Struggling With Play Time

calicosrspecial

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:/ Hopefully it is the last time.

Hahahaha, I think you could. It is really cool.

It is amazing how good he is (letting her). Normal to scarf it down. Yes, cats will be like that. I have one. :/ Yep, makes sense. At least they were rescued quickly. Probably hours. Whew. My goodness, how could someone not pick him. What did the other pup look like? Regular GS?

:( Yes, they can be very bad. :(

I wonder if he just gets so excited? Interesting it was right after the alarm and not during other parts of the day. I am glad he isn't at other times. Maybe (hopefully) something is working!! Fingers crossed.
 

Animal Freak

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I actually at one point tried to come up with names though I don't remember why. It's not as easy as one might think.

He is very good with her. Ember isn't usually quite this bad. She's been rather cranky too. She growled at Frost and kept growling when he left while she was on my lap. Unfortunately, he was probably out there for a while. Him and his brother were apparently very skinny when they were found, so either neglected before being abandoned or they'd been out for a while. His brother looked just like him except smaller. We didn't get to see him though because he was already adopted, but they told us he was, like, half the size. Their pictures were pretty much identical though.

The sore looks a lot better. Still gross, but less so.

I'm not sure. So far he hasn't thrown up at all since Tuesday which we started his new meds Tuesday evening.

We took Si to the park today that has the dog park and he did so well. He did way better on the drive there and back, and he did good around the other dogs. Not perfect, but way better. We actually got up to the fence of the dog park. We did a bit of walking away and then going back, but in the end I let him sniff the other dogs through the fence. They have three separate areas for dogs and only one had dogs, so I took him into the one next to them and let him off leash. He was definitely nervous. There were four dogs including two six month old GSD pups. He was okay one-on-one, but multiple dogs at a time scared him and he stayed very close to me to begin with, but he started getting braver. Overall, I was very proud of him.
 

calicosrspecial

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Oh I know, I am HORRIBLE at it. :( It is usually the first thing that pops in my mind when I see them that I use.

It is amazing he is that good. Hahahaha, yes, cats do go through bad phases. :) I think Ember didn't want to share you......... Oh my, how can someone do that?????? Maybe his issues stem from that time period? Maybe he chowed down the food before his brother? Arrrrgggghhhhhh, that makes me sick. They are GORGEOUS dogs and someone does that!!!!

Oh good!!! Yes, but at least it is better!!!

GREAT!!! BUT he does go days without. Keep an eye on the alarm. I just wonder if he was on the streets longer and is food anxious? They can be out only for a day or two and it can happen. :( BUT maybe it is the new meds. I am so glad you have a great vet, that is so important. Because this stuff is really hard. :(

That is great!!! Wow, that is impressive. Yes, multiple dogs can be intimidating BUT he sounds like he adjusted really well. Wow, I can see why you are proud of him!!! That sounds fantastic!! He probably saw the GS pups and thought "yeah, you look cool but not as special as me!!!". Hahahaha. I think he knows how gorgeous he is and I think his parent might help him with that. ;)
 

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I have to do way too much research to decide on a name.

Ember has even started lashing out at Frost though which is weird for her. She won't usually touch him unless she's trying to get him to play, but their scuffles around meal time have gotten serious. Frost instigates it, but Ember is the one who escalates it. She doesn't usually retaliate, so it never becomes anything serious.

I do think his resource guarding probably came from being on the streets. He's definitely a lot better about it now. I don't understand how anyone could be so cruel to any animal, let alone a baby. And all the puppy who probably saw them and chose to walk away...

Well, he's definitely had issues around food and I would think that probably did have an affect on him. So far still no vomiting though and I have gotten up at the same time the last four days.

Yes, he did really well. I was very pleased with how he mostly focused on me. He wasn't overly interested in them. One of the dogs would focus on him when we were still a distance away and he didn't like that, but that dog left and he did better once he had a chance to observe without being noticed. He did bark when a new dog showed up though. So we still have a lot of work to do, but gosh he's really come so far.

