Hiya,
I wanted to pick you guys brains - Diesel is 10weeks old now and I have been taking him out in the car, we've met lots of different people, kids at the school and adults. He's met a couple of neighbours dogs as well, as we don't have any family dogs and he seems to have taken this all in his stride. However, Murray's friend came to visit him last night and I'm sure he was quite frightened of him - he barked constantly at him and was backing away from him. I felt a bit sorry for this friend, he has been so desperate to see him and he is a very doggy orientated person - he has 7 huskies :D So now I'm wondering if I'm maybe not doing enough - should I be taking him other places, the problem being he is so heavy to carry around But I obviously want to get him used to as many people and places as I can. I have seen people in the local shopping centre with puppies, but puppies that are of puppy size I couldn't possibly cart him around for some shopping - just wondering if any of you guys had any ideas why he behaved like that - or is it just part of the puppy process?

hi

did the friend stroke him in the end or did he stand and stare at him maybe diesal could smell the scent from the friends own dogs and felt a bit threatened cos he was on his own territory.

Hi jackie, No he was very good, he tried to get him over with his toys, and Diesel would go over to get the toy, but as soon as he went to stroke him, Diesel almost bolted to get out of the way, he did persevere and after about twenty mins. Diesel was letting him stroke him and didn't look too worried about it. As for his dogs, I didn't ask him if he had just tended to his dogs before he came out - maybe that was the reason.
Thanks for that anyway.
Sharon

Hi Sharon, I've just come back from a walk with Dolly and she really gets frightened of men (maybe cos my husband works away and she isn't used?)
A man from the local shop stopped to talk to us and dolly's hackles went up and she went behind my legs, then after 15-20 mins talking she came out and let the man pet her.

I think you just have to be patient and let him get into it in his own time...I used to ask any tom, dick or harry come round to see her so she got used (but sadly i don't have many male friends :) lmao

Sarah

Right - I took Willis to the school a few times, where he met lots of children and other dogs. Other than that, I did nothing else at that age. I found that enough to keep him happy. What you said sounds pretty normal to me for a Dane - they very quickly become family orientated and wary of strangers - not always a bad thing.

If it happens again tell your friend to ignore him and let him come up in his own time, and maybe give him a treat. But as soon as D is old enough, take him on a lead for a very short walk to get him meeting people out and about. Willis is very good with strangers, never backs off, says hello to anyone and is very good when people come to visit - the key is doing things normally and involving the pup as much as possible, within reason. You msun't over-exercise him, even just take him into town adn sit on a bench with him and let people say hell. Remember, even at 4 months he will be bigger than a lab - so lead train, out for little walks, and sit and enjoy!!

Chloe i find that my dane watches my daughter like a hawk, and normally any other dog we've had couldn't care less about kids.
I have been very suprised this week with Dolly and her behaviour towards my daughter(age 4) is this normal for a dane?
(Sorry i should say very loving and concerned towards her).

And Sharon tell us more about your pup!!!

Sarah

Thanks guys...again :D
He gets his second vac on Monday, so I have to wait 2 wks before I can take him out, but I'll do what you suggest, with the short walks and the bench,and the next time someone comes in and he behaves like that, I'll suggest they let him come to them in his own time, and I'll make sure they have a little treat :)
But he is so funny - earlier this evening, I had some chicken left over from tea. so I cut it up and was practicing his sit with him, and he's doing that now, even without the treat (most of the time), so of course Baillie was sitting and giving me a paw, and Diesel then proceeded to copy him and was trying to figure out how to lift his paw without falling over :D
It was very funny........until the next saga......
Sharon
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Sharon - if you are planning on showing D, don't get the "sit" too well practised - I made that mistake with Willis and he won't stand now :rolleyes:. He's too stubborn and too daft to learn "stand" :D

Just being nosey, what breed of dog is diesel- im just curious.

He's a blue great dane :)

I'm not too sure whether I could get into the showing thing.... although people say that it's quite addictive :)
Do you show Wills a lot?

Not at all. He's not go the temperement really...plus, you show him food and his bum hits the deck.

Send Grace some pics as he grows - she will give you an honest opinion.

