I think we're going to get a GSD for the family. Not 100% decided yet, but close.

[Ronws]

I forgot to mention that we home school and I am home with them pretty much 24/7. I get along with most dogs, or maybe they get along with me, however you want to look at it. But I've met more asshole labs than GSD's. Non scientifically, our mutts all came from the pound, as puppies that tended to the older side and we didn't have many issues. Including the GSD mix. Maybe we just got lucky with dogs? Having said that I briefly considered adopting and I just can't take a complete strangers unknown dog into our home.

Hmm well this won't be a good look, but there was one pretty big oddball incident with our GSD mix as a kid. I was walking with him and he tried to rip a guys throat out in the park. Only time I ever saw him do anything abnormal. Guy was jogging towards us and the dog went from my right and shot up and over to my left in front of me. I dove right and jerked him away from this joggers throat just in time. Guy barely blinked. Just had a blank stare. I don't remember what I said or if I said anything, but I thought it was weird as hell that the jogger had nothing at all too say. I always thought after that the guy must have been a serial killer or something. Dog never did anything remotely like that before or after. 100% one off. We lived near by a big park and he had had countless joggers and bicyclists pass by him in the exact same manner. He never tried to bite anyone at the door or anything. Growled at certain people, which never seemed to have any rhyme or reason attached to it.

There is obviously more risk with a GSD than with a golden retriever. And also the golden retriever's I met while they were all super sweet I wonder if they would offer any wild life deterrence other than their scent. We oddly haven't crossed a golden off the list. I would feel a little better about my kids playing in the woods and being out of my eyesight in general if a GSD was with them vs. a golden. They are pretty much never out of my eye sight right now. Or at least they are not supposed to be. It's a constant battle. Especially with my 3 year old. If we are blessed with 10 years of companionship from a GSD I think that would be time well spent.

I won't sit here and say no other dog will be a good fit for us, but this does make a little sense. I really don't think I'm coming at this from a completely emotional and illogical view point. I'm certainly trying not to.

A dog has roughly 40 times the number of olfactory receptors than a human does. They can smell things we ordinarily cannot. And so, yeah, either something was wrong with that jogger or some wrongful smell was on him.

Other things are more individual. For example, most any dog works well as a drug sniffer. Some have the right temperment to do survivor and cadaver searches but they will need breaks because they can get depressed. I knew a few people who trained police dogs for K9 units. Not every GSD or even Belgian Malinois makes a good dog. It is a special temperment for a dog that is willing to bite and hold and then release. Some dogs just get scared and bite and won't release. Others won't bite.

 

[Glowie]

You get out what you put into them. Very simple transaction. Nothing in life simpler other than breathing. You ALWAYS know where you stand with them as opposed to two legged critters. This will be my next one

 

[TexPatriot]

Grew up with dogs my whole life, but only had one GSD. This particular animal came as the property of my Police Department and was my partner for 8 years.

He was brought over from Hungary at 2 years of age and I prefer to say that I got assigned to him rather than vice versa. I have never experienced such a unique bond with a dog until that GSD. I loved all my dogs, don't get me wrong, but this one?

He didn't know me from Adam and was defiant at first. Like who's this guy trying to tell me what to do. Stubborn but insanely smart.

After our 480 hour class was finished and his living with me and my family, an incredible bond was formed. He learned everything at an incredible rate compared to the other guys that were handling Belgian Malinois. Once we finished up our training and we were turned loosed on the street, this dog became damned near famous.

Now as close as he was to me, I had a two year old daughter when I first got him that he latched onto. As she was growing up, I'd occasionally have to yell at her for this or that. He did not care for this at all. He would get between my daughter and I and stare at me. Those of you who have dogs know what a full on locking eyes stare means. I was a bit offended as this was MY partner. But he protected that little girl until he died of cancer after he retired.

We'd come home from work after he just put someone in the hospital and he'd lay next to my daughter while she read him bedtime stories. She would put fingernail polish on all of his paws, bows in his hair and have tea parties.

So yes, I would highly recommend a GSD. Insanely smart, great with kids, fiercely loyal, courageous yet kind.

Just remember, they are a working dog. If you don't give them a job to do, they may hire themselves for a job you're not going to like.View attachment 8388713View attachment 8388719

When I was an eight year old kid living outside of Ft. Lewis, I rode my bike past a trailer that had a snarling barking GSD lunging against a too short of a chain in the mud under a giant pine tree. I got off my bike and was somehow drawn to her. A rather large woman, not uncommon in the Pacific Northwest, opened the trailer door and yelled "If you can pet her, you can have her." Unphased, I continued to approach with my hand out and before you know it I was petting her. The woman said "I'll be damned" or something to that effect. Somewhere in the exchange the woman said her name was Sugar. I never rode my bike so fast as I did going home and the next scene was my mom and I pulling back up and loading her in the car.

We didn't realize how young and perfect she was until we got her back home. As my dad was overseas, Sugar bonded to the alpha leader of the family, my mom, but she was a viscious protecter of me. I remember I was playing football in a neighbor kid's yard, the kid, who was my age, kicked off to me, I recieved the ball and was running it back. The kid came after me to tackle me...big mistake. Sugar, who had been sitting with the kid's mother, came off the sideline and hit that kid like he was wearing a padded bite suit. Except he wasn't. She ripped his pants open and bit the shit out of him. If the mother wasn't such a nice person, an absolute saint, that could have been bad. If you're still alive today Roger, I'm sorry for that huge scar on your calf. Not sorry. I'd never apologize for anything Sugar did.

