these dogs are so smart or what, but they can get themselves into more trouble when they don't have supervision.

i keep checking back to see if the op has come home yet.


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## Mary&Stella (Jan 1, 2011)

I keep checking as well, and hoping all is OK, I would fear bloat also or just plain destruction, it is amazing what they can get into in a split second!! Stella still tries to take stuff but now its more for show rather than destruction !!
I hope he is home soon and Manfred is OK.


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## Rahrah (Oct 30, 2011)

OMG! I could never leave Fenrir alone inside the house...she'd happily completely destroy it!

Cute pup


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## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

everything okay?


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## Kaz (Nov 21, 2011)

Hello Good folks,
I am home, Manfred is fine. My house is ... not so fine. LOL.

He has :
1) Poo poo'd and pee pee'd all over the kitchen floor.
2) Had a fight with the DVD collection and came out a winner.
3) Defeated 7 books, and torn them to shreds.
4) Raided the larder and tried to cook pasta, didnt succeed. So he spread them on the floor for decoration. Also tried with some other items, but wasnt able to open the plastic jars.
5) Destroyed the sponge mop, his long time arch nemesis.

I just finished cleaning and moping and basically washing my apartment. Manfred is fine, I took him for a walk, (to get a new mop and cleaning supplies).

He is eating and drinking fine, and after a boisterous session of licks and hugs is presently sleeping next to me on the couch as I type this.

The surprising thing is: he pointedly destroyed only those items he had been firmly denied access to in the past. I had said "NO" when ever he had gone near the books, the DVD's or the mop. And they are the ones which bore the brunt of his puppy wrath.

Interesting psychological phenomena.

Kaz.


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## Anthony8858 (Sep 18, 2011)

First off, congrats on your new pup. He's a handsome guy, and you're proud of him.

HOWEVER, I'd like to mention a few things I personally had a problem with.

The 30 hour thing. I would never have considered that, and in the future, you may want to contact a puppy sitter, or at least have him contained, and visited by someone on a frequent basis.

I also feel that your expectations are rather high. In you first video, you repeatedly expected him to "come". It's rare that an 8 week puppy clearly understands your request to come to you when called. I sensed some frustration in your voice, when he didn't respond, and you kept calling him. If that pup was absorbing what you were saying, he was learning that he didn't have to listen to you.
If you intend to take obedience classes, that's one of the first things you'll learn.

Also...I'm not sure if he's being crate trained or not, but if he's not, I'd suggest it.


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## Anthony8858 (Sep 18, 2011)

RE: His coat.

You can disregard anything you see or is related to his coat at the moment. You can expect some dryness, and some flaking. That puppy fur will begin to fall out at around 3.5 months, and should fully transition to his new coat by 4.5-5 months. If you think his coat is nice now, wait until you see his incredible new fur. The shine will captivate you every time.


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## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

hi kaz, thank goodness manfred is okay, SO glad! unbelievably busy day for me today (but i had to check here first, lolol), will write more later, maybe in a pm.


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## Kaz (Nov 21, 2011)

hey KatieLiz and MarieStella,
Thank you so much for your concern. :hug:

Kaz + Manfred.


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## Kaz (Nov 21, 2011)

Another Manfred Video, sitting staying and coming when called. 

Funniest thing is, when ever﻿ I play this video and Manfred hears me saying "Sit" or "Stay?" in the video, Manfred Sits and stays in real life. LOL.

http://www.youtube.com/user/TheAmericanDesi


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## Gwenhwyfair (Jul 27, 2010)

I'll second what anthony said, please hire a professional pet sitter, boarding kennel or perhaps the next time you leave contact the breeder (if she/he is close) to take your puppy for you while you are travelling.

Gosh, I remember reading a most heart breaking thread here where a 4 month old puppy swallowed a sock, it only took a moment and one time. he had to have emergency surgery and didn't survive.

Your videos are charming, your puppy is adorable but leaving him alone, loose in the house like that is rolling the dice of chance, will he be alive when you come home. 





Kaz said:


> Hello Good folks,
> I am home, Manfred is fine. My house is ... not so fine. LOL.
> 
> He has :
> ...


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## Kaz (Nov 21, 2011)

Hello,
Thank you for all your comments. You are right. I shouldn't have left him alone. The chances of him doing something silly and hurting himself are high. But my breeder gets these imports and is located all the way in Riverside, a formidable distance away, and in LA you cant really trust anyone to puppy sit. I guess I will have to find an effective way to make sure he is under supervised care when I leave for a trip.

Kaz.


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## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

google 
pet sitting services los angeles
and you will come up with a TON of services. as with any service you hire, you'd have to check references and visit facilities, and since i don't know your personal circumstances, i'm not sure what your budget is...but i'd think there would be something for everyone in an industry as large as the pet care industry in los angeles. there's even a pretty cool pet "hotel" at lax. 

so, manfred is german line puppy?


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## Anthony8858 (Sep 18, 2011)

Kaz said:


> Hello,
> Thank you for all your comments. You are right. I shouldn't have left him alone. The chances of him doing something silly and hurting himself are high. But my breeder gets these imports and is located all the way in Riverside, a formidable distance away, and in LA you cant really trust anyone to puppy sit. I guess I will have to find an effective way to make sure he is under supervised care when I leave for a trip.
> 
> Kaz.


Hey Kaz,
I'm happy that you didn't take offense at my comments. Keep in mind, we're all animal and / or German Shepherd lovers here, and may become protective at times 

And yes, you do have a beautiful pup.


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## Gwenhwyfair (Jul 27, 2010)

Oh good, I'm glad you agree! 

(what Katiliz said and a few more details!)

My recommendation is to start looking into boarding kennels and their rates. Visit them before you will need to travel and take a tour. If they don't want to give you a tour you don't want to board with them.

For single pet homes you'll probably find a good boarding kennel to be more affordable. Pet spas are also an option but usually are more pricey.

A lot of pet grooming salons, doggie day care centers also offer boarding service, though the dog maybe left crated for more time it's a better option then leaving your dog home alone.

The other option is hiring a professional pet sitter. Please check this site out: Locate a Pet Sitter

You can type in your needs and zip code and a list of pet sitters in your area will be pulled up.

Pet sitting maybe a little more expensive for the single pet home but makes up for it with convenience and personalized service. 

A petsitter should provide you with a free intial meeting in your home That gives you the opportunity to interview them. The petsitter should provide you with references, proof of insurance and be bonded.

If you decide to use a pet sitter the puppy should still be in a contained area that is puppy proofed.

Once you've established a relationship with a good kennel or pet sitter then you can take your trips and it will be a lot less stressful for you and your puppy. 







Kaz said:


> Hello,
> Thank you for all your comments. You are right. I shouldn't have left him alone. The chances of him doing something silly and hurting himself are high. But my breeder gets these imports and is located all the way in Riverside, a formidable distance away, and in LA you cant really trust anyone to puppy sit. I guess I will have to find an effective way to make sure he is under supervised care when I leave for a trip.
> 
> Kaz.


