Hello! :)

kateblacks · Post by **kateblacks** » Tue Sep 29, 2015 5:23 am

Hi there! I'm new here, and I recently adopted a puppy (Olive) from the rescue and was wondering if this community thought she may be apart of the DS community. Yes, I've read and agree that it doesn't matter what breed she is, but I'm just too curious! Can't help myself. So I just thought I may send a few photos you guys' way and have you weigh in.

Thanks

http://imgur.com/Gl7rHaJ
http://imgur.com/so29XuX
http://imgur.com/fX0UKBa

Raven · Post by **Raven** » Tue Sep 29, 2015 2:53 pm

Moved to "Is My Canine A Dutch Shepherd?"

Welcome to the forum.

I'm not sure if you read that this forum will be shutting down October 1st, 2015. One of our members has purchased the domain DsDogsOnline.com--which will be up soon.

(I don't click on links, so I'm sorry to say I haven't seen your new baby, but thank you for rescuing--DS, DSx or neither.)

Owned-By-Hendrix · Post by **Owned-By-Hendrix** » Tue Sep 29, 2015 3:39 pm

She looks it... maybe mixed with a little something... Cattle dog or GSD - I quickly looked at the pics. If you can grab one of her standing in profile that always helps too. How big is she? Estimated age?

kateblacks · Post by **kateblacks** » Tue Sep 29, 2015 4:05 pm

I saw about the forum shutting down right after I joined. What a shame

And I understand you not clicking on links. I didn't wanna have big and crummy photos take over the page. And thanks for moving my post! Such a newbie over here

According to her paperwork, she just turned 5 months. I can look around and see if I have more photos. A week ago she got her last set of shots and was weighed 31 lbs.

kateblacks · Post by **kateblacks** » Tue Sep 29, 2015 4:18 pm

These were too large to attach but are more of a side profile and front profile from today:

http://imgur.com/f58R66N

http://imgur.com/RHE3Urg

Raven · Post by **Raven** » Tue Sep 29, 2015 5:06 pm

Update:

Michael is "taking over" this site rather than Eric shutting it down, so don't leave for DsDogsOnline!

And what a cutie you have! Very sweet face.

Owned-By-Hendrix · Post by **Owned-By-Hendrix** » Tue Sep 29, 2015 11:10 pm

So much information being updated.

I would say that she is a DS - pups are still hard to ID until they finish growing but her build looks very DS. The only thing that makes me pause in saying she's 100% is I don't see a tucked waist - which honestly could be the angle or puppy fat which she needs - and the ear shape looks more cattle-dog. So she could be a DS/cattle dog but for now I would say she's got a fair amount of DS in there.

At about 31 lbs for a 5 month old is a little small but not abnormal. I think my dude was 35-38 around then. But take this with a grain of salt - my memory sucks right now. Does she act like a DS? If she hasn't been with you more than a month I wouldn't read too much into personality as it can take up to a month for her to fully adapt and bond and you and her to really get to know each other.

kateblacks · Post by **kateblacks** » Wed Sep 30, 2015 7:32 pm

I'm glad the forum isn't shutting down, then! Yay!

Thanks for such a detailed response. You all are very knowledgable. She just now turned 5 months, so I feel like her weight may catch up with her a little bit, but she does seem to be on the smaller side. I can't say whether she acts like a DS or not, I'm not sure the outlying differences between them and most other similar dogs. I will tell you this, though: she's incredibly active, one of the sweetest dogs I've met and constantly gets complimented on her sweetness, and always a bit nosey/alert. She doesn't mind doing her own thing outside, but prefers to keep an eye on me, even following me into the bathroom. She's more of a shy dog when it comes to other dogs, not sure if it's because my roommates dog is shy and it's rubbed off on her with other dogs or if she's just shy (I'm guessing on the latter), but at the dog park she's timid. It's only her second week there, so I'm sure she'll warm up and be running around with the rest of them like she does with my roommates dog at home, but she loves to just watch what's going on. She loves people and she loves playing with sticks and swimming.