Sugar also protected the family in a bad situation when some drunk Indian off the rez. got our house confused with someone he obviously had bad medicine with and was trying to kick down the front door.

I equate a GSD with a firearm for home protection. When you need one, you'll be glad you had one.

 

[Malum Prohibitum]

For example, most any dog works well as a drug sniffer.

Sure they do. The courts rubber stamp their evidence even though their reliability is terrible.

The courts have approved searches by dogs with success rates as low as 43%, but the Supreme Court now says no reliability need be shown at all, just training records and certification.

The War on Drugs has done a number on our judicial system and constitutional protections.

 

[wvfarrier]

 

[Sgtsideways]

I haven't read many of the threads on here, so do yourself a big favor not only for you but the dog also. Talk to a professional breeder (with all the credentials) b4 you do another thing. Just because your friends breed GS's, doesn't mean they know what they are doing. GS puppy mills are all over the place looking for a quick buck.

We wanted a GS and almost got taken by a mill. Hated to see the site and we immediately left. Turns out we were ignorant of all that goes into the breed. A good pedigree is the first step. A good breeder is the MOST important step. Look forward to spending at least $2500 and up for a pup with the right genetics and the paperwork to back it up. A good breeder will ask you all kinds of questions, as they don't want the pup going to a bad home. One of the signs of a good breeder is their willingness to take the dog back and refund your money.

The GS line has various kinds of medical problems that can affect the pup later in life. Hip dysplasia is just one of the things you need to look into. We were fortunate to meet one of the top three breeders in the country. A no nonsense guy that wanted vet references and had a lot of questions for us. Out of a litter, he determines the character of the pup over time, and tries to match to what the owner wants. All of his pups go to owners wanting specific traits, such as le, or search and rescue. Training and dedication are requirements for it all to work.

Two years later and he still keeps in touch with us and would gladly take him back if we wanted to...............Not going to happen. I will admit that the horsepower of a GS is something to behold and to respect, but they are loving and loyal as long as you do the same.

 

[Riverlife87]

Our GSD is the best dog we’ve ever had. Hes 8 now getting some age but my kids absolutely love him. Keeps the delivery drivers in their vehicle also just by his presence. Hes our first one and between all the other breeds I’ve had since a child I can’t think of a better one for temperament and trust worthiness.

 

[AmmoFort]

I haven't read many of the threads on here, so do yourself a big favor not only for you but the dog also. Talk to a professional breeder (with all the credentials) b4 you do another thing. Just because your friends breed GS's, doesn't mean they know what they are doing. GS puppy mills are all over the place looking for a quick buck.

We wanted a GS and almost got taken by a mill. Hated to see the site and we immediately left. Turns out we were ignorant of all that goes into the breed. A good pedigree is the first step. A good breeder is the MOST important step. Look forward to spending at least $2500 and up for a pup with the right genetics and the paperwork to back it up. A good breeder will ask you all kinds of questions, as they don't want the pup going to a bad home. One of the signs of a good breeder is their willingness to take the dog back and refund your money.

The GS line has various kinds of medical problems that can affect the pup later in life. Hip dysplasia is just one of the things you need to look into. We were fortunate to meet one of the top three breeders in the country. A no nonsense guy that wanted vet references and had a lot of questions for us. Out of a litter, he determines the character of the pup over time, and tries to match to what the owner wants. All of his pups go to owners wanting specific traits, such as le, or search and rescue. Training and dedication are requirements for it all to work.

Two years later and he still keeps in touch with us and would gladly take him back if we wanted to...............Not going to happen. I will admit that the horsepower of a GS is something to behold and to respect, but they are loving and loyal as long as you do the same.

Not gonna pay $2500+ for a dog. Also the fact that all of these breeders want to know our life story and be all up in our business is a huge turn off. That'd be like me wanting to know all about you before I decide if I'm going to plumb your new home. Fuck that.

Never heard of a breeder buying a dog back. That a new thing? The guy that was mentioned in the second post who made those podcasts talked about eating IIRC $4500 in dogs that he had to wash out. The main reason why I can't see paying top dollar for a dog no matter what his paper status be, is that there historically have been no guarantees. Or if there are they are so short as to not matter. Maybe it's because I've owned mutts, but rolling the dice on a dogs health seems a fair bet when I've heard more horror stories about people's AKC dogs than the free mutt.

I told my wife a dog with a temperament we can get along with trumps everything else IMO.

 

[91Eunozs]

Go to the local pound and adopt a mutt

seriously.

You’ll thank me later

 

[AmmoFort]

Go to the local pound and adopt a mutt

seriously.

You’ll thank me later

We did that as kids, but no one was under say 8 or 10. I'm not doing that with young children.

 

[Riverlife87]

Not gonna pay $2500+ for a dog. Also the fact that all of these breeders want to know our life story and be all up in our business is a huge turn off. That'd be like me wanting to know all about you before I decide if I'm going to plumb your new home. Fuck that.

Never heard of a breeder buying a dog back. That a new thing? The guy that was mentioned in the second post who made those podcasts talked about eating IIRC $4500 in dogs that he had to wash out. The main reason why I can't see paying top dollar for a dog no matter what his paper status be, is that there historically have been no guarantees. Or if there are they are so short as to not matter. Maybe it's because I've owned mutts, but rolling the dice on a dogs health seems a fair bet when I've heard more horror stories about people's AKC dogs than the free mutt.