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## Anastasia (Oct 7, 2011)

I have to agree that leaving a puppy alone for an extended period of time is a really bad idea.

I wanted to mention that in my area a lot of veterinarians will board their clients for a night or two so you may want to call your vet and see what your options are.


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## Kaz (Nov 21, 2011)

Hello Good folks, 
Thank you for your advise. Now comes the tricky part with Manfred, training! I am very new at this. As for teaching him how to walk on the leash, 



 I am using this technique as of yesterday and its working wonders. I am trying to avoid areas with grass to limit temptations for Manny to frolic.

But Manfred some times does pull on the leash.

He is not really responding to "Come" or "No" lately, he has a horrible habit of chewing on the wood around the window pane. I have tried to tell him NO firmly, softly, held his muzzle, sprayed bitter liquid (from petco) on it, to no avail. Today when he was chewing, I said NO, walked up to the wooden sill, put my hand on it claiming ownership and said NO, but Manfred growled for the first time today. 

I sprayed the bitter liquid, Manfred avoids the area sprayed when the liquid is fresh, but goes back to chewing it after a few hours.

Is there a really good quality bitter spray that works well with GSD pups? Also, his playful bites have started to hurt a little, I keep telling him NO, but he keeps chewing on my hand. 

How do I stop this behavior?


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## Micky (Jan 1, 2011)

welcome to the real world lol Stella chewed anything and everything, from wood the wallpaper and cement, we did use vinegar spray on some things she freaked and then came back to lick it, oh such fun times. You should have seen my hands from her teeth, it was almost if I had a cat, then as time went on she got more and more crazy. Tried walking, playing redirecting etc, she was just a power house, so I got a trainer which put her right and showed me some good moves. Honestly there was a time when I thought I throw her and my sister out of the house to get some peace, but on the plus side, I can tell you that the trainer helped to establish who is boss, and now Stella being 1 year old she is good as gold, chewing has stopped and biting is gentle when I play with her, she also has learned that stop means stop. Also realize that Manny is still a young pup and there are some trying times ahead of you, just stay patient and if you really don’t get anywhere use a trainer. I read so much on the board here with awesome advice, but believe me when I tried to set it in action I failed, and really thought I am to stupid for my dog   keep us posted and work through the pain


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## Anthony8858 (Sep 18, 2011)

Kaz said:


> Hello Good folks,
> Thank you for your advise. Now comes the tricky part with Manfred, training! I am very new at this. As for teaching him how to walk on the leash, Dog Training Tips : How to Train a Dog to Walk on a Leash - YouTube I am using this technique as of yesterday and its working wonders. I am trying to avoid areas with grass to limit temptations for Manny to frolic.
> 
> But Manfred some times does pull on the leash.
> ...


 
EVERYTHING you mention, is EVERYTHING we were concerned about when you left him alone. Thank goodness it happened now, and not then.

OK... For starters you need a plan. You need to get well educated in the art of dog training, and use consitant, and proper technique. 
DO NOT EXPECT YOUR PUP TO BE TRAINED OVERNIGHT..

I highly recommend getting involved in a local training school. Many people balk at it, and feel that the internet is the best teacher. I happen to feel otherwise. A good trainer will work very closely with you, and your pup.

As far as the sill... Well, you're gonna have to give him something else to play with.
Are you crate training him?
If not, you better start.

Does he spend a lot of time alone, and free to roam the house?
If he does, you better stop now.

Supervise his free time. When he goes over to his wooden sil, intervene, and give him a toy instead. Don't make too much of it. My experience with dogs tells me that they know what they're not allowed to touch, and tend to obsess over getting to it.
My pup touches nothing. Don't get me wrong, she attempted to, but I was always there to shove my prefered toy in her mouth.

Whenever I left her, I crated her. NO UNSUPERVISED TIME IN MY HOUSE!!

As far as come, and no... well ... that's another conversation


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## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

gotta get this little boy crate trained so you can have time outs. and so you can control his environment when you can't spend every second with him, 'cause they can get into something in a SECOND. you should also get an x-pen (eight-sided hinged panels which connect to each other and form an enclosure), kinda like a play pen for little kids. you just can't watch 'em every second. that also helps with housebreaking. all the training using punishment or discipline has gone by the wayside. which is not to say that you don't have to set limits, but puppy training now is just about always about distracting, substituting, and controlling the environment.


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## Kaz (Nov 21, 2011)

Potty training:
Ok, so I am looking to buy a good crate, but it will take a few days to find one and then for it to ship to me. In the mean time, i purchased puppy training pads and put them on the floor. 

Manfred promptly bit them to shreds and tried to eat it.

I tried to say No, softly, firmly, held his muzzle, held him on the floor, and as a last resort even smacked him, but to no avail, he kept at it. 

I had to finally abandon the idea since I didnt want him to end up with the plastic in the pads in his stomach.

Any suggestions on how I can make the training pads work?


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## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

suggestion on how to make training pads work...you can't. you just can't.

if you keep on holding his muzzle, pinning him to the floor, and "smacking" him, you will at best get nowhere and at worst damage the future relationship you will have with him. he does NOT understand what you want. he is exhibiting very normal puppy behavior. there are many people more experienced in training than i am, i'm sure they will post good suggestions too. alot of raising a puppy is figuring out how to safely contain them while you wait out all their puppy-ish behavior. caesar would still chew a dog bed or rug occasionally when he was probably over a year old. it's alot of work to successfully raise a puppy. keep at it, he's so cute. but they try your patience, they do.


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## Kaz (Nov 21, 2011)

Hey Katieliz,
Thanks for your mail. Manfred does try my patience, and trust me I have a lot of patience especially with him. But he tries to squeeze out every last drop of it.

So I cannot leave the pads on the ground for the fear he might eat them, and they have a plastic backing, so how do I make it work?

Also, lately he has started walking really well, but still he is an irascible leash puller. He considers it the natural form of walking to keep the leash on high tension and pull when he walks. 

I have tried stopping, slowing down, giving him treats when he slows down, but he keeps with his habit of keeping the leash very taut. I am quite strong, but after 2.5 miles of walking with a 30 lb frisky pup tugging at the leash every second, even my arm starts to ache.

But on the bright side, I did make some progress with his play bites. I found that gently holding his muzzle with one hand, while caressing him with the other hand or kissing him, dissuades the play biting.

Also, I taught him something new today, how to get "OFF" some thing. I got some treats, showed it to him, then closed my fist around them. Naturally Manfred went for the fist, sniffing and licking and nuzzling. But I did not open the fist. Only when he backed off, that I gave him the treat. 

While doing this, I added the voice command OFF. So he learnt to back off when I said OFF. When he backed off, he got the treat.

I took it a step further, and placed the treat on an open palm and held it in front of his face and said OFF. He did not reach for the treat.

Only when I said good dog and offered him the treat did he go for it.

So the play biting is slowly coming under control. 

With regards to chewing the window sill, I am working on it, Saying No and shoving a toy in his mouth or his kibbles. I see it will work with time.

All in all, he is a good pup. 

But yes, it can be very vexing.

