Was just about to say the same!

Some excellent posts and advice in this thread and nothing more to add other than we've all been there and stay strong. I'm getting the impression you are not really set on re-homing her, just frustrated. So let's work on that and then see how you feel.

Good luck and all the best xx

I use treats with mine AND I plan to feild trial and do spring pointing tests... go for it, if it works for her, though IMO sometimes they do need telling when enough is enough, you obviously love her, if you decide to give things ago good luck with with training classes / meets etc from what I've read she has no big mental problems other than being lively and boistorous and pushing bounderies like someone said.

But if shes to much, don't be to sad do whats best for her.

ps my GSP was very clumsy with other dogs, two flatcoats bitches which he knows used to get knocked flying he is learning manners and is now more gentle, he also used to pull like crazy wanting to play with other dogs training classes helped for me.

Again am probably repeating what others have said but good luck

I know someone with a lovely black GSP bitch from the kennel you are probably thinking of (and the OP probably got her dog from). She is pretty full on!

It wasn't in the contract although they did say if we were to re-home her, they would prefer us to return her to them.

The thing that stood out for me from your first post was that your dog mugged a child for their ball. If your dog loves her ball then use it as a treat. Get her really hooked on that ball. Buy a squeaky one. Take a ball everywhere with you and only let her have it on your terms so it stays a high value toy. Make her so focused on the ball that she watches your pocket, praying for it to come out. If she gets to play (briefly) with the ball as a reward for coming back, she will associate being called back with her ball. You will find she will recall from any situation if she thinks she will get the ball.

I have a ball obsessed GSP (possibly from the same breeder) who is putty in my hands. If I won't give him the ball he brings me an alternative (plastic bottle, tin can, underpants, stick) in the hope I will use that instead. He stalks me watching my pocket. When it's cold I can't walk with my hands in my pockets because he is beside himself with expectation. He is an extreme case of a ball fetishist but it has made my life very easy.

I agree with Maxine.

Get her hooked on a ball and use that to train and stimulate her.

Adam

Hi
I`m not sure how many posts you need to make to be ale to pm people at first. Do you want to try to pm me?
or you can email me via my business website- let me know and I`ll post it.

She sounds like a regular GSP pup to me, not a first timers' dog, this is why people need to thoroughly research breeds before buying a pup but you have her now so all you can do is go through a very steep learning curve. It will be hard work but it will be worth it so you need to make sure you are prepared for that. My weimaraner was my 4th dog but nothing could have prepared me for her!

If treats work then bloody well use them! Sounds like you could use her ball too, whatever she can focus on and is most interested in, use it! I train all mine with treats including my weim, she's from working lines too and used to be a right handful, she was about 4 year old before she calmed down. She's a wee gem now (as long as there are no other dogs about!) but it was VERY hard graft getting her this way! You have chosen a very active and high energy breed but on the plus side, they are clever and relatively easy to train IMO.

Have a look at a dogmatic headcollar for her to walk her on which will help stop the pulling, it won't train her however and she will still pull as soon as she goes back on a normal collar, but it's a good 'quick fix' and will improve your ability to handle her better and more safely.

Don't let her off the lead unless it's a completely secluded area until her recall is spot on, lucky for you GSPs are one of the easier breeds to teach recall. Always be on the lookout for someone coming, if you see someone and she is offlead, try and call her back BEFORE she even notices them coming. You learn fast to spot people coming from a mile off! This makes life much easier.

And taking ClaireandDaisy up on her offer of a meet up would be great for you, she's an experienced owner and don't worry about how badly behaved your dog is, i'm sure she won't be at all phased by her! The training club sounds ideal too.

Best of luck and keep us posted!

Oh and pictures of her please!

what she said

Thank you so much for your message, I actually let it go about the child in the park and got a good nights sleep last night!!!
My GSP is 14 months old, so fully grown but still with her puppy traits which makes it hard for people to realise that she is only young as they see a big dog!