Urgent advice please Questions

Hi, we just got ourselves an 8 week old GSP puppy after 13 years or so with a calm Golden Lab.

We also have 3 children (9,6,2yo) and like all of us, live a busy life.

We're worried that we won't give 'Bruno' the exercise he needs. We can most likely commit to one walk/run every afternoon and one run at the beach each weekend.

Has anyone any advice on how much run these dogs need to keep them happy?

Also in regards to children, would a bored GSP turn aggressive?

Your advice would be greatly appreciated!!!

Thanks Jacqui

Hi, I've got ruban and had him sInce he was two week old as he was from my mam and I went to help look after them all (10pups and mummy). He is now 10months old and has a good run twice a day. They all vary as to time but he can run around and tier himself out between 20min and an hour. But this can also vary.
As for aggressive behaviour this is most uncommon in GSP's as long as he can play with them and when he has had enough can move away without the kids going after him he will be as good as gold.
In the pic he looks so handsome.
Be careful though they can get very excited easily and bounce around like nutters. So one thing is to keep a good control when the kids are playing with him. He will grow quickly and will be bigger than your youngest in no time at all.
Hope this helps you and enjoy the fun of having a GSP. I look forward to seeing more pics of Bruno.

GSP are high. Energy dogs , lack of exersice will not make him aggressive but it will and can make him distructive and frustrated.

Surely you did your research on this breed before you bought him, likewise given your lifestyle why on earth did the breeder think you suitable for this breed.

What constitutes a walk / run every afternoon and a run on the beach, a breed like this wil need at least an hours off lead walk a day ( once mature) along with plenty of mental stimulation , I think to be honest if you are asking this now, you have bought the wrong breed for your lifestyle .

I love German Shepards and have always found them to be very loyal, smart and lovable dogs.

Do you have a yard? is the golden lab getting along with the puppy?

Is the puppy getting along with the kids?

My advice is always that proper training for German Shepards is very important. They are highly intelligent and, as stated above, they can get frustrated and destructive if they get bored.

They love having "jobs" to do. I live a busy life as well and it does get difficult for me to give my dog all the exercise and training that he needs but puzzle toys like kongs, bones, etc.. keeps their brains busy and that's always a good thing.

If you can't afford a trainer i recommend watching videos and doing some personal training for your dog---like I said, they are smart and will pick up on what you want from them, especially if you or even your 9 year old, are calm and assertive while training.

My German Shepard is a lot bigger than my last one and she was higher in energy and more social so she needed a lot more training on leash and off leash.

Hope this helps!

This poster is asking about German Shorthaired Pointers. The way I read it, the puppy, Bruno, may be the successor to the Labrador.

Oh right, I'm new to this site and everything is still very confusing. Thank you CaroleC.

That's OK. Your advice is still relevant, both are high drive breeds.

Hi! I see that your dog is 10 months in the reply! I myself have an 8 month old GSP, Gunner. I give him a run in a field every day after work, and on the weekends. He runs only for about 20-30min. However, we use a 75 ft rope now. So I can't let him run free like he use to because he tends to take off for what feels like 10minutes in the woods and out of my sight. I worry he'll never come back. I myself wonder if my dog is ever going to grow out of this "taking off phase" as I know how important it is that a GSP gets his exercise!

So I see that your pup is 10 months and you've mentioned that he has a good run twice a day! Do you have him off leash? If so, what techniques can I use! I tried dog whistle, rare treats only when he comes / however he loses interest in that quickly. Once he see's a bird he's gone.

Also, when "gunner" was younger, mostly 3-6 months, I took him for walks everyday after work. Usually off leash. My fiancé and I both work full time so we have Gunner usually in a crate during the day (with some visitors to let him out to pee and pop, and stretch his legs), so it felt nice to give him a run in the evening. I noticed a change in Gunner's behaviour after he has a good run. Once you're back at the house, he tends to go on and play with his toys and kinda quiets down. But if we don't walk him, we'll he's the complete opposite in the house.

As for aggression, I've done lots of research on this breed and nothing mentioned GSP's having aggressive behaviour. I can't quite tell with my pup, since he's still a puppy. But I do know they get hyper. When he see's a kid, he tends to jump up and can almost knock them over. We're still working on the no jumping rule, and it's slowly getting better.

Hello Jacqui,
I would say twice a day 30 to 45 mins each walk.
As I have no experience with this breed I am not in the position to give you advice on the aggression with children thing. If you have a active life a GSP should be fine for you.
Jane
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