Going to see a gsd pup tomorrow what should i know ?

[Cinnamontoast]

Yep, we did. I actually wanted a GSD, partner vehemently did not. His choice was a Bichon.

You all know what we got ??. And I wouldn’t change a thing ?

But how did you decide? That’s 2 very different breeds!

 

[AmyMay]

But how did you decide? That’s 2 very different breeds!

It was quite easy really. As this post highlights, GSD’s aren’t for everyone and I had to respect that. We already had Bichon’s in the family so it wasn’t hard to see the appeal.

 

[windand rain]

Bit of a mix English showlines dad was a german import. Owned both both had fantastic temperament and both worked at obedience competition and did well. We didn't have huge amounts of time as both worked long hours but they were the best dogs ever It saddens me to see what has been done to GSD as a breed as they were once the top of the most sought after pets and rarely ended up in trouble. I guess times change not necessarily for the better it would seem. Joe is a beautiful, huge boy who a big dope he is a modern GSD had a lot of medical problems but was from fully health tested lines so doesn't always follow. He is soft as butter toomy ideal for a working dog would be one who was easy at home but bright enough to work when needed

 

[CorvusCorax]

'That's the thing about the old days, they're the old days'.
There's always been hip issues and in my Mum's day epilepsy and extremely shy temperament were also an issue. Everyone thinks the dogs they grew up with were perfect, and none of us are wrong.
Some things were better, some were not.

I'm more than happy with my current dogs and how they're wearing, but none of them were snap purchases and they are entirely typical of the dogs behind them.
It's when you don't know those dogs, is when problems arise.

 

[Clodagh]

There were a lot less dogs around BITD as well, not every home had to have a fashion accessory attached on a lead and not every dog that had a uterus had puppies.
My mum was saying how few GSDs you see around nowadays.

 

[Moobli]

Bit of a mix English showlines dad was a german import. Owned both both had fantastic temperament and both worked at obedience competition and did well. We didn't have huge amounts of time as both worked long hours but they were the best dogs ever It saddens me to see what has been done to GSD as a breed as they were once the top of the most sought after pets and rarely ended up in trouble. I guess times change not necessarily for the better it would seem. Joe is a beautiful, huge boy who a big dope he is a modern GSD had a lot of medical problems but was from fully health tested lines so doesn't always follow. He is soft as butter toomy ideal for a working dog would be one who was easy at home but bright enough to work when needed

My working lines have actually be the "easiest" of all of mine. Probably down to a combination of genetics (dogs bred to be balanced, strong nerved and social), environment (I live on a farm and have a lot more time and space now) and experience (I have owned the breed now for 30 years so perhaps make less mistakes than I did when I first owned them). Mine are fabulous with not only my son (13 years) but also his friends, are social to people invited into the home, but will put on a good show to strangers or the uninvited, are tolerant of the sheepdogs (even pups) but do play roughly so I have to keep on top of them. I can't really fault them ... they suit me and my lifestyle but might not be the same animals in a different home.
The breed has always had its fair share of health issues I think but would say there is much more health testing going on now so there is greater awareness. GSD breeders (especially the show people) are at the forefront of testing of in the UK so while the shape of the more extreme show line GSD is not to my personal taste, you can't fault them for trying to improve the health of the breed overall.

 

[AmyMay]

I think Moobli makes a really good point about experience. I actually think if we’d got one it would potentially have been a disaster. My experience of the breed was limited, and my OH’s non existent. And our ‘training’ methods very different. In my hands it would have worked. In my OH’s, probably not.

 

[Clodagh]

I think Moobli makes a really good point about experience. I actually think if we’d got one it would potentially have been a disaster. My experience of the breed was limited, and my OH’s non existent. And our ‘training’ methods very different. In my hands it would have worked. In my OH’s, probably not.

My OH would like one. I think he’d be ok, he is calm and consistent and animals like him. I find them a bit intimidating though. All that staring!

 

[fiwen30]

After we separated, my ex made noises on several occasions about wanting to get a GSD puppy, for no particular reason other than liking the look of them. With nothing to lose anymore, I had no qualms in telling him what a massively stupid idea this would be - a single person, working long hours out of the house (pre-rona), often travelling abroad, chronically lazy, and with zero experience of actually raising, training, and actively owning a dog (had ‘family’ dogs, and I had my own dog during the relationship).

We’ve since lost touch, but I sincerely hope he never actively pursued this idea. I had a soft spot for their family border collie, but he also had serious resource guarding issues, was prohibitively vocal, and not a one showed any interest in exercising him. He was never trained, they just shouted at him and were baffled that he never did as he was ‘told’.