I told my wife a dog with a temperament we can get along with trumps everything else IMO.

My wife surprised me with ours, she bought him for $500 he was papered and vet checked for hip diplasia, been a great dog for 8 years. Did off leash k9 training with him at about a 10 months and he still knows the commands

 

[mrdrar]

No matter where you live, you should worry about 2 legged predators.
1) GSD--best all around. Really good at evaluating genuine risk vs kids rough-housing. Uncanny ability to do what's best for you in any situation.
2) Great Pyrenees--best livestock guardian, including protecting your kids from wild animals. You will probably be limited to one male and one female, not a pack of dogs.
3) Akita--incredibly affectionate, independent, stubborn. Intuitive protector. Makes GSDs look like they don't shed. Can definitely only have one male and one female.

 

[buffalowinter]

 

[Ronws]

The nearest animal control center (dog and cat pound) to me will likely have a GSD or mix. I even found a Shiba Inu there, rare for these parts. Anyway, Adoption of a dog is $60 and that includes the dog having been updated on all the vax and complimentary spay or neuter with the few participating vets, if needed.

Yeah, I know, go be poor somewhere else. That's not the reason. The reason is because dogs need companionship.

That being said, the part about reputable breeders is true. A real breeder does not start the breeding until they have 4 or 5 people who paid non-refundable deposits. And there will be lineage. Show winning bitch who will be the dam and a show winning sire. Also, in every litter, only one or two will show the right dimensions and qualities to win shows. The rest will be slightly out of the requirements. Good pets, just not show winners. And if buying from a breeder, get your dog spayed or neutered. The only reason you don't immediately is if you are working them in agility competitions with the plan of breeding future winners.

I believe in all that, I just don't need it. All of my pets were rescued or surrendered. My old cat Misty was a kitten on the street. Same with my current cat, Jade.

My dog, Shadow, was bought by friends at a pet store (they didn't know any better.) When he was a little over 1 year old, he was too big for the young lady to keep and her family was not going to let him stay and he was going to be in a kill shelter. So, I took him. When I told him about the squirrels on our 1/4 acre lot, he was all over me. He was a mix of Siberian Husky and Labrador Retriever. According to one legitimate lab breeder I talked with, he was technically more husky than lab. 4 colors. White undercoat, black, brown, and red outer coat. Glow in the dark amber eyes. 26 inches to the shoulder, 36 inches long from snout to tail set. In his prime, he could run so fast and he had double gait suspension (all four legs in the air in full tilt boogie.)

And yes, you can find a pure GSD at a shelter. I found a Shiba Inu in this is in a rural county, though he could have ran here from a ways away. Spitz dogs like huskies and shibas can run at 30 to 40 mph unladen and at a slower pace, can run for an hour.

 

[AmmoFort]

No matter where you live, you should worry about 2 legged predators.
1) GSD--best all around. Really good at evaluating genuine risk vs kids rough-housing. Uncanny ability to do what's best for you in any situation.
2) Great Pyrenees--best livestock guardian, including protecting your kids from wild animals. You will probably be limited to one male and one female, not a pack of dogs.
3) Akita--incredibly affectionate, independent, stubborn. Intuitive protector. Makes GSDs look like they don't shed. Can definitely only have one male and one female.

A serious 2 legged predator won’t be phased much by a dog. So the dog whether trained for such or not seems more like a sacrificial distraction. So yeah like I said our defense against 2 leggers is up to me. And I’m mainly concerned about them at night.

For defense fantasies/nightmares I mostly see the dog being the equalizer in the day and myself having to step up at night.

Great Pyrenees is still a big contender. But my wife has only found one breeder within a few hours drive that wasn’t part of the new #metoo who are you and why should we accept your cash for this member of our family club.

 

[Riverlife87]

https://www.shenandoahrescue.org/adoptabledogs-old

 

[Keeper22]

I have had many high prey drive dogs and worked around many more, they are different and you need to know that up front if you not had one or been around one a bunch. That is not a knock against them, just facts.We have a year old GSD and he is the smartest dog I have ever had, he needs constant challenges physical and mental or he entertains himself and it usually means something gets destroyed. The phrase bite training has been used a few times in this thread and the OP said that was not gonna happen, the GSD knows how and will bite, I prefer the term protection training and you should in my opinion do some protection training with a GSD. As I stated they know how and will bite , you and the dog need to when to bite and when to stop biting. Obedience is a must or there will be issues down the road. We love our boy and will be getting a female down the road, he is a goofy clown at times and is the most athletic dog, I have ever owned, he amazes me with his ability. Good luck and keep us posted with your dog journey.

 

[Jperk0278]

We’ve had GSDs for years. We were lucky to find a breeder who does a great job with temperament. These have all been loving, affectionate, protective (especially with little ones) and

comedians. They shed like crazy, but they’re worth it.

 

[AmmoFort]

I have had many high prey drive dogs and worked around many more, they are different and you need to know that up front if you not had one or been around one a bunch. That is not a knock against them, just facts.We have a year old GSD and he is the smartest dog I have ever had, he needs constant challenges physical and mental or he entertains himself and it usually means something gets destroyed. The phrase bite training has been used a few times in this thread and the OP said that was not gonna happen, the GSD knows how and will bite, I prefer the term protection training and you should in my opinion do some protection training with a GSD. As I stated they know how and will bite , you and the dog need to when to bite and when to stop biting. Obedience is a must or there will be issues down the road. We love our boy and will be getting a female down the road, he is a goofy clown at times and is the most athletic dog, I have ever owned, he amazes me with his ability. Good luck and keep us posted with your dog journey.

