Is this the right puppy for us?

[trinity3623]

I was trying to get a puppy for x-mas for my five kids and I. I found a beautiful female 8 week old german shephard puppy. Is this the right breed for our family. I need a dog for protection, which is very important but also one that will be well tempered and great with the kids. I heard they shed a lot which bothers me a bit because she will be an inside dog. Is this going to be the right breed for us? Or should I keep looking?

[kelina]

short haired-German shepherds DO NOT shed a lot!
I have two german shepherds, one is doubled coat the other is a HAIR BALL! full of fur!
Both haven't shed since.. I heard they shed their winter coats, but its not much.. i mean what dog does not shed? :P

I love german shepherds! I wish EVERYONE can own one! they are BEAUTIFUL, LOVING, TRAINABLE, GREAT and aahhhhh!!! I just love them!!! I wish i can get another one but they are a lot of work!

You really have to train them and take them for exercises and such.. how old are your kids? because as this pups gets older and if your kids are fairly young (1-3), your pup wouldn't no better but to jump and be excited.. so be careful with that!

I would say, GET THE PUP

[trinity3623]

My kids are 8,7,4,2,1. So neither one of urs shed? Thats great to hear. We'll I walk a lot so I figure that would be fun to take her with me. I walk at least 2 miles at least 4-5 days a week. Do they learn easy? Or are they gonna take as much attention as a kid? lol. The shedding thing is really what had me really put off. I am very anal about clean. I really did fall in love with the pics of the puppy. Are shepherds usually healthy dogs? I am just so excited about this for the kids. Thanks so much for the help.

[Castlemaid]

Puppies don't shed a lot, but once their adult coat is in, it is non-stop shedding. If that is going to be an issue for you, a German Shepherd may not be the right dog for your family.

GSDs can be wonderful family dogs, but it is important to get them from a good breeder that puts stable temperament and health as a priority. Too many GSDs are skittish, fearful, unsafe around little kids, because of poor breeding and a poor genetic background. You may get lucky and end up with a good one, but why take a chance when your children's welfare is at stake?

Bringing a puppy into a busy, chaotic household at Christmas time is not a good idea - A puppy will need a stable routine and some time to adapt to a new home. Many responsible breeders won't even sell pup's for the Holidays, holding on to them for an extra week or two until life settles into a more normal routine before the puppy goes to its new home.

[BowWowMeow]

They shed A LOT. Some people call them german shedders! They are also little alligators as puppies and do a lot of nipping which can be very hard for small children (and parents) to handle. They do need a lot of attention, exercise and training.

Honestly, I would either wait until your kids are a little older or look for a calm dog who is out of the puppy stage.

[kelina]

i know plenty of people who had gsd, And they never complained about the shedding besides the winter coat that sheds of course.

I lie to you not, My shadow is a fast learner! I taught her how to sit within an hour, I taught her how to lay down for a hour or two, It takes time of course. Her new trick is twist hehe! She learned that in 6 tries! Its really fun and exciting especially for your kids!

castlemaid is very right though, My pup is a little skittish around lil kids, Thats due to NOT being around many kids. Im not sure about genetics or poor breeding... it might be possible though.

Bringing a pup into your home is exciting and very very annoying! Cleaning the pee and the poo is so horrible at times lol.. But trust me, its worth the pain! These dogs are so smart its not even funny!

If you do get a pup, please make sure to watch your 1,2 and 4 year old! don't let them get all crazy about the pup because she/he will be overwhelmed. its a new place that they never discovered!

[trinity3623]

Hmmm well the shedding thing is a lil offputting. I am not worried about the holiday thing at all. I was going to get the puppy a couple weeks before xmas and after that we dont even do anything for the holidays except open presents at home and have dinner with the kids and me. So no hectic things going on really. I think the nipping thing is a little bothersome too. Hmmm maybe I better think a little more. I just love German shepherds so much. I don't know any other type of dog to get either that would be perfect for the kids.

[Castlemaid]

You are brave to think of a GSD puppy with so many young children in the house! GSD puppies are more bitey than most, and we affectionately call them landsharks as they go through that phase. Their little puppy teeth are SHARP! Like needles, and pups play with their mouth, so expect scratches and bites and tears, both from you and the kids.

GSDs are very smart and active, as a dog bred to be a working dog should be - that means that their little brains are always going 100 miles per hour, and they will get into everything and anything - so they require CONSTANT supervision, and due to their puppy propensity to bite (and bite hard!), they should NEVER be left alone with little kids. In a few months puppy will be six months old, weigh 60 lbs, and will be a rambunctions ball of playful energy that can inadvertently do a lot of damage with the little ones by knocking them over and nipping - thus the constant supervision part.

The regular walks are going to be great for a GSD, but one thing that growing pups need is a lot of room and opportunity to run! Careful about having them run around with the kids though, as a herding breed, they will think that chasing little ones and nipping them is normal - again, that is where supervision and management of the pup's environment comes in to prevent these situations from happening.

Lots of info here about raising a pup - also notice all the posts about puppies that bite and people don't know what to do about it - not that much to do about it except wait for them to outgrow that phase, which can last several months.

How do I stop the biting?!?!

Puppy BITING!!! Teaching Bite Inhibition

General Puppy Stuff - German Shepherd Dog Forums


Puppy biting... Hints and tips to help

[trinity3623]

You know Kelina. You are really selling me on the dog, lol. I really do love the breed. Its such a hard call. I instantly fell in love with the puppy. I just hope if i get her tht she wont shed that bad and if brushing will help with it

[selzer]

Some shed less and some shed more. Females blow coat twice a year. My worst shedder was a tight, short coated male -- he shed constantly. Of course he was my first, and his dog food wasn't the greatest.

On the whole, if you are concerned about hair, the German Shepherd is not the right breed for you.

On the other hand, grooming your dog is great bonding, and if you brush your dog once a day, and get them groomed as soon as they start blowing coat, you will cut down shedding a lot. People who love the breed look at a little hair as a small price to pay for a wonderful addition to the family and home.