Now the 2 greatest challenges I have:

1) Get him to walk on a loose leash. I am desperate enough to consider a collar with teeth. I need to teach him to stop pulling on the leash. A 30 lb pup is bad enough, a 120 lb dog would be a night mare.

2) Get him to go potty outside. He did go potty outside when we went for a walk today, and I praised and rewarded him. I was counting on the puppy pads, but the abject failure of the pads has thrown me a bit off. 

I am confused about which crate to get. I am projected to relocate soon, so a plastic crate makes sense. But they seem cramped and very expensive.

Should I just get him a metal wire crate in the mean time?

I just need him to go pee pee and poo poo outside. I am sick of being his personal pooper-scooper 5 times a day!

Thanks again for the advise and good will. It is appreciated.


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## Kaz (Nov 21, 2011)

Manfred is 28 lbs at 3 months of age. Is that normal? He looks rather lean. Is he gonna keep up to his dad's size (110 lbs+)?


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## Gwenhwyfair (Jul 27, 2010)

Be patient, be consistent and accept the fact that part of the problem here is YOU and your puppy are learning together. His lack of potty training is because of your lack of knowledge on how to train him. Therefore he is as deserving of your patience as you are of those who try to help you on this board.

To be impatient with him at this stage is very unfair.

I like the plastic crates, I feel they are generally safer. I can lift and carry them more easily when I travel with my dogs in the car or to training.

The metal crates are good, some of them are collapsible they fold down for easy storage. They are heavier and in some brands the plastic liner in the bottom break easily and are expensive to replace.

Here is a good link about potty training your puppy. From what you describe you've missed some very fundamental steps and that is what is coming back to vex you.

I encourage you to keep asking questions though because it is clear you mean well and are open to learning. Please also check into a puppy training class as what may seem intuitive to you is not for your puppy. 

Here's the link: How To Potty Train A Puppy





Kaz said:


> <snipped>
> 
> But yes, it can be very vexing.
> 
> ...


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## Kaz (Nov 21, 2011)

Glad to report, the walking on loose leash is almost done. Now potty training is the last challenge!


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## Anthony8858 (Sep 18, 2011)

Kaz said:


> *Glad to report, the walking on loose leash is almost done.* Now potty training is the last challenge!


 
That's what you think 
(sorry, I just had to warn you)

You're just gettin started, and your pup is just starting to train YOU.

You mean, you haven't realized that YOU'RE the one being trained yet?

Stick around, you're in for a long ride!


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## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

anthony are you perhaps a mind reader??? lol...i was thinking the very same thing and just hadn't had time to post yet.

kaz, for a puppy this age "training" is more about bonding and protecting the puppy by controling his environment thus making it impossible for him to hurt himself, and creating a correct and fun environment that doesn't set him up for failure (in your eyes, he only knows what a puppy knows...which is mostly how to get into things, lolol).

it feels to me like you're perhaps not totally realistic in what you're expecting of him, relative to age appropriate behaviors, and in what you think it's possible to accomplish at his age "training" wise.

more later. been another helluva day here in michigan.


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## Kaz (Nov 21, 2011)

Hello Anthony and KatieLiz and all the good folks at GSD forums,

Thank you for your insight. Yes, I am new to this, but think of this as me adding some positive reinforcement for myself. LOL.

Manfred (at least I like to think) is exceptionally smart.
I mean I literally taught him "Off" in 30 seconds.

As for the walking, if we turn the clock back to 5 days, it was about me dragging a reluctant Manny on a tight leash. With him frequently just squatting down - refusing to move.

Now he walks by my side 70% of the time on a loose leash. Yes I have to control his tendency to run ahead of me a few times, especially on the way back home. He is smart, and when he knows we are walking home, he strains on the leash.

One counter to that I found, was to take one route to the destination and a different route back home.

I have spent time, walking in the hallway of my apartment (much to my neighbors' chagrin) walking Manfred without a leash, reinforcing the come on whistle command, walk by side, making abrupt turns or stopping out right when he walks a bit ahead. Also, I am using techniques proposed by experts that I found on various online sources.

I am trying my level best, yes you guys are experts, and I am willing to learn. 

Thanks,
Kaz.


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## YumaSheps (Dec 9, 2011)

Aside from what already has been mentioned, your GSD is a puppy and has a limited knowledge and understanding of what your expecting of him. There is nothing wrong with teaching him, but with your words, actions and tone of voice shown in some of the videos; I would suggest consulting with a trained handler of GSD's. When he is alittle older, you can teach him with the way you have been in the videos. There is nothing worse than having a GSD shut down on you because of bad training. Remember that dogs feel what you feel down the leash. Dogs don't know understand english. 

I would usually teach my puppies basic rules and build a bond with them within the first few months. Once they grasp that basic knowledge, then they can learn what you are teaching them. Each dog is different and don't expect them to all learn at same levels. I taught my personal GSP bite commands in a matter of minutes and the release command in another few minutes. Other dogs took a few hours or days to master the technique. Verbal praise is the tool that I use, but there are certainly many other methods of rewards. 

Good Luck.


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## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

kaz i have to take my hat off to you for being so receptive to the suggestions offered and just for your positive attitude towards all of this in general. keep in mind there may come a time, or there may be times on and off, where it appears that manfred has forgotten everything he's learned or becomes hard-headed. but these dogs are very, very smart. i don't agree that dogs don't understand english, when they are house raised and are part of family interactions daily, i very much think they do. of course, tone of voice is also equally, or maybe more, important. my dogs have a huge vocabulary understanding, i am not involved in any kind of formal training and never have been (with the exception of puppy kindergarten), but i have four and they are required to behave appropriately at all tims, and they do. there are so many differing opinions and methods of training, and probably all have some merit, as long as there's never any punishment or disrespect involved. 

keep up the good work!!!


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## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

hey kaz, there is a GREAT thread on introducing a dog to, and helping them adjust to, a crate. it's the one entitled "i never thought i'd, etc." about the lab who has some separation anxiety and an owner who never liked the idea of crates but now understands why they're a good thing to contain some dogs while you're gone. check it out.


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## jetscarbie (Feb 29, 2008)

I must admit....I really enjoy this thread and the updates from Kaz.


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## Gwenhwyfair (Jul 27, 2010)

Yup, Kaz and his Manfred will be o.k.


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## Kaz (Nov 21, 2011)

Hello good folks,
Thank you for your comments and advise. Manfred is doing great. The little fellow weighed in at 28.6lbs today evening at 13 weeks. The vet has given him a clean bill of health and he is up to date on his shots as of now. 

He has made tremendous progress in walking on the leash, the play biting is yet to be under control.

Renata, my fiancee is due in 9 days from Lithuania, so he will have a mommy and my hands will get a break from the bites. I am considering putting Renata's picture on the face of a soft toy and to shove the toy in Manny's mouth when he bites me, so he will know to bite mommy instead of Daddy. LOL.

His crate should arrive by Dec 15th, but Manfred already knows to hold his poo poo (especially in the evenings) till we go for the walk. But pee pee is way too frequent for him to hold, till the walk.

