"My Breeder said…. "

This is the answer we get, most often, when we tell someone what they are doing/recommending is incorrect.

Should breeders be upfront and honest about what they are selling as well as providing resources and support after the sale?

Of course they should, but it is our job as the customer to do our own research and not allow a so-called “expert” to go unquestioned.

I was recently informed by one such individual that LGD’s should be reactive because we want them to let us know when something is wrong.

Now, anyone who hasn’t been living under a rock knows that “reactivity” is a negative behavior no matter what kind of animal you are dealing with, but it can be especially dangerous in dogs and horses, because of our close relationship with them.

If you look it up, reactivity it is defined as an “inability to handle a common situation”. They use “seeing another dog in public” as an example of a triggering situation in which a dog is unable to emotionally regulate.

Two examples were given in an effort to explain why this behavior in an LGD would be beneficial.

1. Her dog barked at a grain bag for half an hour until she finally realized that there was a guinea stuck in the bag.

2. Her dog barked at a wood pile until she realized there was a family of opossums hiding in it.

3. 
   

First, neither of these examples are actually reactivity, they are more in line with the OCD nature we talk about in LGDs wherein they will respond to changes in their “normal” environment, a certain amount of which can be useful.

Letting us know an animal has escaped its enclosure is a good example of when the OCD mentality of these dogs can be useful. Take this one step further and add that we also expect LGDs to have discernment or the ability to determine if a change in their environment is important, we do not need to know if a leaf fell.

For example, my dogs do not alert to the mail, trash, or delivery trucks that show up at our front gate, however they will alert to a strange vehicle. They have also alerted to delivery drivers who exit their vehicle and proceed past the gate. Setting down packages is fine but wandering around in search of a signature is not allowed.

Let’s go back to the original examples given. I would hazard a guess that this dog lacks the discernment to make its OCD nature actually beneficial. The amount of time it took for the owner to realize there was something wrong says that what the dog alerts to is rarely accurate. It would seem to me that there is a lot of “crying wolf” going on there.

Discernment is a learned skill and there are often times when I will communicate to a young dog that what they are alerting to is not important. I use specific verbiage taught during basic obedience.

How do I know when a situation is unimportant? I use my eyes, ears, and the opinions of my older dogs.

You know what the sound of one dog barking is? An Idiot.

No, before you “but but but” me, I did not always have my older dogs. Everyone has to start somewhere, but I have always had my other senses and a brain to back them up. Having a good relationship with your dog means you can say “I don’t see anything so settle down” and you can also say “I was wrong Good Job” as the situation warrants.

But reactivity? This is never a good quality in any animal and if a breeder says that this is an acceptable trait, then you know exactly what kind of dog you are getting.