He was the prettiest dog there. ;) It is interesting seeing him compared to the other GSDs though. He's 6 months older, but honestly looks less mature. He's much lankier and thinner. He's taller than them, but is only about 10lbs heavier, if that. The lady wasn't sure how much they weighed.
 

calicosrspecial

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Hahahaha. :) Pretty good. I am not surprised, you are intellectual.

Hmmmmm, must be driven by food. And I wonder if she thinks "I have this big dog behind me so don't mess with me". Does she seem more food driven lately?

Totally agree on everything!!! I am glad it is better now, you are doing a great job. I think it was destiny that you got him.

Yes. :/ Oh go, maybe it is the meds? Fingers crossed!!!

Wow, that sounds amazing. I had a dobbie mix that would be really good BUT if a dog made any look, move, etc that she didn't like it was like the tasmanian devil. Osiris is doing REALLY well!! That is the GS I believe.

Awwwwwwwww. :) I KNOW he was!!! How does he look "less mature"? The lankier, thinner could be from his beginning. He looks perfect to me. He has that look in the face that is so stunning as well. Sometimes the coloring of GSs can make them look a bit "more mature". One reason why I prefer the way he looks rather than the typical GS. :/ Not that I don't love regular GSs but they are not my preference in looks. :/
 

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I found dish sponge on the floor with a corner of it missing... So yes, more food driven. No one is getting as much of the scraps and snacks as usual since Si is on a special diet. My mom sneaks them some stuff sometimes and I've increased the amount she gets in her meals.

Well, I still didn't do much for the resource guarding other than avoid the triggers, but I am thinking more and more that I got the dog that I needed.

Yeah, hopefully we're onto something.

Osiris is like that with people. Just today we were sitting under a tree at the park and a man drove up in one of their little car-things I don't know the name of and stopped to ask if I knew who left a leash at the park. Si was totally fine with the man driving up, waving, and then stopping. The second the man started talking, Si jumped up and started barking. I did not expect that. He stopped after a moment, but he's usually fine with people. A little before that someone asked to pet him and he did fine with that. He still needs work in the car though. He barked at a dog before we got out at the park. Not as bad, but it's definitely an issue. But I'm excited about his progress at the dog park. I'd like to work on getting him up to the park with no barking, but then I think I want to start taking him into an empty yard and work on training or just playing with other dogs nearby.

It's hard to explain. He has a very young face though. He looks like he's stuck in that awkward, lanky phase when those six month GSDs already look filled out. I do wish I would've asked if they were neutered, but it seemed like a weird question. Early neutering affects the way a dog grows because it takes away those hormones, so they do end up looking younger. I'm not sure if that's what I'm seeing with Si or if it's because he has something other than GSD in him. He still does remind me of a sighthound without the prey drive. Yeah, the typical black and tan saddle color is my least favorite GSD color. Both of these pups were bicolors, so almost as much black as Si. They did have longer fur. Si is a beautiful dog, of course, but he does look less like a purebred when I compare him to actual purebred GSDs.
 

calicosrspecial

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Oh my. :/ Hopefully no one ate it. Yeah, I think she misses her special treats. :/

Well, you did something to improve it and the triggers were part but not sure it tells the whole story. Good job!! I agree, I think he is perfect. He is amazing. It usually doesn't go that smoothly. But he is super smart and has a really good heart. Kind of a gentle giant BUT he is protective. Kinda the best of all worlds. He knows his loved ones and he knows who isn't. Exactly what a person wants in a GS.

Fingers crossed!!

Interesting. Well, trust his judgement as well. GSs are really good judges of character. Yes, understanding what is a threat and what isn't. I am sure you are excited. That is amazing progress. Well done!! Yes, that is the fun next step. I am interested in seeing how obedient and compliant he is. Sometimes super smart dogs are a bit independent. Will be interesting. So far though he is much better than I would have expected.

Yes, he does. That face. Oooooooooooooo, I LOVE it!! Yes, he is lanky. I actually like that. Yes, some GSs fill out early. It very well could be the neutering. You should have asked. :/ With dog lovers it is not a bad question. Interesting on the sighthound. I don't see that but you see him all the time. I am with you on the black and tan. Oh wow, they must have been pretty cool looking pups? I just looked at pictures of purebreds on the internet. Not sure if they are representative but they look like Osiris to me. BUT to tell you the truth Osiris was more gorgeous. There is just something about him. That face of his.

