Choosing Our First Family Dog

DaveFoster

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Great thread. Anecdotally, the German Shepherds with whom I've played have been full of energy, but very destructive to homes. Labs have great temperaments, and they love the water, so if you go to the lake, then the lab can come along as well.
 
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OP
Peatful

Peatful

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Great thread. Anecdotally, the German Shepherds with whom I've played have been full of energy, but very destructive to homes. Labs have great temperaments, and they love the water, so if you go to the lake, then the lab can come along as well.
Thx for joining.

So with this- I’d probably love a GS / Lab mix: which is close to what my childhood dog was.

As an aside- years ago -my first day and post on RPF; you were quick and gracious to respond to answer my ignorant question. Always appreciated that.
 
OP
Peatful

Peatful

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I think it is completely realistic to expect that experience again! It’s the very reason why people have dogs. To give love and receive it unconditionally. You typically can’t get that from human beings btw, haha. Dogs are wonderful pets, I’ve never regretted one dog I’ve had and believe me, I’ve had many over the years.
<3
 

DaveFoster

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Thx for joining.

So with this- I’d probably love a GS / Lab mix: which is close to what my childhood dog was.

As an aside- years ago -my first day and post on RPF; you were quick and gracious to respond to answer my ignorant question. Always appreciated that.
No problem :)
 

SOMO

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I adopted a German Shepherd about 6 months ago.

It's been a roller coaster of emotion.

When he was just 3 months old, he was in a car crash (family friend took him to the vet due to lethargy and lack of appetite for several days.) The dog went immediately from the car crash into the animal hospital and was kept there for a week (cost me $7500, btw). I also

The diagnosis....Acute Kidney failure.
The dog was suffering and his kidneys were failing, and he was so little back then, the first day I put down $3000 to have him admitted to the pet hospital. They pumped him full of electrolytes, some B-vitamins (which I requested) and antibiotics. For several days there was no change and it looked like he was going to die. Then one day I went to visit him in the morning with some liver and he actually ate some, so his appetite was returning. And best of all, he was running around the vet room and had good energy. After maybe 4 days in the hospital (and another $3000) his bloodwork related to his kidney function was starting to improve.

I snuck Vitamin B3/Niacinamide into the vet clinic and administer some to the dog with an oral syringe.

By day 8 he was back to normal and I simply could not afford to keep. Fortunately his health returned to normal, and today he is a happy, healthy boy and the kidney issue never came up again. If the dog did not improve, the vet said the only options were Dialysis (which can be $15K monthly, which would instantly bankrupt me.) So in other words, if the dog did not improve, I would have had to put him down. But I'm glad I spent the money - he was an innocent baby essentially and I could not let him die without putting up a fight. But there was another family there the same week who had to euthanize their dog because they could not afford the vet bills, I felt their pain and the decision did not come lightly, from what I overheard.

The vets never figured out what it was - they ran tests for DOZENS of bacteria and parasites - and hte cost of the vet bill kept increasing until I told them to stop looking for a "Cause" and just treat his kidney function, which is a more immediate threat.

I will say I'm very cautious with him around any water/puddles. I suspect he got sick from drinking contaminated water from the base of a flower pot or water from a rain puddle.

---
Now onto the good:
He is highly energetic and encourages me to exercise...a lot. I exercise more after I got a dog than I ever did before.
Do not get a German Shepherd if you want an "indoor dog."

He's extremely strong (I feed him liver) and can get a bit rowdy, but it's encouraging me to build more muscle to rein him in. He takes commands very well, but is easily spooked by birds, squirrels, loud noises, etc. I see why they use them in the police force. I try my best with him, but he can be a lot to handle and it is stressful sometimes. Eventually, I will take him to training classes, because he's only the second dog I owned (first was over 20 years ago.) Surprisingly, even though he is rowdy, he is extremely quiet and never barks. The only sounds he makes are heavy panting if I'm cooking meat.

He went through a biting phase when he was young and would bite fingers and toes, but he outgrew that with no specific training/punishment. I think as his adult teeth were growing in, it caused him pain and he chewed/bit stuff to relieve the pressure on his gums.

He has a great heart and senses when I feel sad and licks my face to comfort me.

He's a good boy and plays with other dogs well, even very small dogs. My dog is, at this point, very large and muscular, but gentle. Sometimes though he will jump on another dog's back to hitch a ride and the other dogs don't like that. He is not shy with other dogs and will run up to them to lick their face, but sometimes he can come on too strong and the other dogs become scared, besides the fact that my dog is huge.

