German Shepherds - suitable for agility? Agility

Ok well, i thought i was getting another border collie, but a good friend of mine suggested i keep my options open.... (she has 2 shepherds btw!)

i have always loved the german shepherd, have the room and time for them etc - but know hardly anything about them except i want a black and tan one (traditional collours??)

can you tell me more about them? health problems/can i do agility/your personal experiences....

thanks

p.s - dosent mean im not getting a collie just woudl like to hear views about another breed!!!

Hiya,

What would you like to know? We have Kahn, a silver sable, english type GSD, and he does agility. He is very accurate but slow! ANything else you would like to know, then just ask I will tell, in the mean time here is a couple of pics of him:

Kahn as Puppy:



Kahn last year:



And a little agility one:

They definately need to be hipscored and you definately need to do your research on the breed, they need someone who is confident they know what they are doing. My fathe had a few GSDs and crosses as has my auntie and my cousin has wee Exodus who will be coming up for a year soon. His last GSD, Jammin', has very bad hips and by the age of 3 he could no longer be walked for more than 10-15 minutes at a time. He died of mouth cancer, was PTS but was quite good age, he was a couple of years older than our Sadie so about 11 or 12.

the only real thing that bothers me, is the hip thing....

i want to do agility - but i also looked into scutzhund (Sp) - im going to classes hopefully next week to have alook - looks and souds from what ive seen really intresting - are shepherds cut out for that???

how far can shepherds go in agility etc??

if i get one - i will get it form a reputable breeder obv - i also want to try showing (lol) - so they ya go..!!

Erm, i'm sure I will get shot down for this but it is a lot of the 'showy' types, back ends almost on the floor which have more problems.

I know a lot of people on here own the breed and will be able to advise you as far as good breeders go, but you need to be very careful in this breed in particular.

If it is the GSD sort of look you like have you considered the BSD?
http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/127
http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/125

with regards to the hip problems, make sure you go for parents with good scores, we've been lucky with kahn, it appears as though kahn has good hips.

With regards to agility, they can get to the top just like any other dog, plus they have ABC classes. The only thing you have to bear in mind is that they are a big dog, so training must go slower, no full height jumping until at least 18 months, kahn was nearly 2 before he went up to full height. Gsd's are slower than collies but kahn is very accurate, and does well on more difficult courses.

From what i've seen german shepherds seem to do better in the ring than english, for showing.

no really like the GSD

i woudl love a bigger dog if im totally honest - i was looking into getting one of my mates rottweilers - but i love the breed just not enough to own one just yet- mabye in the fuure but for now i will have to put up with robbing her dog for cuddles lol!!!

its just i want to do trials n agility n whatever i can do -so any dog i have ahs to be flly kc registered etc... n a mate for millie

thanks i-mac thats what i read - id loks for a fully german lines then english -

love the breed - butis it right for me??

I would put a GSD in the same catagory with a Rottie in terms of managability, training, handling, responsibility issues e.t.c. If you feel you are not ready for a rottie I doubt you would be ready for a GSD either. Don't mean to offend you, JMO.

no i can handle a lot of dogs lol - i just prefer the shepherd at the moment to the rottie - thats what i meant lol!!

i just dont fancy owning a rottie atm - love to look at them but i prefer the thought of training a collie/shepherd etc...

In all honesty hun, I'd stick with a Collie for now.

IME GSDs are only for very experienced of dog owners/breeders. I have been bitten by one and my dogs attacked more than once, but inspite of that I'd still love a GSD one day, but I know I'm nowhere near ready.

There are quite a few people in this area that have bought one and the dog has ended up dog agressive due to poor bredding and/or poor socialisation. Hence me and my dogs having bad experiences. :-(

I really would stick to a Collie for now and wait until you've had more dog experience, especially if you're going for the German type. I understand they're slightly more difficult to handle than their English counterparts? :?

Just to add though, if you're still interested you should make sure the Sire of the pups is Haemophilia tested clear, it's a problem in the breed from what I can gather.

Hi,

Just to echo what rips said, I also agree you'd be better off with a collie. As has been mentioned GSD's can be hard to handle, also as has been mentioned the german lines tend to be more *cough* full on than the english type. They can also be stubborn at times. I love the breed but feel that for the type of dog you've described that you're looking for they wouldn't be suitable.

I'd suggest you continue looking at collies or possibly a novia scotia duck tolling retriever - JMHO

Hazel x

Agree with the above, And I mean this in a completly non nasty way, but although I don't reply to alot of threads on here, I have read quite a few of your threads and have seen that not to long ago you were thinking of importing a mini aussie, Also "" i just prefer the shepherd at the moment to the rottie - thats what i meant lol!!""(your last post on here)... I think as rips said you should wait a while til you have more dog experience and in the meantime do alot of research on each breed (any that you would like to own/ are thinking of owning) and see which would be best for you and your current dogs etc.


