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  1. #1
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    Default puppies

    so now that i've finally got my own place and waited years for this, think it might be time to get the german shepherd puppy i've always wanted sometime this year! kind of excited. where did you guys find your faithful companions? i'm a little lost on where to start..i know definitely not a pet store puppy since I've heard some really bad things about their health

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    Default Re: puppies

    http://www.gsdrescue.org/

    Contact Issabelle: https://www.stripperweb.com/forum/me...8171-Issabelle
    She has shepherds. She can probably direct you to the right place, or info in finding a reputable GSD breeder





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    God/dess simone87's Avatar
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    Default Re: puppies

    awesome, thank you so much!!

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    Default Re: puppies

    If you want a specific breed then you should go to a breeder. I would go online and just start searching for breeders in your area and see what comes up. Then try to see some third party reviews on the breeder since there are a lot of shady people out there.

    If you're more flexible with the kind of dog you could just go to the pound and save an animal from being euthanized. Every cat I've had (except for the last one) for the last twenty five years I've saved from the pound and they were all good animals. But I know people tend to be pickier about breeding with dogs.

    But just make sure that you're ready to have a dog, and not just a puppy, since they don't stay small forever!

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    Default Re: puppies

    Please go through a shelter! Seriously breaks my heart when people get animals through breeders. If you want a specific breed you can search online for ones being fostered in your area.
    "There are different kinds of darkness. There is darkness that frightens, the darkness that soothes, the darkness that is restful. There is the darkness of lovers, and the darkness of assassins. It becomes what the bearer wishes it to be, needs it to be. It is not wholly bad or good."
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    Default Re: puppies

    Quote Originally Posted by lynn2009 View Post
    Please go through a shelter! Seriously breaks my heart when people get animals through breeders. If you want a specific breed you can search online for ones being fostered in your area.
    YES!!!^^
    I know some people that just adopted an ADORABLE Boxer/Pug mix, a pup 6 mo. So sweet & cute! There's some great dogs, & you'd be helping so much.
    Thanks.


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    Default Re: puppies

    Shelter puppy. It will take time but if you are patient you will find a Shepherd or at least a mostly Shepherd puppy.

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    Default Re: puppies

    Shelter! Please, it's the humane way. You save a life and if more people did it there would be less deaths of animals and less non reputable breeders. You can often find purebreds at shelters. There are rescue groups devoted to specific breeds.

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    God/dess simone87's Avatar
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    Default Re: puppies

    if its a young puppy id have no problem getting it from a shelter, as long as it was healthy. i just wanted to go with shepherd because i want a family-friendly guard dog and i hear they are the best!

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    Default Re: puppies

    Shelters are full of slightly older and older German Shepherds. They are friendly and just want a home. I've had two Shepherds growing up, and both were great.
    Last edited by Kellydancer; 07-16-2015 at 02:46 PM.

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    Default Re: puppies

    Definitely go through a shelter. If you're dead set on a puppy, talk to a few shelters so you're on the list if some show up.

    I'd also suggest a mix over a purebred GSD- they're prone to hip problems. Friend going through this issue right now with an otherwise healthy dog, sad to watch.

    Had a husky/shepherd cross growing up and she was a phenomenal dog. Friendly, smart, and always motivating you to go for a walk/run.

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  17. #12
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    Default Re: puppies

    the only reason i want a puppy ( not too keen on the chewing, potty training, howling, etc, i do love older chill dogs ) is that a lot of breeds need to be socialized and trained early on in life and i have no idea about an older dogs history a lot of the time, including abuse..my bf just had to deal with his family shelter dog being put down for flying into a rage and shredding his grandmothers leg, it was sad and confusing. but i'll check it out, thanks guys!

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    Default Re: puppies

    I also encourage a GSD mix. My family's beautiful purebred GSD just had to be put down after developing a chronic intestinal problem that plagues a lot of GSDs because they have anal grands that secrete thicker sweat than other breeds. He was only five The hip and back issues are also very common. Additionally, if you are still renting, definitely look into whether a GSD is allowed. They are labeled as an aggressive breed and banned from a lot of renting situation. Most home owner's insurance policies also label GSDs as aggressive.

    While I do support adopting, if I recall correctly, you have a cat. Prey drive is strong in most GSDs, and even if they are not aggressive, if a smaller animal runs near them, they will often snap at it on instinct. More than a few cats have died from being around otherwise lovely dogs who have strong prey drives and were not socialized around felines or smaller animals. Personally, I just couldn't stomach risking my other fur babies, and I know that I'll be getting the youngest puppy possible when we add a dog to the family.