I will take your advise regarding the crate training and taking him out every 3-4 hours out to the street to relieve himself.

In the mean time, I am fighting a losing battle to prevent him from chewing especially on plastic objects. He loves to bite hard plastic, and I try to keep an eye on things, but tonight at 2.00am (seconds before I started writing this), he had managed to bite a plastic object to shreds and was in the process of eating a piece when I got out of bed, intercepted him, shoved my finger down his mouth to extract it. I did find a piece of plastic lying on the floor, but not sure if it was the same piece. God protect him if he managed to eat the piece before I could get to him.

I am sorry, I live in an apt in Beverly hills / LA. I don't have the space to "puppy proof" everything, I try, but in a one bed room apartment, there is only so much I can do. I guess, the God that watches over drunks and babies will also have to watch over puppies.

I cant wait for his teething to get over with. I hope GSD's dont like to bite / chew as much when they are fully grown.

I am limited to the number of pictures I can post of Manfred on this site, so I will create a facebook page just for him in the next few days.

Another funny observation I had, Manfred is fine walking in the Grove (The Grove in Los Angeles. Your Shopping & Entertainment Resort®) where the crowds are always thick, and every 20 seconds some one goes "AWWWWW" and every 45 seconds, some one stops me to pet Manfred. He is calm, collected, never barks, never jumps or does anything excited, even when the famous old Beverly hill ladies with the botox faces and artificially thickened lips with their obnoxious toy dogs are all around and the small mutts are barking their heads off at Manfred.

I some times feel sorry for these toy dogs. What kind of a life these poor creatures could possibly have? Named fufu, made to wear silly ribbons and dresses and not even allowed to walk! They are carted around in fully enclosed pre-ambulators, with net mesh windows, through which they spew their general hatred and frustration at the world.

I admit, I have considered getting Manfred shoes, but he will never wear clothes. God gave him a fine fur coat, and his dad feeds him good chow and omega fatty acid supplements. Not to mention he is brushed everyday, with 2 types of brushes.

He is also calm when we go to a store, (Manfred is allowed in every Grocery store, just because he is so handsome. Although all these stores have a NO DOG policy. LOL.), provided he is in the cart. He either looks around, or takes a nap, never tries to jump from the cart or make noise.

However he does get scared a bit and refuses to walk when on leash on the floor of the store. I will try to ease him in to it. 

However this is an interesting phenomena.

Thank you all,
Wish you a good night.
Kaz.


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## TrentL (May 10, 2011)

Have to say looking at puppy hood in the near future this has been a great read, and very informative.


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## Anthony8858 (Sep 18, 2011)

Sounds as if both of you are doing great. Is there a ay you could tether him somewhere at night? Maybe right next to your bed?
It might make it easier.

In anticipation of you getting your crate, please allow me to forewarn you. There's a very good chance that Manfred will cry his eyes out. Especially at night.
So before you ask, I thought I''d suggest you putting the crate right next to your bed the first few nights or even perhaps weeks. This would help him tremendously.

As far as biting.... My 5.5 month is 100% bite free with me. Since day one, I never put myself in a position for her to bite, without first having a replacement chew toy handy, or within my reach. As soon as she went to bite me, I would cal my say "no bite", and shove her toy in her mouth in place of my hand.

keep up the great work, and continue to post your progress.

Thanks


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## Kaz (Nov 21, 2011)

Dear Anthony,
Thank you for your comment. I am impressed and in awe of your training skills :shocked:, since I am still my pup's favorite chew toy! Lol. 

I understand your tip about the crate being close to my bed and I understand he will whine. I read up on the crate training scenario.  But thank you for the friendly reminder.

Manfred is a good pup, but he does test my patience some times. But that's to be expected from a 3 month baby. 

I had one question, I work in the medical device industry, so although not a clinician, I am well informed about nutrition requirements. I am a bit surprised about the lack of calcium in the dog's diet - I read that calcium is not good for larger dog breeds.

I understand that large dog breeds need to have controlled growth, and not explosive growth, because in case of the latter they would have joint problems (arthritis, hip dysplasia, etc). But as the cartilage solidifies in to bone, babies need calcium! 

I am feeding Manfred : Costco.com: KS_PetFood_Puppy

It has 1.2% minimum of calcium. Which seems remarkably less.

His treats : cadet dried duck breast, peanut butter, chicken skin fried crisp, chicken boiled. 

I am not challenging facts, I am just curious.

My father raised me on 2 glasses of milk a day. And I am glad to say, even while playing soccer and badminton for my undergrad university and rugby and fencing for my grad school (at national levels), and the numerous jaunts a boy usually gets in to, I have never broken a bone, ever! And I credit that to the milk, which I drink to this day.

I want Manfred to grow big and strong and healthy. I am curious if I am giving him a complete balanced nutrition? 

Do I give him vitamin tablets or anything else?
I have been advised to add glucosamine to his diet when he gets a bit older. 

On the light side, he has turned in to a real cuddle puppy, as he loves to snuggle and cuddle up, I hope I am not turning a guard dog in to a wuss with excessive affection and hugs and kisses. 

Thanks and regards,
Kaz.


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## Kaz (Nov 21, 2011)

TrentL said:


> Have to say looking at puppy hood in the near future this has been a great read, and very informative.



Are you getting a new pup? Wow, I bet you can hardly wait! I remember the day I was going to get Manny, I could barely stay at work, I was due to leave at lunch and go to the breeder.

My friend who is a dog breeder spoke for 45 minutes over the phone checking every last detail before I paid the cash to the breeder, and this was after I had researched her for a week. 

Good luck to you, and be prepared to have everything on the floor to be moved to a height. LOL.

One very important thing I missed, and which I would like to share with you, when you bring the puppy home, after you get out of the car, please stop for a few minutes in the designated spot where you want your pup to relieve himself in the future. Chances are, he has been holding it in during the car ride and would have to go right after alighting. And its never to early to show him his spot. 

Well good luck. And keep up posted about your new fur ball. :hug:


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## Anthony8858 (Sep 18, 2011)

Kaz said:


> Dear Anthony,
> Thank you for your comment. *I am impressed and in awe of your training skills :shocked:*, since I am still my pup's favorite chew toy! Lol.
> 
> I understand your tip about the crate being close to my bed and I understand he will whine. I read up on the crate training scenario.  But thank you for the friendly reminder.
> ...


Don't be impressed with me..... It's the other folks around here that should get all the credit  They answer all my questions.

The calcium question you raise has been addressed. Someone's either going to chime in, or you may have to look in the diet and nutrition section. But yes, you want to keep their calcium input on the low side. Let them grow nice and slow.

FWIW.... I met a gentleman with a beautiful GSD, and he was telling me that his puppy had pain in his legs so severe, that walking became difficult. He was pumping his dog with calcium supplements, and the pup's bones were litterally stretching.


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## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

off topic but kaz...where are those new pictures...lololol...


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## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

and also, GREAT suggestion for when you bring the puppy home (using his need to do business in helping to teach him about a "spot"), great that you're sharing your experiences.

i'm anxious to see what people think about the kirkland food.


