Thu Apr 10, 2014, 08:47 AM

Ever been given some advice that you laughed at

then tried later and it worked. As some of you know I have been having trouble with my German Shepherd puppy biting. I've tried all the training and vet tips etcetera. Well this 90 year old Dutch lady in my writer's group said you should try speaking to her in German since she is a German Shepherd.

I'm thinking "okay" but this isn't an imported dog it was born here and I doubt the breeder taught it German commands especially since she was only six weeks old when we got her.

Today in desperation I said "nein", excuse my German spelling, and I'll be damned if Marnie didn't stop biting me. I've done it four times now and every time Marnie gave me that head tilt and stopped. It's probably a fluke and I'll jinx myself by saying it worked but hey so far so good.

It sounded silly at the time but hey who knows?

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9 replies	Author	Time	Post
Ever been given some advice that you laughed at (Original post)	Liberalynn	Apr 2014	OP
Haha	Sanity Claws	Apr 2014	#1
I will do that.	Liberalynn	Apr 2014	#2
maybe just saying a "new" word caught her attention.	magical thyme	Apr 2014	#3
Anyone got a Pomeranian? Should you speak to it in Pomeranian?	raccoon	Apr 2014	#4
All dogs respond to German	Ron Obvious	Apr 2014	#5
Except for...	pipi_k	Apr 2014	#6
Ausfahrt!	Ron Obvious	Apr 2014	#7
One of my cats is part Siamese and part Persian.	The Velveteen Ocelot	Apr 2014	#8
Vote for Republicans	LynneSin	Apr 2014	#9

Response to Liberalynn (Original post)

Thu Apr 10, 2014, 09:04 AM

Sanity Claws (21,301 posts)

1. Haha

Try some other basic German and see how she reacts.

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Response to Sanity Claws (Reply #1)

Thu Apr 10, 2014, 09:32 AM

Liberalynn (7,549 posts)

2. I will do that.

It was just so funny watching her reaction.

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Response to Liberalynn (Original post)

Thu Apr 10, 2014, 10:12 AM

magical thyme (14,881 posts)

3. maybe just saying a "new" word caught her attention.

If she's decided to tune out "No," it may be time to broaden her language skills

Or maybe it's just her ancestral collective unconscious at work

Whatever the underlying mechanism was, I'm glad it worked!

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Response to Liberalynn (Original post)

Thu Apr 10, 2014, 12:34 PM

raccoon (30,724 posts)

4. Anyone got a Pomeranian? Should you speak to it in Pomeranian?

Or if you have a Belgian draft horse, speak to it in French.

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Response to Liberalynn (Original post)

Thu Apr 10, 2014, 01:41 PM

Ron Obvious (6,261 posts)

5. All dogs respond to German

It's such a great language to bark commands in.

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Response to Ron Obvious (Reply #5)

Thu Apr 10, 2014, 03:16 PM

pipi_k (21,020 posts)

6. Except for...

"Ausfahrt" (exit).

My two German Shepherds laugh at that one...

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Response to pipi_k (Reply #6)

Thu Apr 10, 2014, 04:16 PM

Ron Obvious (6,261 posts)

7. Ausfahrt!

I'm having difficulty imagining an occasion where I'd have to employ that particular word when talking to my dogs, though.

I imagine myself at the door, pointing:

"Ausfahrt, Fifi! Ausfahrt! Oh no, not that! Dammit!"