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    Default Re: puppies

    Quote Originally Posted by tuesdaymarie View Post
    I also encourage a GSD mix. My family's beautiful purebred GSD just had to be put down after developing a chronic intestinal problem that plagues a lot of GSDs because they have anal grands that secrete thicker sweat than other breeds. He was only five The hip and back issues are also very common. Additionally, if you are still renting, definitely look into whether a GSD is allowed. They are labeled as an aggressive breed and banned from a lot of renting situation. Most home owner's insurance policies also label GSDs as aggressive.

    While I do support adopting, if I recall correctly, you have a cat. Prey drive is strong in most GSDs, and even if they are not aggressive, if a smaller animal runs near them, they will often snap at it on instinct. More than a few cats have died from being around otherwise lovely dogs who have strong prey drives and were not socialized around felines or smaller animals. Personally, I just couldn't stomach risking my other fur babies, and I know that I'll be getting the youngest puppy possible when we add a dog to the family.
    It depends. I had a Great Dane and a Greyhound and both got along with my cat. It is advisable to ask shelters whether a dog is cat friendly because they usually test this.

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    Default Re: puppies

    i'm not completely sold on german shep, especially after looking at adorable hound and mastiff puppies ( i love the wrinkles!) i just want a big guard dog that's chill and sweet to family members but can be protective, a mix would certainly be fine i'm not somebody who absolutely wants a pure breed for the sake of it, inbreeding can cause so many defects :/ and yes i still have my little black kitty, i wouldn't wanna risk him being mauled!

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    Default Re: puppies

    I love mastiffs! Also recommend labs if you want a good family dog.
    Last edited by lynn2009; 07-16-2015 at 04:49 PM. Reason: typo
    "There are different kinds of darkness. There is darkness that frightens, the darkness that soothes, the darkness that is restful. There is the darkness of lovers, and the darkness of assassins. It becomes what the bearer wishes it to be, needs it to be. It is not wholly bad or good."
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    Default Re: puppies

    Quote Originally Posted by Kellydancer View Post
    It depends. I had a Great Dane and a Greyhound and both got along with my cat. It is advisable to ask shelters whether a dog is cat friendly because they usually test this.
    True! Personally, I would have a hard time trusting a shelter's judgement because I have very atypical, high-energy cats. It's a lot easier to get along with a feline who spends most of the day sleeping and cleaning itself versus felines that race around the house and vocalize a lot. But for the average cat, shelter judgement may hold true.

    Quote Originally Posted by simone87 View Post
    i'm not completely sold on german shep, especially after looking at adorable hound and mastiff puppies ( i love the wrinkles!) i just want a big guard dog that's chill and sweet to family members but can be protective, a mix would certainly be fine i'm not somebody who absolutely wants a pure breed for the sake of it, inbreeding can cause so many defects :/ and yes i still have my little black kitty, i wouldn't wanna risk him being mauled!
    I love Mastiffs! They're very sensitive and family-friendly dogs. My family's English Mastiff was not very wary of strangers though. When my boyfriend first met the dogs, the GSD wanted to tear his arm off. The Mastiff tried to crawl in his lap. Their method of home protection is more of a "corner and keep" than "kill!" If they feel their people are threatened, they will insert themselves between their human and the threat. They aren't likely to aggressively attack, but they will keep the threat at a distance and cornered if possible. English Mastiffs are bigger and more chill than Bullmastiffs, IMO.

    Personally, I really want a Cane Corso (Italian Mastiff). They live, on average, longer than English Mastiffs (10-14 years versus 5-6). They definitely do need socialization from day one though, because they grow to be very large and muscular and are suspicious of anyone/thing new by instinct. They LOVE to be with their humans and will become depressed if left outside/ignored. They're very smart and do well when they have jobs, and they only need one decent walk or jog a day. The down side is that they definitely smell like big dogs, and they need a very "alpha" owner who knows how to communicate with dogs. I would strongly recommend you read up a lot on big guardian dogs and nonverbal communication if you decide to get one.

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    Default Re: puppies

    oh jeeze 5-6 years only?? that's such a short life, that's kind of a downer..i'm going to take that into consideration

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    Default Re: puppies

    ^I just looked at their wiki, and it says 7 years is the average, actually. My bad! Our English Mastiff started going grey in the snout at around 4. He's still doing well at 5 now, but it breaks my heart to know that statistically he won't be around much longer. I would definitely get one otherwise. He has been an amazingly sweet and sensitive dog. I am hoping when we eventually do get a Cane Corso, s/he has that temperament with a little extra protectiveness. Post puppy pictures when you get one! I need to live vicariously till we stop renting and can have one.