My goodness I want one so badly........................................... They are my dream dogs. I know I will never get one with as good a personality as Osiris. :( I can't believe how good he has been with the cats and just in general.

Don't forget about pics ;)
 

Animal Freak

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Well, I never found the missing piece, so I'm guessing she ate it.

He did regress a little with the resource guarding when I couldn't feed him much for a few days because of the vomiting, but he got over that quickly and hasn't had problems in a while. I'm still cautious though. He is very sweet though not very gentle. He still has a hard time taking treats nicely. :ohwell: He's drawn blood a few times when working around other dogs.

I'm happy to trust a dog's judgement, but at the same time he can't go around barking at everyone, especially as a service dog. If I took him into a store and he started barking, we'd get kicked out. I'm always leery when Stella doesn't like someone. It's only happened twice. So far he's fairly obedient, but not very patient. I want to build some enthusiasm into training, but I'm kind of at a loss as to how to do that.

I like it too. None of what I've said is meant as a complaint. The awkward lanky phase is my favorite, so the fact that he seems to be stuck in that phase doesn't bother me! But I like learning about breeds and genetics, so it's interesting to me. Plus it teaches me how to figure out if a GSD is purebred or not and I like testing my breed knowledge when I see other dogs. The sighthound isn't really obvious. Pretty much everything that makes me think that could also be due to early neutering. I initially thought it could be age too, but seeing other GSDs even younger than him, I don't think it's that. His muzzle, as I've discovered, is thinner than a typical GSDs though not as long and thin as a sighthound's. His tail is long and doesn't have nearly as much fur as a GSD. His coat is overall thinner and smoother. He's thin and I can't get weight on him which could be his age, but from what I've read 7 cups of food is a bit extreme even for an adolescent and he's still thin. And he's a tad lazy. He loves his couch and that's something more common to sighthounds than GSDs. Of course, I got a rescue and I didn't expect to get a purebred from a rescue, so it's not a big deal if he's not. But it's interesting to try to figure out what else might be in there.

I love him. He's a GSD without the energy or prey drive. I would still like a GSD with that energy and drive, but it's not what I need right now.
 

calicosrspecial

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OH MY GOODNESS is he GORGEOUS or what?!?!?!?!?!?!?! My heart honestly melts seeing him. Perfection.

:( I was afraid she might have eaten it. :(

That makes sense. But he got over it quickly. Well, he is still a puppy and that energy can get out of hand. It does happen. Mine was like that well in the years. :/ The way she was.

Yes, but he is getting better. But I agree. Lack of patience = puppy. He is still very young. Good question, I have no idea how to get that enthusiasm. :/ I know intelligent dogs can be like that. :/

My girls is nipping my fingers as I type now. :(

Agreed!!! I mean look at those pics!! :) Oh no, I know. I like that phase as well. SO cute. Yes, you are much better and more advanced than I am with breeds, etc. I don't see the muzzle issue though. :/ Interesting on your thoughts on the sighthound. The weight, fur, etc could be due to his start in life? I have seen purebreds from great breeders look like him. So...................... Lazy could be due to his intelligence. I know I am not with him but he seems exceptionally intelligent compared to the general GS. Yes, agreed. I am interested. I am convinced he is pure GS so........ still waiting for strong evidence to suggest not. But I can't figure out how any breeder could let them be. I wonder if it was a domestic issue where a spouse "dumped" the dogs to get back at the other. There is no way a breeder would let 2 gorgeous dogs like that go.

Oh I know you do. I wonder if the energy is due to his start in life and the minor health issues? He has the protective nature of a GS that is for sure. I agree, I don't want a too high energy and prey driven GS at all. But the protective aspect tends to be with all of them.

It is interesting. I love him too if you don't know. ;) I am envious.
 

Animal Freak

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He is a beautiful dog. He's going to be a good poser for pictures too.

She ate a pea today. That's a new one. And watermelon yesterday.

He hurts me quite a lot though. Hard to be positive and in a good mood for training when your fingers are hurting from being bitten.

