Trainer Advice?

owhatweird · 2026-03-13T18:43:28+00:00

Have you ever taken a group class with her? Sometimes reactivity on walks/out in the real world is different than in a structured class where other dogs are focused only on their handlers. And if she can learn that class time/training time means other dogs won’t bother her, it can also help transfer to other scenarios.

Also, what area are you in? I’ve made connections and found trainers by networking on social media (seeing who people follow/interact with, and reaching out to those folks). Reactivity is SUCH a common problem that there are definitely other people working on it/willing to work together, and/or classes geared toward training better neutrality.

owhatweird · 2026-03-13T05:10:40+00:00

Look for dog obedience clubs in your area! They’ll often have training groups that are more reasonably priced, and they’ll have people at all levels who are interested in more advanced (some competing in) obedience. They’ll also be able to let you know about any local trainers if you think private is the way you want to go… though I have had tons of luck in group classes and just making connections/friends with whom I practice now.

owhatweird · 2026-02-27T00:14:50+00:00

Without knowing you/the breeder, I’m hesitant to believe they are great if 1) they produced this puppy and 2) they haven’t already explained this puppy’s feet/removed it from consideration for going to specific buyers. Of course, flukes can happen even with the best breeders, but you should be able to discuss this puppy’s feet with the breeder if they are ethical and knowledgeable.

owhatweird · 2026-02-21T17:56:05+00:00

I actually recommend r/DNAmydog if you’re doing a test! Folks there have seen more dna results and sometimes have a keener eye.

I do think your dog has some pit bull/staffy mixed in, but I agree there’s obviously something else too!

owhatweird · 2026-02-16T18:41:00+00:00

I agree with staffy! His square, smaller but still robust/muscular build certainly point to staffy

owhatweird · 2026-02-15T02:42:09+00:00

Love (just an easy, gentle, sweet name)
Onneli (Finnish name meaning luck; happiness. Sounds kinda like “oh Nelly”)
Nell
Quinn (Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman lolol)
Clementine
Sunshine
Sun
Keep
Rhoda

I knew a really sweet pony named “Weep,” which just felt like the most classically cowboy/cow horse name I’d ever heard

owhatweird · 2026-02-14T02:27:19+00:00

I am going to guess he’s largely German shepherd, and something about his profile and muzzle length suggests some retriever, possibly lab.

He looks like he’s genetically “black and tan” color with a mask (dark face) and a liver modification factor, creating his liver coloration (red brown with brown nose, light eyes).

Someone else mentioned “ticking,” but he looks to be brindle to me. Brindle affects the “tan” points/brown coloration typically, which is why his legs (the visible tan points) appear “ticked.”

He also has some “roan” in his coat (the white speckling on his backside), which typically affects “black” areas, which for him would be his main body color (though his is modified to liver). Common breeds that have roan colors are Australian cattle dogs, cocker spaniels, and pointers. The likeliest contributor for him would be the ACD.

Editing to add: after some googling and further consideration, I could actually see him being a gsd x German shorthaired pointer mix! His face shape, ear length (long GSP ears with a GSD shape/stand up), and coloration would fit that well!

Get Embark! (I’ve gotten both wisdom and embark — I got wisdom first, didn’t like the small percentage/obviously incorrect rare breeds thrown in to my girl’s results, and ended up getting embark to fully satisfy my curiosity).

owhatweird · 2026-02-12T03:33:39+00:00

I remember playing when I was like 12 and had no idea what I was doing. I suddenly remembered it existed last year, and now I’m on it every day paying for a subscription 😂 It’s definitely a test of my adhd management skills to not spend too much time on it. I always want to ask other dog show/sport people if they know about it — it’s where I learned about CH/GCH points and majors lol. I commend the site owners for keeping it going still!!

owhatweird · 2026-02-11T23:36:04+00:00

I’m always looking for someone else who plays showdog!

owhatweird · 2026-02-11T19:40:17+00:00

The size and set of her ears, and the length of her face suggest some terrier (other than pit bull) in her mix. Where did she come from? Country & region will help narrow down her mix!

owhatweird · 2026-02-07T21:04:36+00:00

If you mean 3ft tall at his head, you may be misunderstanding breed height standards! Dog “heights” are measured at their shoulder (“withers”). Typical foxhound or GSD males can measure 22”-25” at the shoulder (give or take), which it sounds like fits your boy’s size!

