Foundation is very essential to working dogs, this builds their character. While some working dog breeders will opt to finish the vaccines of their pups until given foundation, the true working breeders work the pups as even before the pup has been given a shot. The importance of foundation will show during training and when the pup or dog is put to stress, it will always go back to its foundation.
If the pup is given a wrong foundation or have not been given any foundation there is a low chance that it will be of good character. I never knew this when I started having working dogs. Or even when I started owning dogs. When I brought a pup home I expect that since it is new to the surroundings and environment it is ok that the pup is not at ease or very stressed. I thought it is normal that the pup or dog finds itself in a different environment and will recover in a few days. I believe many people have the same perception with this. They think that it is normal, when in fact the truth is the pup was not given enough foundation or was not
given any at all.
I had my share of this, the first working line GSD I had was not given foundation. I got it at 5 months old, never left the compound of the breeder. Because the compound was big, it was given exercise inside the compound, the pup is set free from time to time to run. First day I got him, he was not very comfortable traveling in a car. Yet I thought its ok its the first time. When I arrived home, I opened the gate, got him out of the car. Unfortunately the collar was a little loose, it got away and went under the jeep of our neighbor. The pup was so scared. Still I think its ok since its the first time. A friend of mine decided to also get a working line GSD, I refer him to the same breeder, he was able to get a pup at the age of 2 months. It was the first time the pup went out of the breeders place. As it seems normal it did not stop crying and was so stressed.
After working with this pup for a couple of months I was fortunate to be able to participate with an exclusive group for a couple of times. There I see there were 4 puppies being given foundation. At the age of 8 weeks they were very comfortable in an environment that is new to them, they didn't mind having big dogs with them. Yet my 6 month old pup was so stressed with the environment. I have seen the difference but at first little did I realize that foundation was the reason behind this.
I worked my first working line for a little less than a year, and decided to sell it so that I can purchase another working line pup from this group. When I contacted the breeder when can I see the pup and choose my pick, he told me we should meet at a place where he is working the pups so I can see for myself what pup would fit me. This is kind of unusual right? Most breeders will invite you home to pick a pup. So we met and I was able to pick my pup. The pup were still 7 months old at that time, and I decided to get the pup at around 8 weeks because I was not experience enough to give the pup the foundation it needed.
A week after, I got the pup at the breeders house, then went straight to Tiendesitas to meet some friends and grab a couple of drink. To my delight the pup just followed us and did not show that it was so stressed or uncomfortable. At first she was a bit hesitant but after a little encouragement she was very comfortable already. We sat at the front near the band where it is very noisy, I just put her in my lap and she did nothing but sleep. I was glad with her reaction, it was very different from my first working line GSD. When we got home she got out of the car, just followed me around the house and never felt uncomfortable. At the bedroom she jump over the bed immediately and looked at me like she wants to play and is very energetic. That time I realize how important foundation is with working dogs. The next day I started working her, we walked around the streets with in our village, and I can see the difference in the confidence of the pup.
A week after I brought it to a friends place, I saw a body of water, I decided to work her there. Once I got into the water she immediately followed. It was a different experience. Another week later I brought her to a river, we introduced her on tracking. I went to the other side of the river while a friend of mine was holding her, then I hid. When she was released, she confidently cross the river and tracks me. So I spend most of the time working her, and until now I continue to work her.
Today it is a common practice not to let the pups out of the kennel until after the pups have completed their vaccines. Some owners also after getting the pup at 8weeks old opts to keep the pup inside their house because it has not completed its vaccines. Little that they realize that they are losing valuable time to give their pups a good foundation. They will start to walk their pups outside at around 4months or older. Most people will accept that their dog is so stressed out because it is the first time for their dogs, when in fact if the pups are given proper foundation it will react differently. Some will even think that its ok to let them out a little late because they will make up for it, unfortunately this will not work for foundation with pups. That window of opportunity have passed. We will not be able to make up for it. I'm not saying pups with no foundation cannot be work, but pups with foundation will definitely show more character during training and during the work itself.
A simple example is during tracking, when a pup was given foundation it will track in any scenario and will focus only on the work. A pup without foundation will track but when faced with unfamiliar obstacle or terrain it will lose its focus.
I wanted to share this experience so that those who are looking for real working dogs will benefit from my lesson. So that they may not commit the same mistake I had before. As I previously said, if one is looking for working dogs, one must go to a working breeder. In my little experience on handling working dogs, the right foundation builds a pups character rather than building its drives. Because when there is a need for serious work, only dogs with character will perform.