When I come home from work, he gets so excited that his tail starts wagging rapidly and jumps up to lick my face. I look forward to coming home from work because I know he will be excited to see me. That makes it all worth it.
 

Blossom

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I adopted a German Shepherd about 6 months ago.

It's been a roller coaster of emotion.

When he was just 3 months old, he was in a car crash (family friend took him to the vet due to lethargy and lack of appetite for several days.) The dog went immediately from the car crash into the animal hospital and was kept there for a week (cost me $7500, btw). I also

The diagnosis....Acute Kidney failure.
The dog was suffering and his kidneys were failing, and he was so little back then, the first day I put down $3000 to have him admitted to the pet hospital. They pumped him full of electrolytes, some B-vitamins (which I requested) and antibiotics. For several days there was no change and it looked like he was going to die. Then one day I went to visit him in the morning with some liver and he actually ate some, so his appetite was returning. And best of all, he was running around the vet room and had good energy. After maybe 4 days in the hospital (and another $3000) his bloodwork related to his kidney function was starting to improve.

I snuck Vitamin B3/Niacinamide into the vet clinic and administer some to the dog with an oral syringe.

By day 8 he was back to normal and I simply could not afford to keep. Fortunately his health returned to normal, and today he is a happy, healthy boy and the kidney issue never came up again. If the dog did not improve, the vet said the only options were Dialysis (which can be $15K monthly, which would instantly bankrupt me.) So in other words, if the dog did not improve, I would have had to put him down. But I'm glad I spent the money - he was an innocent baby essentially and I could not let him die without putting up a fight. But there was another family there the same week who had to euthanize their dog because they could not afford the vet bills, I felt their pain and the decision did not come lightly, from what I overheard.

The vets never figured out what it was - they ran tests for DOZENS of bacteria and parasites - and hte cost of the vet bill kept increasing until I told them to stop looking for a "Cause" and just treat his kidney function, which is a more immediate threat.

I will say I'm very cautious with him around any water/puddles. I suspect he got sick from drinking contaminated water from the base of a flower pot or water from a rain puddle.

---
Now onto the good:
He is highly energetic and encourages me to exercise...a lot. I exercise more after I got a dog than I ever did before.
Do not get a German Shepherd if you want an "indoor dog."

He's extremely strong (I feed him liver) and can get a bit rowdy, but it's encouraging me to build more muscle to rein him in. He takes commands very well, but is easily spooked by birds, squirrels, loud noises, etc. I see why they use them in the police force. I try my best with him, but he can be a lot to handle and it is stressful sometimes. Eventually, I will take him to training classes, because he's only the second dog I owned (first was over 20 years ago.) Surprisingly, even though he is rowdy, he is extremely quiet and never barks. The only sounds he makes are heavy panting if I'm cooking meat.

He went through a biting phase when he was young and would bite fingers and toes, but he outgrew that with no specific training/punishment. I think as his adult teeth were growing in, it caused him pain and he chewed/bit stuff to relieve the pressure on his gums.

He has a great heart and senses when I feel sad and licks my face to comfort me.

He's a good boy and plays with other dogs well, even very small dogs. My dog is, at this point, very large and muscular, but gentle. Sometimes though he will jump on another dog's back to hitch a ride and the other dogs don't like that. He is not shy with other dogs and will run up to them to lick their face, but sometimes he can come on too strong and the other dogs become scared, besides the fact that my dog is huge.

When I come home from work, he gets so excited that his tail starts wagging rapidly and jumps up to lick my face. I look forward to coming home from work because I know he will be excited to see me. That makes it all worth it.
What a beautiful story. I’m so happy for you both and also glad he pulled through the health crisis.
 

Regina

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I adopted a German Shepherd about 6 months ago.

It's been a roller coaster of emotion.

When he was just 3 months old, he was in a car crash (family friend took him to the vet due to lethargy and lack of appetite for several days.) The dog went immediately from the car crash into the animal hospital and was kept there for a week (cost me $7500, btw). I also

The diagnosis....Acute Kidney failure.
The dog was suffering and his kidneys were failing, and he was so little back then, the first day I put down $3000 to have him admitted to the pet hospital. They pumped him full of electrolytes, some B-vitamins (which I requested) and antibiotics. For several days there was no change and it looked like he was going to die. Then one day I went to visit him in the morning with some liver and he actually ate some, so his appetite was returning. And best of all, he was running around the vet room and had good energy. After maybe 4 days in the hospital (and another $3000) his bloodwork related to his kidney function was starting to improve.

