Should I add a GSD

[[158444]]

Hi ,​

I currently own a 3yr old Golden retriever Theo who has converted me to goldens and I'll always have at least one golden now but he isn't my first dog.

My first dog was a GSD , Zeus he was a beautiful dog and the light of my life and I was going to get another but 1yr after Zeus passed I got dignosed with severely bad migraines that I have had daily for the last 5yrs and I'm on medication which helps a little but I've found that loud noises can trigger them to be more painful and as German shepherds can be barky I chose not to get one and instead searched for a quieter breed as my migraines became more painful around my moms Shetland sheepdogs who bark all the time at least 20 minutes non stop at a time and I can't handle that.

so after researching i found the Golden and Theo is a typical Golden he is quiet only barks if theirs a reason but he only makes a few woofs and that's it but overall he's a pretty quiet dog but I miss having a German shepherd so much and I'd really love to have another German shepherd alongside Theo.

Now Zeus funnily enough wasn't much of a Barker he was vocal but more funny noises when he used to talk to me and Theo makes those funny noises too which don't seem to trigger my migraines it's only barking that triggers them but friends with German shepherds have said theirs are Gobby and are a barky breed so I should avoid having one but shepherds are very intelligent and eager to please most of the time and I'm sure I could teach a quiet command or something and get my shepherd to stop barking after he's alerted me to something like I do with Theo.

Zeus was a one off as his breeder doesn't breed anymore and her line has ended.


So I wanted your opinions on this do you think I should go for it and get another GSD even if Im risking it or do you think I should listen to my friends and for for a quieter breed?

The thing I miss about my GSD is his protective nature and so am looking for a dog with a protective nature my friends who have a GSD have advised I get a Rottweiler as their quiet but protective​

 

[[158444]]

My family think I should forget the protective trait and just stick with Goldens as I adore the breed and Theo has converted me to the breed and I am settled with him

 

[Moobli]

It is possible to teach a GSD a quiet command but they are, by nature, quite a vocal breed so I think your situation might be better suited to GRs.

 

[CorvusCorax]

They do like the sound of their own voice. If you send me the pedigree I can see if there's anything similar out there.

 

[[158444]]

They do like the sound of their own voice. If you send me the pedigree I can see if there's anything similar out there.

Thanks if I do definitely decide on one then I'll send you the pedigree.

It is possible to teach a GSD a quiet command but they are, by nature, quite a vocal breed so I think your situation might be better suited to GRs.

I also asked on 3 GSD Facebook groups and a majority are telling me to stick to Goldens and that GSD's are a Vocal breed and that they are so different to Goldens and their are a lot of issues with a GSD that you don't have to deal with a Golden.

They also said I was lucky with Zeus

 

[Ratface]

My beloved GSD wasn't a particularly vocal dog. She barked if someone came to the door or knocked on the boundary fences.
Our neighbours had noisy cross breeds, and my GSD would sometimes join in their conversation, but always responded to the "quiet" command.
This was forty years ago, and I have had crossbreed rescue dogs since, so perhaps GSDs have changed in their behaviour since then.
Maybe some GSD lines are calmer on the vocalisation front than others?

 

[CorvusCorax]

GSDs are pretty unrecognisable from what they were 40 years ago. For good or ill.

 

[littlen]

I’ve had both golden and GSD and all of the GSD have been so much harder work than any golden. For the best of both worlds you need a leonberger.

Happy easy to train personality like a golden, never bark yet have a presence that comes with being big and having a black mask.
Protect you they won’t but other people don’t know that!

 

[meleeka]

My GSD doesn’t bark often. She is very vocal though and literally screams when she knows we are going out.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

How about a GSD x Golden? They are breeding them for use as guide dogs.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

IME Rotts are NOT quiet. I would stick to Goldies.

 

[vannersrus]

We lost our lovely shepherd at Xmas which left our young golden on her own .
We decided to go for another GSD puppy rather than another golden - neither of them barked a lot tbh unless someone was around which is when you want them to .
The GSD taught the goldie everything she knew about alert barking but the golden would only lick an intruder to death ?
I’m hoping the new girl will be as sane and sensible as our previous GSD ?but a lot is down to luck I think - and upbringing of course

 

[Moobli]

We lost our lovely shepherd at Xmas which left our young golden on her own .
We decided to go for another GSD puppy rather than another golden - neither of them barked a lot tbh unless someone was around which is when you want them to .
The GSD taught the goldie everything she knew about alert barking but the golden would only lick an intruder to death ?
I’m hoping the new girl will be as sane and sensible as our previous GSD ?but a lot is down to luck I think - and upbringing of course

Not forgetting genetics ?

 

[windand rain]

My goldie male was very protective especially of women and girls. He could look quite menacing when grabbing anyone that got too close but he never bit anyone just guided them away by a hand or arm. My GSD never barked except a quiet wuff if someone was near the door. She was the gentlest least scary dog I have ever met but that was at least 20 years ago

 

[vannersrus]

Not forgetting genetics ?

I wish there was a way of cloning our old girl ?
The new puppy has a mum who is a family pet and looks like old girl ?she’s as lovely ?

 

[Moobli]

Paul Glennon of Devon & Cornwall police has a young show line male looking for a new home if you wanted to enquire about him. Sounds to have a lovely temperament.

 

[EllieBeast]

IME Rotts are NOT quiet. I would stick to Goldies.

maybe it’s down to the genetics? My family had Rotties for 30 years and never had a noisy one, they very rarely barked. In fact our last one never barked at anything at all - apart from hot air balloons ?

