@Smylinacha.  Sorry to hear of your mishap.  Hope you have healed since then, and Velvet and Windsor have learned that deer are NOT okay prey!   I had a mishap tonight...fell off my bike!  You can read about it in Jena's post, "Biking with your dog."   I am seriously going to have to get an e-collar because my two pups don't ALWAYS leave it.....although this time, they couldn't have because the prey ran after THEM.....a small unleashed dog from a front yard.  I hit my head banged and scraped my left palm, left elbow, and left knee, and bruised my left upper thigh really bad.  I never thought about preparing for something like that.....Well, I guess I sort of did, as I carry pepper spray!  But the pepper spray is as far as I took it!   I'm SO glad your dogs are okay and they didn't run into the road or get stomped by the deer.  How old are they now?   So, when does 100% recall happen?    I'm ready!     They will let me think they are doing GREAT and then all of a sudden, it's as if they've never heard the command in their life!  It didn't help that the accident happened in the first 3 minutes of the ride!    Had it been the last 3 minutes, I probably wouldn't have fallen!

Hey - yeah I just read that post and commented. So glad you are ok! Anything that moves is a target for them. They don't care much for squirrels though, not sure why.

Windsor is 4 and Velvet just turned 8. Although Velvet weighs less than Windsor (around 52 lbs and Windsor is close to 60 now), she has more torque and that caught me off guard. The e collar works better with her - we don't have to set the zap very high and normally the tone does it with her. With Windsor, his hair is much thicker and the zap needs to be set high but when walking the two w/ my husband and I notice the correction doesn't always work with Windsor - the button needs to be held down, not just a quick push of the button - then he seems to get it. He's always been a major puller and walks happy go lucky and loves to be ahead but my husband has more control over him than I do. If I had pepper spray or even my gun on me, this happened so fast neither would have done me any good as I was being dragged because the leash loops were around my wrists pretty good.

I have a nice scar on the palm of my hand - took about 3 weeks for it to completely heal up. I am so glad you wore your helmet, it could have been real bad if you didn't.

We can't leave our dogs loose in the yard - they stay in the back fenced in part or the pen out on the side of the yard. If anyone they do not know came down the driveway, they would most likely get munched on which is fine by me cuz I don't like strangers on our property. I taught Windsor a bad thing (special code command) when I used to be home alone at night and if I use that phrase that I taught him, that stranger better be prepared to get shredded if I say the magic words " src="/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/blue/emoticons/smile.gif" />

 Wow!  Yours are 8 years old?   I'm scared now!!  Lol!!   I thought that perhaps they would calm a bit and not be so prey driven by the time they were 4!   Yes, I wanted to purchase the e-collar for them for our dog park trips.  However, after talking to my the breeder/trainer we purchased our two pups from, she was saying you have to be VERY careful about when or IF to zap if they are in prey mode.....especially with another dog.  They may think the other dog did it, and get super aggressive out of defense.   Because we were trying to stop our large male Kaido 75 pounds, from "playing"  OR "preying" with small dogs, (not sure yet what he was doing!), I thought it would be a GREAT idea, but then worried that it might send him into aggressive mode with the 3-5 pound Yorkie or Snauzer, and he would win.  However, knowing his temperament, I don't THINK he would hurt it. It think he would abandon ship or be on his back with all 4's up.  That's what he does with the big dogs that correct him, and the little yappy dogs that don't tolerate his antics!  He only goes after the ones that run from him and "yelp!"   Those are the dogs that should NEVER be brought to the big dog side!  Stupid people out there!  

I love your description of your rural living!  All the wildlife, sounds like CT it's a great place to live!  Do you have to worry about tics?   I love your description of the protectiveness of your dogs!  Lol!  Kaido will bark like crazy.....mean bark.  Maybrie goes right up to people that come to the door and wags her tail!  She's no threat!   I'm not positive that Kaido would not bite someone should he feel that one of us were threatened.  He's pretty convincing!  It takes him awhile to warm up.  This is a good thing for when my 17 year old bikes with him in the neighborhood!  He does NOT like men with hats especially, or  any man for that fact.  We have no idea why.  He has no problem with the men that were at the dog park with their dogs, and would even go up for cuddles, but when the park workers came in, he went NUTS!  I was embarrased!   He will bark and run at them like he's going to tear them apart.  However, when they reach out a hand, he jumps back and barks harder!  So....not so sure.  He may just be bluffing!   He has a close bond with my daughter though, so who knows!   I wouldn't want to try it!  Lol!  

