Need some help please (about getting a GSD) Questions

Whenever you ask for an opinion on a forum, you will always get a whole host of answers and differing experiences

The best advice I could give is to do your research. Read as many books as you can on the breed, visit shows, working trial tests, obedience clubs and speak to anyone you can who owns a GSD. Find out what "type" of shepherd you like (whether that be working line, show line, English or Germanic, long or short coated etc) and then try to find a reputable breeder with the type you like. Once you have selected a breeder, find out whether it would be possible to go along and meet their adult dogs (before they even have any pups) and see whether they have the kind of temperament you are looking for and could live with. It is also wise to try to speak to as many owners who have had pups from that breeder and see what their take is on the dog they have, and whether they were happy with the breeder and how their dog is turning out.

Unlike JoedeeUK, I adore the longcoats, but only as long as they actually look like their standard coated counterparts (but with a longer coat iyswim ;-) ). Unfortunately some breeders who do breed only for coat tend to end up (after a few generations) with rather weak looking dogs, with fine bone and fine muzzles, which don't appeal to me personally. However, the breeder I spoke of does breed longcoats but also standard coats and I believe they have retained their "true" GSD look (many of their breeding being from the famous Videx kennels).

For comparison of the different coats. Here is my standard coated bitch, Sharna.





Flame, my "English obedience bred" bitch

As a youngster


As an older lady



My young lad Yogi, longhaired German bred dog.

Have nothing to add, but wanted to say Moobli, I LOVE Yogi!!!

Thank you everyone for such great information. After Reading what Joedeeuk has said about the White haired GSD I am going to stay well clear from them. Obvisouly I would never pick coai/colour over temperment/personality. Moobli your GSDS are beautiful . May I ask what is difference between "English" and "German" GSD?

Yogi is a head turner xxxxxx Not that flame isn't lovely xx

I think you're getting your Fogle's mixed up:? Bruce is the dad, Ben is the son. Bruce Fogle has written quite a few books on all breeds.

I don't recall writing that I was his biggest fan, just that he particularly recommended Long-coat shepherds.

I merely quoted him as saying that Long-coated GSDs were particularly exceptional, due to their temperament. Of course, I did add that my breeder did not agree with this statement. And all of a sudden I'm his no1 fan??:?

I did read lots of other books on training/dog breeds, shall I name them all for your approval?

I based my decision on getting a LC GSD on the breeders recommendation, no Bruce bloody Fogle!!! Sheesh

sorry!

Yes you do need to be firm with them but not because they are bad but like any other dog, if you are not firm they will test you and aas GSD's are big its harder to control if they do mess about.
I have found GSD's to be a fantastic breed, loyal, friendly and funny. Mine pulls still but its just something she does and she walks ok after she has calmed down but we didn't get her till she was 3-4 months old so she had had some time of not being disciplined or walking properly.
A GSD is the same as any other dog and it will grow up how it is taught and treated, so if it is socialised and disciplined you will be fine.

Thank you weevle21 that really helps . I am considering whether to get a rescue GSD nut then I keep thinkingbits possibly going to be harder work than a GSD pup...what do you guys think?

Aww thanks settagirl - he is a bit gorgeous (not that I am biased or anything )

Sorry to keep asking questions. But does anyone have any opinions on what I have asked above? An really really sorry I just want enough infor and advice before making any decisions.

I got a rescue Akita adult.
Then I got a Akita pup (from a bitch who gave birth in rescue ;-))

My rescued adult has been a LOT more easier than the pup. He really is perfect, an ambassador for the breed. He was a stray so we didn't know his history. If you are lucky enough to know the history then even better, guaranteed!

Our pup is a spoilt, bossy (but very loving to everyone she meets at least-all licks and wags) 3 year old now, she chewed my house to pieces, has needed (or rather we have needed) endless training classes with her...she still can't be trusted offlead around other dogs she doesn't know, if any dog dare make her feel threatened she will growl...the problems go on!

