Canine Behavior

I have been watching dogs interact with people and each other for years. I have read my fair share of literature on the subject. But for the life of me, I cannot figure Carlo out.

I have come to understand why he bit me, but its his behavior following the bite, and every day for a week that has me baffled. Why did he bite? Because he was in a dominant position (in his mind) and I was challenging him by making him get off. Ok, that I can understand. Especially from a very confident, intact male who was trained to be dominant. But, it doesn't explain his digression. He cannot stand to even look at me. The day it happened, he was moved to his outdoor kennel. Ever since then, he doesn't even want me in the back yard. He will charge the fence, barking. He will nuesance bark the entire time, and even Greg can't get him to stop. Its almost as if he has decided that the fight isn't over, that even though I had him by his neck, his head/body pushed down to the floor, my entire body over him, and continuous eye contact, that it was just the beginning. He wants another round....to prove himself, or redeem himself. Yet that dowsn't make sense with "normal" behavior. Even taking into account his training, natural canine pack instinct is such that if you are "dominated", then you are "under" that member....period.

In talking to other GS owners, especially those who have owned SchH III males, they have all said, "its because you are a woman". Well, that makes no sense at all. I can understand him feeling that he is under Greg, but if I am the "Alpha Female", then what is the problem? Again, everyone I have consulted with has said "Its a woman thing..." and none of them have met a male that actually "respects" the human female of the house. I even know of a woman who owns a SchH III male, intact, and he has cornered her in her own house, for 3 hours. She keeps him, because he is 10 years old, and she has owned him for 5 years. However, he has acted over the years the same way Carlo is acting. She cannot trust him, and he is, for the most part, a kennel dog. Retired from Schutzhund, no longer able to breed, he is living his life out merely exhisting with her. However, nobody can give me an actual valid behavioral reason for this.

So, if any of you can find something in writing, or in your experiences, I would be happy to hear it. :) On to a more happy aspect of Canine Behavior.

Today I took Elite, Macaroni, and Ben out for a long romp. Here is where you can watch pack behavior. Although loose, they still act as a group...



Still displaying the need to roll in the smelliest thing possible to disguise their scent for hunting...



You can also see when dogs are happy...I don't care what anyone says, dogs smile....





They will exhibit the desire to hunt...







And of course, the instinct to go back to the "den" after a long day....







We had fun, and it was thanx to Novel that I decided to take the camera along and take oodles of pictures. :) I think this may be a regular event...