Should I get a GSD Puppy?

[troy_mia]

Hello all,

I have been thinking to get a GSD Puppy(Male) for quiet a few months for now. So I decided to post here, to ask opinions from other GSD Owners, If I and GSD can get along happily.

Why only GSD? I love the looks of it and its intelligence. I would like to get a Show-line GSD and I just needed it for 100% Companionship.

About house: Its a townhouse, with a unfenced backyard (15x15). Backyard leads to a huge area and lake which I could use for playing with him. My community has a huge circular driveway(half a mile) which I could use to walk him. I would like to keep the dog indoor only (most likely in crate when I am not in house.)

About me: Single(26), Software engineer by profession and I work 9 to 6 and I live in Miami. And I have never owned a pet before.

Currently, my parents live with me. But I would be solely responsible for taking care of the GSD. Of course they will feed him during the day but as per them for now they wont take any responsibility for taking him out (as they are kind of afraid/not into pets that much like me ). I should be easily able to dedicate at least an hour+ a day to play/train with him and walk him in morning and night time.

If you think, I and GSD can get along happily, does anyone here have any recommendation for a reputable breeder in Miami??? I was looking around to spend $1k, I don't know if that is enough to get a great looking puppy.

Thanks for your upcoming advices.

[KZoppa]

welcome to the board. as far as being able to recommend a breeder in the miami area i've got nothing but i really have nothing for showline. What KINDA of showline? American or German? That can help others narrow it down for you. Please be aware that the dog you're looking for may not necessary be close to you. You may have to have your puppy shipped to you when the time comes. Also be aware that training a GSD is for life as is socialization. As far as the $1k.... i think you're pushing that one on a showline. Showlines tend to be more expensive than working line GSDs. Showlines can range anywhere from $1500 +. Anything below the $1200 mark could be questionable.

[sagelfn]

It is important that everyone in the household is on the same page with having a pet. If your parents don't want one in the house then it is best to wait until you are on your own. Dogs can pick up on those things. If they aren't on board with having a GSD then they really aren't going to like all the fur in their food.

[Lucy Dog]

I don't see why not as long as you're up for the 10+ year long commitment. Have you ever owned a dog (any dog, not just GSD) before?

GSD's are not for the average couch potato pet owner. They require daily exercise and mental stimulation. They are very intelligent, but if that intelligence isn't challenged, the dogs can easily become bored.

If you're up for the challenge, I say go for it. Research breeders and ask questions. Don't just jump into the first cute puppy you see in the paper or on the internet. Good luck.

ETA: There's a west german show line breeder right in boca raton that posts on this board from time to time. I don't know them or their dogs personally, but I believe they have a pretty good reputation around here. From what I can see, they do all the right things when it comes to being considered a "reputable breeder".

http://www.vonjagenstadt.com/index.html

[LaRen616]

Originally Posted by troy_mia

About house: Its a townhouse, with a unfenced backyard (15x15). Backyard leads to a huge area and lake which I could use for playing with him. My community has a huge circular driveway(half a mile) which I could use to walk him. I would like to keep the dog indoor only (most likely in crate when I am not in house.)

I wish your yard was fenced in, for his safety, but I think what you have now will be fine as long as someone goes outside with the puppy/dog when he goes outside. You definitly want to crate a puppy when you are not home or when you cannot watch him, it's for his safety and the safety of your belongings.

Originally Posted by troy_mia

About me: Single(26), Software engineer by profession and I work 9 to 6 and I live in Miami. And I have never owned a pet before

Currently, my parents live with me. But I would be solely responsible for taking care of the GSD. Of course they will feed him during the day but as per them for now they wont take any responsibility for taking him out (as they are kind of afraid/not into pets that much like me ). I should be easily able to dedicate at least an hour+ a day to play/train with him and walk him in morning and night time.

Because you work for 9 hours plus the drive to and from work and your parents will not be letting him out while you are not home, you need to get a dog walker or a friend/neighbor to let the puppy out once or twice while you are not home. A puppy cannot hold their bladder for that long. Is there a way you can take an hour off for lunch to let him out? Can you get a friend or neighbor to let the puppy out? If not, then you should not get a GSD puppy unless it is an older puppy like 6+ months old. An hour a day is not enough time to exercise/play/train a GSD puppy. They require alot of attention, alot of training and alot of exercise.

Originally Posted by troy_mia

If you think, I and GSD can get along happily, does anyone here have any recommendation for a reputable breeder in Miami??? I was looking around to spend $1k, I don't know if that is enough to get a great looking puppy.

Thanks for your upcoming advices.

KZoppa is correct, a well bred Showline GSD puppy will cost you about $1500+

Although it seems like alot of money, I cannot urge you enough to go through a reputable breeder. One that titles, health checks, temperment checks and will be there to take back the puppy if it does not work out.

Read this Things to look for in a 'Responsible' Breeder

[zyppi]

You could make it work, but I think your parents would have to be willing to help out a bit.

Puppies got through a nipping stage (think - they use their mouths for hands) and need to be housebroken and exercised physically and mentally.

