We actually had her trained by kids and we would pull random kids out of the group there to work with her.
Calvin (trainer) told one kid (10yo) to run around her while she was laying down and told to stay. As well as jumping over her.
Said kid had a dog there for personal protection training with his dad.
That kid looked at Calvin like he bumped his flipping head
But he started running by her at first. Then as his confidence built up, he would actually run at her and jump over her.
We got a really good picture of the boy (Zack) and Calvin laying on the ground with Calvin resting his head on Gypsy's belly and Zack laying on Calvin.
Thats when they told us, Gypsy had a really good disposition to be a therapy dog.
We had a German shepherd was like that, and she "worked" for a number of years as a therapy dog in local hospices and nursing homes. My wife, her guide, said it was amazing how many residents would perk up and come out of nearly catatonic states when she came in the room. A gentle, gentle soul, great with puppies and strangers. She was also great at finding lost calves and gently getting them back to mom.
Our current dog has no issue with people stepping over her, or lying down on her, or snuggling her which she adores, but she is highly, highly, reactive, and when outside is always on guard, and keeping miscreants away. We have needed 1,000% more training time with the new dog to get and keep her attention on us when the pig or coyote is scented, tracked, or bolts by. It is a work in progress, and we aren't where we would like to be with her just yet. Having had several before this one, means we know the drill, even if the training and tools have to be enlarged and modified for high reactivity and high prey drive.
Our first GSD came to us trained similarly to the dogs in your video to track, and locate strangers and if needed, drop them if they moved. A super friendly and happy dog, you'd never have guessed, except for how relentless she was at finding a thrown toy in a field. Our current GSD is heavier, more athletic, and unbelievably fast. She can, and has, run down fleeing pigs. She doesn't give up, except on command. Before we had much training with her, I had seen her body check coyotes and send them flying twenty or thirty feet. She is an interesting mix of personality traits, though I will say that the high alertness and reactivity makes it hard for her to focus on us, which makes the time to train and set behavior much longer.
Funnily our prior GSDs were almost 100% outdoor ranch dogs by their preferences, and this one prefers to be inside guarding us when we are inside, and outside with us when we are out. Compared to others, she is a more an instinctually personal protection dog, which is certainly the dog that she was bred to be. Her breeder is just down the road, and the breeder's primary business is breeding and training dogs for police and drug work. We have been happy to give good lives to the "rejects" that are too old for breeding, (aka fully trained), or just dogs that aren't quite on the K-9 police work trajectory and need to try something else. Over the years, we have fostered a number of the puppies because we can expose the dogs to a wide variety of experiences on the ranch in a controlled manner and help build their confidence. We have gotten the chance to see many amazing dogs over the years.
They have been fun animals to be around, but not exactly a dog for everyone. I try always to be mindful of the need for care when around animals, especially larger animals.
All the best,
Peter
www.1stmindk9.com
