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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

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Original poster

I have acquired a puppy.

46 replies

Greyhorses · 06/03/2015 07:00

And I don't know what to do!

As some of you may remember I lost my GSD last month and have been thinking about getting another but have been researching good breeders etc and had a good idea of what I wanted. Possibly vain but I like big dark coloured GSD and don't like the smaller varieties as a rule.

Anyway, yesterday I had a phonecall from a friend asking if I could take a german shepherd puppy who had had a very bad time. He was supposed to be 8 weeks. I deliberated and agreed to have a look at him, with the view that I would walk away if he wasn't right. I went to view him and he is completley pathetic and I couldn't leave him outside in a kennel on his own so brought him home. He has worms, fleas, no vaccinations and is about 3kg wet through.

I have warmed him up and he has come to life and has a very full on personality but for some reason I feel really gutted that he isn't my 'perfect' GSD that I had imagined. In fact I'm not even sure he is a GSD at all, he is very very tiny and does not look like most GSD puppies I have seen.

Everyone has fallen in love with him and I must admit I do like him a lot but I don't know if I should try and find him someone so I can get a purebred which makes me feel really guilty!!!

OP posts:

Slippersandacuppa · 06/03/2015 08:23

Oooh, well done you. Dogs rescue us, IME. And it looks like this one picked you I'd put money on him still being there with his paws firmly under the table (or on the sofa) in a year's time.

But as others have said, you'll have done your bit if you sort him out and find him a lovely home.

I think he looks like a Wilf. Nearly a wolf but not quite.

LidlMermaid · 06/03/2015 08:24

I was in your position about 11 years ago. I was looking for a purebred pup of a certain breed but ended up taking on a young crossbreed (of 2 breeds I'd never have considered owning) simply because I couldn't leave him in the situation he was in. I thought I'd take him home and find him a good home with someone who actually wanted a dog of his type. Needless to say he's still here. And I did also get my longed for pure breed a year or two later than planned. fate is a funny old thing.

CalamityKate1 · 06/03/2015 09:41

Oh bless you. Sorry about your GSD x
My friend has recently done similar - lost her old GSD and gone out within days and bought a 14 week old "GSD" from a Pets4homes ad.

Long story short - he probably isn't from the litter pictured on the ad and probably isn't purebred GSD.

However she's fallen in love with him and he's BESOTTED with her :)

We're cracking on with training and socialising and regardless of what exactly he is, he's got a fab home for life. She'll probably get her dream GSD one day but for now she's concentrating on loving the dog she's got :)

Good luck xx

Owllady · 06/03/2015 11:46

Oh he's lovely, no wonder you couldn't leave him :(

MostAmused · 06/03/2015 13:14

I have a male GSDxSpringer from a litter of 11. At 8.5 weeks he was 6kg and put on about 1kg a week until 5 months or so then carried on growing more slowly. If this pup is malnourished and a possible runt or less than 8 weeks I'd say he's an acceptable weight for a purebred GSD. (But I'm not exactly an authority on this, just adding my 2 cents!)

He is gorgeous though. Glad he's found someone to give him some love. It's so sad how some peple treat animals!

Jenda · 06/03/2015 14:23

Poor little chap. I actually think its quite a good idea to go for something slightly different because if you look for one like your last guy, you will always compare them iyswim? Having said that I wouldn't judge you for not keeping him because you have done a great thing and im sure would find him a good home.
I reckon you'll fall in love though. And don't forget all puppies are yappy for a while!

SnakeyMcBadass · 08/03/2015 10:57

How's it going, Grey?

Whippet81 · 08/03/2015 12:37

He does look like a GSD from a glance to me - I'm pretty good with breeds although obviously it's not a great pic.

You did exactly the right thing - however if he's not what you want and you think you're always going to be lusting after something different there would be no shame at all finding him a new home - I mean look at him he's not going to go long without being snapped up is he? Can you contact GSD rescue?

EasyToEatTiger · 08/03/2015 12:53

All our dogs are perfect! That's what I think anyway. I'm not sure there really is such a thing as the perfect pup. It is the owners who make or break a dog. Pups are funny little things. I find them very fickle and I like it when they grow up a bit.