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## Kaz (Nov 21, 2011)

katieliz said:


> off topic but kaz...where are those new pictures...lololol...


Hello Dear Katie,

Well I have started the face book page, but havent had time to upload the pictures yet.

I have however uploaded 4 new videos!!

1) Manfred with his new crate. My first steps in crate training him.
2) Manfred helping (?) me mop the kitchen floor
3) Manfred chasing the beam from a laser pointer
4) Manfred and his squeaky toy!


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## Barb E (Jun 6, 2004)

He's a darling pup!!!

See this thread about dogs and laser pointers, not a great idea
http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/pictures-pictures-pictures/172565-ever-use-laser-toy.html


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## TrentL (May 10, 2011)

Almost looked to my rookie eyes that Manfred wanted to play some Tug in that last video with you not by himself


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## Kaz (Nov 21, 2011)

Hey TrentL,
Yeah of course manny wants to play tug. LOL. All the time too!

But I cant play tug at present, because he still has baby teeth. 

Well he got his Christmas gift a bit earlier, today actually :

Nylabone Big Chews Beef Bone Dog Toy - Toys - Dog - PetSmart

Problem is: he still chews on other stuff. And he has this super annoying habit of picking some thing up and dropping it up. The thudding sound is a great source of joy to him.

Kind of a menace, especially at 5.00am! lol.


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## Kaz (Nov 21, 2011)

*OMG 4.50am Manfred is sleeping in his kennel alone with the door locked for the first time!

Woke up at 3.00am to find him banging my camera around, then a plastic bag, scissors, towel, sharpie marker, (each time had to get out of bed, get the object out of his mouth.)

Tried to give him his new giant bone, got him up to my bed, where he promptly started biting me. A light smack, biting ceased, but playing didnt. Time out in the toilet, didnt work, he came out, started shredding a book, general running around and being noisy.

Last resort, put him in kennel and shut the door. I expected him to tear things down and howl the neighborhood awake, but he just whined for 10 seconds and fell asleep!!!!!

OMG the first real crate training step accomplished! Are the good times coming?:wild:

*Edit: Have to wake up in 2 hours to meet with the C level executive team of a fortune 100 company for all day meetings, and have slept a total of 3 hours tonight.


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## Anthony8858 (Sep 18, 2011)

WARNING!
I hate to sound like a know it all, but laser chasing is a very serious no- no!!
I personally have seen and heard of cases where the dogs developed such an obsession with it, that they develop shadow chasing and more obsessive behavior. 
Do a search, you might find some interesting case histories.

Oh, and you're probably going to get in trouble for the way you handled the crating and the smacking. 
Just thought I'd warn you ahead of time.


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## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

kaz i'd like to second what anthony said above.

and in the very nicest way possible i want to say that if you keep letting him get into things he's going to ingest something that will make him very sick, or worse. and if you keep smacking him you will make him hand-shy at best, and damage the bond between the two of you, at worst. please protect manfred from his own (natural) puppy ways, he is so adorable you would be heartbroken if something happened to him. the crate is there to protect him and to give you peace of mind (and/or uninterrupted sleep). alot of this is just a waiting game until he's old enough to have grown out of these puppy ways, not behaviors that you have to "discipline" him for. it's up to you to protect him until that time by not letting him have the opportunity to get into things. now that he has gotten used to, and is comfortable in, his den...please close him in at night while you're asleep. as you've seen, he will not make a fuss for long. all it takes is one sharp puppy tooth bite of an electrical cord that's plugged in and...

never played with my dogs with laser pointers, but anthony's take on the situation makes sense to me, and his opinion sounds as tho it comes from experience.


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## Kaz (Nov 21, 2011)

I got tired of Manfred's antics and decided to eat him!

Here is the video:


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## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

oh he is SO growing up, and his face is beginning to look like a big dog!!! and you are SO funny, i "eat" the cashman too (although i never quite thought of it that way, lol). thanks for taking our input, using what you can/want to, sticking around and posting the videos, you so obviously love him very much.


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## Kaz (Nov 21, 2011)

My chicken-heart got his ass handed to him by a bichon frise! LOL.

Bichon calm and collected, Manny runs towards her, barking. 

Bichon : "Wtf" :crazy:
Manny: "Ima eat you!!" :wild:
Bichon: "O'really?" :smirk:
Manny: "Yeah! Woof woof" 
Bichon: "Grrrrrr" (teeth out) 
Manny: "Oh ****z she haz tha teeth!!" :shocked:
Bichon: "Come here biyatch" :smirk:
Manny: "DADDY!! HELP" (Hides behind me.) :help:
Lady (Owner of Bichon): "But he (Manny) is so much bigger... How...?"
Me (Grinning at Manny): "Well he is a baby, just 3 months old!" 

As we walk away, 
Manfred (Looks at me): "I fought hard, but there were 20 giant dogs... and they ambushed me." 

Manfred walked the rest of the way home with his tail between his legs. 

LOLOLOL.:laugh:


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## Nikitta (Nov 10, 2011)

They drive you nuts but they are so sweet. hehe


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## Nikitta (Nov 10, 2011)

And the really sad thing? When Jas, my current puppy is a year old: I'm going to get another GSD puppy. I want to make sure Jas is socialized but I LOVE having more then one dog. I had 3 and what pack action!! I won't have more then 2 the next time, BUT who knows? /grins evilly I LOVE this breed.


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## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

gonna sign off now and go to bed with a smile on my face. been tryin' to help a sweet girl over the urgent rescue section with no luck tonight...such a sad situation. thanks for the smile kaz. be careful out there!!!


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## Kaz (Nov 21, 2011)

Manfred held his ground today against a 5 year old aggressive little pit bull type (Miniature type). But he got pwned by a fluffy toy dog.

I am guessing fluffiness has a direct correlation to aggressiveness. 

Also, he is getting taller and nothing even on top of the dining table or bed are safe from his reach.


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## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

but i know *you're* going to keep him safe from all that interesting stuf on tables and beds (and from all the aggressive little fluff balls out there too), aren't 'cha kaz?


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## Kaz (Nov 21, 2011)

Manfred is cultured now! He went and poo'd at the LA county Museum of arts (LACMA) yesterday !! And last night, 7 hours in the crate ... held his bowels, and went on a walk today morning and relieved himself on the street like a true gentle-pup! :wub:

Right now as I write this, Manny is sitting next to me with his nose deep in the pocket of my sweatshirt, where I usually carry his treats. And yes, it does tickle when he licks the inside of the pockets. LOL.:laugh:

Also, special report on the war on fluffiness, Manfred finally chased a Bichon Fris off with his barking and posturing!! And the Bichon was 4 yrs old too!! The old Beverly hills dame (Owner of said Bichon) was like... LOL.

I wonder why Manny is so aggressive with other dogs, is it natural or is he always going to be a hater? He goes on barking matches and tries to wrestle the other dogs. 

To be honest, I have only started to allow him to socialize after he got his 3rd boosters a week ago. And that too, I ask the owner of the other dog if their dog has all their shots and is free of fleas and ticks before I let Manfred go and meet the dog.