Yes, he's still young. I don't expect perfection from him. I'm trying to be more exciting during training. I'm not a very enthusiastic person so it takes a lot of effort. It did seem to help a bit today though.

The muzzle isn't obvious until you see him next to a GSD. Or try fitting him for a muzzle. That was when I realized he apparently has an oddly sized muzzle. He hasn't been on the streets for several months now. I don't know what long term affects that could have on a dog's appearance. It seems like anything caused by that should be gone by now. The fact that he ended up on the streets alone is a pretty good sign he isn't pure. All of the signs, based on what I know about breeders and GSDs, point to him not being pure. It's not a guarantee, but I'd say it's pretty likely he's not. He definitely didn't come from a good breeder anyway. I do still want to get a DNA test though even that isn't 100%.

I think he's just a laid back dog. He might get some more stamina with time, but I don't think he's ever going to be a very high energy dog.

He's kind of hard not to love.
 

calicosrspecial

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He really is, stunning. He is so well behaved and trusting, I agree, he should be great for pics.

:( Yep. Peas they do eat. Watermelon, Hahahaha, sounds like my cats.

Yes. :( Mine have as well. Some are worse than others for some reason. They can't judge as well. :/

Interesting. Maybe the enthusiasm will help. Makes sense.

Ahhhhhhhh. Yes, because on his own it sure isn't obvious. It would be a more nutrition issue with being on the streets and so young. And then exposure to chemicals, parasites, etc that can cause issues. I highly doubt he was on the streets long but who knows. Well, never underestimate the anger, jealousy, spitefullness of people. Even wealthy, good breeders etc have those traits. And someone might strike back at someone else by doing something like that (using something to hurt someone). :( I am interested to know as well.

Could be. I hope it is just in his personality rather than something in his past. :/

Hahahahaha, AGREED!!! I mean he could just look at me and I would melt!!! He is perfection to me.
 

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Very well behaved when he's hot. Lol. He still struggles with the heat quite a bit.

I'm not sure Ember has ever been offered a pea. Watermelon she's never eaten before, but her brother loved it.

Well, I'm not a fan and something is going to have to change. I don't like bleeding when I'm trying to reward him for behaving. He really doesn't have any consciousness for how big or strong he is. No self-awareness whatsoever.

Yeah, I don't really know a ton about all that. I've watched a lot of rescue shows and can't say I've seen anything affecting these particular things or heard anyone talk about it. Nutritional deficiency can stunt growth and potentially weaken or deform bones in particularly young puppies, but that's about as far as my knowledge goes. One day I'll get a DNA test. I do think he pretty much has to be either mixed or very, very poorly bred. He's definitely not bred to standard.
 

calicosrspecial

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Hahahaha, yep. Yes, being black does absorb the sun. :/ It is interesting because my black female cat was HORRIBLE in the heat. I took her in because of that while my current black cat in my colony it doesn't affect (I suspect they are related as well). Go figure??

Interesting. Sometimes they have peas in wet food and some of mine like them and some don't. :/ Hahahaha, her brohter loved watermelon. I guess it is in their DNA. :)

:( Yes. Not fun. Do you ever saw "ouch"? And how does he respond? Yes, he is young and they can be not self-aware. :( And sometimes the eyesight is a little off (the depth perception). And then the excitement factor. I hope you can get him to improve.

Yes, I don't know much about it either. There are a lot of things animals on the streets can be exposed to. :( And then for dogs getting nutrition is really hard and proper water. Cats are a lot more prepared for living on the streets than dogs. It breaks my heart when dogs are out there. :( I know people who have "bred to standard" and they have all sorts of problems so maybe that isn't so bad if true. A number of them have stomach issues. :/ My mixed have been amazingly healthy so mixed would not be bad (though I am not really seeing it). Poorly bred happens all the time. :( Will be interesting.

No throwing up lately? Fingers crossed.
 

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I don't think Ember could be warm enough. My laptop puts off some warm air and I've ended up with the part it comes from under the blanket. She'd lay right in front of it. I didn't realize until I reach down to pet her and her fur felt like it was on fire. I couldn't believe how hot it was and she wasn't going to budge. Stella doesn't do great in the heat, but she's better than Osiris.