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    Default Re: puppies

    Www.petfinder.com

    You can read about their personalities too.

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    Default Re: puppies

    Quote Originally Posted by simone87 View Post
    oh jeeze 5-6 years only?? that's such a short life, that's kind of a downer..i'm going to take that into consideration
    I've had bunnies, their life span (for the dwarf ones) is like 6 - 8 yrs. Believe me, they added so much to my life. My last girl died in my arms, she wanted to, & she was one of the most loving little creatures I've know.


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    Default Re: puppies

    If you plan on getting an assertive dog, be prepared to really put a lot of work into training. Protective type dogs require much more energy than the usual dog, and the consequences of screwing it up are much higher, especially for the dog. A black lab will frighten away just as many burglars as a doberman, and the training required is much less intense.

    A German Shepherd, Mastiff etc are going to require that you always be right, that you are always sure you are right and that every once in a while you prove you are right, no matter whether you are right or not. They do not do maybe. You start doing maybe with one of theses dogs and they are going to start thinking for themselves, and you do not want a 100 pound dog with one inch teeth thinking for himself. All dogs need to love you, an assertive dog needs to also fear you. GSD rescue and other type of dog rescue are full of dogs that someone thought would be easy, until one day they chew the couch, and don't take kindly to correction.

    If you can picture a 100 pound Shepherd quaking in fear of you in the corner because he ate your favorite stripper shoe, then you are probably ready, but if you think you can let that one slide cause its 3AM and yelling at the dog will wake the kid and you are too tired and oh you didn't like those shoes that much anyway......get a Lab........or a mutt

    Again,not trying to be too harsh, but when someone says they want a protective dog, it makes me think they are the last person to get a protective dog.

    A regular dog that is over say, 70 pounds will cause most strangers to move on down the road, just on the chance that they will defend their owner



    I have a whole rant against shelters, and the short version is that I have purebreds because of the crazy rules that shelters have, and the rescue people are one step away from them.

    Don't let me scare you out of getting the dog you want, but I have been through the good and bad of raising these types of dogs[since before you were born, he says, shaking his cane] 6eE2WZp.gif6eE2WZp.gif6eE2WZp.gifso I just want you prepared for the work ahead if you chose that path

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    Default Re: puppies

    ^Mastiffs are actually very sensitive dogs and do not do well when their owners use fear tactics to train them. They do best with positive encouragement and can develop lasting emotional issues if their humans do things that would make them "quake in fear." Even using a harsh tone of voice against them can distress a Mastiff. While GSDs are typically more emotionally resilient, they aren't going to do something like chew up your shoes if you give them a proper outlet for their intelligence and energy and crate train them till they are wise enough to be in the house unsupervised. While I agree that owners are the problem in most cases of protective dogs becoming aggressive dogs, a relationship based on fear is absolutely unnecessary and likely doing more harm than good.

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    Default Re: puppies

    Simone, also a lot of dogs get surrendered at shelters because their people lost their home, or got sick or otherwise couldn't care for an animal anymore. So you can still get background information for them regarding training and getting along with other animals. And your cat and any potential dog can meet before making it official.
    "There are different kinds of darkness. There is darkness that frightens, the darkness that soothes, the darkness that is restful. There is the darkness of lovers, and the darkness of assassins. It becomes what the bearer wishes it to be, needs it to be. It is not wholly bad or good."
    - The Court of Mist and Fury

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    Default Re: puppies

    Quote Originally Posted by tuesdaymarie View Post
    ^. While I agree that owners are the problem in most cases of protective dogs becoming aggressive dogs, a relationship based on fear is absolutely unnecessary and likely doing more harm than good.

    You will note that nowhere did I mention a relationship based on fear.

    People who get dogs that have 'protection' in their pedigree, and do not raise them with the appropriate care do in fact have a relationship based on fear, one where they are afraid of the dog, and that is when they end up in rescue. Hounds, Retrievers etc simply do not have the same impulses and thus while they can be mis trained or under trained, they consequences are not as significant.

    I am not trying to imply that Simone is not capable of doing the work, but were I a dog breeder and approached by someone who desired the dog 'for protection' I would have a long conversation with them, as opposed to someone who just loved the breed

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