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My labrador loses his mind when he's in public. He gets overly excited. When we walk at a park, he barks at everyone like he doesn't get out much. He's not even a high strung lab---mostly lays around quietly at home. But when he gets out into unfamiliar places and sees other dogs, he just can't keep his mouth shut. He's also insecure about being in unfamiliar houses. He paces and paces around. He's just a dog that likes his own little world. Anything outside of that makes him a bit stressed out.
On the other hand, my beagle/basset is content and happy wherever he goes. He'll bark when he sees other dogs, but not overly so. He'll make himself home anywhere.
Elvis is pretty well behaved but I think part of that is because I am so careful about his surroundings and who I permit him to be in contact with.
He grew up on a mountain top in the woods and rarely saw people for his first couple of years. Adjusting him to people in the house took a lot of time. He also got hit by a truck on the mountain and his brain hasn't been the same since. Now, when ever he is fearful, he will bite.
He is very, very smart and can do a legion of tricks and obey commands but he's been unpredictable around people ever since his head injury. He doesn't attack but he does percieve an attempt to pet him, by a stranger, as an attack and will bite.
So I control his environment. It's safer for people and it keeps him from being too anxious. I hate that he gets so afraid, so I don't put him through it unless it is absolutely necessary.
Tucker is NOT well behaved but he's so doggone funny, that most people don't even care!
He thinks a leash is a great toy! Once he has it wrapped around you legs, he'll sit and wait to be loosened and then he'll wrap it around you again, all the while he's looking you in the eye and lauging. He thinks it's a game toy.
I'm probably going to get some people that disagree with me on this, but I really think that some dogs really just aren't very well behaved and that's just how they are going to be! It's not really a bad thing though, as long as the owner knows their dog and it's likes and dislikes, so that you can prevent anything bad from happening. As long as you don't put your dogs in a situation where something bad could happen and as long as you know how to control your dogs, it's not a big deal! Well, that's how I feel anyway. It sounds like you know your dogs really well and your a responsible owner, and I think that's is one of the most important things! That's awesome that your Rotty jumped into the pool to watch out for your little girl! Dog really are amazing creatures!
Thanks for understanding. My rottweiler is good to us and I guess that's all that matters. On the other hand, like my vet said, a retarded siberian husky isn't much diffrent than a normal one! LOL!
Thanks for understanding. My rottweiler is good to us and I guess that's all that matters. On the other hand, like my vet said, a retarded siberian husky isn't much diffrent than a normal one! LOL!
Lol! As long as your babies love you and your family that's really all that matters! Now, if you had some crazy monster dogs that wanted to eat you and your family, that would be different! I know a few people that have dogs that don't like many people at all, but their dogs have never done anything wrong because they know how their dogs are and they know their dogs likes and dislikes.
Our two little girls, Destiny and Jayda, love everyone and everything! They just want to play, eat, sleep and lick everyone to death, so we know that we can really take our girls just about anywhere and they will be fine with whoever or whatever the come across! Brooklyn on the other hand tends to get upset with dogs that he doesn't know pretty easily. He's not a mean or aggressive dog by any means and he does get along very well with dogs, but if a strange dog were to play too rough with him or make him feel threatened in anyway, Brooklyn wouldn't be too happy about it. We have never had any problems with him and another dog, but we can just tell by his body language that he is getting upset, so we know to watch him very closely around strange dogs, especially hyper strange dogs! He also doesn't like it when men that he doesn't know are around me when my husband isn't around. He won't be mean or try to attack them, but he will sit right in between me and them and keep his eyes on them the whole time! I don't really see that as a bad thing though! lol! I would never take Brooklyn out where there is a lot of people or other dogs unless my husband was with us because I know that Brooklyn gets protective of me when my husband isn't around. I also know not to unleash him around dogs that he doesn't know, just to be safe! Anyway, my point is, our dogs are by no means perfect, but we know our dogs, we know that we can take the girls anywhere and we know that we just have to be more careful with Brooklyn, and because of that the chances of anything bad ever happening are very slim! No dog is perfect, but if you know your dog and your a responsible owner than you should be fine!