Seems like I could still forgo bite training in lieu of some sort of off/drop command. I just don't think I need to have the dog ready to attack people...

 

[jrhtx]

I am NO expert in GSD's but have had them for over 20 years. The one (about 10ish) laying next to me now will probably be the last. That is hard to say because I am attached to the breed but as I get older, it is hard to give them the exercise and training they need. It is not fair to the dog not to exercise and work with them. And they need a lot of attention, whether it is formal work with commands and lead or off lead work or just fun play time. My current guy is a rescue and he has been a handful. The selection was a long story but he picked us rather than we picked him. Seems we were the only people he would let work with him. And he is as hardheaded and piece of granite!

If you decide on a GSD, your wife better be prepared for 6+" of hair in the house unless you brush him at least every other day. Even if you do that it will only be 2-3" of hair. They didn't get the nickname "German Shedder" for nothing. They can have sensitive stomach's and could require special food or you go through a lot of brands to find one that works. My guy gets brushed every 2-3 days and my truck is covered in hair, slobber drips on the windows and doors. He goes as many places as possible with me but he is having trouble getting in and out of the truck so now he has a ramp so he doesn't have to jump in/out.

As others have said, they can have health problems. Hips, joints, ear problems (mine need deep cleaning regularly, big ears catch all kinds of dirt). In 2022 we spent over $7K in vet bills for issues with a rear leg and front feet. That was just 1 year. He was at he vet every week getting "cold laser treatment". He didn't mind, he "adopted" the blond vet tech. She was HIS and didn't like seeing her with other dogs. It was hysterical. She was a very tiny girl, more like a kid. They say dogs are colorblind but this one is attracted to blonds and red heads. He has a thing for protecting kids, especially very small kids. We think that was part of the reason he was turned in. Too protective of the children in whatever environment he was in.

GSD's are not a get them and forget them type dog.

 

[Bender]

When I was really young before my parents divorced I had a Samoyed and a GSD. I was told they were stolen, but who knows what that means. I always suspected they developed some sort of problems and unfortunately took bullets. After that we had a blue heeler and then mutts. One of the mutts was GSD and I'm pretty sure heeler. We grew up in town and had a okay sized yard, but not enough room for the 3 dogs that we would have at a time. None of them ever received any real training. But we never had any problems with them.

Roommates had dogs later in life, but I didn't make any forays back into dog owning until I met my wife. She had miniature dogs which was a trip to me. Loved them. When we moved to Montana we gave our last inherited mini barker to a friend before we left (had to move into to a rental for a while). My children have been begging for a new pooch for the last 2+ years. Been talking about it the whole time off and on, just trying to figure out the best timing, and we're finally just going to say fuck it and hit send.

Some folks up the valley from us that we know breed GSD's. They have a young family as well and they say the dogs fit in with their family perfectly. So all good on that point. My wife had an Airedale when she was young, but most of her dogs have been tiny little yip yaps. We have 4 children: about 8 months, almost 3 years, 5, and 8. I've impressed upon my wife that she and the girls will have to train the dog/s. The way I figure it is I will have my 2 daughters (8 and 5) do the bulk of the training during the week. I'll quietly coach them while they relay to the dog. Then the wife will mix in on weekends, maybe walks at night when she can swing it. I just want to avoid a situation where the dog only wants to listen to Dad.

I'm not too awful worried about any serious training. I just want the dog to protect my children. That is the main goal of bringing the dog into our family in both mine and Momma's eyes. We live on the edge of the Bitterroot National Forest and the forest comes right up to our property. A month or so ago I finally parked on the other side of the valley and showed my wife where we live. I said "you see that range? That's all National forest and the animals that own it. You see that spot there on the edge of the trees? That's us. Of course the animals can go wherever they want and people spot them in the valley all the time. But babe, all they do is walk out of the woods into the land that I cleared and they are right there with us." Finally fucking clicked for her. Derp.

We have 10 acres that we plan to make a small homestead out of eventually, but it has been pretty slow going. I'm doing the best I can, but it's a lot for one guy to do on raw land with a young family. The likelihood of a wild critter attacking my people is probably lower than them having to dirt nap a rabid satanic commie fuck sometime in their lives, but I'd still like them to have an edge if the need ever arose. And that's where the GSD comes in. We both like the idea of a Great Pyrenees, and we'll probably add one later when appropriate, but I think starting with a GSD might work out better for us.

I'm really just looking for some GSD love and confirmation, but give me what ya got. And if anyone has any dog training tips videos, books, you name it I'd appreciate them.

What the fu is a GSD

 

[OkieMike]

We have 3... Wife picked up #3 yesterday. So 2 males and a female.

Our oldest (male) is exceptionally intelligent and friendly. He's never met a stranger, but he won't take treats from someone he doesn't know... And he can go from friendly to killer as needed. Last time he was at the vet he weighed 117 pounds. And I have zero doubts he would absolutely, without question, die to protect my wife.

Our 2nd oldest (female) is very intelligent, but a bit flighty. And also very (VERY) high energy. She lives to catch a Frisbee... And I honestly believe she would keep running and retrieving it until she dropped dead if I kept throwing it.

The problem with her was that she suffered from motion sickness the first year we had her. That meant we couldn't load her in the car and take her with us. So she hasn't been socialized and does not handle people outside of our family very well at all. She has never tried to bite anyone, she won't get close enough. But she growls and barks the whole time she's around someone she doesn't know. Great alarm dog, but I have my doubts that she would attack to protect us. But I could be wrong.

