Your GSD????

[DensterNY]

I got my first GSD when I was 10 years old while at a flea market in New Jersey. There was a litter of pups in a cardboard box after playing with the pups I picked one up and refused to let her go and was adamant about keeping her.

$7 later she came home with us and she proved to be the most loving, devoted and caring dog in my life. I've loved the breed since then and am on my 3rd and will try to have shepherds around until the day I die.

On a slightly creepy note, I have instructions to have my dog's urns buried with me when I pass.

[StryderPup]

I have always admired German Shepherds, even when I was younger. Several months after moving in to our new home we had some trouble with some neighborhood kiddos and my husband said " That is it, I am getting a German Shepherd" I said "NO! They are too protective and I don't want that. Well he talked me into it and he sent me to go and "look" at this little GSD puppy. He wanted to make sure it wasn't at a puppy mill and that it was healthy. Well I made an appointment to go and look at him, and well he came home with me and slept next to me the first night He has been attached to my butt ever since

[Dainerra]

DH grew up with shepherds; I had never owned one. Rayden was purchased as "his" dog, but he's been a mama's boy since the day he arrived. Then a few months ago came Freya. She's a rescue and also a total mama's girl. Technically, my first GSD lol

[tatiana]

I was 22 years old, on my own, and had always dreamed of having a GSD. I used to buy books about them and study the photographs and read all about them every chance I got.

Unfortunately, money was also an issue at that time, but I finally found someone on a farm with puppies. I paid $25 for her (1973). She was full of fleas and worms, but we got past all that. She was my life. I came home every day at lunch to share a peanut butter & jelly sandwich with her. Yeah, I know, but I didn't know any better all those years ago. We were as bonded as twins and together all the time.

She went with me EVERYWHERE except to work. She stayed in the car when I grocery shopped, went to the mall, visited friends, etc. She'd sleep in the drivers seat with her nose resting through the spokes of the steering wheel, guarding the car. When I got a convertible she was in her glory. We'd drive a 100 miles on Sundays, just enjoying the wind.

I have an entire "baby album" of her photos, and still cry to this day when I look at them. I've never been without a GSD since 1973 except for mourning periods in between dogs. She will always have a very special place in my heart, and was the reason I fell in love with the breed.

[tatiana]

Originally Posted by DensterNY

On a slightly creepy note, I have instructions to have my dog's urns buried with me when I pass.

Actually, I don't find that creepy at all. I have instructions to have all my dogs photographs buried with me.

[mandelyn]

I'm a 2nd generation Shepherd owner and have started doing rescue work for the breed too. Which FYI gets expensive, Logan needs a hip replacement to get a decent life. Between him and Ricca, I've spent enough at the vet to get one heck of a pup. Bastian, he's the healthiest Shepherd I've ever had.

Ricca came first, when I was living in Germany. She had passed through some 5 homes in a little over a week through no fault of her own. (though she is a little nuts and a lot of dog to handle). She was brought to me to look over, I fell in love instantly. Tracked down her original buyers and the breeder, signed some paperwork, and have had her ever since. She has a giant personality, sweet to her people, though she's not lacking as a guard dog. With her being the way she is, I could never rehome her, ever. I feel like I need to protect her.

Logan too, who else is going to pay for his hip surgery? He's just an average BYB rescue, but he's so sweet and good natured, even after surviving all he's been through.

Bastian, great dog. Can't say enough good things about him.

Though I am looking forward to the day when I can select my own pup and start from 8 weeks old with a clean slate.

[heather122]

I grew up with a rhodesian ridgeback... She was my dad's and my grandparents also had one. By age 5ish, I wanted a dog of my own. Saw a GSD in a dog book, thought it was pretty. Mom and Dad got me my own GSD mix. He had all the markings of a GSD, but his ears didn't stand up and he was vertically challenged.

He had to be put down when I was 18... A year passed, along came Dixie (GSD/collie mix). Moved into my own place. "Sister" still lives with mom. Husband moved in with me with not-so-bright, but lovable min-pin. Min pin runs into street at night and had to be buried. Couldnt stand the quiet house, so I made the jump and got my purebred Sadie. Would not trade her for anything! Even bought new car to accomodate to her!

[elisabeth_00117]

Our first GSD was our "family pet" and my parents did a lot of research before finding our breeder. I was only a kid (maybe 10 years old) so I didn't have any say in the matter, although I did pick out our second dog (another GSD and our current "family pet" Beau).

Beau, who is 13 years old came from the same breeder as our first dog after she passed at a young age by saving my Dad. The breeder had just bred my previous dogs parents one last time before retiring both and we were able to have been the first on the waiting list. My family wanted the smaller puppy when it was time to bring them home but I and the breeder were focused on another who ultimently ended up being my baby girl Beau.

As for Stark, he's *my* first dog and I researched for almost 4 years before purchasing him from my breeder.

I was still completing my undergraduate degree and wanted to wait until I was in graduate school before making the committment to a puppy. Worked out great.

[robinhuerta]

When we moved from California to Illinois...I was 6yrs old. Our neighbor ( a K9 Officer), had his GSD partner living with him. The officer became a very close friend of our family, and my first GSD (solid black) was given to me, from our neighbor.
Since then.....more dogs, numerous breeds and mixes....but a "special" place in my heart for the GSD breed.

[diana72805]

We had been talking about getting a dog for some time. A friend of mine just brought home a pit puppy when we were visiting one day. At that point, we decided that we simply could not wait any longer. At first, (even though we're both large breed people) we were thinking of something smaller. Not quite the yappy breeds, but maybe a pug. After alot of consideration of WHAT we were looking for in a dog, nothing quite compared to a GSD. Our search began, and we ran across an ad of someone who just got a puppy from a "breeder" but the kids in the house were allergic. (we came to find out much later that Jaz was not from one of the breeder's litters, but a litter that a friend of the breeder had) Needless to say, with his temperament, we didn't really care whether or not he was from a breeder or not... he's a wonderful dog.

Tarja came to us about a year later. We talked about getting a second GSD, but thought it wouldn't be until Jaz was about 2 (he's 1 now) I was searching craigslist for nothing in particular and ran across a posting of GSD puppies seeking homes. Called DH hoping that he would talk some sense into me, but instead he yelled "CALL THEM!" And here we are now