Considering a german shepherd

[_Remko_]

Hi all,

in the near future I will relocate from my tiny appartement to a strip of land near the beaches of mexico. I always wanted a dog but due to my living conditions, amount of available time it never seemed like the right thing to do.

The german shepherd has always been a favorite of mine, I like the fact that its an inteligent dog, not everymans friend, protective, all in all I admire and respect the breed.

However I find it hard to figure out if my future conditions will be right for this dog and in addition what specific things I should take into consideration to provide the best care. For this I would like your opinion/feedback on what I expect for the future years to come.

We will be living in a remote area, plenty of space, close to the beach. I would say a wonderfull environment. However it is a warm and dry climate (daytime 77F winter - 95F summer), nights are cool.
In addition we already have 3 cats, are looking to get some chickens. If that isn't enough we also want children in the future (yep it's almost a zoo).

Time is something we have plenty of and a majority of work hours are spend at home, we are both active people so excersize also shouldnt be an issue. The first +/- six months after relocating I will be unemployed so I would have all the time in the world for socializing/training our newest addition.

A last thing to keep in mind is that we expect to be running a small coffeeshop in front of our house. This means plenty of strangers (no crowds) which I consider to be the biggest concern.

Would a german shepherd (after reading this) be a viable option? If not, why? and what specific things should we consider to provide the best home for our shepherd and provide the training so he/she can be comfortable in these surroundings?

We would hate to become the type of owners that have to return a pet because we can not manage it. However if there is anything we can do or provide we will.

Thanks!
Remko

[JakodaCD OA]

I think it sounds like a great set up for a puppy to start a new life

socialize socialize socialize would be my suggestion since you'll be having a business with lots of comings and goings..

other than that, I say go for it,,

[onyx'girl]

Welcome to the site. A GSD would be a great addition to your life. The concern for me would be finding a good breeder with good temperament/health in their puppies. The pup should adjust to life around a coffeeshop just fine and be a great ambassador to the breed.
I'm not sure how many good breeders would be available in Mexico~ or are you going to purchase before you move? I think you'd find some wonderful breeders in Europe, but the quaranteen(if by law), travel may not be so easy.
As long as you safely socialize your puppy and not isolate him from people/evironment, etc you should succeed!
This site is great for developmental stages:
Developmental Stages

Another great must read on temperament:
(Elements of Temperament, by Joy Tiz )
look around the above site, many great articles on the breed.

This one is good,too!
(Raising Puppies, by Wildhaus Kennels )

[_Remko_]

Thanks for the feedback so far and encouraging words

Originally Posted by JakodaCD OA

I think it sounds like a great set up for a puppy to start a new life

Not just for the puppy

Originally Posted by onyx'girl

The concern for me would be finding a good breeder with good temperament/health in their puppies. The pup should adjust to life around a coffeeshop just fine and be a great ambassador to the breed.

I agree, however I see that as a follow up concern. I am able to provide the right enviroment and attention. If so, go look for a good breeder.

How does one determine good temperament/health in their puppies? Some "tests" I can do with the puppy when visiting a breeder? (I see a lot is in the articles, looks very interesting!)

Things that still concern me is the climate and I am a bit worried the dog will start herding the cats and future toddler (read some horror stories). I don't consider it the dogs fault but the owner. In the end it is still a powerfull dog with big teeth, any tips on how to keep things safe? I would never leave it alone in the house with little children. Should it be in a bench when left alone?

It might be a good idea to get a puppy from a breeder in Europe but that will depend on quarantine. Spending time in quarantine that could be spend on socializing, also I think it might be better to socialize it in the environment it will be living in?

[onyx'girl]

Does Mexico have quarantine laws? I don't know, I would not want a pup to be quarantined ever! So you'd be limited to buying one in Mexico. From reading on the PedigreeDataBase good breeders are far and few between there.

Proper training won't have your pup herding the cats and children. The dog will adapt to the environment, so that shouldn't be a concern either. All dogs have teeth, a small breed bites, too! You just have to teach bite inhibition(littermates and mom do this if the pups stay together for the full 8 weeks), and supervise constantly.
A "bench" you mean a crate or kennel? Yes that would be best when unsupervised to get pup use to crate. For the dogs safety.

[HMV]

IMHO if you plan on having babies like you said don't get a GSD or any dog at the moment. My kids are now adults and from my experience when you have babies in the house you need every spare second to yourself. I personally don't think it would be right on you or a dog. A dog is just a dog and a family always has to come first. Your devotion and first priority must be to the baby and this could lead to a jealous dog. I would personally wait and see what the future brings and then decide.

[kensbuns1]

Once you are owed by a GSD you will never consider another dog again. Believe me I was not a dog person till Chewey. Wonderful, protective, family dogs. GOTTA LOVE THOSE GERMAN SHEPHERDS!!

[janisinsc]

My GSD comes to work with me just about every day. Not a problem, just socialize. He loves meeting new people and is a great dog to have in this enviroment.

[codmaster]

Originally Posted by HMV

IMHO if you plan on having babies like you said don't get a GSD or any dog at the moment. My kids are now adults and from my experience when you have babies in the house you need every spare second to yourself. I personally don't think it would be right on you or a dog. A dog is just a dog and a family always has to come first. Your devotion and first priority must be to the baby and this could lead to a jealous dog. I would personally wait and see what the future brings and then decide.

OTOH, we had a female GSD (BYB too) for about 2 years when we had our son and it worked out great with her becoming his favorite playmate when he was a crawler. And she was super with him even with sharing cookies while he was in a swing in the room.

[_Remko_]

Originally Posted by HMV

IMHO if you plan on having babies like you said don't get a GSD or any dog at the moment. My kids are now adults and from my experience when you have babies in the house you need every spare second to yourself. I personally don't think it would be right on you or a dog. A dog is just a dog and a family always has to come first. Your devotion and first priority must be to the baby and this could lead to a jealous dog. I would personally wait and see what the future brings and then decide.

We are certainly not planning on having both a pup and baby at the same time. To be honest I think the baby plans won't be due till several years from now. For a couple to not get a dog if they ever want children in their future at some point seems a bit too strict. I can however imagine some basic rules will apply like:

1. Don't get a pup if you are considering children within a year.
2. Make sure a newborn doesn't disrupt the basic schedule of playtime, walks etc. you have with your dog.
3. Some additional things to keep in mind, how to introduce dog and newborn, training so dog knows his place with the newborn etc..

Like I also said, time is something we will have plenty of. Good advice on how to handle a mature dog when a newborn comes into place I would greatly appreciate, or would it be an absolute no no?