So it is only his 4th or maybe 5th experience "meeting" other dogs. All the small dogs especially common in and around here have attitude problems, I hope to meet some gentle giants, with whom I can observe Manfred be calm and collected and say a nice gentlemanly "Hello". 

Today I did try to calm Manfred as he went on the barking and leash pulling spree when he saw the Bichon. I asked him to sit (Which he did) and tried to say "NO" and patted his head. But he was watching the Bichon like a hawk. And the poor little 5lb fluffball was scared to death, and took the furthest path away from Manfred. 

Is there any technique I can use to calm him and ensure he is well behaved with other dogs?

Also, I am considering getting poochie bells, but I am a bit outraged at the $20 price tag for strip of nylon with 4 bells hanging off it (to hang on the door knob so that he can announce when it is time to go poo poo or pee pee). Maybe I will make one myself, it will be a fun project to do over Christmas when Renata is here, and I do have an expensive electronic sewing machine which I have used only once in 2007. LOL.

And yes, I know people will yell bloody murder at this, but I did do something immoral. LOL.

I went ahead and created a "Service dog certificate" so that I can take Manny inside the grocery stores. I could find no other way to officially register him. Honestly, I balk at the idea of having him outside the store when I go in for shopping, and its only when I take him out walking in the evening, that I can really do the necessary grocery shopping etc.

I understand that he might be a distraction for real service dogs who have a real need to be in the store (maybe) at the same time, but I havent run in to any service dogs in the past decade or two, except maybe one or two at the airport. So it is not as much a sin, compared to be able to keep my pooch under watch at all times, and preventing him from getting hurt or stolen.

Lastly, I took some more pictures of him sleeping next to me on the couch last night, he is getting to a big beautiful boy. :hug:


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## Gwenhwyfair (Jul 27, 2010)

uh-oh .......


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## Barb E (Jun 6, 2004)

Kaz said:


> And yes, I know people will yell bloody murder at this, but I did do something immoral. LOL.
> 
> I went ahead and created a "Service dog certificate" so that I can take Manny inside the grocery stores. I could find no other way to officially register him.


I keep having to hit backspace because everything I type sounds too rude or might get me banned.

There is nothing funny or ethical about faking a service dog, ever, for any reason.


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## Kaz (Nov 21, 2011)

Barb E said:


> I keep having to hit backspace because everything I type sounds too rude or might get me banned.
> 
> There is nothing funny or ethical about faking a service dog, ever, for any reason.


Ok, from all the posts... I get it, it was wrong, and I tore it up. I created it and never used it.


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## Kaz (Nov 21, 2011)

Yayyy! Renata is here!! :wild:

And it is hilarious! My fiancee with her fancy PhD and everything, a staunch advocate of "Give him a toy when he bites" and "Be patient, he is a puppy!" is finally realizing the reality of life with a hyper active pup. LOLOLOL.

She has taken to running and hiding from Manfred or retreating on to the bed, as Manny is having a ball terrorizing her feet and her in general. 

Hahahaha. Its hilarious and so cute!!! 

Renata loves to tickle my belly button especially when I am trying to rest or work, and now if she even tries, I only have to whistle and my furry guardian is there to scare her off!

Renata is exceedingly beautiful with her Baltic blue grey eyes and her auburn hair and as everyone knows, Manfred is exceptionally handsome. I am a lucky guy to have this exceedingly cute pair in my life. 

This is going to be the best Christmas ever!!


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## Kaz (Nov 21, 2011)

Merry Christmas to everyone and their furry children!! :hug:

Renata is getting in to the swing of things with Manfred. A couple of observations : Manfred had tried in the past to nip at my heels, a strong dissuasion had ensured he had not repeated the behavior. But he has resumed that especially with Renata. Then he tried it on me. I stepped in and stopped the behavior, and asked Renata to drop what she was doing and stop trying to avoid the puppy, but instead meet the pup head on and actively stop him from nipping.

Also, Renata and I take Manfred for regular walks (3 times a day). He poops pretty much outside, but he still does pee once in a while in the kitchen. Renata loves Manny and I have made her watch videos on how to walk Manfred and given her tips. She is fairly succesful when all 3 of us are walking together. However, yesterday Renata tried to take Manfred for a walk (without me), but Manfred insisted on staying within 10 yards of the apartment complex. He was just sitting down refusing to walk. Then I came out and he walked fine.

Today morning, again the same phenomenon. Also, Manfred was taciturn even when I took over the leash. Treats or praises did not work, but when I asked Renata to go back home and then admonished him firmly once, he walked fine with me.

I have heard dogs pick up the personality of the owner. I have a very head strong and very alpha personality (I admit). I hope Renata's tenderness can offset my hard ill-effects. But I am concerned that Manfred doesnt pick up my traits.

Manfred is also barking at other dogs. He has lately started growling and barking when dogs walk past the window of my first floor apartment. I have said "NO" and tried to distract him with success. I hope this will help this behavior stop.

The people in my apartment arent very nice. Typical bitchy, stab-you-in-the-back Beverly hills type. Evidently they have complained to the apartment manager about Manfred on imaginary issues. Also, when I had left a "Welcome home - Happy Holidays" message on my door, some one had defaced it with rude messages, ending it with "Fck you and your dog".

Manfred seldom barks, except when he observes other dogs walking past the window.

Also, when we go for a walk, Manfred takes on a confrontational attitude towards other dogs. I dont blame him, he mostly meets small yappy toy dog types who themselves cant stop barking their heads off.

Yesterday, we met this huge gorgeous white GSD, and after checking with the owner that the white GSD was up to date on shots, I tried to socialize Manfred with him. 

Manfred was evidently scared but he barked hard. I reached out and touched the white GSD, rubbed his head, and said "No Manfred", but that really didnt work.

I guess I need to learn how to properly socialize Manfred with other dogs.

Well, thats the latest on Manfred.

Thank you for reading.

And again, Merry Christmas and happy holidays to everyone!

Kaz.


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## 1sttimeforgsd (Jul 29, 2010)

Glad that your lady Renata is home and that Manfred and you are having a great Christmas. Maybe if Renata starts being the one to feed Manfred he will accept her better and will go with her on walks alone. Just an idea, hope that your holliday continues to be a happy one.


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## Kaz (Nov 21, 2011)

Manfred has bitten through his 2nd harness in a month and a half. 

The first was the comfort harness from petco:

Petco Comfort Control Purple Dog Harness at PETCO

Manfred bit through the nylon connection cord when the harness was off him. It was usually too snug for him to bite through when wearing it.

We got a 2nd harness: A AKC leather harness:
Amazon.com: AKC 1-Inch by 23-39-Inch Harness, Brown Large: Pet Supplies

He bit through it in 2 days when wearing it, because he was able to fit his jaw around the connector cords even while wearing it.

We are at a loss, we dont wish to get him to walk on a collar based leash, because we are too afraid to hurt his baby neck. 

And Manfred is learning to walk on the leash, some times he walks well, but he does have a tendency to pull on the leash and walk ahead. We try to limit that, but my left shoulder has intense pain these days from Manfred's pulling. Also Renata is having arm pains after walking Manfred.