I snuck Vitamin B3/Niacinamide into the vet clinic and administer some to the dog with an oral syringe.

By day 8 he was back to normal and I simply could not afford to keep. Fortunately his health returned to normal, and today he is a happy, healthy boy and the kidney issue never came up again. If the dog did not improve, the vet said the only options were Dialysis (which can be $15K monthly, which would instantly bankrupt me.) So in other words, if the dog did not improve, I would have had to put him down. But I'm glad I spent the money - he was an innocent baby essentially and I could not let him die without putting up a fight. But there was another family there the same week who had to euthanize their dog because they could not afford the vet bills, I felt their pain and the decision did not come lightly, from what I overheard.

The vets never figured out what it was - they ran tests for DOZENS of bacteria and parasites - and hte cost of the vet bill kept increasing until I told them to stop looking for a "Cause" and just treat his kidney function, which is a more immediate threat.

I will say I'm very cautious with him around any water/puddles. I suspect he got sick from drinking contaminated water from the base of a flower pot or water from a rain puddle.

---
Now onto the good:
He is highly energetic and encourages me to exercise...a lot. I exercise more after I got a dog than I ever did before.
Do not get a German Shepherd if you want an "indoor dog."

He's extremely strong (I feed him liver) and can get a bit rowdy, but it's encouraging me to build more muscle to rein him in. He takes commands very well, but is easily spooked by birds, squirrels, loud noises, etc. I see why they use them in the police force. I try my best with him, but he can be a lot to handle and it is stressful sometimes. Eventually, I will take him to training classes, because he's only the second dog I owned (first was over 20 years ago.) Surprisingly, even though he is rowdy, he is extremely quiet and never barks. The only sounds he makes are heavy panting if I'm cooking meat.

He went through a biting phase when he was young and would bite fingers and toes, but he outgrew that with no specific training/punishment. I think as his adult teeth were growing in, it caused him pain and he chewed/bit stuff to relieve the pressure on his gums.

He has a great heart and senses when I feel sad and licks my face to comfort me.

He's a good boy and plays with other dogs well, even very small dogs. My dog is, at this point, very large and muscular, but gentle. Sometimes though he will jump on another dog's back to hitch a ride and the other dogs don't like that. He is not shy with other dogs and will run up to them to lick their face, but sometimes he can come on too strong and the other dogs become scared, besides the fact that my dog is huge.

When I come home from work, he gets so excited that his tail starts wagging rapidly and jumps up to lick my face. I look forward to coming home from work because I know he will be excited to see me. That makes it all worth it.
What an amazing story!!!
Sounds like a great dog. And a very lucky guy to have you.
 
OP
Peatful

Peatful

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@SOMO

A GS is on the top of my husbands list; I really appreciate you taking the time to write. And for being a great dog dad too.
 

Regina

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Messages
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Yeah, as far as GSD's, you might look into Suzanne Clothier.
About Suzanne Clothier - Suzanne Clothier/Carpe Canem Inc.
If you can catch one of her seminars and bring your buddy, she'll work both of you. And it will be one of those cool experiences/memories for your life.
Articles in English - Suzanne Clothier/Carpe Canem Inc.

She also breeds them
Hawks Hunt German Shepherds - Suzanne Clothier/Carpe Canem Inc.
long waiting list but it seems like you nabbed a wonderful dog.

But if you ever decide to get into hobby working him and training , consider Ivan Balabonov
 

SQu

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Messages
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I have rescue dogs and a pedigreed GSD and Yorkie. I grew up with labradors as my mom bred them.

The rescues have been a great success. I would really suggest puppies if you rescue, for anyone who is not very experienced. Fully grown dogs sometimes are there because they have issues. Not always, but often. I think they need homes the most, but as a fairly new owner, I would say you might end up with a difficult situation, sad for everyone. You want this to work out well for everyone. Pups are easier to train. And don't have too much baggage.

