Hi again, this comment is a second part of what reading about Daddy's influence upon younger or less balanced dogs made me recall from my past experiences with my own and other dogs. Its great that now through awareness and education we can know and use this natural wisdom that we perhaps stumbled upon in the past and some of us never had a clue! Thank you Cesar for all you share day to day to improve the life of dogs and their owners.
Back in the 1980s I was a single mom with two young kids living in the hills above Woodland, Wa. I wanted to finally get a dog for our family, and when I visited a friend in Corvallis, Ore she had a year old registered female German Shepard which she couldn't keep (she had a male Shepard and her son's dog, her husband said three were too many); named Dajavu Von Esteemere (owners name was Estee), we called her Daja. An older woman had, had both Daja and her sister, but couldn't handle the dogs so she parted with Daja. Daja was self-defensive. By that I mean she was fearful and insecure. She hated men, children, strangers male or female, and new situations. I came on the place Deja imediately began to follow me as my friend and I walked about visiting and talking about her and her problems, she showed no sign of agression. I decided to take her. When I was ready to go I simply opened the car door (my kids weren't with me that day)and said, "come on girl" and in she hopped. she rode in front beside me and laid her head against my leg all the way home.
The first time she saw my kids she became agitated and growled. I snapped my fingers and used a similar negative response sound to what Cesar uses to correct her. Then puting my arms about my kids I simply showed her they were part of me (I didn't know about 'packs' then but I guess she did so she quickly accepted them as members also and never again growled or showed any discomfort about them. For example: When she had her first litter of pups my son and dau could sit right in the midst (she had 11!!)of them and play with them. Yet when the cat came too close she almost took her head off (only a slight scar down her nose really), when she had come to accept our two cats in the household completely.I of course corrected this response immediately. My son William used to lay on the floor with Daja as a pillow and she would lick him or rest her head on him as well.
The same cannot be said about other children or strangers in gen. When anyone came to our home, or when we were out walking and new people she didn't know would suddenly come along she would act very agressively(I mean she growled, bared her teeth, and lunged foward if I held her by collar or lead etc), which I could end with a snap, a word or tug of the leash. At home when a stranger would come to the door I would let her 'carry on' a bit (We lived way out in the hills just me, the kids and Daja). I would hold her collar and be holding her back, she appeared very feroucious, but if I let go of her collar she would have hid behind me. Yet as long as I was present she came to accept anyone at a simple word from me. I only had to say, "That's enough." and she accepted and became calm. But she was in constant anxiety if I was absent. I of course didn't have any real training and no one then like Cesar to learn about rehabilitating a dog with as deep seated insecurities as Daja had.
Tragically when we had to make a trip on which we could not bring Daja along and were to be gone two weeks. I left Daja with a close friend and neighbour of my mother's as Daja was coming into heat and was to be bred to her male Shepard while we were away. Daja became so paniced by my absence that she wouldn't eat and finally she managed to escape my friends place. Her nose and recall took her to my mother's looking for me, but she wouldn't let my mother or anyone near her. For several days they tried to put food out for her and even tried putting tranquilizers in the food, but to no avail. Finally my friend Ember called me in Moscow, Idaho to tell me about all this and that Daja had completely disapeared. You see there are sheep and cattle ranches in the area and we believe one of the neighbours shot her as they would and have in the past any dog on the loose even if they weren't after the sheep or cattle.
Ember felt so bad about loosing Daja, that she had gotten permission from a friend of hers who was the 'registered' owner of her own pair of Sheperds with whom she had contract to breed and sell any litters Sarah her female gave birth to. Anyway to get to the comparative story. Sarah had, had a litter 8 months before this all happened. They had been kenneled and sold by a kennel in Ellensburg, Wa. All had been sold but one. The owners named a whole litter by one letter in the alphabet and this litter was all named by the letter P. I don't know any of the other names, but this one 8 month old pup that was left had been named Protest, which we shortened to Tess (they say she was very vocal (and she was too), not barking, but playfully always expressing herself. Well why hadn't she been sold? It was the fact that she had been classed a "long coat." No one in the kennel had groomed her and her "long" rough on her neck had badly matted, so she looked a mess! To the point... after the loss of Daja, Ember had gotten Virginia the owner to allow me to have her and allow me to pay for her ($1,500)by selling the litters she would later have. If I wasn't willing to have her she was going to be put down for the kennel she was at wouldn't keep her and the owners weren't willing to giver her away. So I said yes and we went to Ellensburg, Wa on our way home from the trip we had been on. My kids had cried themselves to sleep when they learned Daja was gone, but they too wanted to save this dog who now needed us.
The huge contrast between Daja and Tess is that Daja was all that was insecure (but still loved by us) and Tess was totally balanced and mellow in and of herself. Daja had been an avid "stick" dog, not just fetching sticks, but reducing them to pulp in no time. The only thing that lasted her was a hickory handle from a broken axe. The kids loved that Daja was willing to swim our pond for her sticks etc. Tess would politely fetch a stick if you told her to, but look at you as if to ask, "Are you having fun?" and was happy to go lie down quietly and not ever chase another stick in her whole life unless you asked her to. She was friendly and outgoing and loved kids, strangers and other animals. She use to fetch the cats kittens when they started escaping their bed and off the porch, and the mother was lazy enough to let Tess do the work. They did end up rather slimy and the mom had to wash the slobber off. She tried to herd the chickens a bit but gave it up. We had removed that matted hair and groomed her lovingly. She had a heart shaped mask with a bit of a rough about her head and neck (people used to ask if she were part Collie), and fluffy white 'bloomers' on her haunches, and grew into a beautiful dog. Virginia the owner saw her and told me if she had known how georgeous Tess would be she would have kept her herself for breeding or show. Tess was from a German line of Shepards (Vomleera Schloss as I recall)they were large working types with a lot of black and little white or tan. Daja was the tipical American German Sheppard lots of tan with the black saddle etc. I was told that a lot of kennels that breed for show etc produce a lot of dogs with major personality problems. Yet I feel sad to think with the right rehabilitation Daja could have been a happier dog without the tragic end she had.
Not to drag this on, but I wanted to add this last bit about Tess. After she was a part of our little family for quite some time, We were forced due to circumstances and limited means to move to a city in Oregon. Search as I would, I could find no place that would rent to us and allow us to have a dog (it was hard enough just to allow two children!) So I finally faced the fact we couldn't keep Tess. I talked to Virginia (she was the registered 'legal' owner) and she promised that she would find a good home for her or keep her, herself. It broke our hearts to part with Tess too. I have never had a dog since Tess (that was in 1884)because I feel you have to be able to meet all responsibilities as you do for a child when you take a dog into your home. I hope some day before I'm too old, when my home, life, and means will allow me to be able to do just that, to have another dog. I miss the joy of such a companion, inspite of the difficulties of the past.
To end upon a positive note: Tess was 'adopted' by a policewoman in Oregon who had another older female German who was very much like Daja had been. They tested Tess because they thought she was to passive and friendly to work as a police dog, but she passed their tests with flying colors. The best part is that because she was so balanced she had a huge effect upon the older dog. Suddenly this anti-social dog began to play and became friendly and accepting of people in general yet they both served well in police work. I'm happy for this meant that Tess got to go to work with her person and not be left at home all day. She was easily bored though she would accept it with her usual good graces. Daddy alway reminded me of Tess. Lilly B PS I also had a pet racoon when a child, but that's another story and this is a dog forum isn't it? :P