But at the end of the day - it is fully your choice. I think a lot of people think that pups will be 'easier' to fit into the home, yes, your other dog is almost guaranteed to get on with him/her but blimey!-it is so hard bringing up a pup! Especially a breed so large and intelligent as a GSD.

Thank you so much akitagirl it is really helpful and reassuring. I am seriously thinking of getting a rescue as a lot well trained GSD and plus I would like to give a dog a second chance. I know a rescue will need a lot of attention and will be hard work but I can't help feeling a pup is going to be harder work. Maybe people will disagree/agree and if kind enough to give their pov? Lastly thank you again akitagirl and if you don't mind me asking where did you get your rescues from?

Akitagirl, that is so sweet I bet they are very cute what colour are they? How is your little girl now? How did you manage to stop her chewing your furniture? I bet that was well bad! Honey was hard work as a pup she was clearly the leader of the pack when I went to buy her, she was barking and bossing her litter about. To make things worse the breeder allowed her to chew an old slipper (which made her think she could chew shoes when I took her home so had to hide everything). She was also hard to housebreak she was about a 11 month before she got the hang of it and sometimes pees in the house. As for letting her of the lead she's fine around other dogs but it's getting her to comeback the only thing that works is walking away from her...and I never take the lead of her collar I just let go off it and then grab the lead when she comes back. Yes pups are hard work but worth it

LC GSDs are no different from correctly coated GSDs, it's the breeding behind them that influences their characters. As LCs can & do crop up in litters from correctly coated GSDs, what you are saying is that the LCs have better temperaments from their correctly coated littermates What a total & utter load of male cow manure-sorry you are showing your total lack of understanding of the"science"of breeding for good temperamented healthy dogs, it's the genotype & not phenotype that effects a dogs character & if you believe that phenotype effects the character of dogs you are way off the mark. I have, in my 40 odd years of being involved in GSD rescue, come across many hyper LC GSDs & correctly coated GSDs. After training hyper dogs become far more manageable because it is the way they were not trained as puppies that gave rise to the behaviour, but the lack of early training can make this very hard work.

Few"well trained/well behaved"young GSDs end up in rescue, the ones that are given up are the ones that are out of conttrol & of poor temperament/character. The older dogs are often well behaved & have been dumped because they have gone past their"sell by"date & a new younger dog is wanted

Rescue doesn't necesarily mean hard work

Thank you everyone for your replies I am wondering which is going to be easier a rescue or just getting a GSD pup?

It is totally up to your personal preference.

With a rescue, you can find out beforehand what they are and aren't friendly with and what their pros and cons are as such.

With a pup, you can train it to act specifically as you want it to, HOWEVER, with a pup, you have the additional job of making sure it is well socialised to bring up a well adjusted pup

You can however get rescue pups (Harley is one. We had him at 13 weeks)

Strangely, the most difficult dog I ever had was the only non-rescue. I got a youngster from a breeder and had the devil of a job with her - I believe she had hormone problems, but that dog tested me every day of her life till she was 8 years old and developed a crippling injury from a terrier bite. Then she stood back and accepted me as leader.
Whereas the Rescues just took a year or three of re-training and then became great dogs.

The first (adult) was from a local dogs home (with a terrible reputation), the second pup from a breed specific rescue.

I would always go to breed specific rescues, they often have better after care and can match you up with your perfect dog because they have such a good choice of the breed!

Our little pup is great now - around the house, not a problem (she grew out of the chewing, lol!). Out and about on walks and at events she is getting there - her problems seem to be when a dog growls or lunges at her, she really hates it and will do the same back (fight not flight ) I won't let her off her lead around others because unfortunately not all the other dogs offlead can be trusted not to threaten her and I wouldn't want her to be involved in a fight. She will ignore, or just nicely sniff well behaved dogs.. Our other rescue who we got as an adult is superb offlead around any dog! x