#3 is an 8 week old male. We just met so I can't really give a report. But I had today off (4 day weekend!) and he has been my shadow all day... And sleeps at my feet when I sit down. So pretty happy with him thus far... Time will tell.

Mike

 

[Keeper22]

Seems like I could still forgo bite training in lieu of some sort of off/drop command. I just don't think I need to have the dog ready to attack people...

I don't think I conveyed my point well, if you have a high prey drive dog (GSD, Pit, Mal, Dogo, etc..) He or she is ready to attack , it's in there DNA. Wether it be someone trying to hurt their loved ones, a small or large animal that triggers it, the drive/instinct is there. The protection work I do with my dog is to ensure that I make the decision when it is time to bite/protect, and when it is time to quit. I am in no way trying to tell you what to do, it's just my opinion. The reason I don't use the term bite training is because they don't need to be trained to bite they already know how to do that.. I am sure there are many people in this thread that have a GSD that has never shown aggression. I don't want to take the chance of not being able to control him if the situation arises. Most people want a GSD because of their loyalty and willingness to protect, the main way they protect is with their teeth. Once again I am not trying to discourage you or tell you what to do, just a guy on the Hide giving his 2 cents. Good luck and keep us updated.

 

[AmmoFort]

What the fu is a GSD

About The Breed: German Shepherd

The German Shepherd (officially named as the German Shepherd Dog) is a medium to large-sized working dog. Abbreviated as GSD, German Shepherds are one of the most popular dog breeds; they ranked in second place in both our 2019 analysis and 2022 analysis of the top 50 dog breeds in the world.

Keep up...

 

[AmmoFort]

I don't think I conveyed my point well, if you have a high prey drive dog (GSD, Pit, Mal, Dogo, etc..) He or she is ready to attack , it's in there DNA. Wether it be someone trying to hurt their loved ones, a small or large animal that triggers it, the drive/instinct is there. The protection work I do with my dog is to ensure that I make the decision when it is time to bite/protect, and when it is time to quit. I am in no way trying to tell you what to do, it's just my opinion. The reason I don't use the term bite training is because they don't need to be trained to bite they already know how to do that.. I am sure there are many people in this thread that have a GSD that has never shown aggression. I don't want to take the chance of not being able to control him if the situation arises. Most people want a GSD because of their loyalty and willingness to protect, the main way they protect is with their teeth. Once again I am not trying to discourage you or tell you what to do, just a guy on the Hide giving his 2 cents. Good luck and keep us updated.

I don't see a real problem there. I just don't know what that looks like.

 

[Bender]

About The Breed: German Shepherd



Keep up...

I don’t care about your cat. Sorry.

 

[TexPatriot]

A serious 2 legged predator won’t be phased much by a dog. So the dog whether trained for such or not seems more like a sacrificial distraction. So yeah like I said our defense against 2 leggers is up to me. And I’m mainly concerned about them at night.

For defense fantasies/nightmares I mostly see the dog being the equalizer in the day and myself having to step up at night.

Great Pyrenees is still a big contender. But my wife has only found one breeder within a few hours drive that wasn’t part of the new #metoo who are you and why should we accept your cash for this member of our family club.

A dog, doesn't have to be a GS, it could be a mutt, can be your first and last line of defense.

They definately are the best alarm system you can own, waking you up from a dead sleep.

I'm dogless right now. God chose another path for me when a feral mother cat left her brood on my porch. As a result, I have a matched pair of miniture black panthers. They have ears and eyes like radar and will growl like a dog if anything, animal or human, comes anywhere near the cabin.

They are also trained to attack. One secret signal from me and you'll be trying to pull them off your head.

 

[OkieMike]

A serious 2 legged predator won’t be phased much by a dog. So the dog whether trained for such or not seems more like a sacrificial distraction. So yeah like I said our defense against 2 leggers is up to me. And I’m mainly concerned about them at night.

For defense fantasies/nightmares I mostly see the dog being the equalizer in the day and myself having to step up at night.

Great Pyrenees is still a big contender. But my wife has only found one breeder within a few hours drive that wasn’t part of the new #metoo who are you and why should we accept your cash for this member of our family club.

My GSD's are in my house for one reason.

I love them and they're loyal companions. But it's basically a contract: We meet their basic needs. They keep uninvited company busy long enough for me to chop them in half with bullets... and the dogs may die in the encounter.

It's grim math. But I understand it. And the dogs seem to understand it too... At least my big male does.

My wife hates it when I lay it out like that... But she's a woman and she has the luxury of not having to consider unpleasant contingencies.

Mike

 

[n2ishun]

What the fu is a GSD

I thought I 'splained that on the 1st page.....maybe 2nd-3rd post ?

 

[UKDslayer]

I hadn't had a puppy in about 8 years. We just got a 6 month old lab 2 months ago. If I had remembered how much work pups are we would have adopted a kid instead.

You mean a baby goat to take care of the lawn?

 

[UKDslayer]

I'm not too awful worried about any serious training. I just want the dog to protect my children. That is the main goal of bringing the dog into our family in both mine and Momma's eyes. We live on the edge of the Bitterroot National Forest and the forest comes right up to our property. A month or so ago I finally parked on the other side of the valley and showed my wife where we live. I said "you see that range? That's all National forest and the animals that own it. You see that spot there on the edge of the trees? That's us. Of course the animals can go wherever they want and people spot them in the valley all the time. But babe, all they do is walk out of the woods into the land that I cleared and they are right there with us." Finally fucking clicked for her. Derp.

