About Spot

Character

strengths

Spot has a very strong "will to please". He observes and studies "his" people very carefully and reacts to very fine signs and corrections. He is always ready to work, learns very quickly and carries out what he has learned in a clean way. However, he is by no means demanding or overexcited.

He is a real gobshite and loves playing, but is not a "ball junkie". A simple "finish" is enough to end the game with a ball or another toy and he will devote himself to other things on the walk again. 

He meets other dogs very friendly, playful and respectful.

On the leash, Spot is curious when meeting dogs, does not bark or pull on the leash.  

He reacts with interest to animals such as horses, sheep and cows and shows potential for herding, which can be controlled very well. His hunting instinct is not pronounced at all and I can retrieve him well in any situation and let him off the leash even in forests rich in game. With Merlin, the horse of my best friend, the contact is joyfully excited. 

Spot is very attached to us and wants to be with us all the time. But it is also no problem for him to wait alone quietly at home for a few hours.

We take Spot almost everywhere with us and he is a very pleasant companion. In the restaurant he lies down under the table and sleeps. In summer he goes swimming in the nearby Rhine, which he does with great enthusiasm. In winter he loves to pull the sleigh or to go bikejöring, take him to a barbecue party or to a women's evening in front of the TV - Spot is enthusiastic about everything. 

Even train, tram or bus rides and large gatherings of people like at the Basel or Bern railway stations are no problem for Spot. He walks along with me confidently and orients himself to me. 

With people he knows, he is a real charmer and cuddly bear.  

With quiet children Spot is very tolerant, careful and reserved. 

Loud everyday noises are no problem for Spot. 

 

WEaknesses

He meets uncastrated males of the same size a bit tense. The sympathy decides there. But he is controllable. Smaller uncastrated males are no problem. 

Depending on the situation he is typically reserved towards people and does not want to be stroked immediately by people he does not know. But this changes after a few minutes. Around the house and the garden he usually barks at strangers first, but he calms down fast. After he met a person for 1-2 times, he welcomes the person joyfully.

Watching other dogs doing Agility is difficult for him, depending on the excitement of the dog in the course. But I can distract him with toys, goodies and enough distance. 

In the past he used to bark at people on the leash in "Welcome situations", but we were able to get rid of this by specific training and he remains calm and relaxed.

He reacts anxiously to gunshot noises.

 

Everyday Life

The everyday life with Spot is very relaxed. He is neither overexcited, nor does he need 3 hours of walks to be fully occupied. We take a long walk of about 1-2 hours every day. In the morning and in the evening we go out again with Spot, so he can do his business. On walks bikers, joggers, hikers, walkers, riders etc. are ignored or only sniffed at when they approach him. Spot obeys very well and can be retrieved from any situation. 

On the walk we practice obedience and other little tricks almost daily. Impulse control (e.g. the ball is thrown and he has to wait until he is allowed to retrieve, lie down at a distance while running after the ball, etc.), running around a tree (command "Around"), touching a tree with the front paws (command "Touch") and many more. Spot is always working with great enthusiasm. 

At home Spot is quiet and sleeps most of the time in his bed or next to my feet. When we are at home he is always around me or Dominic. In general he is very inconspicuous at home.