German Shepherd - A Herding Dog ?

Introduction

Tending Style or HGH sheep dog training that involves GSD for sheep herding, has become quite popular these days. Also developed has the controversy that the GSDs are biting sheep. 

HGH vs. Sheep Herding in U.S.

HGH training took form in European countries where sheep are free to graze because the only fences that exist are the ones that keep the flock out of a neighbor’s field. In America, Border Collies have been used to herd sheep since the sheep are kept in fenced pastures. While the Collies are completely capable of gathering the sheep into a flock at the master’s call, GSD are not! Since the Tending style trains the sheep to follow the shepherd, the dog is only present there to police the sheep and keep them sheep within the borders defined by the shepherd.

Caveats in HGH being applied in the U.S.

• Not enough dogs for a large flock

• Sheep starved overnight 

• Dog can control only through grip or bite

• Often not taken into consideration, sheep’ stubbornness

An HSH trained dog:

• Will only bite the wool and not a sheep’s legs or head

• Will not shake their head while biting

• Will select an adult over a kid sheep to grip!

 When the American dogs, trained to stay away from gripping try to control a flock, the sheep do not recognize their authority. Completely eliminating gripping from the HSH program will only result in its failure. I hope AKC take this factor into account when sanctioning trials. Read more www.ccprotectiondogs.com

Dogs That Make Good Guard Dogs

Background

Man has entrusted guard dogs with the task of protecting him and his assets for a long time. It all began with humans trusting a guard dog to watch over their precious cattle. Today, this role has expanded to protection of the owner’s property and even family. Nothing can ever replace your family and if you are going to invest in a guard dog to protect yours, it should belong to the breed suited for the job. However, how do you decide which breed will make the best guard dog? The debate continues even to this day.

Guard Dogs over the Years

When distance limited man’s urge to travel, there was a lack of communication between areas of the world situated at large distances from each other. Dog trainers all over the world worked on various breeds with just one purpose in mind – to train dogs into the reliable guard dogs. Now, more than one mode of transport is available and the world seems to have shrunk. The breeds that had been hitherto endemic are now easily available worldwide. 

Another factor that has changed the world of guard dog training is that man was not the only one evolving with time. Canine breeds, too, have changed drastically. In the canine world, genes are the currency, and each different generation adds something new to the mix. Once considered ideal guard dog material, some breeds have been reduced to the life of a house pet today. The reason for this being their breed did not change fast enough or sufficiently enough to suit the demands of today’s world.

Best Breeds as Guard Dogs

A good guard needs nerves of steel, accompanied by shrewdness and strength. In this context, the breeds considered well suited to this purpose, in order, are:

• German Shepherd

• Belgian Malinois

• Dutch Shepherd

What Makes a Good Guard Dog?

Though the three breeds mentioned above make for good candidates when considering guard dogs, it would be unwise to assume that all dogs from these breeds would make good guard dogs. Just like humans, one dog is different from another. Selecting a dog that will be appropriate for the job will depend on that very specific dog. However, good genetic makeup is the first step to a well-trained guard dog. German Shepherds, Belgian Malinois dogs, and Dutch Shepherds have bloodlines that humans have tinkered with for a long time, leading to their possessing the best bloodlines for the job. To read more visit,

www.ccprotectiondogs.com

The Use of E Collars in Training

The Promise

The media has made you a hollow promise by showing that a protection dog can be trained using an electric collar. Not only is this practice unproductive, it is also inhuman and the layman’s way out.

The Training

The K.N.P.V. program in use in Holland employs the use of electricity to train their dogs. The dog is supposed to find a box in the woods; since it cannot mouth it, the box has been rigged to electrify. A dog that has successfully found the box will bark to announce its success; if it does more and touches the box, it will receive a shock.

At CCPD, we do not believe in exposing our German Shepherds or Belgian Malinois dogs to such maltreatment. We are strongly opposed to this type of treatment because history attests how unpredictable and unreliable a dog that has been trained this way can be. During the Second World War, detection dogs were used to detect mines. These dogs were trained by administering electric shocks from wires lying just below the surface of the ground. It was thought that they would learn to anticipate danger in the ground this way.

The Side Effect

When trained in that way, it made the canines extremely nervous, effectively shortening their service lifespan. When you train a dog to anticipate pain, you put them under undeserved strain!

The communication between a protection dog and its handler is quickly becoming an extinct art. We, at CCPD, urge all handlers to communicate with their animal, instead of mistreating them in this way. To read more vist, www.ccprotectiondogs.com

Your Dog's Skin

If you see your dog scratching itself, it could probably be nothing or it might be a skin condition, making it itch. If you observe incessant scratching or that your dog is chewing at its own skin, understand that you have a problem at your hands. 

A perfectly healthy protection dog will have skin that will clue you in to its state of health. The canine’s skin is one of the first indications that it might be suffering from a skin problem that all dogs may experience. What increases the probability of these issues are unhealthy living environments. 

Types of Skin Problems

Some problems that your protection dog might experience include:

• Hot spots

• Acral lick Granuloma

• Changes in color or texture

• Impetigo

• Yeast infections

• Dry and flaky skin

• Hair Loss and shedding 

• Allergic Dermatitis

What Causes Skin Problems

Since a skin affliction might be caused by more than one reason, if you cannot discover its source, be vigilant in contacting your veterinarian. Some agents commonly found responsible are:

• Seasonal allergies: Allergens like weeds, dust, and pollen in the air might lead to scratching.

• Other causal agents are allergens present in dog food, colorings, and fillers.

• At times, owners use products that are not geared specifically towards dog grooming. They are often the cause for skin problems. 

• Changes in your protection dog’s metabolism or hormonal levels may also be responsible for textural or color differences.

How Serious are these Skin Problems

You should never take your dog’s health lightly. Skin problems can worsen and cause more damage than they would have, if caught and treated in the early stages. It is rather easy to spot, if your dog is experiencing them. Symptoms include:

• Licking, scratching, or chewing,

• Redness, scabs, scaly patches on face and paws, swellings or rashes,

• Rubbing their face against the furniture or on the carpet

Curing Skin Problems

Once you spot that your dog has been scratching itself excessively, contact the vet immediately. When you take your dog in, a vet will do a skin biopsy on your dog. It will be tested for the presence of ringworm, blood, and allergies. A microscopic exam of the skin and hair may also be in order.

Post-diagnosis, the vet will advise you to give your dog a balanced diet. He might also use anti-parasitic shampoos and ointments; recommend dietary supplements, injections, or antibiotics that will reduce the intensity of the dog’s allergic reactions.

Prevention of Skin Problems

Since in most cases, prevention is better than cure, you can reduce the risks of your dog getting a skin problem by providing them with:

• Hypoallergenic shampoos

• Regular brushing

• Healthy diet

• Clean home

• Optimal living conditions

To read more visit, www.ccprotectiondogs.com