We are considering a metal chain based harness, is this a good idea? Can anyone recommend a solution?

Thanks in advance.

Kaz.


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## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

hey kaz glad to hear you and your lady are havin' a good (for the most part) holiday. gosh i just detest people who leave cruel messages and are unkind in any way. about the harness, is he chewing on it while you're walking him? what does that mean "wearing it", are you leaving it on him when he's not under your direct supervision? and the purple petco one, how did he get that to chew it when he wasn't wearing it? these puppy ways will end, but in the meantime you have to be ever vigilant, super duper ever vigilant, to make sure that he doesn't have access to or the opportunity to do what puppies do...chew. everything. anything. i'll bet he's getting bigger every day! you and renata have a very happy and safe new year. 

ps...ignore and avoid those neighbors like the plague! they have no class. at all.


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## jetscarbie (Feb 29, 2008)

> Renata is exceedingly beautiful with her Baltic blue grey eyes and her auburn hair and as everyone knows, Manfred is exceptionally handsome. I am a lucky guy to have this exceedingly cute pair in my life.


awwwww. I'm a sucker for sweet men.:wub:

Personally, my dogs don't wear collar in the house. Way to many ways they can get hurt. Only put them on when you are going for your walks.

I can't wait to read the updates when you put Manfred in doggie class.


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## Kaz (Nov 21, 2011)

Thank you all for your messages. :hug:

Well, Manfred is no longer my dog, he is now Renata's dog. 

Renata is learning, she has learnt not to wake me up at 5:00am asking me if she could take the dog out to go pee pee since the last time he pee'd was at 12.00 mid night. She is also learning not to worry about the puppy like it was a baby. 

Manfred has also started following his mommy around a lot more than me. And mommy and mommy's clothes are now his favorite chew toys.

Renata's touch is so tender, so motherly. I guess this is why a child needs 2 parents to have a healthy development. 

As for his harness, Katie, thank you for your message.

Manfred is smart and is getting taller and bigger. He is close to 40 lbs now and approaching his 4th month birthday (in 3 days). We try to keep things out of his reach. But it often doesnt work. He has figured out how to lift the lids off chests or to open drawers.

He got to his Petco harness and chewed the nylon strap. It was a roman harness, and he could not get to it while wearing it.

However the AKC strap is a side harness (legs go in the harness), and he is able to reach and bite it while sitting down. 

Also Manfred is super mischievous. He knows when he doing some thing wrong and is being told "NO" and he takes a lot of pleasure in doing it, just to test our patience. 

You can tell when he is in his "Wascawwy" (Courtesy of Elmer Fudd) mood. His tail would be wagging, tongue out, ears erect, and he will do this jumpy walk. 

We purchased one more AKC harness this time a nylon one. We will keep looking for one with metal chains built in to the harness. As Renata said, he has needles and scissors for teeth. As I write this, Manfred has just discovered momentum. Now he knows if running and making a forward lunging movement, he can get on the couch without asking for Daddy to lift his furry butt up there.

And I need to cut this short, since it isnt easy to type with a fur-ball nipping at your elbows. LOL.


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## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

kaz, please tell renata to continue to worry about manfred like he was a baby, 'cuz he is one, a baby sheppie...lololololol.....

40 pounds, wowie-zowie, pictures please!!!


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## Kaz (Nov 21, 2011)

Renata and Manfred! :wild:  :hug:


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## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

oh yea he his gettin' BIG. he's lost that little baby look and now has the adolescent baby look...still a baby, still gotta watch him like a hawk.

today dh came home with a story about his sister who lives in riverside and has a new (very small) rescue dog, some kind of yorkie-poo mix, not a baby puppy but still quite young. well the dog chews. dh's sister doesn't worry much about it and doesn't "believe" in crating at all, dog is small after all, how much can the dog damage by chewing since she's so small. well, today she left her hair dryer plugged in and guess what...dog chewed the cord thru and she heard the screams, went and had to PRY this little dog's jaw open to remove the cord. fortunately the dog is still alive, sister is not sure yet if there's permanent damage. she called dh and now TOTALLY understands why he keeps NAGGING at her to supervise and crate the dog. i only repeat this here because it underscores the need for (especially while they're young) constant supervision, and unending thought given to what they COULD get into. your manfred is growing into a beautiful young dog. protect him any and every way you can.

and hi to renata, good to "meet" you!!! looks like you've got a new best friend!


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## Kaz (Nov 21, 2011)

Thanks Katie! :hug:

Renata LOVES Manfred and Manfred ADORES Renata. The pair are inseparable. 

We went for a walk, the 3 of us. Manfred went poo poo on the sidewalk, Renata scooped it up and since we were close to home, and she is a clean freak (Lol), she decided to run back to wash her hands.

Manfred stopped what he was doing to look at mommy go. He started whining, tugging on the leash, till I had to give in and take him back to mommy.

According to Renata, he does the same when I might leave them for a short while.

Renata is perhaps one of the sweetest people you will meet. Very gentle and kind, with the heart of a mom. She tries to baby me (much to my chagrin! Lol).

Its funny, because today I was playing a video game, Renata started dancing to the music and Manfred joined her. 

I hear your comment about being careful with the pup. One golden rule I follow (Which actually Renata suggested), when ever I have to leave Manfred by himself, I turn off the mains of the electricity. 

Thanks for your comments, Renata sends her regards.

Wish you and yours a happy holiday season. :hug:


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## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

wishing you and renata and manfred a great new year!!!

manfred looks very much like my cashman. there was a point when cash was young and i could see past the teenage puppy face to the magnificent head he was growing into. i see that in manfred in those most recent pictures. all the work of the puppy stage will soon be just a memory!


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## Stella's Mom (Mar 8, 2011)

He is so adorable. I love how he whines each time he has the ball. He doesn't know what to do with all his excitement. 
Love his name too!


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## Kaz (Nov 21, 2011)

Happy 2012 to all and their pups!! :hug: :wild: 

I am adding eggs (Microwaved for 1 minute) and egg shells to Manfred's diet. Also, I was wondering if I could add raw chicken thigh bones to his diet. I will of course never give him cooked chicken bones.

And Manfred is growing like a weed! He is a 42lb boy now, all nice and cuddly! He is around 20 inches at the withers at 4 months, both ears completely erect.

I showed his father's papers to Renata, who promptly bonked me on the head for thinking, just because she reads/writes German and Russian (among other languages), she could also read Czech!

And Manfred is getting along great with the dogs he meets everyday. He kinda eclipses them with his presence. It takes only over 100 lb dogs to stand up to my pup! He is a real terror (j/k)! And he looks the part! Magnificent size, glossy coat, and the poise and gait of the king of dogs that GSD's are!

Also, he is potty trained. He does poo poo and pee pee outside, but I think Renata is kind of spoiling him by taking him out a bit too often. But he rewards her by going poo and pee each time.

One worrying thing is Manfred will eat anything, in a good way that means we can give him spinach and bananas and other foods, in a bad way, he has a thing for chewing on glass. In the last few days I found 2 pieces of glass in his mouth.