First I'd want to say how sad I was when I heard about Daddy. He was a lovely looking dog and had the perfect nature. Every dog owner wishes they had a Daddy! Its hard to lose something that loves you unconditionally.

When I got my new terrier/pug cross puppy, I was living with my Parents and they already have an 8 year old staffishire bull terrier cross who they got from a rescue center when she was 2 years old. I thought holly would get along fine with the new puppy (who we named Parker).Holly is the perfect dog she reminds me of Daddy. She has so much patients and does not seem fazed by anything. She never barked or was mischieves at all.However, She generally slept most of the day and when she went out to the park for her daily walk, she didnt play just walked round the park with my dad.

When we brought Parker home, they didnt seem to get along at first. He was a hyperactive 3 month old puppy running around and wanting to play and she was a 7 year old dog wanting peace and quiet. Nothing ever got nasty, she would growl and tell him where her limits where. If it was not from watching the Dog Whisper we might have thought she was being aggresive but she was just telling him what he could do.

After a couple of month they got along better after long walks and playing in the park together and when I moved out 6 months later Parker's mischieve had rubbed off on Holly aswell as her good temper and gentle nature has rubbed off on him. She started chasing sticks with him in the park and generally being more like a normal dog. I still go to my parents almost every day and they still go to the park together. Also since moving out they get on perfectly. Its like she misses him.

So not only can puppies learn from older dogs it can be the other way round too!

I have had 3 different dobermans in the past 25 yrs. I got my first one at the Animal Pound as they used to call it in the 1970's. I went to the pound and saw a little red doberman with floppy ears and got her. I had her 10 yrs and she became my favorite dog....I got married and my new husband loved her also. Then we got another one from a terrible situation - Zack. He had just been freed from guarding a car lot, he was starved, kicked, abused. He was difficult to deal with, so many bad habits and a lot of anger. I found a trainer who had trained NY police dogs. He taught me how to communicate with Zack. It worked and he became calm, and after the training saw me as his pack leader. He turned out to be the best dog ever and lived until 12.
Now I have my third dobie Zenie....she is 9, getting a bit older. She was also a rescue with lots of problems when we got her. But with my training, I was able to bring the beauty back to her. So recently I did what Ceasar did with Daddy, I got her a baby. Was very unsure it was the thing to do. Didn't know if she would accept her....CoCo Chanel, a red baby doberman. It took Zenie a few days but soon she was playing with her, enjoying her. Life and zest came back to Zenie. She was back to getting up early, going on walks, smelling the world with the little one at her feet happily following behind. Teaching her what she needs to know. With lots of discipline, Coco is understanding the training...I see her little wheels spinning. CoCo is 14 weeks and is sitting, staying, down, and learning how to walk on a leash without pulling.
I have never had a puppy.....I always wanted to help the unwanted but now I wanted a puppy that I could work with without the problems. She is doing so well....with discipline and training and Zenie as her teacher, it's amazing and we are all having the best time!

Daddy

What is a Daddy?

Someone who will teach you right from wrong...
Will be there for you no matter what.
Will pick you up when your down and calm you down when your up!!!

A loving, loyal - never to be replaced soul!!
May your spirit live long and always be remembered
We will never forget you, and we know you will keep beside us when
our journey gets tough!

A Dad is a Daddy that can never be replaced!

I really like the way you say it Cesar, don't make a clone of you're older dog, just clone the spirit..It's really great.
I had a dog before, i don't know the english name but it's a german dog, scäfer, she was a nice dog and I think my dad was sad the day we had to put her to sleep.. So when i bought my puppy chihuahua Charlie, I wanted to make Charlie like Sheeba was, a nice and great dog so my dad can have some sort of replacement for Sheeba. He really misses he's dog, it's about 7 years since Sheeba went to sleep, and my dad still misses her very much. I hope I can make Charlie the way Sheeba was. Thanks Cesar for the great tip. Love From Norway