Then the pups if you choose them, shouldn't be too tiny, again it's a specialized job to care for them. Find out as much as you can about the pups' history. Having decided on pups that seem to be a couple of months old (can be hard to guess as you don't know the parents' sizes) I would strongly recommend getting into the enclosure and talking to them as you would with a pedigreed litter too. If you see signs of some breeding in them, then I would find out about that breed and choose only if that breed seems a good match for your family situation. If they are pure mutts like mine are, watch them play, see who approaches you, and choose the ones that neither rush over to you and are very bouncy, nor the ones that shrink away. I wouldn't choose on looks either. (Other than their likely full grown size being a good match for your home and family.) More than one visit is also a good idea as they may have been sleepy or bouncy one day and not the next due to just being fed, nap time, etc. This applies to pedigreed dogs from a responsible breeder too. We got sisters and it worked out fine, they are best friends. I know this is said to be not the case for lets say male GSDs.

So you choose an average, totally average dog that neither rushes over before anyone else, nor shrinks away fearfully. One that is comfortable with people, confident, but not high energy. Not the alpha male type, nor the runt of the litter type. That's true for rescues or pedigrees.

And when home, teach them manners and boundaries with love and gentle firmness. From young. I taught our GSD to sit for his meal from day 1 - because he was levitating! But I would normally have done that a little later :) A little bit of daily training of gentle, age appropriate things, just a little to start with. It's great for bonding too. I do think it is important that they acknowledge you as the boss, this can be done in a very gentle way, but it matters. Things like coming when called, going for walks nicely, not jumping up, not chasing wildlife, getting on with people and other dogs all make your dog a pleasure to own, and your dog having good manners and boundaries is what makes this happen, and it is all built on a bond of trust and companionship.

The GSD is a challenging dog who is strong and high energy and needs a lot of work. Lovely dogs, but more of a a responsibility than a dog that's not a "power breed". I feel like we bit off more than we could chew with him. I would research breeders and reputations (we did actually) but I personally would not recommend even as a cross for a first dog.

I would put up a fence so that the dog can have outdoor playtime in a good sized space.

Gender - females cost more to neuter, dogs may wander if not neutered. If you are sure you can control your dog at all times, neutering may not be needed but honestly, chances are it's still best. The GSD isn't neutered (breeder prefers this, so do I) but the Yorkie is (breeder made it a condition of sale, I don't love it, but he was starting to think about wandering, so I think it was the right thing). The rescues are neutered, (condition of adopting).

Breeds - The Yorkie is no trouble. But we chose breeders with care. They can be yappy and neurotic. If you choose any pedigreed pup, here are a few tips: does the breeder let you meet pup's dad if he lives there, mom, other family members? Older generations? Very good sign if the breeder is open about the dogs and chilled to let you meet them. What's the vibe, does it look like a good home? Your pup is likely to be like its first home and family.

The GSD is a handful. Labradors are very high energy pups (and they chew) but then you have 13 years of one of the loveliest dogs. Definitely don't choose a particularly high energy pup unless you want Monty and Me. Males often wander. The nicest dogs I've known have all been rescue mutts, but you also can't be sure what you're getting.

Hope that helps! (and oh my word, it's an essay! :)
 
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OP
Peatful

Peatful

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I have rescue dogs and a pedigreed GSD and Yorkie. I grew up with labradors as my mom bred them.

The rescues have been a great success. I would really suggest puppies if you rescue, for anyone who is not very experienced. Fully grown dogs sometimes are there because they have issues. Not always, but often. I think they need homes the most, but as a fairly new owner, I would say you might end up with a difficult situation, sad for everyone. You want this to work out well for everyone. Pups are easier to train. And don't have too much baggage.

Then the pups if you choose them, shouldn't be too tiny, again it's a specialized job to care for them. Find out as much as you can about the pups' history. Having decided on pups that seem to be a couple of months old (can be hard to guess as you don't know the parents' sizes) I would strongly recommend getting into the enclosure and talking to them as you would with a pedigreed litter too. If you see signs of some breeding in them, then I would find out about that breed and choose only if that breed seems a good match for your family situation. If they are pure mutts like mine are, watch them play, see who approaches you, and choose the ones that neither rush over to you and are very bouncy, nor the ones that shrink away. I wouldn't choose on looks either. (Other than their likely full grown size being a good match for your home and family.) More than one visit is also a good idea as they may have been sleepy or bouncy one day and not the next due to just being fed, nap time, etc. This applies to pedigreed dogs from a responsible breeder too. We got sisters and it worked out fine, they are best friends. I know this is said to be not the case for lets say male GSDs.