Original poster

Greyhorses · 08/03/2015 15:50

Hi everyone!

He is staying and has a fantastic personality. He will be what he will be and I don't care as much now I've had time to get used to it. He has grown in two days so I can hope he makes a decent size.
He has had a vet check and she thought he is most likely a runty and under nourished GSD but only time will tell

Thank you everyone for making me feel 100 times better!

OP posts:

RedRugNoniMouldiesEtc · 08/03/2015 15:59

Fwiw we got our gsd in a similar fashion to you. He was not the dog we wanted, chosen from the litter for all the wrong reasons (imo) and so on. He is fabulous though. Even after 7 years he still isn't the dog we set out to get but he is ours and we couldn't love him more. Sometimes fate says this is what is needed - even if you don't realise it yet

GoofyIsACow · 08/03/2015 16:07

Oh i am shamelessly getting on this thread so i can look at cute pyppy pics when im on the ipad... Darn phone app not showing pics!

DiaryOfAWimpyMum · 08/03/2015 16:13

Aw he is lovely GSD or not, he is very cute, I wouldn't have been able to resist either.

Original poster

Greyhorses · 08/03/2015 16:54

Everyone in the family has fallen in love with him, he is very naughty and still very babyish but in a funny way. He has managed to only have one accident in the house so far and has managed to almost master sit and paw.
Older dog is still telling him off but I am sure he will get used to him.
Vet thinks he is about 6 weeks approx.

He is the opposite of my last dog looks wise but personality wise he isn't that dissimilar...

OP posts:

Stillyummy · 08/03/2015 17:02

So happy he fell on his paws :)

Koalafications · 08/03/2015 17:07

Oh what a lovely outcome for both of you.

Any puppy pictures you have to share?

Didly · 08/03/2015 18:38

Aww LOVE a GSD baby. Our boy is 2 and is about 38kg, he was one of the biggest pups, his brother was the smallest boy and is now a whopping 45kg and still beefing out.

Similarly we have a 6 mth old GSP who was the biggest pup and the runt is now catching him up. We must be mad 2 pups in 2 years.. We lost our old boy last summer and GSD wasn't happy at all being an only dog.

Looks like fate played a hand, he was meant for you and you were so right not to leave him but what kind of awful person lets a pup leave its mum so early.

I'm so pleased you're keeping him and hope you have an easier pupihood that we did ours. He ate EVERYTHING in sight!

CarbeDiem · 08/03/2015 19:10

Aww he's lovely.
It was meant to be. He was sent for you to care for, you know that, right ;)

MothershipG · 08/03/2015 19:18

Only 6 weeks! And on his own? No wonder he's tiny, especially if his Mum wasn't looked after properly.

It's great that he's got you to look after him, do you know what happened to his Mum? It doesn't sound like a good situation...anyone you could report to?

Ohfourfoxache · 08/03/2015 19:25

Six weeks?!! Six?

Oh poor little pup

Agree with Still - he really has fallen on his paws.

He sounds absolutely wonderful Grey, just a little bundle of fluffy love. I'm so jealous!

moosemama · 08/03/2015 22:28

First thing I thought when I looked at the picture was that it's very unlikely he's 8 weeks old - probably 6 weeks max.

He looks very similar to my Belgian Terv cross when she came to us. We took her on as an emergency rescue at 6 weeks - and she arrived complete with nasty ear infections in both ears and a broken tail. She didn't grow to be enormous, in fact people were still asking me if she was a GSD pup when she was 10 years old because her feet were always disproportionately large. She was however the most beautiful girl with gorgeous thick glossy coat and a huge mane. She was also the cheekiest, naughtiest pup I've ever had and regularly had me tearing my hair out thinking she'd never be trained - but she proved me wrong and turned out to be so special and really well behaved, albeit in a trusting/bonded sort of way, rather than super-highly obedience trained. A real heart-dog.

Fate played a hand in me ending up with her too. We were actually on the list for a Bernese Mountain Dog pup. I'd spent two years researching lines and corresponding with the breed club etc and had my heart set on one, but along came my girl and that was that. She was absolutely meant to be ours and we had 14 happy years together.

I wish you as much fun and happiness with your new boy as we had with our special girl.

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