 Wanted to aske one more question.  You said Velvet and Windsor play really rough. Do they slam into each other, roll each other, go after each other's legs, muzzle and neck?  Mine do.  It's really scary.  This is another reason I wanted the e-collars. I am so afraid they will hurt each other.  Maybrie actually broke another pups pelvis in half by running into him.  She too has sustained a fractured pelvis and coccyx, that never really healed properly.  When she runs super hard, she will limp for 2 or 3 days.  The vet said it's due to the nerves that run along there.  Her right back leg is severely atrophied.  Kaido has 25 pounds over her, yet she is the instigator of this rough play.....always!   I know play is normal and healthy......but I'm not 100% convinced Kaido didn't break his toe while playing with her.  I THINK he broke it coming out of his wire kennel, but only because I didn't notice limping before I put him in, but only after he came out of the kennel.  Who knows!   Oh..and the growling is ridiculous!!   It's scary to take them to the dog park......another reason we QUIT going!   It draws so much attention.  Maybrie also directs their play to the water. I think this is because his pounces don't hurt as badly. However, he jumps on top of her and tries to pull her under.  Luckily, all she has to do is turn around and head bang him, and he gets the message!  It's still crazy rough, and we have actually started a dog fight with their "play."  It's very scary. Until we can get that under control, and Kaido's prey drive, and get rid of people who want to "try out" their rescues at the dog park......we won't be going back to the dog park!   For now, ours LOVE bubbles in the backyard!  You know the kids bubbles....just the cheap ones from Walmart!  I blow those accross the yard, and they think they have died and gone to heaven!   Our yard is about an acre, but it has a pool in it that needs to come out.  It's too old and run down.  That limits their space for safe running.  

My GSP's play very rough they run and slam into each other... grab each others noses and ears and necks... When Striker still hd puppy teeth Blitz would have tiny bite mark on his ears... Mine actually will be running outside and run into my horse too, LOL! It's what they do, play hard!

The e-collar is for re-enforceing commands that are already known like the recall... so if you have introduced the e-collar properly and have worked with it at home if you are at the dog park and your dog and it doesn't listen and then you use the e-collar it should know what is going on... however you don't use it if your dog is already in the middle of rough play cuz you should have called your dog before that even started...

Ours are playing real hard in the house right now. And I just let them in from being out back for 1/2 hour. Biting one another, running like mad, banging into furniture, sliding all over the kitchen floor. They are very predictable - in about 10 minutes both should be passed out in the hallway.

I hate CT now. Grew up here and it was pretty nice but now it's hard to live here - over crowded, all the manufacturing is gone and we are very lucky to have the jobs we have now. Hoping to get out in a few years, maybe once the economy gets better. We love NC in the mountains. It's "rural suburbs" here. We are very private and have woods but there is a main road behind us that gets congested during rush hour (only single lane) but it's one of the few main roads that get you out of town. If it's not congested, they speed like hell down it. That is the road where when Windsor got loose he almost got hit by cars as it happened at the height of rush hour.

It is amazing how our dogs remember people - even friends that stop by that don't stop by all the time. But the minute the grocery delivery guys comes or the Fedex or UPS man, they go nuts. Velvet wouldn't hurt anyone - she just likes to howl when we get visitors but Windsor growls at strangers, his hair stands up, his whole tone changes. But yet when we go for walks, he loves all the other dogs. Also if we go for a ride on the Harley and have our helmets on, that drives Windsor nuts too - he hates our helmets.

Yep, Velvet is 8 and has more energy than Windsor does. Both outside loose - very prey driven. On leash it can be tough with both. Windsor is great in the house during the day but at night he throws fits between 8 and 8:30 while Velvet is nice and calm. Both have such different personalities.

We only got Velvet 1 year ago and all she knows is "sit" and "stay". She will only stay for a brief period of time. Very lovable, snuggly, lap dog. Windsor knows a bunch of commands - sit, stay, wait, roll over, paw, go find it, bring it (all in the house - outside forget it unless it is his tennis ball). He knows the names of his toys. Windsor is not a lover - he won't snuggle or lick you. He will jump on the bed but not on you where Velvet will sleep on top of you if you give her the chance. I woke up to Windsor on the end of the bed this morning and her on top of me.

Both are passed out now - just like I predicted! " src="/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/blue/emoticons/smile.gif" /> That should last for about an hour.

