How Did You Get Involved With GSDs?

[Nellie]

We rescued a white from my Brother-in-law who was treating it badly, he had tried to run Sparky over , so i asked my dad if we could have him, this was when i was about 7ish, the next morning he was my dog.
Since then the GSD has been my passion

[ArmyGSD]

Originally Posted By: Lara
...there's nothing worse than making that decision by yourself and being alone. I was so devastated by Tuesday we had our new pups. They didn't take Rocky's place, but they were a handful and they made me laugh so much it helped me heal.

They never will take that place, and we never should let them. We just need to make more space in that heart of ours to allow them to fill that newly created space.

And you are sooooo right in saying that there is nothing worse. It broke my heart to have our australian cattle/Lab mix PTS. I felt so bad for that little guy, but he enriched our lives, and definately knew he was loved.

Dogs will never forget our unconditional love for them. It's never going to be easy to do what we must for our furry children.

Condolences on your loss, and congrats on your new babies.

(To the OP sorry for the derail of your thread...don't beat me plz)

[JJDBike]

So many heartfelt stories.
I got in to GSDs like many here.
I wanted a dog that could hike w/ us, physically deal w/ the mountains of NH, carry his own weight, learn quickly and possibly show in obediance, protect the home and have fun with. Also, it had to look as close as possible to what God intended dogs to look like (e.g. wolflike). I got a Eastern European working line large male. I was in over my head. I had a lot to learn and he tested me and everyone he met. After about 8 mounths of hard work from both of us and several trainiers and the breeder we had reached an understanding, clear expectations, communication and a bond closer than I ever could have imagined between a dog and a human. He was so strong, intelegent, loyal, confidant, and fun. I have so many amazing stories about him but I won't bore w/ them.
Any way, after him I could never own anything but a GSD.

[Mrs.K]

Well, we've always had Sheperds. My parents were big into dog handling back then. We've travelled every weekend, from one Schutzhund Show to another. We literally lived dog handling.
We've always had dogs in the House, dogs in the kennel and I think at most we've had around 20-40 dogs and 4 horses. Nowadays it's kind of opposite. Around 10 dogs and up to 40+ horses on the farm...

When I moved out I have not had a dog in ten years. When my husband and me got married we decided to get a dog and as soon as my mom told me that she is looking for a good home for Yukon I told her "I take him in a heartbeat."
It took her a while to let go off him. She loves her animals so much that she has a special bond to each one of them and she always has a hard time to let them go. They are like kids to her.

I am so happy to have a dog and I know that I will never get another race other than Sheperd. It's either a sheperd or no dog at all.

[cindy_s]

My family got its first Shepherd when I was 1 yr old. His name was King of Cindy. I've never been without one. I did have a sweet Golden one time, but his loyality was with who ever was scratching his ear at the time. He would have been glad to live with anyone. Not so with my Shepherds. There is no other dog for me.

[CWhite]

My grandfather was the dude who ALWAYS had a dog. He and i were very close. I was his "shadow".

When I was around four or five, he told me he was getting a dog and said I should come and pick the puppy out.

Enter, Chivago and an everlasting love for the breed.

I can admire other breeds, but none can ever steal my heart.

I asked for a GSD and was told by my parents it was too big. Finally, about eight years ago I asked myself,"Why don't you have a dog? you are on your own and can have anything your heart desires."

So, in May of 2007, Della came to live with me. She is an endless source of happiness, amusement and (sometimes) torment.

[Lcat]

I grew up with an norwegian breed, Buhund, as my grandfather breed them.
When I was about 14 my dad brought home a 4 yr old male GSD. He had gotten it from a friend who was gonna put him down because of HD as he only had "workingdogs". We had Sjacko for 3 yrs before we had to let him go.

Then I did'nt get another dog until a friend of mine pleaded me to take over her GSD cause personal problems or he would have to be put down.
Kent was an 5 yr old male, close to 50 kg(90-something pound). A HUGE boy, and I fell totaly and utterly in love with him the minute I met him. and offc. I brought him home. I had him for 3 wonderful yrs before he had to be put down cause HD.

Then I worked as an emergence home for all kinds of dogs for several years before I again fell in love with an purebreed GSD.

Faro had to many traumas, issues & health problems so I also had to put him to sleep after too short time together.

I did NOT want a house whitout a dog, so once again I became a Fosterhome, and I got all the big, "scary" misfits that no one else wanted to foster.
After yet a few years I got SO sick of having to say goodbye to dogs, so I contacted a well renomed breeder an told her I wanted a Healty, sound puppy that I could keep "forever", and just 2 weeks later I got Beccy

Beccy is a wonderful girl and she brought me into the official GSD world. I have been showing her, we do tracking and obedience, and have passed the BH trial. She have passed all her mental tests and is approved for breeding.
She is just breed (20 days) to a very promissing young German import. He just came home from Germany with his Körschein and Beccy is the second bitch he is breed to.
When (if) whelping is done we will continue training for our first SchH trial

She is 2 yrs old tomorrow (aug.2)

[bellamia]

what other dog breed is there?

[doggiedad]

that's not funny, ROFL.

Originally Posted by bellamia

what other dog breed is there?

[Juta]

I got introduced to German Schepherd about 40 years ago. My uncle had a SCHutzhund, Bella, that had just had a litter, I was 10, long story short, it started to rain and I went and retrieved ll the puppies and dried them off.
Bella the schutzhund (who according to my uncle would not let anyone in the dogrun whitout killing them...lol) walked around, nervous, but understood that I wanted to help her pupps.

as I grew older I had Dachshunds, Old english sheepdogs, and labradors.


I just adopted a 5 year old purebred german GSD. She unfortunately failed schutzhund, hence she was let go... She has now been living with us for a week, according to the kennel she was not housebroken, since she lived in a kennel. well she had one accident the 3rd day..... My fault...she tried to tell me, I did not get it She has been good since then, I love that girl
everyone in the house just loves her, I get a kick out of the fact that she knows her commands in german, stutters in english, thank god I speak german. as they say, you do not pick a dog.....they pick you

well looking forward to post Juta's progress