The German Shepherd Dog.

The German Shepherd dog is commonly used for police and army work for guarding but their original and natural behaviour is herding. They are also used today as guide dogs, sniffer dogs and work on farms as herding dogs.You will sometimes see the German Shepherd "herding" the children in their family group. They keep them together by circling around them. The German Shepherd is actually a very friendly breed but the main behaviour problems I see seem to arise from the fact that this breed develops the hazard avoidance behaviour earlier than any other breed of domesic dog and only one week later than the wolf. Bearing in mind wolves are very nervous of new things (they need to be in order to survive in the wild) this is quite surprising. Hazard avoidance behaviour basically means that the animal becomes more suspicious of things not previously encountered. For the Geman Shepherd Dog this has pretty much fully established by 7 weeks of age. In fact the onus is on the good breeder to ensure that they have really made a positive effort to socialise and habituate their German Shepherd puppies BEFORE they go to new owners. Then when the owner takes on a puppy German Shepherd, they need to get booked onto a good puppy training class as soon as possible and preferably a well run veterinary puppy party too. The German Shepherd will be naturally suspicious of new people too so lots of early socilaising with lots of different people is desirable, but take care not to over stress him or he will learn to dislike people.This is a breed of dog more likely to be destroyed because of lack of early socialaisation than to die from any dog disease.

The German Shepherd dog is both sight and sound sensitive which is what makes them also good for guarding. When you combine guarding tendencies with lack of early socialisation, this can create a very difficult German Shepherd indeed. This breed of dog also needs to have clear boundaries. They can tend to play rough with other dogs which can sometimes get them into trouble so it is also important to teach your German Shpherd acceptable sociable play with other dogs. This should be explained to you in a well run puppy class. German Shepherd dogs are very loyal and highly trainable. It is advisable that your German Shepherd dog is not allowed to become too dependant upon one member of the family as they are more likely to become protective if this happens.

Avoid high protein diets for this breed as they can suffer from bowel problems and also, too high protein levels in proportion to carbohydrate can contribute to anxiety and aggression.

Geman Shepherds are wonderful dogs, highly trainable and very loving and loyal. This is one of the reasons they have become so versatile. But I am sad to say I do see quite a few with nervous aggression problems which could be avoided altogether if early socialisation is given, starting with the breeder.

The Dalmatian

The Dalmatian is famous for being a carriage dog, running behind the carriages in France and living in the stables with the horses. However, they have been traced back as hunting dogs as far back as Egyption times. It is thought that part of the breed contains Pointer. The Dalmatian needs a lot of exercise although as puppies they need short bursts of exercise until about 6 months old when exercise levels can be gradually increased. By the time a Dalmatian is 2 years old they will be wanting to have a good 5 miles off lead exercise every day.

The Dalmatian is not for the faint hearted as they shed bundles and the hair weaves itself into all clothes and upholstery. However, when they get muddy the good news is that the mud drops off very quickly and they look shiny and new again! You will also need a sense of humour as a Dalmatian is a clown and will frequently embarrass you given the chance. They are also strong willed to the point of being stubborn. However, the Dalmatian is highly trainable and very quick to learn (bad things as well as good I'm afraid!). They need a lot of mental stimulation and could become destructive if they are not left with plenty of suitable activities when left alone.  The Dalmatian is also sight and sound sensitive, making them a good guard dog as they will tell you when anything unusual happens. Dalmatians can be possessive of their owners and should be socialised well with many different people and other dogs at the earliest opportunity, they should also be prevented from developing too close a bond with a single member of the family to reduce the chances of guarding behaviours. Although they are often seen as good with children, they are not one of the best dogs for children as they can be a little unpredictable. They are a high maintenance dog as they need constant stimulation, a bored Dalmatian is a real pain!

The Dalmatian has a tendency to develop kidney and urine crystal problems which can arise from a diet too high in protein and uric acid. They can tend to suffer from sun burn and skin irritations easily. It also appears that they have a higher risk of develpoing cancer and arthritis than some other breeds. However, a Dalmatian should easily live to about 14 years of age. They are a great companion dog and game for anything, and would enjoy agility and flyball.

Anyone considering breeding Dalmatians needs to do their homework as there is a high risk of deafness and inherited problems due to in-breeding, probably one of the reaons they never win at CRUFTS! It could cause major problems for the breed if they became too popular. After the making of 101 Dalmatians film with real puppies, most breeders avoided raising any litters in order to prevent a sudden rush on the breed and the subsequent re-homing of many of them which would have been inevitable.

The Labrador

The Labrador is a working dog. Their natural behaviour is to retrieve. Many people mistake this for naughtiness, especially when the items being retrieved are clothes, shoes, food etc! We need to understand that the dogs we have are often bred for a purpose. Labradors come in different shapes and sizes. The shorter sturdier ones tend to be from more working stock whilst the larger longer legged Labradors are more from show, although many are from both show and working line. If you have a Labrador from a predominently working line they will need to "work" or they will become self employed and take things into their own "paws"! They are wonderful dogs and are rarely nervous or aggressive as they have late onset of the hazard avoidance behaviour, usually around 10 weeks as opposed to the German Shepherd which is around 7 weeks of age. This means that they have a longer period in which to become socialised and habituated (accustomed) to new things so are less likely to encounter things which they have not already seen during their more receptive period.

Labradors do really need to be trained though! Especially if from working line as they can be destructive when bored and loutish! Common problems are excessive play biting, running off and not coming back when called and jumping up at people. They can be very impulsive and it does seem that some colours are more prone to this behaviour than others, notably the Chocolate labrador.

Labradors can develop joint problems and have a higher risk of hip dysplacia. For this reason it is better to feed them on a breed specific food generally such as Royal Canin labrador specific complete food. You should avoid feeding too high levels of protein as too rapid growth can contribute to later joint problems. They should be exercised for short periods when puppies, again to limit the impact on joints.

Labradors are highly trainable but do require patience and perseverence, many end up in rescue because they can be hard work if not trained right from the beginning. However, properly trained they are truly amazing and are best known for their work as guide dogs for the blind and as assistance dogs. They are in their element if they are allowed to "retrieve", so if you don't want your socks pinched, then give your labrador a legitimate job to do on cue, as he will retrieve whether you like it or not!