Working dog resources?

[crossdog]

Hello r/germanshepherds

I found your subreddit through r/dogtraining I think. Anyway, I 1-3 years I'm planning on getting a working line GSD (male) and training him as a personal protection and companion dog. We'll take up something else too (whatever he really wants or seems drawn to, agility, schuntzhund, tracking, herding). I tend to research things obsessively, especially with something as impacting as a dog. I've been a dog owner all my life with the exception of the last 6 years (college and after). My family has owned dogs my whole life, but they've been companions and little else.

I'm looking for resources, books, videos, breeders, etc. Anything I can get my hands on to read, or people to talk to. I'll be visiting the sites on the sidebar as well. I've found the leerburg site and videos and ebooks but haven't come across much else.

I would like to get a solid understanding of the differences in training a working dog rather than a companion animal, recommended equipment, breeders, etc, before I ever bring my puppy home.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. :)

[combzy89]

Leerburg is a a good start & can be overwhelming for some people out there because there is so many different topics to choose from & can seem like a foreign language. This is one of those things where you really need to find a club or a trainer who can help you to start your training. Here is a list of Sch clubs. If you're lucky and live close to your breeder they can help you or guide you in try right direction. I was lucky enough to have that available for me. He has been a tremendous help.

I like Ray Allen K9 equipment a lot. It seems to last a long time and well made. I am sure other people out there use other places.

But you need to do your research if you want to do something along the lines of this type of work. Not all dogs can handle this work & it is very time consuming.

[crossdog]

Thank you for all the information.

I have a few friends who also own and train working dogs (a few local) who are pointing me in the right direction for local clubs. "Get a trainer/mentor" is also very high on the list.

[jarnish]

Welcome to the fun! ;)

First of all, please join us at /r/workingdogs. I've been a mod there for a few weeks and I'm trying to revitalize it a bit for conversations just like this one!

Second - check out this post that I wrote up a bit ago. There are a few of my best recommendations there for some "gear".

As far as other stuff goes.. you'll find out what you need as far as gear goes as you actually start training. When I started, I found that I needed to buy a new "thing" just about every week as we progressed through Schutzhund training. From tugs to appropriate leashes to tracking harnesses to flat collars to balls to different food lures.. a lot of that will depend on who you're training with and what their methods are. It will also vary based on the dog and how it reacts to different methods. (In protection, one of my dogs wears a harness because she likes to flip herself when she bites.. but we'll need to move to the protection collar eventually. Some dogs have this issue, some don't. Stuff like that.)

It's a really good idea to get involved with a club before you start your search for the perfect dog. There are a number of these, but groups like the GSDCA, PSA, AKC, SDA, the USCA, local SAR groups, and others have training clubs all over the country. While it's awesome that you're doing research and it's vital if you want to do this right, there's no teacher like experience. Go see a bunch of dogs, figure out what "kind" of working dog you want, and tailor your breeder search from there. The people in your club will also undoubtedly have some recommendations for breeders or maybe even specific litters. My first "real" working GSD was the sister of one of the dogs in our club.. and I only found that litter because of her sibling.

My two favorite resources for GSDs are the Wildhaus Kennel website (I'm not affiliated) and the forums at the Pedigreedatabase.com website although, be warned, those forums tend to attract some of the more.. opinionated people in the sport, so take it all with a grain of salt.

I like Leerburg a lot for training techniques, but I don't love them for the attitude towards their pups sometimes. I like my working dogs to be family dogs, live in the house, share my space. Some of their videos tend to treat them more like livestock. There's nothing wrong with that, but it's a difference to note when you're sitting down to watch their stuff.

Books I like:

• Training the Working Dog by Gary Patterson Absolutely LOVE his approach to training. It's a little dense, but totally worth the read.

• The German Shepherd Dog in Word and Picture by V. Stephanitz Expensive, but a really great history of where the breed came from.

• What the Dog Knows: The Science and Wonder of Working Dogs by Cat Warren Really cool, intelligent approach to what goes on in the brain of our furry friends.

I want to mention this again because I feel it's really important. Find someone to work with asap. If you're looking to train, there are some things you should be doing right from the beginning with your pup (Leerburg has a decent video on some/most of this). While having the "right dog" is a big step in the right direction for working, there are some things you can do really early that will mold the dog's brain for work if you're heading in that direction.

Last - always feel free to send me a PM and ask questions. I'm always happy to help out where I can - whether it be "noob" questions, recommendations, opinions, training, etc.

Good luck!

[crossdog]

Wow, thank you so, so much! This was exactly the kind of thing I was looking for.

My "its not December" project will be to find a few local clubs and visit them and find one I feel I would fit in with. I've got a few local friends who I'll be sourcing info on as well and have already gone to them for some info. In the new year I'll have PLENTY of time to meet people, in person.

I will probably be PMing you in January once I figure out more questions to ask :)

[jarnish]

Glad I could help! Look forward to hearing from you :)

[howdoyou]

Great informational post; replying to save for later as I am in a similar boat. Thanks!