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Planning for future puppy....

964 views 4 replies 3 participants last post by  HarleyTheGSD 
#1 ·
I'm not going to be getting another puppy until way later down the road (3-5 years). I have a two year old now, and I'm probably going to keep my five year old with my parents, because that is his home and he is very nervous in new environments, as well as the fear of people. I love him dearly, but I know that would be the best for him.

I know that I want to get another pup when Varick is older. I don't think it would hurt to start searching for breeders now. Get to know them and their dogs.
I know that I will be doing Schutzhund with this pup, and probably other sports, such as dock diving and agility. I will definitely want another male.
I'm considering WGWL or Czech lines. I'd like to find a good breeder in Missouri, so I can make regular visits.

Please feel free to give me suggestions or ask additional questions. I'll be more than happy to answer them.
 
#2 ·
Can't help you with working line breeders. What I would do if I had the time, and was looking for a dog for a specific purpose, is I would train the dog I had, in that venue. Who cares if the dog isn't a cracker jack. Just go at your and your dog's pace, and keep on going.

And while you are there, start noticing other dogs you like. Not their looks, but how they learn, how they act, etc. Start asking the people whose dogs you like, where they got their dog.

I think that it may come to pass that breeders will be wanting more than ever to deal locally. And won't be shipping puppies as much, so take your time, get known in the training circles, and start paying attention to who is breeding the dogs in your neighborhood. Go home and write it down in a log book.

Understand that not every out of control or even reactive puppy out there is caused by the genetics. But as you continue to log the shepherds that you meet and like or dislike, especially notice patterns you are seeing.

Get to know the trainers and ask for recommendations. But, do not just accept a recommendation. There really aren't any shortcuts. You can narrow the field some, but you still need to get out there and see the dogs. And the best way to do this is while training the dog you have. And 2-3 years down the line, you not only go to a great place to get a puppy, but because of your continued training, you avoid a lot of the pitfalls of raising a youngster.

Good luck.
 
#4 ·
Thank you very much!
I do a lot of obedience training with both Varick and Harley (platz, fuss, sit, hier, long down, sit and down out of motion, distractions). I have laid a few tracks for Varick, but I haven't done that in a long time, so I'll start up again. I also learned a ton from a local SchH club, though I stopped going last year. I do plan on attending again in the future.

I'm definitely looking forward to learning about breeders in my area. And considering I have a lot of time to think about it, I won't be hasty with making a decision.
 
#5 ·
I used to go to a Schutzhund club in my area. They were the ones who told me about Varick's breeder. Another club member's dog is actually Varick's Uncle. :) I believe he has his SchH2 title, though it may be 3 now. All the others had their GSDs imported. And some had Malinois, but that is too much dog for me. Lol.
 
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