She's a bit silly (she just learned about chasing her tail, hehe), but is incredibly smart when it comes to training and always knowing what to expect when I get ready to go somewhere, with or without her. I don't know if anyone else has experienced this, but she's also weird and very exclusive about going bathroom in OUR backyard. She occasionally has accidents at other people's houses, but if we go somewhere with a backyard, she will wait until she gets home to use the restroom, even if it's for hours. She really is a well-behaved puppy and a lot of people always compliment her on that, while also being very responsive and loyal.

Owned-By-Hendrix · Post by **Owned-By-Hendrix** » Wed Sep 30, 2015 10:11 pm

I think the one word people use to describe DS are "crazy". :DSangel:

They have enormous energy, incredibly smart, need a lot of stimulation (learning, exploring, working) and must have a job to make them feel "useful". Most people tend to call them "13 hyper active flying toddlers". There are some who are more laid back, but even then they still have way more energy than the average dog and require more learning.

Aggression can also be an issue - depending on lines and such, aggression in DS is usually targeted towards strangers or other dogs. There's many threads on here about experiences and dealing with it; most stems from their genetic nature of protecting against the odd (they were once guardians for sheep), their immense prey drive compared to the average pet, and possessiveness (not resource guarding, but that can also happen). This can be managed/overcome but they probably won't ever be lab happy loving towards every and anyone, although I do know one DS mix that is a lab in DS stripes. It's important to realize this during exposure as a pup to help them build confidence and trust. If she's shy now towards other dogs I would work with her with neutral dogs to help her not turn from shy into fearful, which can happen. An easy way to do that is walking around figure out when she starts to "shy" from another dog, whatever distance from another dog that is (say 10 feet), keep her about 12 feet and just treat her when she looks at it. Move closer over a period as she gets more confident. I personally prefer to neutralize anything I see a pup "shy" or back away from just because I don't want that to one day turn into something else. However, this is also up to what you'll allow as a handler and what the dog is - sometimes they're just freaked by strange things and that's fine as long as they aren't acting like it's the end of the world.

For example, my dude is freaked by feathers. He jumps five feet straight up in the air when he discovers one and would back up 20 feet and refuse to walk around it. Months of positive association exercises in all contexts and now he still jumps up in the air but continues walking. That's his deal, just like I jump when I see a spider, but at least he can overcome the scary feather just like I can bring myself to squash a spider if needed.

Right now I would just work on building up her confidence in you and herself - make obstacle courses in the living room of pots and pans and tarps and chairs and make it a fun game to explore. Super duper happy dances and treats galore every time she does something. You can then turn it into a sorta play/learn OB obstacle course. Short and sweet wins with these dudes over hours of training.

Oh and puppy pics. Lots and lots of puppy pics. We love them.

Raven · Post by **Raven** » Thu Oct 01, 2015 2:48 pm

Owned-By-Hendrix wrote: my dude is freaked by feathers. He jumps five feet straight up in the air when he discovers one and would back up 20 feet and refuse to walk around it. Months of positive association exercises in all contexts and now he still jumps up in the air but continues walking. That's his deal, just like I jump when I see a spider

I've said it before: you two deserve each other.

kateblacks · Post by **kateblacks** » Thu Oct 01, 2015 5:46 pm

I can definitely see her as crazy! She went to visit her new doggy daycare lady yesterday, who has a backyard suitable for dog heaven, and she swam over and over and ran around for two hours, passed out in the car on the way home, but then was full of energy again after regaining some energy at home. Apparently she wrestled a ton with my roommates dog while I was out, even my roommates were like, "how does she have that much energy?!" I was just waiting to see if she'd grow out of it as an adult or if she forever would have this crazy amount of energy. I feel like I can never wear her out. Even today, we went to the dog park for an hour and I let her swim and she's wrestling with the roommates dog right now. She's my beautiful, energetic baby. And don't worry, I'll keep the puppy pictures coming!

I'll keep an update on her social-ness. The new doggy daycare is more one-on-one, but I'm still bringing her to the park everyday and she's getting more and more social each day. I'm proud of her.

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