I don't want people to think that I'm saying it's okay to just not train your dog as long as you know your dog, because that's not what I'm saying at all. Every dog needs to be trained and socialized as well as absolutely possible! I HATE it when people just don't train their dog! That's not okay! There is no excuse for that and people like that just shouldn't own a pet! But, like I said, no dog is perfect and no matter how well trained and socialized the dog is every dog will still have their own likes and dislikes, and every dog is capable of attacking. If you know your dog and you properly control your dog, even if your dog isn't the most well behaved and friendly, chances are you won't have any real problems! That's how I feel about it anyway!
I can't tell you how much 'Ohhh's and Wow's" I encounter with my 2 GSDs. Every time i take them out in public, pet stores, parks, what not, i get this: "Your dogs are so well behaved!!" Aren't yours?? Don't get me wrong, i love hearing this from people, but at the same time, i'm totally amazed by how many people are amused with well-behaved dogs.
I can relate! I have a Siberian Husky and he's extremely well-behaved. To a large extent, I think that's just due to his personality. He's a good-natured, agreeable dog. He's not dominant, but he's not submissive, either. He's just very laid-back and confident.
But I also think that some of the credit goes to me because he and I constantly reinforce our positions in our little pack of two. People tell me that Bandit is "well-trained" but I don't think that's it. I don't know how to train a dog, necessarily. But Bandit knows what to expect from me, and he knows what I expect of him. He's 7 now, and after all these years he's so attuned to me that sometimes all I have to do is click my tongue...or even just wait. (He's expected to sit before going into the house. We don't do this 100% of the time, but probably a good 75% of the time. So there are times when we get to the door and he stands there with his nose against the door, all ready to go in, and all I have to do is just wait. I don't even say anything. Within about 30 seconds, he'll look up at me, see me looking down at him, and he'll just KNOW. He'll sit -- woo-wooing his frustration and indignation the entire time -- and then he'll wait for me to give him the "go ahead" hand gesture.)
A lot of our "conversation" is done with hand signals, and I do the low "Eh!" growly sound when he's stepping out of bounds.
Several months ago I was reading "How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend" by the Monks of New Skete. There's a chapter in there about discipline. The monks would ask people (who came to their monastery for dog training) how they disciplined their dog, and people would respond with "I swat him with a newspaper" or "I smack him on the nose" or "I yell and scream at him" or similar comments. And I thought to myself as I was reading this that I discipline my dog every day, several times a day, but I've never laid a hand on him and I think I've raised my voice maybe twice. He gets disciplined when we're on walks and I make corrections on the lead to get him to fall back a little. He gets disciplined when I make him sit while I prepare his food. He gets disciplined when I make him lie down (and not beg) when I'm sitting on the sofa eating my dinner. All of that is discipline, and all of it just reinforces what kind of behavior I expect from him.
I need a definition of well behaved.
my dog is well rounded ...too excited about people tho and I won't fix that because its a good behavior considering he was abused and neglected.
He barks alot when he's excited ....try and fix that for me ....you CAN'T! ...not possible and people encourage i nine times outta ten. Moneky dog doesn't bark at me when I come through the door. He plops on the floor and waits for a "ok and hello"
my dog is friendly and loves all. He doesn't steal food, will sit when we ask over all well rounded
At the door he barks and won't stop HA! is that badly behaved? like I said I need a definition
I do have to brag: my boy got his CGC at nine months of age and is a GREAT boy when we're out. In addition, he has all kinds of other special behaviors that I taught him (like singing, spinning, twirling, etc). We LOVE clicker training!
If I didn't live in the middle of the city and had a car, this boy would be doing competition obedience.
Both of my Goldens are very well behaved. I firmly believe a large dog is no fun when it pulling, jumping and causing trouble. Don't get me wrong...both their noses always seem to end up in the wrong places when we have company over...but hey...they are just introducing themselves!
Seriously....they both walk right by my side...my male likes to push the envelope once in awhile..but I figure he's just keeping me on my toes! Both have very good manners (other than the nose where it doesn't belong habit).
My biggest peeve is people with the little tiny dogs...that seem to think they do not need to behave or trained "because they are little".
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It's not really a bad thing though, as long as the owner knows their dog and it's likes and dislikes, so that you can prevent anything bad from happening. As long as you don't put your dogs in a situation where something bad could happen and as long as you know how to control your dogs, it's not a big deal! Well, that's how I feel anyway. 
I know a few people that have dogs that don't like many people at all, but their dogs have never done anything wrong because they know how their dogs are and they know their dogs likes and dislikes. 
Very cute dog, but what's the sign for? I mean, what does it mean? 
...but hey...they are just introducing themselves!
