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Original poster

GSD owners - please come & tell me about them!

46 replies

BellaKissedSanta · 11/12/2008 14:48

Hello all

It's a breed I've never been over fond of, although I have worked with them as a vet nurse.

DH however has worked with them and they are his number one dog, so please tell me what your experiences are.

TIA

Bella

OP posts:
SantasNuttySTaff · 11/12/2008 14:59

oooohhhh me too please

sorry to hijack your thread bella, dh is the same and wants one really badly, i have given in and said we will get one next year.

Original poster
BellaKissedSanta · 11/12/2008 15:07

You're very welcome here, SNS!

I think they are a breed that is much misunderstood, and everyone I have spoken to who has owned or worked with them cannot praise them highly enough.

Let's see what they say........

OP posts:
Alambil · 11/12/2008 16:43

Very intelligent, very loyal, very loving - as dangerous as any other untrained dog.

Trained, they are lovely although need a lot of mental stimulation and a normal amount of exersize (an hour a day, more days than not is what my mums working dog gets)

Be sure to get from a reliable source; not line bred, not from the paper etc and check the parents hipscores and other health information. Remember rescues are a huge risk, especially for children.

Original poster
BellaKissedSanta · 11/12/2008 16:53

Thanks, Lewis. This is for future reference only at this stage (once my old girl goes ) but I would get a straight back hip scored allsinging all dancing one if I got one.

Are they one person dogs?

OP posts:
SantasNuttySTaff · 11/12/2008 18:43

by not line bred do you mean not from a breeder?

SpandexIsMyEnemy · 11/12/2008 18:46

I have a GSD - he's deffo my dog, he gets v protective ove me and DS.

big softie in many ways, but is obviously still an animal. he's the first real pet i've had so he's special to me.

I love him to bits. comes back and doesn't run off. he'll obide XH but I think that's more to do with XH scaring him that him actually doing what he commands iycwim.

Original poster
BellaKissedSanta · 11/12/2008 18:47

I think Lewis means not interbred.

Are you there, Lewis

OP posts:
SpandexIsMyEnemy · 11/12/2008 18:47

posted too quick, also he malts for bloody england! when loosing his winter coat I can be hoovering upto three times a day and he's a short haired one.

ours came from a breeeder and can be traced back 5 generations.

Original poster
BellaKissedSanta · 11/12/2008 18:48

Thanks, Spandex - he sounds lovely. How long have you had him?

OP posts:
Original poster
BellaKissedSanta · 11/12/2008 18:49

x post - the coat is one of my main reservations, but it wouldn't stop me

OP posts:
bronze · 11/12/2008 18:50

I have a gsd X shes fab. She sounds vicious if you're outside the house which is especially good when I'm on my own with the children but in reality is a complete softy.

SpandexIsMyEnemy · 11/12/2008 18:51

will be 6 in april (old man! lol) we got him at 10 weeks old. he was the runt I think of the lot - his litter mates really picked on him.

standard things thou would be to see both of the parents and the pups/how they all mix. with ours he came and sat next to XH while the other pups played with the balls he didn't leave our sides so I guess tbh he picked us. also if you have children take them along as well.

it's key as with all dogs I feel to train the dogs and the children, a GSD is a big strong dog, and tbh like all dogs needs to be respected as such.

oh and he likes to whimper at the window when the ginger tom comes in the front garden and parades herself walking across as he can't get to it!

SantasNuttySTaff · 11/12/2008 18:56

my dh says we have to get a long haired female (apparently females are more family protective/orientated rather than males who are more teritorial? is that right?)

and are they ok with small children? am pregnant and due in april & we are looking at getting one winter time next year. is that a good idea or should we wait longer (until the baby is say 1) dd is 4 now, oh and we have 2 cats

also does anybody know of a reputable place to get one from in the south west?

sorry for so many questions, i have looked on the internet for info but i think i would find it more helpful from actual owners iyswim

SpecialOffer · 11/12/2008 19:07

I had a male GSD (long haired) had him before I was pregnant and he was a dream from the day my ds came home.

My GSD took really well to training, and was very obediant (sp?). He wasn't great with cats, but we never had any, my feeling is if they grow up with cats they are fine.

He was very protective over my ds and me, and a great guard dog, but soft as anything really.

Do be prepared for people crossing the streets when you walk them, and I had a few peopl shout at me for keeping a "dangerous dog" with a baby. They are a very mis understood breed.

