Possible pure breed DS? Hello from Spain (Europe)

[Xav DS]

Hi everyone,

I was wondering if you could help me to figure out if the dog that I adopted some months ago, saved from a lethal shot by just a matter of hours, could be a DS (short coat), or rather a Belgian Malinois shepherd/greyhound mix, as the vet described him on his 'dog passport'.

Thank you.

Incidentally, Dutch shepherd dogs are so rare in Spain (almost none breeders) that I'm inclined to believe that my dog, if indeed a pure breed DS could have been introduced in this country by some US citizen, since he was found on the streets at a small town in the vicinity of the US naval base of Rota (in Southern Spain). What do you think?

Apart from his obvious physical resemblance (brindle coat, black muzzle, general structure), his character traits match those described for a working DS dog: high prey drive, very high needs of exercising/physical activity, and high 'dog agression' (I'm afraid .... referring to the latter) ... but he is indeed quite skinny (30 kilos in weight), something that could reflect a greyhound ancestor (as his brindle coat).

Reagards. I appreciate your input.



Javier

[Dutchringgirl]

Looks like a DS to me! I am glad you found each other!

[johninny]

yes, he needs a new Dutch passport. thanks for rescuing him.

[Xav DS]

Thank you both: Dutcringgirl anf johninny.

So, you think he could be a DS, right? Even if, now at approx. 15 months old (according to the vet's estimate), he weighs only around 30 kg.

Will someone please show some light about the aggresiveness that Shaggy (that is his name) demonstrates almost any time that he encounters a new dog whilst I am walking him (known dogs are tolerated by him, and most bitches, but he has also attacked some of them, I'm afraid). Is there a way to appease him for that matter? Or that is just a common trait of these working dogs, and that is something that cannot be addressed?

By the way, he is not neutered ... would it be of much help to deprive him of his testoterone, in order to get a more peaceful dog?

Some more pics of this young 'monster':

[Dutchringgirl]

I think his weight is good for his age. As far as the agressivness, this is a protection breed so he is doing his job, now, that dosnt mean you have to allow that. Can you give us some more detail about what happnes when another dog approaches and what you do?

My Thalie is super with other dogs, But Sadie isnt. There are alot of factors that go into why they do or dont do what they do. When another dog approaches us, Sadie will get stiff and mad. She is better now that she is 3.5 but as a youngster she would be alot worse. If another dog was approaching, I would take them off to the side and make her sit and focus on me and not make a big deal about the other dog.

If we are on hiking trails and someone just comes up on us, then she still gets mad and I have to yell at the other person LOL. I just keep away.

Sadie is great, though, with my parents dog and with another friend of mine who brings her dogs. There dogs will put Sadie in her place as well. Plus its home and we watch them and will kick some butt if something happens. Out in the real world, it is very different.

[Xav DS]

Thanks again for your response, Dutchringgirl.

Well, Shaggy just gets way, way over the threshold (super agressive and dominant) any time he passes by any other unknown dog: if left off leash, he will approach the other pooch to 'supervise' him/her, and if he feels that dog is not submissive to him, he will bite ... he's done that before, when I wasn't 100% sure of how he interacted with other dogs ... now, I simply do not leave him off leash, anytime, unless I am completely sure that no other unknown dog can approach us.

What I do to try and prevent that reaction is to hold him tightly, make him sit or lay down and, if none of that serves the purpose of refraining from his dominant behaviour, I just take him off to the side, and keep away from the other dog.

Anyways, from time to time, he does encounter other canines that he 'likes' and plays with, even young and playful males (like the pitbull that you can spot on one of the above published pics). After all, he is still almost a puppy, being 15 months old.

I am ok with him being considered a member of a protection dog breed, but what I don't like are 'out of the blue' attacks on other non provocative canines ... I don't want to be sued 10 times by their owners, before having to take preventive steps. And, luckily, in Spain that is not as common as in other countries (the US?).

Thanks for reading.

[Dutchringgirl]

Do you have that big chain on him? Are you able to physically hold him back? Im just asking as to make sure you can just in case. I am small and always have pinch collars on my girls when I take them out. Two of them eaqual one of me LOL.

So far it seems as if you are doing what you need to do. Check out some other threads here on the same subject. This is a common theme for this breed. Take him aside and teach him "Look", where he holds eye contact with you until the other dogs pass. And then do a huge happy dance so he learns that looking at you is more fun than eating the other dogs. This is why also that I just try to stay away from everyone, although not always possible.

How is his heal? Get a super good heal going so he stays glued to your leg.

Recall too, thats another big one to be working on. Put him on the leash or a long line and call him and if in a second he dosnt come, tug the leash and bring him right to you. I like them to come to my front and sit facing me.

The attacks are not out of the blue,you are just missing the warning signs. Keep a good eye on him and see what he does, hackles raised, body stiff, focused on something etc. They always give warnings.

[johninny]

nothing to add, but as to your other question re neutering: subject to correction by others, it is my impression [ and experience ] that neutering is unlikely to affect this behavior. in fact, it might worsen it if he then comes in contact with males that are not neutered.
good luck with him.

[Xav DS]

Hi again,

@ johninny: Thanks for your neutering related comment. I have been told the same exact thing by others before, so I have not yet made up my mind.

@ Dutchringgirl: yes, I use that big choke chain to "guide" him when walking Shaggy. The heel command needs some reinforcement, indeed. The recall on a long line/leash sounds very good, I'll give it a try. And finally, yep, I know the attacks are not "out of the blue" ... surely I am missing the warning signs, as you mentioned, but I had never seen a dog like this before, with such a dog agressive behaviour ... and I did own a beautiful white GSD/Belgian shepherd mix bitch for 14 years until March 2013, and she wasn't a saint to that respect, but her attitude towards other unknown dogs wasn't nearly as extreme. I also have experience with the so-called "agressive" breeds such as American staffordshire, pit-bulls, bull-terriers, etc., since I am a volunteer at the local dog shelter, and sadly there are dozens of these dogs abandoned every week in this part of the world ... but again, none of them have shown such an extreme dog-agressive behaviour. But they are indeed more powerful than Shaggy ... so, I am glad I haven't dealt with such a case.