If you want a dog to protect family from "animals in the forest" maybe think along the lines of Great White Pyrenees, Rhodesian Ridgeback, or Anatolian Sheperd?
I had a home nurse who had a Great White Pyr - a few trains on "perimeter" and that was her understood duty.The negative is they don't always get along with those outside the fam - they judge.

 

[Grim's Reapers]

But she's a woman and she has the luxury of not having to consider unpleasant contingencies.

My ex's cat finally got so old that it couldn't get around anymore. This was an indoor cat and would freak the hell out every time we had to take her to the vet. I'm not really a cat person, but I couldn't see putting that poor old cat in distress in her last moments by taking it to the vet to have her euthanized. I put her down right in the living room with my .22 while she was asleep and she never felt a thing.

The wife obviously heard the shot and came out of the room. I didn't tell her ahead of time what I was going to do, because she was a city girl and wouldn't understand something like that. After I explained it to her, she got it and thanked me for being able to do that.

 

[Grim's Reapers]

P.S. My GSD got along fine with that cat. LOL

 

[OkieMike]

P.S. My GSD got along fine with that cat. LOL

We have 2 cats ourselves. The dogs get along better with the cats than I do. I didn't used to mind them... But they have gotten on my nerves quite a bit lately.

Mike

 

[FWoo45]

My ex's cat finally got so old that it couldn't get around anymore. This was an indoor cat and would freak the hell out every time we had to take her to the vet. I'm not really a cat person, but I couldn't see putting that poor old cat in distress in her last moments by taking it to the vet to have her euthanized. I put her down right in the living room with my .22 while she was asleep and she never felt a thing.

The wife obviously heard the shot and came out of the room. I didn't tell her ahead of time what I was going to do, because she was a city girl and wouldn't understand something like that. After I explained it to her, she got it and thanked me for being able to do that.

I'm the last guy to take issue with shooting a cat, especially one thats suffering on its way out, but that's retarded. Maybe I just worked too hard refinishing my old oak floors to poke a hole in them with a .22. I also don't do indoor only cats, really cats at all.

OP, what do you do for work? I'm currently thinking that you would be better served by a well trained attack squirrel that is fed a constant diet of acorns and meth. JOMO.

 

[Grim's Reapers]

Maybe I just worked too hard refinishing my old oak floors to poke a hole in them with a .22.

Maybe you should work harder on your aim?

 

[Doing my part]

When I was really young before my parents divorced I had a Samoyed and a GSD. I was told they were stolen, but who knows what that means. I always suspected they developed some sort of problems and unfortunately took bullets. After that we had a blue heeler and then mutts. One of the mutts was GSD and I'm pretty sure heeler. We grew up in town and had a okay sized yard, but not enough room for the 3 dogs that we would have at a time. None of them ever received any real training. But we never had any problems with them.

Roommates had dogs later in life, but I didn't make any forays back into dog owning until I met my wife. She had miniature dogs which was a trip to me. Loved them. When we moved to Montana we gave our last inherited mini barker to a friend before we left (had to move into to a rental for a while). My children have been begging for a new pooch for the last 2+ years. Been talking about it the whole time off and on, just trying to figure out the best timing, and we're finally just going to say fuck it and hit send.

Some folks up the valley from us that we know breed GSD's. They have a young family as well and they say the dogs fit in with their family perfectly. So all good on that point. My wife had an Airedale when she was young, but most of her dogs have been tiny little yip yaps. We have 4 children: about 8 months, almost 3 years, 5, and 8. I've impressed upon my wife that she and the girls will have to train the dog/s. The way I figure it is I will have my 2 daughters (8 and 5) do the bulk of the training during the week. I'll quietly coach them while they relay to the dog. Then the wife will mix in on weekends, maybe walks at night when she can swing it. I just want to avoid a situation where the dog only wants to listen to Dad.

I'm not too awful worried about any serious training. I just want the dog to protect my children. That is the main goal of bringing the dog into our family in both mine and Momma's eyes. We live on the edge of the Bitterroot National Forest and the forest comes right up to our property. A month or so ago I finally parked on the other side of the valley and showed my wife where we live. I said "you see that range? That's all National forest and the animals that own it. You see that spot there on the edge of the trees? That's us. Of course the animals can go wherever they want and people spot them in the valley all the time. But babe, all they do is walk out of the woods into the land that I cleared and they are right there with us." Finally fucking clicked for her. Derp.

We have 10 acres that we plan to make a small homestead out of eventually, but it has been pretty slow going. I'm doing the best I can, but it's a lot for one guy to do on raw land with a young family. The likelihood of a wild critter attacking my people is probably lower than them having to dirt nap a rabid satanic commie fuck sometime in their lives, but I'd still like them to have an edge if the need ever arose. And that's where the GSD comes in. We both like the idea of a Great Pyrenees, and we'll probably add one later when appropriate, but I think starting with a GSD might work out better for us.

I'm really just looking for some GSD love and confirmation, but give me what ya got. And if anyone has any dog training tips videos, books, you name it I'd appreciate them.

Sable, Czech line GSD are some good looking motherfuckers.