 

[[158444]]

Thanks all after spending a lot of time thinking about this I have decided not to get a GSD as I don't want to risk my condition getting worse and it would be unfair to the GSD if it didn't work because of my condition.

I did then get adviced to go for a Eurasier as their quiet and have looked into them asking on a Facebook group but I'm unsure on them and if I want a second dog which I'm going to ask in another thread

 

[Moobli]

I don’t know much about Eurasiers but think it’s probably the right decision not to get a GSD.

 

[[158444]]

I don’t know much about Eurasiers but think it’s probably the right decision not to get a GSD.

Their a newish breed and I've been told that their temperament can vary?

I'm also looking at leonbergers as a friend owns one and I dog sat for her and he got on great with Theo and I got to see how big they are and I didn't think he'd fit comfortable in our house but he did he found a way of being comfy and I've spoken to owners on Facebook groups for both and one member has both Leo's and goldens and said their very similar and said Leo's are like XXL Golden's but more stubborn

 

[[158444]]

I'm reviving this post as I'm asking for a friend in a similar situation.

He has never had a dog before but he's not your typical first time owner he's been around GSD's his whole life and before his diagnosis use to volunteer at a GSD rescue all he wants his a GSD and looking at a quieter breed is a big no so he suffers a ringing in the ears condition called Tinnitus and constant barking can make the ringing louder and again GSD's are know to be vocal now he's asked on Facebook groups and was told to go for it as not all GSD's are barky and their very intelligent and you can easily teach them to stop when told but then theirs a few who say all GSD's are vocal and so don't do it.

I want everyone's help on this @Moobli @CorvusCorax what do you think , I though what about a rescue shepherd from a good rescue as they'll know the temperament and if their vocal or not and might be able to find the right GSD for him?

 

[Moobli]

I think your advice is good. A decent breed rescue will assess suitability and temperament for his particular circumstances and with a more mature dog you get (more or less) the finished product.
The other alternative is to source breeders who have pet lines and meet their dogs and dogs they’ve bred to see if they’d suit. There’s one in Scotland (although think they’ve stopped breeding recently) who health test etc but produce pet temperaments. They do tend to be oversize, longcoated dogs so depends on his idea of what a GSD should be too.

 

[[158444]]

I think your advice is good. A decent breed rescue will assess suitability and temperament for his particular circumstances and with a more mature dog you get (more or less) the finished product.
The other alternative is to source breeders who have pet lines and meet their dogs and dogs they’ve bred to see if they’d suit. There’s one in Scotland (although think they’ve stopped breeding recently) who health test etc but produce pet temperaments. They do tend to be oversize, longcoated dogs so depends on his idea of what a GSD should be too. Trying to be diplomatic here ?

Thank you, the only type hes not keen on is the show line type with the banana backs but apart from that he doesn't care as long as it's a GSD he loves long and short coats.

So if he went the puppy way look for a pet temperament one as they may be less vocal? Want to check I got that right before telling him

Do you know which GSD rescues are best?

 

[Moobli]

Where is he based?

 

[[158444]]

Where is he based?

Stoke-on-trent but is happy to travel for the right shepherd

 

[CorvusCorax]

Honestly? Truth bomb, they're a working breed, or are supposed to be, they are vocal, all of mine have been vocal, they bark when they are happy, they bark when they are unhappy, they bark at feeding time, when it is time for walkies and they bark when something startles them or something isn't right, that's kind of the whole point of them. I train mine to bark on command as you might as well utilise it. If mine didn't bark, I'd think there was something wrong with them. And the barking is LOUD.
I don't see why anyone would want a flock guardian/guarding type breed that's mute. Then you've just helped to breed out a core part of what they are supposed to be and you've just got a Labrador with a German Shepherd coat on.

But yes, go for pet breeding with health tests. In terms of rescue, whilst you can be guided by them, you don't really know what you get until it's settled in. Surely if he volunteered, he should already have contacts? My mother's rescue dog was very quiet in foster but is a horrendous barker in the car and if left in a kennel, it does my nut in.

 

[Tiddlypom]

As a tinnitus sufferer with a lovely but barky JRT, I'd strongly recommend getting a known non barky breed.

 

[CorvusCorax]

As a tinnitus sufferer with a lovely but barky JRT, I'd strongly recommend getting a known non barky breed.

Have been known to yell IT'S OK, DON'T WORRY, I HAVE ANOTHER EAR back at the worst offender.....

 

[Books'n'dogs]

I agree with CC on the loud and frequent barking being a breed trait; I just lost my 12 year old German Shepherd and she had something to say about everything her entire life, when she stopped commenting on life I knew the end was near. My parents are friends with a couple who also had German Shepherds until recently and the most recent dog (German showlines) never barked, my family joked he wasn't a proper German Shepherd. That dog is the only German Shepherd I've encountered who wasn't a talker.

I think it's important for people to choose a breed that suits their lifestyle/needs, not start changing breeds so everything is just a Labrador in a different coat, no offense to Labrador owners!

 

[[158444]]

@CorvusCorax I agree which is why I asked as he's asked on a Tinnitus Facebook group and a member on their actually got tinnitus from their GSD barking and she told him she'd had the dog for 4yrs before he gave her tinnitus but it was his constant barking that caused hearing loss and she told him not to do it as she struggled everyday with him after that but she kept her GSD until he passed and then was on the look out for something quieter and she now has 2 Rottweilers who don't raise her tinnitus. She told him to either pick a quieter breed and he could look into rottweilers or not get a dog. He stopped volunteering because the kennels were too loud.