Ember doesn't usually like fruits or veggies other than the occasional bit of lettuce. I'm not sure when that changed. She tried to steal a piece of steak from me earlier. Reached out and touched it when I wasn't looking.

Yes, he does not care. He really pinches you with his teeth too.

It is very sad to see dogs on the street. Someone posted on Facebook about a lost dog who's so sweet and approaching people and has been there a few days. And I'm just thinking, "You know this dog has been there for days, you know she's sweet, you know she comes right up to you, and yet you still leave her there?" I don't know how people can do that. Unfortunately, "bred to standard" doesn't mean healthy, but the breeders who care enough to breed to standard tend to care enough to breed for health too. The standard is just a description of appearance and temperament for a particular breed. That's not a guarantee either though. Some people take breeding to standard too seriously and only care about the looks. True mixes (not crossbreeds) tend to be healthier because they have a larger gene pool to breed from which means fewer recessive genes popping up and because there's often at least some degree of survival of the fittest. Purebreds are bred from smaller gene pools which makes careful breeding very important. BYBs are often using pure dogs or dogs close enough to pass as pure (at least when they're puppies and it's harder to tell), so small gene pools but without the care of good breeders. I'll try to get some pictures to show you what I mean when I say he doesn't look pure though.

Nope, still no more throwing up. Something is definitely working. Now we just have to figure out what. He's on the steroid for another 10-ish days. Then he'll be on the Pepcid for at least a couple more weeks after that. If he still isn't throwing up after coming off all the meds then we can consider trying him on a different food.
 

calicosrspecial

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Awwwwww, Ember. My one girl is like that and she is a blue. Interesting Stella doesn't do well.

Interesting. Some do some don't and then sometimes it depends on who has it. Yep, steak, most will go for that. ;)

:/ Usually they will respond to the emotions. :/ Oh yes, I had a girl like that that it really was bad. :(

Ughhhhh. I am guessing they think it is someone's and they will eventually find the dog. It is awful. Yes, unfortunately. And sometimes health is not controllable I am assuming. :/ Yes, true mixes seem to be. Yes, I am interested in seeing the difference.

Awwwwww, AWESOME!!! Fingers crossed!!! I am hoping you are on to something. Not that his throwing up seemed bad or dangerous (though it is never good) but it is good to get it to stop. Will be interesting to see after the steroids and the pepcid. And the food could be helping. :/ It is being a detective. But fingers crossed that you are closer to figuring it out for him. I am SO HAPPY to hear that he is better!!!
 

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I don't think Ember will appreciate us moving north. I'm not sure Stella will either just because of the snow. She likes a little bit of snow, but no more than an inch or two. She'll be fine with the cold though.

Ember definitely isn't a very picky eater. She has eaten buttered corn, but I figured that was more because of the butter. We have a bad habit of letting her sniff things because we don't think she'll eat it and then she surprises us. You'd think we'd learn.

Osiris doesn't seem to realize he's capable of causing pain. He doesn't learn from pain either. He's gotten his foot caught under the door a couple of times because he was standing too close when my mom opened it. Yet he still does it...

Yeah, they posted on Facebook saying she's too sweet and must be someone's dog, but I just don't know how someone could walk away and leave her there. She's probably so confused and scared and so happy when there's a person to save her, but then they just walk away... Health is definitely not always controllable. Hip dysplasia has a hereditary component, but it's also just as much, if not more, environmental. Even controlling both of those things, there's no guarantee a dog doesn't get it.

Definitely nice to not have to clean up his vomit all the time. The cats are enough. We're not sure if he had too much inflammation for the switch to food to help on it's own and now the steroids have gotten rid of that inflammation or if it's the Pepcid helping.

We went back to the dog park today. There were two dogs there initially, but one left shortly after we started approaching the fence. The other one was a red heeler he met last time we went. He got barky at first, but settled down and sniffed her through the fence. Then we went into the empty yard next to that one and let them interact both off leash. She was a very sweet little dog who did really well with Si. Her owner said she usually barks a lot, but she was very quiet at the beginning and seemed to know exactly what Si could handle. The first time she barked, he didn't even react. They eventually got to playing and I ended up letting him go over to play with her. They had a lot of fun. We did leave when other dogs got there though. I wasn't sure how he'd handle dogs coming into the yard he was in and he was hot anyway.
 