 Hi Splat!  Good to know that my two are playing normally for this breed!  And yes, one thing I do know how to recognize is just "before" something is going to happen.    I had to learn body posture, ears, gaze, etc.  It's the ONLY way I can stop Kaido from chasing a small dog.  I actually have to catch it immediately in order to prevent it from going further.  He has never grabbed a small dog, but he crouches, pounces, jabs, and has even rolled one ONCE before.  That was when I became very, very wise to "the hunt" stance.   I was told by my breeder that it could escalate very quickly to where he picks one up in his mouth and shakes it, and accidentally kills it.   The play between each other is VERY difficult to stop if not impossible. Even when I recognize it's going to happen.   They are littermates, and have played rough since they were old enough to pounce!  They know the command "leave it" and they darn sure know and understand the word NO!!   In the house, it works beautifully, and I can stop super rough play time between them instantly.  Outside, they simply run off and avoid when I give them the command.  I don't even try to stop them in our backyard anymore, because I know that each command to stop that goes ignored just sets them and ME up for failure.  If I am trying to protect them from or heal an injury (Kaido's toe), I have to leash them, or take them out separately. Simple as that!  Even though they KNOW the commands.  This is where the e-collar, I was HOPING would come in handy!  They can be standing 25 yards from each other, and I can tell the "game" is fixing to start.  I use to could command Maybrie with "here" and divert the game, but not anymore.   She has learned that she CAN run the opposite direction and that often, that the result....clobbering her brother,.. is more fun!!   They are wise.....very, very wise!  Apparently wiser than I!    We had 2 labs and hunt tested them.  We are very familiar with using the e-collar, however, we have never used it to command them to stop playing!  I suppose in this instance, we could command a "here" or a "sit" and use it for that, and as you said, BEFORE they get started!   It's not that I mind them playing so much in the back yard, but clearly, it is NOT safe for them to engage in this sort of activity at a dog park filled with unstable dogs!  Lol!    Amazingly I was able to command Kaido to "sit" when I wanted him to stop chasing a small dog.  He sat INSTANTLY and placed himself in a "down."   Shocked the daylights out of me, but okay!  I'll take it!    I have placed him in a down before and also allowed the small dog to sniff his bootie to let him know he could NOT dominate this dog in any way.  The consistancy seemed to pay off, and luckily, he never actually made it to a dominant or aggressive state......just a play with the prey state!   The last 5 times at the dog park, he completely and totally ignored EVERY small dog in that park!!  

 Thanks so much for the tip Splat!   I will work on inforcing the commands they already know using the e-collar.  I actually have to purchase one. Preferrably one that has two collars.  We sold the lab's e-collars because our chocolate passed away at the age of 10 with cancer, and our black is 13 going on 20!  She's full of arthritis and is hobbling about. She doesn't even make it down to the end of our coldesac and back anymore, though she tries oh so hard! Poor Katie.   Anyway, we never thought in a million years we would own one, let alone two GSP's until the breeder introduced us to them!  They stole our hearts from the beginning!  I prayed they would become ours......and they did!   We got Maybrie at 5 months, and her brother Kaido at 7 months!  They are amazing! 

 Lol!  Playing hard indoors is not okay in our house!  We have hardwood floors..well, laminate...but they are super slippery.  I am worried about them hurting their joints. I'm not worried about them hurting the furniture.  They make an obstacle course up and over the coffee table from chair to chair!  It's hilarious to watch!  I wish I could allow them to run indoors.  I thought about purchasing some traction booties for them. I found some that are rather inexpensive....$18.00 per pair.  For now, the command is a firm no, and they both run to the door!  They know they have to finish what they started outside!  For the moment, we are still mending Kaido's toe.  He has been SUPER non-compliant, so it will probably never heal correctly.  Luckily it's the outer toe of his right rear. Not a weight bearing toe.  The vet said it would heal no matter what we did, but that it would heal better and faster if we could keep him kenneled.  He is so far past the fast heal, it's not even funny!!  These crazy dogs!

Sorry to hear you dislike CT, and wish you luck in finding a new home in a few years in NC.  

Wow!! How old is Windsor?  8 and more energy? Yikes!!   So you rescued Velvet?   That's cool!   I often visit the Texas GSP rescue site and dream of giving another GSP or 2, or 3 a forever home!!  Lol!   I love this breed so much.   My two are sort of like your in that one is a SUPER cuddler, and the other not so much.  Kaido is the one that has to be on top of us!  Unfortunately, he's the 75 pounder!  Maybrie, the 58/60 pounder LOVES to nuzzle, give kisses, and will cuddle very briefly, but after the cuddle she moves to the end of the bed.    They only sleep in our bed briefly.  I work nights.  They sleep in their kennels all night, and I don't feel it's right to put them in their kennels all day as well.   So, we let them run hard in the back yard for a few minutes, wait an hour, feed them, and then I take them to bed with me!  My daughter usually gets them up about 11am.  She is homeschooled.  While she is doing her schoolwork, they sit on her bed while she's at the computer.  When I wake up, we walk them, train them, .....used to run them to the dog park.  She will bike with them at night when I'm at work, 3 nights a week.  I bike with them the 4 nights a week.  I am SO excited for cooler weather so I can bike with them in the morning as well.  They really need the morning and evening run.   I would love to leave them outside, but it is just too hot in Texas.