SantasNuttySTaff · 11/12/2008 19:22

what do you spend on food for a gsd on average?

also i'm looking at going back to work part time after the baby, dh only works 5 mins from home so would come back during lunch time to feed and walk it. and it would be walked in the morning before work and a nice long walk in the evening, does this sound ok?
for the period that the dog would be at home would you leave it in the house or the garden? and is if fair on the dog to leave it for 3 hour periods (work time)?

Alambil · 11/12/2008 19:25

Sorry - forgot this thread

Line breeding is where they take a sister and a brother for example; dogs from the same "line" ... this is VERY VERY bad and has resulted in all the mis-shapen and ill dogs there are today.

GSD's are good family pets IMO - very protective and need to be trained from day 1 (12 weeks old is the best age to start)

If you can't afford long term obedience training, I'd think twice about getting a dog - any dog, that is, because at the end of the day they're all 89% wolf and all pack animals that will take a mile when you give an inch!

If I had the space, I'd get a long haired GSD bitch - they are beautiful and very good dogs and I'm very jealous of you!!

ib · 11/12/2008 19:29

Sdad always had them and they were wonderful, but despite being the most carefully chosen pedigree dogs all developed health problems and died young. This put me off getting one, so when we came to choose a breed I spent ages figuring out which the least likely to have health problems was (within the similar types in terms of size/personality).

Milliways · 11/12/2008 19:30

We had our first GSD before DD was born, and again - was advised to get rid of him before baby was born. He was perfect, very protective (sat on Midwives feet!) but totally soft. I used to lock him away when we hosted the Toddler coffeee mornings, but they all begged for him to be let out! He was part of the local GSD club & did training & agility shows, and visited the Primamry school in Pet week and had a whole school pet him.

He was sorely missed when we lst him after 11 years.

Latest GSD is my SN Dog - came from a bit of a puppy farn in hindsight, we should have run a mile, but DH saw a puppy and was hooked. He is fine with us, and regular visitors, but I don't trust him with strangers or small children. He is nervous so growls! Now he knows, when the door bell rings he barks and runs into the study where he is shut until guest leaves. No way would I let other kids try & pet him. Kids friends ask if I can let him out - NO. Actually, DD's boyfriend has been visiting so long he is now treated like family by the dog.

He drives me mad, but he is ours and we couldn't get rid as he would growl at anyone new & be put down, so we have learned how to manage him.

Talking to a Guide Dog trainer, they said that not many GSD's make it a guide Dogs as they are "one-man dogs" and don't like the move from puppy walker to new owner etc, but those that DO make it are considered the Porsche compared to the Labrador Fords

Alambil · 11/12/2008 19:30

That many walks sounds too much tbh.... you CAN over exersize a dog.

My mum has a Golden Retreiver who has an hour walk more days than not; sometimes she goes without, sometimes she has 2 lots of short walks.

To start with, the puppy will only need 10-15mins walk a DAY as it's bones and muscles strengthen.

Food: again, GSD and GR are same category, my mum gets an enormous bag of Wagg at £9 and lasts over a month, I think (one and a bit cupfuls a day)

I don't know about the more territorial aspect. My mum's boss (they're dog trainers) has both a bitch and male GSD and I don't think there's a difference - BUT he's trained them to be guard dogs for the dog school (They're perfectly safe and controlled; just sound ferocious!)

ib · 11/12/2008 19:31

Oh, I should say that he's had several males but only one female, and tbh she was completely insufferable - barked all the time and was generally a pain.

The males were all lovely though.

SantasNuttySTaff · 11/12/2008 19:33

our vets do a 12 week puppy programe and its very reasonably priced, i did read that they needed lots of training so i will be booking thoses as soon as we get the puppy.and its also reasonable enough to do long term.

Alambil · 11/12/2008 19:35

Make sure that it's training and not socialisation.

Most vets round here only do the short group blocks to socialise the puppies with no proper obedience training.

VivaLaPotPourri · 11/12/2008 19:35

We hada lovely lovely one but due to change in job we had to give back to breeder about 2 weeks ago They are very illness etc. prone, find a good breeder.

JoDeeMagi · 11/12/2008 19:41

how embarrassing, I had to Google GSD (but I'm a cat gal myself)!

SantasNuttySTaff · 11/12/2008 19:47

ah thanks Lewis will have a look into that, is the socialisation thing still a good thing to do? and thanks for the walks info to