German Wirehaired Pointer Club of America

[mtnlvn]

I feel like I've been wandering in a wasteland for the past six weeks! I wish I had thought to look for "breed specific" advice instead of poring over all the puppy training books I have. Your dogs sound so much like mine! I have never had a dog friend quite like the one I have now. He is 13 wks old (I got him at six weeks). Nothing that I have ever been successful with before works with this boy when it comes to discipline. He is smart--learned sit and stay within three days, he relunctantly obeys the down command (vocalizing his displeasure with a series of "humpfs!"), and picks and chooses when he responds to, "Come." My concern though, is his behavior when anyone or another dog is sighted--either during our walks, visitors to our house, or anyplace we run into others. (I have a nightmare story about taking him into PetSmart & disrupting a puppy training class). I have him on a chain choker, but he is willing to pass out rather than sit still. He cries and lunges against his chain until I have to physically kneel behind him to restrain him with one hand under his chin, my body completely covering him, my other arm wrapped around his chest. This seems to have a calming effect on him (or maybe he just knows he can't get loose...) His anxiety level equals crazed in trying to get to his object--it is not to fight or bite, but just to
"get to." I am at a loss and have started to catch myslef thinking that "it's easier to leave him behind." I want my dog to be social and pleasant in public. I can't read why he goes beserk. Anyone?
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Learning GWP as a second language...