I usually have to get stuff out of his mouth whenever we stop during a walk. 

I was also wondering about an effective technique to do it.

I usually stick my fore finger up his mouth, if needed, all the way to the back, over his tongue, to look for the object he was chewing. And follow it up with my thumb under his tongue. 

Usually that is hit or miss, what works best is propping his mouth open and shaking his head to make the object fall due to gravity. 

Is there a more effective way to get stuff out of the pup's mouth? 

Thanks all. :hug:


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## Kaz (Nov 21, 2011)

Manfred is doing well. He walks well, bites less, eats his kibbles, raw chicken bones, egg shells and dried duck breasts. He is a happy healthy BIG puppy!

Today we were teaching him to target the house keys and we had success.

One thing we noticed yesterday and today has me a little spooked.

Yesterday at around 12.00am midnight, Renata, Manfred and I went for a walk. We live in the safe part of LA, more like West LA / Beverly hills. Generally it is safe, but in Sept 2011, I was attacked by 2 drug addicts.

Yesterday while we were walking home, Manfred who is generally social of all people he meets (He is EXTREMELY well socialized to people and dogs). Suddenly stopped and looked ahead at the dark street ahead. His ears were erect, his posture was alert.

I asked him to move, he would not.

I backed away and asked Renata to follow. We crossed the street and went on the side walk to the other side.

Today in the evening, I was out with Manfred. He was his usual self, sniffing, trying to get at twigs.

When we approached a certain side walk (a different one), there was an older man with a shopping bag approaching us (like 20 yards away). The man stopped and turned around and walked back the way he came. Even Manfred stopped and was alert (as described before).

I initially thought it was the older guy with the bag that had spooked Manny. But evidently not. Manfred refused to go ahead. And instead sat down, ears erect looking ahead. And he was not looking at that man with the shopping bag.

I could see nothing, it was around 6.30pm Pacific time, so a bit dark.

I did not ask or prod Manfred to move forward but tried to see what had spooked Manny.

Manfred then just turned around and ran. I kept up. 

We both ran to the cross walk. 

I did not see anything, but I trusted my boy.

I wonder what it could have been.....


Also, one day when Manfred was around 3 months old, we were at home, it was a saturday and Renata was still in Lithuania.

Renata and I were chatting with video on skype. When Manfred went to the bed room to the walk in closet where his bed was situated. He barked.

I was surprised, I hadnt heard him bark till then. I came to see Manfred staring intently at the closet. He was not looking down, but up... like staring at the face of a man. Except the closet was empty!

Manfred backed up and left the room, I followed. LOL.

I have lived alone since I hit my 20's. I lived alone in a 2000 sq ft apartment in Boston on a hill surrounded by its own verdant grounds. I dont get spooked easy. 

But Manfred's recent behavior has me questioning.. is it the super natural that my dog is sensing?


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## RocketDog (Sep 25, 2011)

I doubt it.  As much as I love to read about Manfred, it's typical pup behavior. He is just going through a bit of a fear stage. They hear things we don't and see things, but it's only because they're so much more sensitive. The barking, running and backing up are pretty normal for his age.


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## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

been wondering how manfred the wonder pup is doing and have missed your most recent posts, been here hit and miss and in a bit of trouble on other threads, lolol...about the spooking thing, they sense extremely well seismic (jeez, is that how you spell that), activity and since you're in la-la land there may be a bit of that which you're not feeling. can't think of any better way to get stuff outa his mouth than the way you're doing it (tho maybe others can), glass...oh, that would make me crazy... 

my girl serablue says she'd whip that whippersnapper manny into shape pretty darn quick, she's earned her nickname "the tank"...










yup, we've got some snow, but it's melting as we speak and soon will be mud...but time is flying and soon it will be spring :shocked:.


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## Kaz (Nov 21, 2011)

Hey Katie and Rocket! :hug::hug:

Serablue is gorgeous! But I am absolutely certain Manfred could take her! LOL. He is after-all named after the most successful WWI fighter pilot! 

Well, I missed your posts Katie. Hope you are doing well. Renata sends her regards.

Manfred is a great pup. He is well socialized to humans and is fast becoming well socialized to other dogs. He never barks, approaches them with tail wagging, he sniffs their nose, privates and then backs off and we walk.

No aggression, nothing.

Renata was pleasantly surprised yesterday when I showed her that Manfred would stop even his gentlest bite on my hand when I went "OUCH!"

Renata is funny and the 2 of them keep every day super interesting. 

Wish you lived in LA and we could have a play date with your Serablue and my pup. 

And again, I am sure Manfred with his bear paws would "pwn" her!! LOLOL.


And here are some pictures of my little lug and my lady. :hug:


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## Kaz (Nov 21, 2011)

With a few days to go before his 5th month birthday, Manfred turned the scale today at 51lbs. (In the morning after poo-pee).

I am assuming his evening weight will be closer to 54 to 55 lbs. 

He is very lean, healthy, hyper-active at times, a very sniffy nose made to get him in trouble, absolutely attached to his mom & dad.

He has learned:
1) Sit
2) Stay
3) lie down
4) roll over
5) fetch
6) target (fetch targeted item)
7) poo - pee on command
8) Off (leave object)
9) eat / stop on command. 
10) Come
11) Shake hands
12) Hi-five
13) Stand (from sit)
14) Pose (2 fore legs on a height)
15) Find mom & dad (when either of us is hiding)


The 15th point was most fun to teach. When we would go for a walk, Renata (my fiancee) would quietly take off and hide. Within maybe 20 yards. Even I wouldnt know where she is hiding. I would have to say "Momma! Find Momma!" And he would be off and usually he would find Renata within a few seconds!

(Same with me hiding, and Renata saying "Where's daddy!")

I am wondering if I can teach him to scratch my back on command. LOL.


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## chelle (Feb 1, 2009)

1.) Obsession with weight.
2.) Obsession with being able to "take" other dogs. Intimidate other dogs. Teach other dogs a lesson.
3.) Obsession with calcium overload to ensure he grows fast, fast, fast, big, big, big.
4.) 30 hours... *HOURS* alone. 
5.) Smacking the dog.

?????????? :nono::nono::thumbsdown::thumbsdown::headbang::headbang::hammer::hammer: ??????????

You people who have posted are very nice people. I guess I'm not, this is just crazy to me.

P.S. Maybe I'm wrong; isn't a "thoroughbred" a horse?


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## valb (Sep 2, 2004)

Chelle, I had some problems with it, too. BUT I think
the people are being "nice" in order to hopefully keep 
someone here and keep helping, instead of running him
off. And I must say, he SEEMS receptive to stuff, and
that can only be a good thing.

Thoroughbred with the "t" capitalized is the horse. 
Thoroughbred with a small "t" in my experience, is
used almost interchangeably with "purebred". So, you
could in fact have a thoroughbred golden retriever.


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## hattifattener (Oct 7, 2011)

Kaz said:


> He is after-all named after the most successful WWI fighter pilot!


Red Baron and his flying circus?


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