Getting a new puppy

[Tay]

Hi everyone,

I'm Tay from NSW Australia. I am a 21 year old that has lived 20 of those years with several different and sometimes life threatening illnesses. The last year, however, has been FANTASTIC!

My doctor has basically looked at me, looked at my test results, shrugged, and said, "Weird childhood-only illness maybe?"

I will be getting a GSD pup within the next month or two. I used to have a gold lab, Lester, from Assistance Dogs Australia - wonderful animal. Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on your priorities, I no longer qualify for a companion animal.

On the fortunate side, I'm now very healthy and very interested in a dog who will keep up with me as I step up my activity level, and I am free to choose breed and raise myself.

On the unfortunate side, I won't get another pre-trained dog.

Lester was a companion dog, given mostly for the mental benefits of a dog and for the physical benefits of having to walk one. He was not an assistance animal. His training when he came to me consisted mostly of good socialization, calmness, housetraining, handling, and very basic obedience.
I got the opportunity with Lester to learn to train complex tasks like wiping his feet on the welcome mat outside the door (cute but not really any good at cleaning) some invisible barriers (kitchen is a no), and I was moving on to flipping lightswitches. I learned to train more advanced behaviours and maintain already known ones, but I didn't get to learn anything about the initial stages.

I have been researching that stuff pretty heavily and most of it has been stuff I already knew and seems easy, but I'm sure everyone says that, and they are always proven wrong.

The pup I get will be raised in the same way I kept Lester. Indoor, well loved, handled daily, bathed weekly, and in near-constant contact with me (as is befitting for a Companion Animal). I spent about six hours a day in conscious contact with Lester - training, feeding, handling, walking, playing - and the rest of the day just being near each other. The pup can expect similar treatment, minus of course the time deducted because I will be attending school part time about a month after I plan on getting him.

I'd like to ask, primarily, the differences I'll encounter between the Labrador breed and the GSD - everything a new GSD handler should know.

I'd also like to ask if anyone has any tips on initial training - although I have been doing heavy research, it never hurts to hear someone's personal experience.

I am expecting to have some issues training him to tolerate being alone as I will be his primary handler and 99% of the time he will be with me and whatever else, and the rest he will be alone. I would love to hear any tips people have on dogs that have separation anxiety or have had separation anxiety. Lester only got it with me after the bonding period - within a month - and once he realized I was gone he would normally drop to the floor wherever he expected me to return and simply not move at all. I never managed to ease this, all I could do was try to give him as much as possible to distract and reward him while I was gone, so that he might associate it differently. The problem was that he was able to focus on me despite the distractions offered, which is bad in that situation, and good in training. Any advice or tips on how I could teach a puppy that being alone is an OK thing would be great.

Links to other threads of these topics would be highly appreciated, as well as anyone who has had any personal experiences they would like to share.

I'm looking forward to getting to know everyone!

[robk]

Welcome Tay! I have never owned a lab so cannot tell you what to expect as far as differences between it and a German Shepherd dog. I have mostly owned only German Shepherds and (a couple) crossbreeds. What I can tell you from my experiences is that German Shepherds need mental stimulation or they can become destructive. The only advice I can give you is keep asking questions and learning. Congratulations on your prognosis!
Rob

[Tim Connell]

Welcome aboard!

[1sttimeforgsd]

Hello and Welcome! I have a Lab and she was no where near as mouthy as my Shepherd when she was a puppy.

[Mac's Mom]

Tay, Welcome to the forum. Congratulations on your health. Thats wonderful.

From what you've shared, you are much more prepared for a german shepherd than I was I actually went to puppy classes to learn how to train Mac because I had no experience at all, unlike you.

The only advice I can give is to look through the puppy section. You'll learn a lot of what to expect and how to train.

[catz]

Welcome to the forum and congrats on your good health .
You sound as if you've done your research! If I were you I'd read up on the bite inhabition treads as you've missed the landshark stage with Lester and it is a common complaint of first time GSD owners. I would read up on socialisation as well.
Have a wander about the forum, there is a wealth of information on every topic and its all helpful.
Good luck!

[mickey]

welcome and congrats

[penelopewhite]

Hi--I am a long-time Rottie owner--now have 8 y/o Rottie bitch, but will be picking up a male gsd on 1/14/12, when he turns 2 mos.

Have not had a shepherd in 12 years..out of fear of health problems in the breed....less than ethical breeder provided me with a gsd pup who had both severe ED, HD. inhalant allergies, pancreas problem. I swore I would never get another one---but, I love the breed. Just lost lly/o9mos old Golden.

I know that shepherds are different than Rotties---my female is an alpha female, but mellowing some with age, well-trained, and can be pushy like every Rott I have ever met!

I am most concerned with what to feed my little guy..l know a large breed puppy food is a MUST, and like with Rottie pups would switch him to adult food at four/five months,,but what to feed. The breeder will have him on Eukanuba Large Breed Puppy, but will switch him to a large breed puppy witout corn and by-products. WHAT LARGE BREED PUPPY FOODS ARE THE BEST FOR GSD PUPS, and do you supplement with probiotics and digestive enzymes? Have always supplemented Rottie with probiotics and digestive enzymes plus tablespoon of canned pumpkin with both feedings, and she has had maybe one episode of diarrhea/intestinal infection her entire life.

Chekov is enrolled in KPT on 2/4/12. Plan to do Rally with him as I did with Rottie and doggie freestyle dancing!---as dogs all seem to love it! Also, at least a CD.....

Any other tips would be appreciated--am obviously more familiar with female Rotties than with male gsds!

Penelope White