So you choose an average, totally average dog that neither rushes over before anyone else, nor shrinks away fearfully. One that is comfortable with people, confident, but not high energy. Not the alpha male type, nor the runt of the litter type. That's true for rescues or pedigrees.

And when home, teach them manners and boundaries with love and gentle firmness. From young. I taught our GSD to sit for his meal from day 1 - because he was levitating! But I would normally have done that a little later :) A little bit of daily training of gentle, age appropriate things, just a little to start with. It's great for bonding too. I do think it is important that they acknowledge you as the boss, this can be done in a very gentle way, but it matters. Things like coming when called, going for walks nicely, not jumping up, not chasing wildlife, getting on with people and other dogs all make your dog a pleasure to own, and your dog having good manners and boundaries is what makes this happen, and it is all built on a bond of trust and companionship.

The GSD is a challenging dog who is strong and high energy and needs a lot of work. Lovely dogs, but more of a a responsibility than a dog that's not a "power breed". I feel like we bit off more than we could chew with him. I would research breeders and reputations (we did actually) but I personally would not recommend even as a cross for a first dog.

I would put up a fence so that the dog can have outdoor playtime in a good sized space.

Gender - females cost more to neuter, dogs may wander if not neutered. If you are sure you can control your dog at all times, neutering may not be needed but honestly, chances are it's still best. The GSD isn't neutered (breeder prefers this, so do I) but the Yorkie is (breeder made it a condition of sale, I don't love it, but he was starting to think about wandering, so I think it was the right thing). The rescues are neutered, (condition of adopting).

Breeds - The Yorkie is no trouble. The GSD is a handful. Labradors are very high energy pups (and they chew) but then you have 13 years of one of the loveliest dogs. Definitely don't choose a particularly high energy pup unless you want Monty and Me. Males often wander. The nicest dogs I've known have all been rescue mutts, but you also can't be sure what you're getting.

Hope that helps! (and oh my word, it's an essay! :)
Incredibly helpful.
We are making decisions now- seeing if our land is even fencable and the HOA laws and stuff.
Thank you for taking the time to write.
I’m becoming the most excited for our new addition.
 

SOMO

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Just some photos of my big boy.
Sometimes I put on youtube videos of dogs and he watches it for fun, then looks behind the laptop trying to find the dogs.

I give him Vitamin K2 and Calcium Carbonate (in his water) once a week or so to make sure his teeth and bones stay strong.
 

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Blossom

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B2F2BA6B-394C-4032-81BC-1F28E77A211D.jpeg
This sweet girl joined our family last Saturday. I used to have big dogs but when my last one got old and couldn’t always get around I knew I should probably stick with smaller dogs I could carry if necessary.
 

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Regina

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Just some photos of my big boy.
Sometimes I put on youtube videos of dogs and he watches it for fun, then looks behind the laptop trying to find the dogs.

I give him Vitamin K2 and Calcium Carbonate (in his water) once a week or so to make sure his teeth and bones stay strong.
He's a super model! Adorable!
 
OP
Peatful

Peatful

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@SOMO
So handsome. Just a beautiful healthy boy.

@Blossom
She’s perfect. That face!
 

Nicole W.

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Just some photos of my big boy.
Sometimes I put on youtube videos of dogs and he watches it for fun, then looks behind the laptop trying to find the dogs.

I give him Vitamin K2 and Calcium Carbonate (in his water) once a week or so to make sure his teeth and bones stay strong.
He’s adorable! You can tell he is a good boy!
 

Nicole W.

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Nov 28, 2016
Messages
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View attachment 18293 This sweet girl joined our family last Saturday. I used to have big dogs but when my last one got old and couldn’t always get around I knew I should probably stick with smaller dogs I could carry if necessary.
So sweet! Especially when they are asleep, haha! What breed/ mix is she?
 

Jennifer

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View attachment 18293 This sweet girl joined our family last Saturday. I used to have big dogs but when my last one got old and couldn’t always get around I knew I should probably stick with smaller dogs I could carry if necessary.
Oh, my gosh! She looks just like my childhood dog when he was a puppy. He lived to 16. Amazing little man. Congratulations on the new addition to your family. She's a cutie!

@SOMO -- Such a handsome boy! He sounds awesome! :)
 

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