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.
ETA: Just brought him home.
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.
ETA: Just brought him home.
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