Working line German shepherds Working Dogs

That's a lovely looking dog IMO.

I would love to meet Arrow! :-D

So is he difficult to live with? You clearly give your dogs loads of training and stimulation, but you also work full-time, so does your GSD bounce off the walls when you are at work? I am guessing not ;-) but trying to picture whether a dog with drives such as yours could settle to a less disciplined lifestyle.

Wow didn't think this thread would grow so much, been in work!

It's good to know they can live as a pet and be happy. Im presuming you get long coated, shorted coated gsds different colourings like in other lines?

I'm trying to think of other questions (I had loads but work has frazzled my brain!)

No he is not difficult to live with for ME but he would be a nightmare for most pet owners. I don't think he bounces off the walls when he is at home, he certainly does not when he is in the car with Twig on our travels (unless someone is near the car) ;-) hehe

Just thought of something... If your dog is trained and you do schutzhund and the personal protection, how do you manage it on a day to day normal life basis? Like I mean, having a dog that is trained to attack (I say attack but I'm presuming schutzhund is when the dog grabs the sleeve and realises on command?) do you have to have some sort of notification so people are aware, and what happens if you had to use that on a day to say (say someone breaking into your house, or they tried to mug you etc) is there any law that would go against you and the dog?

I don't generally go round telling people my dog is trained to bite.

We lead the same sort of normal life as any other dog owner who has a well trained, well socialised dog. There is no need to tell people that he trained in manwork.

I would never intentionally deploy my dog unless there was no other option ie I was frightened for my life.

The law is quite clear, it is reasonable force.

Joggers can run past, orienteerers can pop out of bushes and people can slap me on the back with no fear that my dog might suddenly take umbrage.

If someone broke into my house then they would get bitten, even the gardener does not come into the back garden if the dogs are in, as the GSD goes berserk and he is frightened he might go through the patio doors.

I have told the police that I have a bite trained dog in the house due to a) some silly children who thought they might climb over my garden wall and b) when I got ill and had to go to hospital and my dogs are registered with BEIDS so that the relevant people can be called in the event of an emergency.

Thanks for that it's certainly interesting to know. So as long as the dog lets go when to say, and only attacks if you say, that's reasonable force? Obviously I wouldn't go around letting the dog grab hold of people
Going to look into schutzhund tomorrow when I'm on the laptop and not my phone as it takes too long to load.
Out of interest SB have you ever done schutzhund with your Weimaraner?

She has her AD, BH, FH1 and FH2.

She is more concerned about breaking a nail than biting anyone.

She has had some training but she would rather hunt and track than bite!

Any closer and it would be porn :O

Now that is what I call a retrieve!

I won't repeat what everyone else has said, as I would just be repeating... Kofi is my 4th GSD and my first working line and I would never have another showline now (much as I have loved and do love my others)

I do Schutzhund with Kofi and he does get a lot of exercise (3/4 hours a day) but I am sure he would fit into an active home no problems. He has been my easiest GSD by far.












I will stop posting pics now...

Have you got your BH yet?

No, we were going to be putting on a trial this week but the WUSV qualifiers take precedence really (esp as we are such a small club) so it was put off.

I also am moving to Wales now (working for a PP place) and I know there is Severnside and Avon but I don't think I will have weekends off. :-( So I may just have to just do some PP stuff instead. Poor Kofi, I feel a bit bad that he has good potential but we have moved around clubs so much that he hasn't had much of a chance!

Severnside meet during the week too, on Wednesdays.

I know, but would they let me just join in one day a week if I couldn't make the weekends??

I'm not sure yet what day off I have so when I know, I can maybe ask them.

Gorgeous dog

Going to have a snoop about today and look at different lines etc, and get more of an idea about the dogs themselves and schutzhund and working trials.

I would still like my Weim, but debating on whether they are going to be too much of a challenge, definitely have some thinking to do.

How often does a gsd need grooming and bathing? I wanted a low Maintenance breed for my next dog (especially if I was going to show, but I gather I can't do that with the working lines) that's why Weims were a good choice, wipe clean

Good grooming once per week, once over a few times per week. I use the Dyson Groom Tool and everytime I help with the vacuuming ( ;-) ) I use it. Bathing...Max is 6 months old and has been done once..he doesn't smell!

Not sure about Weims, but some short haired breeds shed constantly

Shedding doesn't bother me too much if I'm honest,just the grooming when it gets to it, like when I have to get mine ready for a show, it takes a while to groom bath clip them etc..

I groom my GSD daily.

Bath him never, except after he has been swimming in the hydrotherapy pool (for fitness) when he gets a rinse and blow dry.

Obviously the long haired Weimaraner has a touch more hair than the short haired, and they need their feet trimming and I trim the back legs up to the hock.