 

[TexPatriot]

Welcome to the neighborhood. I have been researching and patiently waiting for the right dog to chose me.
What is the future for your homestead ?... Chickens, goats, milk cow, etc ? Factor than in with your choice of dogs.
If you have been here for a while, winter weather is something to consider.
With all of the new people and new construction, the wild animals are on the move.
Just this year I have had a bear and a moose come across my place.
I am leaning towards a breed with Australian Shepherd, Healer and Border Collie combined.
Helping a friend with an Australian Shepherd (4 months old). It likes to roam my homestead but no inclination to wander off.

Best of luck.

View attachment 8388756View attachment 8388759

You won't go wrong there with any of those combinations.

I had a black lab that knew what 'property' and possessions were. We couldn't move his dog house without him jumping on top of it. He was worried we were stealing it.

A Maytag repairman could come into the house with his tools. He could leave, but he couldn't leave with his tools or anything else in his hands. He was as ferocious as any GSD over that matter.

I would have to take him down to the lake when some repairman was working but he wasn't happy about leaving a stranger in his house and you could tell he was preoccupied with a concerned look on his face the whole time.

 

[Sgtsideways]

Not gonna pay $2500+ for a dog. Also the fact that all of these breeders want to know our life story and be all up in our business is a huge turn off. That'd be like me wanting to know all about you before I decide if I'm going to plumb your new home. Fuck that.

Never heard of a breeder buying a dog back. That a new thing? The guy that was mentioned in the second post who made those podcasts talked about eating IIRC $4500 in dogs that he had to wash out. The main reason why I can't see paying top dollar for a dog no matter what his paper status be, is that there historically have been no guarantees. Or if there are they are so short as to not matter. Maybe it's because I've owned mutts, but rolling the dice on a dogs health seems a fair bet when I've heard more horror stories about people's AKC dogs than the free mutt.

I told my wife a dog with a temperament we can get along with trumps everything else IMO.

Just that attitude alone makes me think that you would be better off without a GSD. Thinking that 5 and 8 year old kids will be able to train is crazy talk. The horse power of these guys is up there, even for an adult. Go to a training center and see what a GSD, that is properly trained, can do.
Also, a lot of rescues and shelters are going to ask questions about you and the environment for your home..........at least the ones that we have been to. They don't want lawsuits. One GSD rescue that we dealt with even asked for vet recommendations. They will ask for a telephone interview. Our mixed breed was flown in from Texas. We were about to say FU to the whole thing, but were told the numerous horror stories of how badly some of these dogs have been treated. Our pure breed is a total 180 from the mixed and was a real surprise when it comes to horsepower
As noted by others here on the Hide.......These dogs are subject to ailments, such as bloat and hip problems. Are you willing to pay for the vet bills if these ailments appear or are you going to just dump the mutt? Go plumb that before you get in over your head with unrealistic expectations. Vet bills are $$$$
Just this week we received a text from the breeder that a GS was being returned by an owner that is about two years old. The breeder was glad to take it back. When we bought our AKC GS, the agreement we signed stated the if we no longer wanted the dog, the breeder had dibs on taking the dog back. This ain't rainbows and unicorns as you seem to think. If your breeder isn't willing to do this, you are better off going elsewhere.

 

[Haney]

Just that attitude alone makes me think that you would be better off without a GSD. Thinking that 5 and 8 year old kids will be able to train is crazy talk. The horse power of these guys is up there, even for an adult. Go to a training center and see what a GSD, that is properly trained, can do.
Also, a lot of rescues and shelters are going to ask questions about you and the environment for your home..........at least the ones that we have been to. They don't want lawsuits. One GSD rescue that we dealt with even asked for vet recommendations. They will ask for a telephone interview. Our mixed breed was flown in from Texas. We were about to say FU to the whole thing, but were told the numerous horror stories of how badly some of these dogs have been treated. Our pure breed is a total 180 from the mixed and was a real surprise when it comes to horsepower
As noted by others here on the Hide.......These dogs are subject to ailments, such as bloat and hip problems. Are you willing to pay for the vet bills if these ailments appear or are you going to just dump the mutt? Go plumb that before you get in over your head with unrealistic expectations. Vet bills are $$$$
Just this week we received a text from the breeder that a GS was being returned by an owner that is about two years old. The breeder was glad to take it back. When we bought our AKC GS, the agreement we signed stated the if we no longer wanted the dog, the breeder had dibs on taking the dog back. This ain't rainbows and unicorns as you seem to think. If your breeder isn't willing to do this, you are better off going elsewhere.

Fuck off and leave the guy alone . You talk like you are the high authority, all you are is drama .

 

[Ronws]

Shelters don't grill potential pet adopters. They are glad to get these dogs homes, regardless of breed.

Breeders will be more picky. The most picky are rescue groups. Some of them want to do home inspections, same as if you were adopting a human baby.

But shelters are thankful to have people adopt to make room for the next handful of strays that will come in.

Anothe word of advice, chip the pet. If they escape and get picked up, an animal control officer can scan for a chip and read the data and call you.

 

[Major Wader]

Completely out of your thought line, but the smartest, most protective dog we ever had was a rat terrier. When he was about 15 lbs, he killed a male raccoon that was almost 10 lbs heavier than he was, with just a few minor scratches. He finished out at 23 lbs and was a fearless protector. We got him when my son was 5.

If you want bigger, search for Decker Terriers. Same drive, same protective instinct, but will top out in the 35-50 lb range.

Blackmouth Cur dogs are also great dogs, and were the most common frontier farm dogs. Old Yeller was a blackmouth cur.

 

[Keeper22]

I don't see a real problem there. I just don't know what that looks like.