As trust me if anything goes wrong with a gsd's training/socilization they can be very hard to keep control of and if they get attacked it can be very hard to get them to see not all dogs are nasty. Our last gsd was bitten at training by a terrier for no reason at all and from that day on she wasnt the same dog and would only be nice to other gsd's.

Not sure about the german being harder to handle than the english... hmm now I'm going to have to go do some more research

Yes only males that are tested clear should be bred from I believe;-)


Here's a pic of Kiera

And if you want to see some more pics, there's some of our old dogs Zara(black face) and Kiera (also Zebe our old collie in there aswell)here:
http://s83.photobucket.com/albums/j314/x__rose__x/my old dogs/

Have to agree with other on here GSD's can be quite a handful. Not for the fainthearted at all. I have owned both english and german type and would say the german type are harder to handle they seem to push you to the limit much more than the english type. They are fabulous dogs but I would only suggest someone has them if they have had a lot of experience with dogs. In my own experience I have found the english a heavier dog and a little more laid back than the german type, although perhaps laidback isnt the word for a young german shepherd at all but you know what I mean. The young Germanic type are like a very hyperactive child.

yep I agree with you all too my shepherd was very difficult he is also epileptic,quite common in some lines I hear,so you would have to be careful about the breeder

My friend has a AMAZING litter at the mo,working Szts lines.

This is dad
http://home.scarlet.be/~jg992621/reuen/Quattro.htm

My friend has litter brother to the Mum, i now him personally hes fab dog!!!!!!

This line would DEF do agility!!!!!!

I had a GSD as my first dog, he was a wonderful dog. Any dog can be a handful if it is not socialised and trained properly. The thing with a GSD is they are very intelligent and need to be occupied ie training, seek games, walks whatever it takes.

I have 2 at the minute yes a handful but not in a negative way, they like lots of attention ...be it play time or cuddles.

Zeita is 15 weeks old a little horror but has proved to be highly and easily trainable. WE have been told we could do well in showing with her too.

IMO GSD are a fantastic dog and as long as you socialise carefully and do the classes and keep them occupied, you will have an absolutely fantastic companion.

Can't comment on agility never done it but I have seen many doing it esp the GSD police dog agilities (WOW)

Look into HIP scores and health testrs definately. Germanic lines a prefered in the ring as they have the desired shapes etc

Like you said you have the time, you love the breed and you are not a first time owner. You will be fine and you will be warmly rewarded for it by your companion

Mel xx

Oh dear totally incorrect there is far worse hips amongst the "English"type of GSD because most of the breeders do not hip score & having seen the way their top show dogs move at their recent Ch Show it's not surprising.

The breeders breeding to the German Breed standard do all the health tests hip & elbow scoring( & haemophilia testing on the males)

There is a world of difference between Schutzhund bred dogs & the German Show lines & I doubt that a Schutzhund dog would have any success in the breed ring, the same way an "English"type would have huge problems doing Schutzhund(the agility & temperament would cause problems)

You need to go to a few breed shows & Schutzhund events to see what type you like. I much prefer the Schutzhund dogs as they have immense work drive & are bred for their brains as well as their character.

I'm planning on getting a GSD bred from German working lines from this kennels in 2010 or 2011 depending on when she has a litter

Belgians are nothing like GSDs in character or temperament & have the same requirements for hip & elbow scoring

People have posted the problem with biting I have owned GSDs(from German lines only) for 50 years this July. All my dogs have been of excellent temperament & character, typical of their breeding. My males were all very easy going dogs & the bitches the dominant ones.

I always find it odd that people who have had little or no close contact with GSDs are experts on the breed & usually harp on about the dogs of yesteryear having wonderful temperaments & being straight backed heavy boned etc etc etc. They sadly are looking back with dark rose coloured glasses, my dad had one of these wonderful dogs & if it hadn't been for my bitch protecting my brother, she would have really made a mess of him when she attacked him. She was from the best of the bloodlines of the 1940s/50s & was totally unpredictable & nasty. She was a very lovely looking dog & typical of most of the GSDs in the UK at the time, they even had to add"noted suspicous of strangers"to the breed standard to allow for the terrible temperaments at the time. My bitch needed stitches as she took the brunt of the attack on my brother, he still got bitten as my girl was outside when my dad's dog started to attack my brother in front of me.

I could harp on about all the bad dogs there are in other breeds(especially Labradors)I bear the scars of attacks from them yet they are touted as the perfect pet dog by many people

I don't think TBH you are ready for a GSD, they need the same amount of training & socilisation as a working bred BC & as you do not appear to be able to make up your mind exactly what breed you want at the moment I wouldn't get another dog until you are 150 % sure & will be equally committed to the new dog

Nice dog but why is he wearing an electric shock collar ? My friend Petra doesn't use them on her dogs

I agree with the others Suze , Research the breed very carefully before deciding, I owned gsd as a kid and my dad also used both german and english breed in his work ,And they can be a very powerful breed to own and quite a handful ,One Bitch we owned was a right stuburn mare and she was off german lines she was not agressive but could be very hard to control due to her being very strong willed xxdk