Thread: Replacement GWP

Am onto my fourth GWP now. All have been great. Each has their own personality and training and handling must recognise and deal with those traits to get the best from the dog. The breed is highly intelligent and communicative. Not responding in a positive way to the body language of the dog could easily lead to a frustrated animal with resulting behavioural difficulties. They are not a dog for inexperienced handlers. They give and expect love and care. Mine certainly make plenty of noise when people enter the property, and it is easy to hear the changing tones from warning to welcome barks when dogs do or don't recognise the visitor. Nobody can put their hand in my vehicle though, if I'm not there. If I hear the bark maintained as warning tone, I tell the person to stand perfectly still while the dog /s investigate in my presence. I am quite sure if I indicated that I thought the visitor was a threat, then they would react protectively.
One dog I had was a true alpha male and this became more evident as he got to about 15 months. He would act quite stiffly to any other dog. I studied all I could about managing aggressive behaviour. One trainer recommended that I approach other dogs with my dog on a leash. As soon as the other dog got within about 40 yards, I made my dog sit and face to the side so no dog to dog eye contact was possible. It only took about a dozen of these training sessions till my dog realised the only one in our pack who was allowed to decide on challenging another dog was me, and not him. Never had a problem with him from then on, although if he was ever attacked he certainly then dealt to the aggressor, but he never started a fight himself, and did his best to avoid eye contact with challengers. That dog had massive hunt drive but at the same time was incredibly steady and biddible; probably the best dog I will ever have, such that it is now the measure I try to attain with subsequent dogs. I can't emphasise enough, that these dogs always have something new to teach you, IF you have the ability so see and think dog language and signals. Well bred GWP's deserve respect. As @Tahr said, there was a very bad strain bred by a puppy factory a few years back, and thank goodness it is no longer in existence. My dogs have ben bred in SI directly from European stock or within one breeding of that stock.