Andrew Masia lives north of you in Boca Raton and is a good breeder of show line dogs.

You will not get one for $1000 though. Think double that for starters on a show line puppy.

[dawnandjr]

There is a great rescue in Florida. I would start there. You could foster adult dogs for a bit to 'get into it' so to speak. See what dog ownership is all about before you take the plunge. An older dog would not need to be let out during the day, and past the puppy nippy stage. You could sign up for obedience classes to take and learn how to train a dog also. There are so many dogs that need rescue and volunteers to foster them too. I am trying to think of the one on Facebook (I am at work and cannot look it up). Maybe K9 services German shepherd rescue?

[lonestarag05]

I am pretty much in your same shoes. Im 27 and will be bringing home my first GSD puppy this summer. My GF works the sames hours as I do and you, typical work day. There is a lot of good advise on this site but there is also some overkill. If some had it their way, no one would own a GSD unless you can devote 4 hours a day to training, etc etc. Basically, they think you should have no life other than caring for your puppy.

Obvisously that is silly. There are thousands of well adjusted GSD's out there with owners that have normal working lives. As a puppy you will have to devote more time to care and training, but its not as daunting as many on here make it sound. I raised and trained a lab from a puppy and had her qualified as a master hunter. I did all that while working my first job out of college on my own. If you have a neighbor that can let the puppy out during the day that's great, but if not, then it's not the end of the world. You just need to get an ex-pen and be that much more vigalent when you are home for bathroom training. Bottom line, it can and it is done all the time, so take the "you shouldn't own a GSD" with a grain of salt.

[Anja1Blue]

Welcome troy_mia - this is a great forum and I hope you will enjoy it. GSD's are wonderful dogs - but they are not for everyone, as you can easily tell by looking at the statistics of the numbers of Shepherds turned into shelters nationwide every year. Yes they are good looking - but you can say that about most breeds, and that isn't the best reason for getting one. More important is their intelligence and versatility, which is where a lot of people run into trouble. This is not a dog which can be happy left alone/ignored, or untrained, for long stretches of time -they thrive on being with people. The first red flag I see is your parents, who have already indicated that they won't interact with it when you are not there and are "afraid." As your dog matures, this could become a real problem - GSD's can be dominant and pushy (not all but many) and they pick up on a person who is nervous around them really fast, which can bring out the bully in some. Unless you can find a trustworthy adult, willing to commit to taking your dog out to relieve itself (and this needs to happen multiple times a day when he is very young, until his bladder is developed enough to go for more than a couple of hours) getting a baby is probably not the best way to go. And while an hour of playtime will be OK for a little puppy, it will not be near enough exercise for an adult. You will also need to invest in obedience training, to establish your role as leader, and to get him socialized with other people and dogs.

The second red flag is not having a secure yard. This often ends up with an owner tying or chaining a dog out (NEVER do this), installing something like an electric fence (doesn't always work), or the dog has to stay inside when he can't be monitored - which is actually the safest approach.

I think you and a GSD could be good friends - but my vote is to not start with a puppy. Basically it is just like having a baby - a great deal of work, expensive (all the vet visits for shots etc.) and the cuteness stage is very fleeting. At 6 months, your dog enters puberty - and if you remember what you or some of your friends were like as teenagers (challenging authority for one) that's what you are going to get. How will your parents deal with that? I think for all concerned, adopting an older dog would be a much better way to start, you can always get a puppy later - when you get a dog from a Rescue (rather than a shelter, which generally doesn't have the time to bother with much in the way of evaluation) what you see is what you get, and the Rescue will match you up with the best dog they can find which fits your situation. If he/she is over a year, you are beyond the teething/chewing stage, most of the fear periods, and should know a lot about the temperament and dog's health. By all means talk to Andrew (Jagenstadt GSD's), sometimes breeders have older dogs they want to place - but you might also want to call some of the Florida rescues, which you can Google. Heidi's Legacy is in Lithia (all-breed, but they get GSD's) and Tampa Bay come to mind.

Good luck - keep us posted!
__________________________________________________ _____
Susan

Anja SchH3 GSD
Conor GSD
Blue BH WH T1 GSD - waiting at the Bridge

[LaRen616]

Originally Posted by lonestarag05

I am pretty much in your same shoes. Im 27 and will be bringing home my first GSD puppy this summer. My GF works the sames hours as I do and you, typical work day. There is a lot of good advise on this site but there is also some overkill. If some had it their way, no one would own a GSD unless you can devote 4 hours a day to training, etc etc. Basically, they think you should have no life other than caring for your puppy.

I am 23 years old. I got my GSD puppy when I was 21 years old. I got my puppy when he was 11 weeks old. I work 6am-2:30pm. I work less than 5 minutes from my house. I can go home at lunch and let my puppy out for a potty break. To leave a puppy home alone for 9 hours without a potty break is cruel. They cannot hold their bladder for that long and to ask them to do that is wrong. If you only dedicate 1 hour a day for training, exercising and play then I feel bad for your dog. GSD's need more than an hour a day for all of that. If you cannot give that to them then you should not get a GSD.