My own dog will live until he’s 30, obviously, but I know that partner would one day like a golden retriever, after having raised his own family’s golden. Now, I’ve found this dog to be unpredictable, aggressive to strangers, and with a tendency to disappear on walks. Not sure how much is breed characteristics, poor training/upbringing, or personality; but it hasn’t endeared me to the breed. I on the other hand would quite fancy a cavalier King Charles. I just want something that wants to snuggle on my lap and both of our current cats have no inclination, and we can’t squeeze in another moggy without our eldest having a nervous breakdown!

 

[Moobli]

I think Moobli makes a really good point about experience. I actually think if we’d got one it would potentially have been a disaster. My experience of the breed was limited, and my OH’s non existent. And our ‘training’ methods very different. In my hands it would have worked. In my OH’s, probably not.

I made plenty of mistakes with my first GSD.

 

[Moobli]

My OH would like one. I think he’d be ok, he is calm and consistent and animals like him. I find them a bit intimidating though. All that staring!

If you had one from a pup you probably wouldn't find yours intimidating

 

[Cinnamontoast]

My OH would like one. I think he’d be ok, he is calm and consistent and animals like him. I find them a bit intimidating though. All that staring!

I know exactly what you mean. There are two round here, one is a rescue, it comes up, acts friendly then starts growling and snaps at other dogs! Another was puppy farm sourced, older lady is clueless as to how to train, it yanked the lead out of her hand and attacked Brig just as he was becoming deaf. Never let her anywhere near again. I just don’t trust them. Funny, as the neighbour had a very soppy bitch which socialised nicely with my two.

I’m also extremely wary of Akitas, I have no faith in the people who buy Akitas, which is probably terrible of me, it’s owner, not dog, but that’s another dog that bit Brig, both were on lead, it just leant over and bit him, no warning.

 

[misst]

I always thought they were usually "nice" dogs for years. I don't dislike them now but I think they are a specific taste. I posted on a friend who was left looking after her sons GSD who has issues with guarding/barking/lunging/fear aggression. Got some really good advice on here which she has ignored. Interestingly the one thing that has helped is getting an experienced male dog walker who has worked with the dog on walks. She is better behaved now thanks to him but she still worries me.

It has made me realise that every breed has the potential to be "good" or "bad" and that some breeds need more consistancy than others in their training and the methods used. I am a terrier person and seem to be fine training them, but I would not want a large guarding breed or a retriever or labrador or spaniel - but I like other peoples gun dogs. I do love pointy dogs and would be happy to have one.

I think to get a breed that the other half of the couple is not happy with would be a disaster. I can't imagine someone living with my terriers who did not like the breed. We would all be so unhappy.

 

[PurBee]

Mines a gsdXhusky, mum husky, dad gsd. Saw both parents, was going to be last litter. Large litter. Mines female. Super sweet personality. Lots of energy. She’s a farm dog and follows me everywhere. Good at alerting me to visitors yet is friendly to those who have good intentions and wags at them. Those with bad intentions, she’ll stand well back and bark at them, wont go near them. Her 6th sense is just incredible. Had GSD’s in the past but this one absolutely has the heighest senses ive ever known. I rely on her completely for alerting to oddities on the farm...she’s never wrong!

I was thinking of relocating but wouldnt have her in a suburban location/lifestyle as house dog with short walks. They require stimulation. Older gentle ones for rehoming would like the slower pace of life and being mostly in a house, but younger ones require their brains and bodies investigating and moving.

Mines 11 years old. Her only serious illness was pyometra last year so had a full hysterectomy.

With the horses she’s great around them. Licks their noses. Gelding loves her, mare doesnt like any other animals. As CC says the prey drive is strong so when i call the horses up from the fields, she will race them up. She chases deer all over the Fields/forestry. Its the only recall she fails at.

She’s a friggin’ adorable example of both breeds tbh!

 

[GSD Woman]

There were a lot less dogs around BITD as well, not every home had to have a fashion accessory attached on a lead and not every dog that had a uterus had puppies.
My mum was saying how few GSDs you see around nowadays.

It is interesting for a very popular breed how few GSDs I see running agility or doing obedience here. It has gotten to the point that if for some reason I don't make it to an agility trial and my friend Sabrina is there people approach her asking if Rudy is ready to run. Our dogs don't look much alike.

The only other GSDs I see at agility trials belong to another friend who breeds AKC champions that also herd and run agility. One of her bitches is the second triple champion GSD in the USA.

And don't get me started on the fashion accessory dogs.

 

[MurphysMinder]

It is interesting for a very popular breed how few GSDs I see running agility or doing obedience here. It has gotten to the point that if for some reason I don't make it to an agility trial and my friend Sabrina is there people approach her asking if Rudy is ready to run. Our dogs don't look much alike.

The only other GSDs I see at agility trials belong to another friend who breeds AKC champions that also herd and run agility. One of her bitches is the second triple champion GSD in the USA.

And don't get me started on the fashion accessory dogs.

