Hi all I an almost 6 month old English Shepard given to me. She hasn't had any training yet. What are your all's thoughts on English Shepard's? I really like her personality. I'm still trying to come up with a name for her lol, I will have to get a better picture of her. She's smaller than she looks in the picture.
English Shepard
- Thread starter Hereford2
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Beautiful dog! But I don't know anything about English Shepards, I've only had Labs.
chaded
Well-known member
She looks like a sweetie.
Ky hills
Well-known member
Used to be a pretty common kind dog around farms years ago. I'd say it'll be a good dog.
faster horses
Well-known member
I really like English Shepherds. They are an all-around good dog. Not as intense as a border collie. Great family dog and can be good with cattle. I don't know why there aren't more of them.
You will love her!!
englishshepherds.net
englishshepherds.net
You will love her!!
Home - Shepherd's Way English Shepherds
Introduction to the English Shepherd breed and the breeding program at Shepherd's Way, plus information on history, events, and resources.
englishshepherds.net
Breed info - Shepherd's Way English Shepherds
English Shepherds have been bred for generations as all-purpose farm dogs, valued for their versatility, loyalty, and intelligence.
englishshepherds.net
Jeanne - Simme Valley
Well-known member
She looks sweet - but timid. Always fun training a new pup. Best advice I can give, is - YOU have to be the boss. You can be their best friend, but bottom line, you have to be a boss. They respect the Alpha dog. That needs to be YOU.
Dogs are like kids. Need to be taught respect. Too many kids have not.
Dogs are like kids. Need to be taught respect. Too many kids have not.
faster horses
Well-known member
She looks unsure to me. Who knows what may have happened to her.
Some dogs need more discipline (just like kids) and some don't need as much.
It's how you do it as some dogs are very bold, some are very sensitive. My
brother-in-law just went from having a very sensitive Border Collie that minded
really well; to a Corgi. Night and day difference in those dogs. He's finding he can't
treat the Corgi like he did the Border Collie. His BC was aged and had to be put down.
It was really hard on my BIL. So his kids rushed out and got him a cute, little, stubborn
Corgi. It's been a learning experience to say the least.
Mr FH is a dog whisperer so our dogs always minded very well.
You are right, you have to be the alpha dog. Not mean, but demand respect.
They're an interesting dog, I'm on my second one. They can be independent, hard headed and sensitive at the same time. They can also be a one person dog to varying degrees.
Jeanne they can be submissive when handled it's a trait I've noticed in them.
Jeanne they can be submissive when handled it's a trait I've noticed in them.
Hereford2
Well-known member
She is a sweet dog. But she's super timid, she will wag her tail, and lick my hands and roll on her side to get her belly scratched. But she doesn't want to follow me anywhere yet, she will sit up and lay right back down with her face on the ground, if I'm outside of her kennel run, she will run up like she wants to see me then run to the back and lay down. She seems to like children, she's scared of some men, not my husband. Some people she starts shaking. Me and my family she doesn't shake , but she also has no desire to follow any of us either.
wbvs58
Well-known member
Give her time.She is a sweet dog. But she's super timid, she will wag her tail, and lick my hands and roll on her side to get her belly scratched. But she doesn't want to follow me anywhere yet, she will sit up and lay right back down with her face on the ground, if I'm outside of her kennel run, she will run up like she wants to see me then run to the back and lay down. She seems to like children, she's scared of some men, not my husband. Some people she starts shaking. Me and my family she doesn't shake , but she also has no desire to follow any of us either.
Ke4n
TexasJerseyMilker
Well-known member
Timid natured dogs don't need to be dominated very much it can make them more timid and cowed. You can show dominance by not letting them jump up on you by simply saying no and turning away. Or not let them get on the furniture, dogs stay on the floor. Always go out the door ahead of the dog, don't let her barge out in front. Reward the good behavior with praise and pets, do not punish the bad.
Everything is new to her. How long have you had this puppy? How was she kept in the first half year of her life? Does she come into the house or just say outside? I have another kind of shepherd, the German kind. She defends the ranch and knows 30 commands.
Everything is new to her. How long have you had this puppy? How was she kept in the first half year of her life? Does she come into the house or just say outside? I have another kind of shepherd, the German kind. She defends the ranch and knows 30 commands.
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CowboyRam
Well-known member
Get some of those training treats, and each time she comes up to you give her a treat.She is a sweet dog. But she's super timid, she will wag her tail, and lick my hands and roll on her side to get her belly scratched. But she doesn't want to follow me anywhere yet, she will sit up and lay right back down with her face on the ground, if I'm outside of her kennel run, she will run up like she wants to see me then run to the back and lay down. She seems to like children, she's scared of some men, not my husband. Some people she starts shaking. Me and my family she doesn't shake , but she also has no desire to follow any of us either.
Jeanne - Simme Valley
Well-known member
I always carry tiny little treats. You don't have to "discipline" as much as reward good behavior. But, like mentioned. You go thru doors first. You are in control.
CowboyRam
Well-known member
Take her with you everywhere you go, that may help her form a bond with you.
faster horses
Well-known member
That's a great start and it came pretty fast.
Good for you and good luck.
Keep us posted.
Hogfarmer10
Well-known member
I've got 4 of them right now. Had Australian shephards all my life, then went to English, because my granddaddy always had them and I'd heard all his stories. I'll always be an English Shepard person. Best advice for the breed…. Routine. Mine learned the order I feed in. If I change, they don't like it. If you rotate cattle into a different pasture and the dog(s) aren't with you when you move them, the dogs will try to put the cattle back into the field they are "supposed" to be in. My male dog is 8 years old, 85lbs, and extremely smart. Almost too smart. He has learned to unhook a chain that's hooked over a nail to open gates. Usually he only does it if we're going through that gate, but I still check it pretty often. Last year, he had 44 groundhog, 9 raccoons, and a lot of squirrel "confirmed kills". He's my "main farm dog" but I've got 2 females that are also extremely good farm dogs, 1 of which has really done well learning to work my wife's sheep. My last female, she's enjoying her retirement years. You've got an awful good pup, especially with a little patience and some time invested.
We had them when I was a kid as did a lot of our neighbors, my grandfather called them just a "Shepherd" or would refer to them as a "farm collie" .
They were usually pretty good farm dogs, would bring the cows up or drive them out. Most are "Stand up" work dogs as compared to a border collie that uses a lot of eye and stays down low. Ours were pretty good people dogs as well and like many dogs had favorite people. Usually pretty easy to train but if left untrained would chase lot of things including cars. We only had one real timid one, she got over it by taking her everywhere and using a lot of positive reinforcement and letting her interact with others. When she comes to you reward her and set things up so coming to you becomes an occurrence that happens a lot every day. One thing a timid dog does a lot however that I'd suggest you deal with is the super submissive roll over on their back every single time they see you. Most people reward them by always petting them for a long time when they do that, I'd recommend only giving her a lot of praise and petting when she is sitting or standing or laying there but not on their back. If you ignore the on your back thing and wait for her to get in another position she will be less timid. The falling over immediately on their backs to be petted seems to enforce the submissive and timid part. It takes a long time to fix but is more than worth it unless you want her to do that. JMHO
Hereford2
Well-known member
Thank you for the advice! I've been encouraging her when she comes to me willingly, but not for rolling on her back, I have her out of her kennel and she ran around exploring for a few minutes, then she came back and laid down by me.