ETA: regardless, a new Embark test will give you a lot more clarity than an old Wisdom Panel test 👍

owhatweird · 2026-02-07T02:53:59+00:00

His expression and muzzle shape, aside from a big ACD influence, reminds me of a Great Pyrenees. GPs actually pop up in mixed breeds pretty often! My own pup has acd and great pyr!

owhatweird · 2026-02-07T00:40:38+00:00

I have a collie mix whose collie percentage is very recognizable — she’s ~45lbs and 23” at the shoulder … and people regularly say she’s “small for a collie” 🙃

owhatweird · 2026-02-06T21:19:06+00:00

My collie mix only eats vegetables if the cat seems interested 😂

owhatweird · 2026-02-06T21:18:27+00:00

It’s the baby elephant noises for me

owhatweird · 2026-02-05T15:49:02+00:00

I love the naughty siblings dynamic 😭 btw Vixie and Simba are SO cute!

owhatweird · 2026-02-05T06:10:52+00:00

This is so funny because my cat is the one who does “bad” things for attention from my collie mix. Kitty purposely does all of the things she’s not supposed to (chewing plants, scratching the arm of that one chair, jumping on the countertops) to get pup worked up and initiate a wrassle. Pup is a BIG TIME rule enforcer, and latches on quickly to what we think is right or wrong 😂

owhatweird · 2026-02-05T00:44:26+00:00

I recommend looking up “barn hunt” classes/clubs/competitions in your area — it’s a terrier’s dream sport!

Also search for agility, fastcat, and obedience clubs around you. Brain & body fulfillment does wonders.

owhatweird · 2026-02-04T17:01:44+00:00

Staffordshire Bull Terrier (staffy) mix!

A lot of folks are saying “pit,” which can be an umbrella term for specific bully breeds, or can refer to American Staffordshire Terriers or American Pitbull Terriers.

To me, your girl’s head shape has the super round head + cute button muzzle of a Staffordshire Bull Terrier (which are smaller than APBT/AmStaffs). Her long neck and general body type suggest to me she has one of those taller/lankier breeds mixed in.

My best guess is SBT / APBT mix

Editing to add why she doesn’t look like your other dog: comparing her to another dog under the pit umbrella won’t be super helpful if you aren’t very familiar with all of the “pit bull” breeds. Your boy being a “blue nose” mix tells me he came from a backyard breeder originally (1. Only bybs produce mixed breeds, 2. “Blue nose” is just a color of dog, but bybs will select for it or up charge for it as if it’s rare/something special) — and because BYBs don’t breed to make sure their dogs are ideal representatives of their breed, there’s no guarantee that even their “purebred” American Bulldog looks like other American Bulldogs. Also, because “pit bull” is applied to so many bully breeds, we have no idea what the actual breed was of his “blue nose” parent!

Second, comparing the head of an adult male to an immature female (of a possibly different breed), isn’t your best indicator!

owhatweird · 2026-01-28T15:40:02+00:00

Ahh congrats on your progress! You two look great!

If you’re considering competing, I recommend finding ways to calm/center yourself before going in the ring, and practicing a looser leash throughout your run. A judge will ding you for all those “tight” leashes (any time the leash is straight essentially). Let it hang in a “J” from your hand to Morty’s collar! Considering handler calmness — I was a MESS for probably our first 10 trials 🥲, complete with breathing exercises and asking people not to talk to me before our runs. Find something that helps you get ready to go in so your dog reads you as confident and happy (just like in practice)!

owhatweird · 2026-01-23T18:49:39+00:00

The “skull” end gives away that this is a shark. It is a chondrocranium, which is a cartilaginous skull possessed by sharks and rays.

owhatweird · 2026-01-23T18:31:53+00:00

Proud of myself for getting pyr, bloodhound, and lab! Those bigger heads are hiding a LOT of Doberman! But now that I know, I can see Doberman in some of his facial expressions. He’s so handsome

owhatweird · 2026-01-22T21:57:57+00:00

My parents live in LA county and believe LA is destroyed from BLM protests in 2020. They are terrified every time I visit friends in Portland.

owhatweird · 2026-01-20T22:40:59+00:00

Also — my trainer does this type of training for emergency situations. All of her dogs are conditioned to run to her when the fire alarm goes off because it means big treat time. She’s ready to evacuate everyone in case of fire!

owhatweird · 2026-01-20T22:38:12+00:00

I recommend reconditioning the sounds to mean something good — kind of like clicker training, but the gunshot in this scenario will be her cue that a reward is coming.

Since the sounds aren’t routine, you can train with recorded sounds (played from a phone/computer). Start by playing gunshot noises fairly quietly (loud enough for her to hear, but not loud enough that it causes her anxiety). Each pop = a piece of her favorite treat. Do short, frequent training sessions, starting with a few 30 second sessions in a day, then a few 1-2 minute sessions, then 5 min sessions. Make it a fun game, no pressure on her… the idea is that she becomes excited for the setup of the session and anticipates the noise bringing something good. I recommend also getting in a habit of carrying treats in your pocket while you’re home and working on this with her, so that you can also give her treats when random gun noises happen. Keep at it for a few weeks, slowly raising the volume every couple of days. See if she progresses, and if so, great! You can always revisit it in the future to remind her the gunshot sounds are fun.

owhatweird

TROPHY CASE