When I started doing agility with my GSDs in the early 80s the two main breeds were GSDs and collies, a good shepherd could hold their own against a collie on the right course, ie one that was a little tricky, needing control. Unfortunately, as the collies became more successful the courses became faster and GSDs became less popular, you rarely see one at an agility competition now.
I reckon temperament wise back in the 80s the show lines GSDs were about right, many nowadays seem to be a bit too excitable. This combined with , imo, people not training properly has led to a lot of over the top dogs whose owners struggle with them, I can't remember last time I saw a pet owned shepherd that wasn't on a halti type headcollar
My mum had one of the top GSDs in the 60s, he was a big soft dope on a rope, absolutely nothing fazed him but he certainly wouldn't have been able to do the job the breed was bred for , be it herding sheep or protection.

 

[meleeka]

The breed has always had its fair share of health issues I think but would say there is much more health testing going on now so there is greater awareness. GSD breeders (especially the show people) are at the forefront of testing of in the UK so while the shape of the more extreme show line GSD is not to my personal taste, you can't fault them for trying to improve the health of the breed overall.

I can’t see how they are trying to improve the breed, when the show dogs are becoming more extreme all the time. What’s happened to the breed in my lifetime is so sad. All the time dogs that can barely walk are winning at Crufts etc, the breed isn’t going to improve, no matter how much testing they do.

 

[CorvusCorax]

There was one particularly poor specimen at Crufts which took BOB five years ago. I wouldn't judge a whole breed by one dodgy dog at one English championship show. Cause that's all Crufts is?
The dog was also someone's much loved pet, the same as the grossly overweight, crippled spaniel I saw out painfully waddling around for a walk in the park yesterday.

Every GSD health tested under the German system is registered on a database and the results are studied by researchers at a top university to try and identify problem lines.
Anyone can join the breed organisation in Germany and look back over dogs and their siblings for many generations.
The GSD fraternity in the UK are the ones who have routinely pushed the KC to make health testing mandatory for breeding for puppy registration since the 1970s and it was GSD people who helped create the testing system in the UK that is now used by many other breeds.

The current show dogs aren't my cup of tea and the showing system has big faults, but to say there have been no improvements or that the whole breed fraternity isn't doing anything, is incorrect.

People say GSDs have changed for the worse but can't be bothered with the traits that make them a good working dog and are happy to see them bred out so they can become an ornament.
It's an attitude that is damaging many breeds.
If people don't want an active breed, there are plenty of others to choose from.

 

[MurphysMinder]

Unlike CC I have always been involved in the showing rather than working side (although I did obedience and agility with my "show" dogs. The breed health has improved, well bred dogs have fewer issues definitely, yes there were (and still are) some over exaggerated dogs around in the show ring, that is improving but more has to be done. What is good is that the gap between show and working people seems to be closing, a few years back as someone who liked the show side of the breed I found many working line dogs to be quite unattractive, however nowadays there are some cracking looking dogs out there, who I would happily take home, not that I have the time or ability to do them justice.

 

[TwoForTwo]

I too don’t like them, every bad experience I have had walking either mine or my mums dogs has been with a GSD and when I was a baby one attacked our family Airedale who was walking with mum and me in my pram. I would never trust one because of my experiences but I do realise there are good and bad in all breeds

 

[GSD Woman]

In the USA there are some show breeders that are more balanced in their breeding. Some are friend and I admire their dogs for their soundness, ability to herd boundary style, do agility and have shown they are natural personal deterrent dogs. The conformation isn't my ideal but they are nice dogs and some of the extremely angulated dogs shown in the breed ring. And they aren't flakes either.

 

[CorvusCorax]

Just another thing about Crufts. 2016 and the resulting storm was one of the reasons that the Germans introduced the World Harmonisation Programme and tried to take matters into their own hands.

Basically they went 'RIGHT! This is our breed, you're using our judges and our breed standard, so play by our rules. Use our health system and show and trial and breed your dogs our way. No good results, no show grade, no working qualifications, we don't recognise your dogs/their progeny in our system and our judges won't officiate your events or place your dogs.
And guess what. No one likes that either because it's 'too hard' and the Kennel Clubs don't like it because it would impact on their control and registrations.
Even though it was tiered and there are several years in which to put a system into place.

It reminds me of coronavirus. If nothing is mandatory, everyone interprets the rules their way, does their own thing and then complain that nothing improves.

 

[GSD Woman]

I've had people ask why AKC awards championships without health testing. Of course that would cut into revenue. Some parent clubs have awards that passing health tests are part of the requirements. It won't stop the backyard breeders.

 

[Karran]

I'm a big fan of proper GSD's. My grandparents used to take in retired police dogs, having three one after the other (and a dobe) whilst I was growing up. Admittedly by the point they reached retirement their back legs were shot and only lasted three or four years but they were great with us kids but always alert for stranger danger.
Fantastic dogs, although the ones I see now seem a bit more nuerotic and I'm not sure I'd have the ability to cope!