Am going to have a go with Phoebe though - but I'm making Grace handle her ;) :D

It is a myth that if you "show" dogs that you cannot participate in other disciplines as the dog will sit in the show ring. This has not been my personal experience and I know many others with successful dogs in WT/schutzhund/obedience in many breeds who show successfully at championship level; despite their dogs being well practised at sits!

Have you personally successfully lived with, and shown, and trained a Great Dane to sit and stand in the show ring? :)

No, something much smaller, only weimaraners :) :) :)

I hve to say I never thought much of GDs until I say that little lady with her Harlequin on Obedience and there is a fantastic one doing agility at the mo! It is incredible!

I guess my point to Sharon is that I would either teach "sit" & "stand" at this early age together, and not just "sit"...or wait and see just how smart and willing he is before just teaching sit. Willis can open all the doors in the house, and close them, and turn taps on, and open drawers and close them - but thats because he wants something out fo them...he doesn't *do* "stand" and we even went to training (he doesn't want to do it) :) :D

Hi chloe, quick question, do you think socialising classes my dane would be benificial as i have had many mixed advise. If all goes well i would like to do a little novice showing with her.

From your post it looks as though you are doing lots of good socialising with him, but everything that you mention is outside of your home. Think back and count how many times he has had to meet a stranger in your home. ......I live alone and tend to go visiting rather than get visitors, and had a similar problem. After that I made a determined effort to get lots of different people to MY HOUSE as well as going out to meet people. It sorted the problem out very quickly. :)

Minx was exactly the same - fine with people outside, but a little more cautious when strange folk invaded 'her' patch. I press-ganged everyone I knew (even the post man, and the bloke who came round collecting for Amnesty) to come in to my house for a chat/brew/whatever, and got them to ignore Minx if she didn't come to them first. She loves visitors now, and tries to sit on their knees when they sit down! So working on that, hehehe.

Hi sharon, just wondered what Baillie makes of Diesel? :-)
My parents had a dane when I was at school. She would bark at strangers for a couple of minutes and then damage their legs with her wagging tail - it was like a whip!

hi
the difficulty is only diesal knows why he was a little wary of the boy you really need to see if it happens when others come in ,maybe he reminded him of someone in his previous home who made an impression on him for one reason or another ,had he just woken up? its early days he's had a lot to take in just another one of those many stepping stones you have with puppies i'm sure he'll do just fine.

hiya, I know how you feel with regards to a puppy being to heavy to carry. My dane at 8 weeks is already heavy enough. Are you going to take him to socialising classes? I have had mixed advise on this as people say because they are so big they can frighten other dogs into attacking them.

Hiya everybody , just wanted to say i would certinly go ,i lost my dane about 8 months ago,and allthough she was the most gentle and beutifull thing ,she wasnt well socialised as a pup and a nine and a half stone dane that has issues with other dogs (and the dark lol) can be a real handfull , but as for other dogs not liking there size ,it can be a problem ,but a much easer situation if your dog knows how to behave and react around other dogs. have fun . dani

The one piece of advice I would give is watch little dogs with your danes. Little dogs tend to be very aggressive toward danes for some reason, as if they are intimidated by their size (at which point the little dogs owners pick the little dogs up and make the situation ten times worse). All very well until one takes a nip - it could well lead to your dane having a thing about little dogs.

Hiya.....sorry PC trouble again :rolleyes:
Thanks for all your replies, he is getting better every day, and I've been thinking about the strangers in the house thing - and that does seem to be the case. the 3 men :D that he has seemed a little afraid of, have all been in my house, but when he meets people outside , he seems to be fine. So I will try and get more people coming into the house to see him.
Baillie has been great with him, they did have a little set to in the first few days, which was my fault as the gasman had come to the door and I hadn't been watching their games, and later I notcied that Diesel's ear had been bleeding, so I assumed that he'd been a little rough with Baillie and he'd put him in his place
But so far, nothing else has happened, Diesel loves to cuddle into Baillie which is very cute. I'm still feeding them separately as Baillie is quite a slow eater, but Diesel, well there's no stopping him and he'd have his off as well :)
I have been thinking about taking him to puppy classes - is there a central info number on ringcraft classes in your area or should I just go through my vet?
Cheers again guys :) :)
Sharon
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