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Videos of playtime at the park.



Okay, one video is sideways. Not sure how to fix it. I'll try.
 

calicosrspecial

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OH MY GOODNESS!!!! How GORGEOUS is he?!?!?!?!?!? What a sweetie. He did SO WELL with the other dog. That other dog was so cute. Osiris sure looked energetic there. He loved playing. He is so regal looking. So gorgeous. My goodness!!!

Whoa, I need to get over the videos. That was so cute. I can't believe how gorgeous Osiris looks.

:( No, she is not going to like that. :( At least Stella will be ok with it.

Awwwwwww. Yes, I let mine sniff and they surprise me as well. I think sometimes they like what we have. :/

Yes, that is common. And he is not intentionally causing the pain. I know, I have had dogs exactly like him. They don't realize nor respond to them being in "pain". I think because they know you don't intentionally mean harm to them.

:( Yes. And animal control with dogs is usually ok. Especially a dog like that. Cats and animal control are a different story. I hope that dog finds a good home.

:( Yes. Well they kinda bred to get a look that caused hip dysplasia, right? Is it really environment? Yes, it is sad. There are other issues that crop up as well. :/

So true. It is hard to know exactly. But with trial and error you should figure out is pretty closely. It will be interesting to find out.

Yes, the videos we amazing. You handled it well. It helps it was a really nice dog he got to meet. They both loved it. Osiris is really a sweet dog. I am amazed at how well he does. He is very puppy still. :) He isn't as awkward any more. :/ Still adorable but in a different way. He looks like he could do agility really well. My goodness is he something. So gorgeous and regal. He is amazing. I love him!!!
 

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His new friend was super cute and way softer than she looked. Her name is Dingo. She was really great with Osiris. It did take them some time to figure each other out. She wanted to play while he was still getting to know her. Then he was ready to play, but she got distracted by some other dogs going into another yard.

Most of my animals are okay with the cold. The boys get snugglier in the winter, but they won't freeze. I'm surprised they get as cold as they do with all that fur though. Si can go out in below freezing temps with snow on the ground and be fine, but the fluffy cats get cold inside.

It's always interesting to see what they'll eat and what they won't.

No, not intentionally at all, but he doesn't seem to care that he does either. So I'm not sure if he really just can't figure out that he's causing pain or if he just doesn't care either way. He's never seemed to think much of his own pain either to be honest. Usually he'll yelp once and then go on like nothing happened. Like he's already forgotten about it a second after it occurred.

Animal control definitely seems like a better option than leaving her there. Our animal control works with a couple of shelters including the one I volunteer at to get the animals out too, so they often have somewhere to go once the stray hold is up.

All large breeds are prone to hip dysplasia. There's a lot of different factors. I'm not sure we even really know exactly what can cause it. We know it can be hereditary. Dogs can be born with bad hips that don't function properly or can't support their weight. It can also be environmental when the dog is young, under 14 months. Until 14 months, their joints aren't fully formed so a lot of running around on hard surfaces, jumping on or off hard surfaces, sharp turns or twists, etc. can damage their joints and bones. That's why you shouldn't start training agility until at least 14 months. GSDs are particularly prone to it, but the reason why isn't completely clear. At least not to me. It was thought to be related to the sloping backs many breeders breed for, but supposedly it's not. I'm not sure which side is correct, if either. It may just because of their popularity and because there are so many poorly bred GSDs out there.

Yeah, and that's fine. I'm glad we're getting close at least. But we still have a long way to go before I can start adding other foods into his diet. I'm surprised he's done so well with the reactivity training with just his food.

It was a really great dog for him to meet. I probably wouldn't have let him go over and play with just about any other dog. But I really liked this dog and I liked her owner. She seemed very understanding about me wanting to take my time and that I'm not typically big on letting him play with a bunch of dogs at the dog park. Well, maybe now that he's doing so well with his reactivity training I can start thinking about agility training again!
 
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