I was lucky and knew some people in the protection dog business, we do a group training every 2 weeks. The group training is cheaper and a little more relaxed, the first thing a good trainer will do is evaluate your dog and see where they are with obedience and aggression. Be carefull with a trainer that leans to any specific dog sport, some of them tend to think anything that doesn't relate to their sport is wrong. Do some research on e collar training it is a tool for reinforcement after the obedience foundation has been built. Hope this explains my stance, a little better.

 

[Hobo Hilton]

You won't go wrong there with any of those combinations.

I had a black lab that knew what 'property' and possessions were. We couldn't move his dog gouse without him jumping on top of it. He was worried we were stealing it.

A Maytag repairman could come into the house with his tools. He could leave, but he couldn't leave with his tools or anything else in his hands. He was as ferocious as any GSD over that matter.

I would have to take him down to the lake when some repairman was working but he wasn't happy about leaving a stranger in his house and you could tell he was preoccupied with a concerned look on his face the whole time.

We had Black Labs when I was growing up in the Deep South. I had a couple that were the most "racist" dog I have ever seen. I will leave that thought to your imagination.

 

[wvfarrier]

Besides obedience we teach all of our dogs to bite on command, release on command and to guard (dog places itself in front of you and barks at the threat). All 3 "protection" commands are easy to teach.

 

[fpgt72]

A dog has roughly 40 times the number of olfactory receptors than a human does. They can smell things we ordinarily cannot. And so, yeah, either something was wrong with that jogger or some wrongful smell was on him.

Other things are more individual. For example, most any dog works well as a drug sniffer. Some have the right temperment to do survivor and cadaver searches but they will need breaks because they can get depressed. I knew a few people who trained police dogs for K9 units. Not every GSD or even Belgian Malinois makes a good dog. It is a special temperment for a dog that is willing to bite and hold and then release. Some dogs just get scared and bite and won't release. Others won't bite.

There is also ongoing training, and after each bite the dog gets "trained" again. One of ours got stabbed while on a bite. Did not know till the handler got to him. Very worried if he would engage again. He was fine.

Dogs are complex animals and each is their own "dog". No different from people. Not everyone can do everything no matter what the media tells you.

 

[fpgt72]

Shelters don't grill potential pet adopters. They are glad to get these dogs homes, regardless of breed.

Breeders will be more picky. The most picky are rescue groups. Some of them want to do home inspections, same as if you were adopting a human baby.

But shelters are thankful to have people adopt to make room for the next handful of strays that will come in.

Anothe word of advice, chip the pet. If they escape and get picked up, an animal control officer can scan for a chip and read the data and call you.

Not quite. All three of the no kill shelters want to know who your vet is and will call them to check. If you are a new owner they go through a pretty long process to let the new owner know just what they are getting into. They get very few bring backs.

I don't do well with the people that bring back a dog that "didn't work out". I am kept away from those so called people.

Last one was a pure St. Bernard, his name was Moo Cow. It does not take much thought to figure out what happened and why that dog was chosen and then surrendered.

People suck.

 

[fpgt72]

Maybe you should work harder on your aim?

So just where did you shoot this cat so the bullet did not go through, and did not make one hell of a mess.

Sorry that has to be the most dumb fuck thing I have ever read.

 

[fpgt72]

Not gonna pay $2500+ for a dog. Also the fact that all of these breeders want to know our life story and be all up in our business is a huge turn off. That'd be like me wanting to know all about you before I decide if I'm going to plumb your new home. Fuck that.

Never heard of a breeder buying a dog back. That a new thing? The guy that was mentioned in the second post who made those podcasts talked about eating IIRC $4500 in dogs that he had to wash out. The main reason why I can't see paying top dollar for a dog no matter what his paper status be, is that there historically have been no guarantees. Or if there are they are so short as to not matter. Maybe it's because I've owned mutts, but rolling the dice on a dogs health seems a fair bet when I've heard more horror stories about people's AKC dogs than the free mutt.

I told my wife a dog with a temperament we can get along with trumps everything else IMO.

I do not have a very high opinion of breeders. There are some breed specific rescue orgs that are also just flat ass holes like most breeders.

Breeders DO NOT "buy dogs back".

How would you like to shell out 4500 for a dog with the plans on showing it. Very pretty puppy from well placed parents. The dog grows up and wait a sec....there is an issue. One of his testicles did not drop. Yup he has one not developed inside, and then the one that dropped. Can't show the dog, can't breed the dog, and you are not getting a fucking dime back.

I will say that shelter dogs will come with "issues". Look where they are, no matter how nice that place is I have a feeling anything would have some issues. They could be trust issues, fear issues, or just be distant for a while.

If you can find a person selling, or giving away for nothing or near nothing puppies this is your best place to find a good dog. It has a good family, and there is likely no bad memories with these animals.

She came out of a horse trailer in a walmart parking lot, she cost $25. The most sweet and loving dog, not the brightest bulb on the tree, but she has all the basics down. She is a good dog and picks up on her owners body english very quickly. If you are ok with a stranger, person across the street she has never seen to the mail man, ups. Have a Jehovah's Witness show up on your door step and she will act like she is going to kill them. I am really shocked how she knows when you want someone there and when you don't.

 

[Mcrider55]

The idea one has to pay $2500 for a dog is insane. All 4 of ours, with papers and lineage, only cost $500.00 a dog and that's being bought at different times over 20 years.

Those are show/competition dogs for those crazy prices.