Hello

[EllaBella]

I'm Ella, and I am new here. My family and I have spent about 2 years learning about different breeds and we have settled on a GSD. We have found a reputable breeder, and we are excited to bring home our new family member. The litter was born on Christmas Eve, so she wont be able to join us for several more weeks. I am a personal trainer, and my husband is in school full time distance education through The University of Maryland, and we have a 10 year old daughter.

As a personal trainer I am not usually away from my home for more than an hour and a half at a time, and since we home school our daughter we all spend most of our day at home. We have grown very accustomed to everyone being around the house a lot, so there will almost always be someone there with the puppy. I am in the process of finding a great Vet in the area, and a good Obedience school for the puppy.

We are wanting to get her qualified as a Therapy Dog once she has grown enough and has gone through CGC training. We also would like her to be something of a protector for our daughter, and also in case of intruders, and I'm concerned about training as both Therapy and Protection. I worry they would be incompatible trainings and would lead to confusing the dog.

I am just wondering if anyone has any thoughts on duel training, and if it is a bad/good idea. Both my husband and I have owned many dogs while we were growing up, though neither of us has owned a GSD, and we have not owned a dog since before our daughter was born. I understand the physical and mental requirements of the breed, and I am fully prepared to create a stimulating and active environment for our new family member, so I am just wanting opinions I guess. Thanks

~Ella

[MaggieRoseLee]

Welcome to the forum!

We are wanting to get her qualified as a Therapy Dog once she has grown enough and has gone through CGC training. We also would like her to be something of a protector for our daughter, and also in case of intruders, and I'm concerned about training as both Therapy and Protection. I worry they would be incompatible trainings and would lead to confusing the dog.

If I were you, I wouldn't bother with specific Protection Training at all. Trust me, just the fact you are walking a 'scary Police Dog' down the street. Or that a LOUD barking 'guard' dog is barking at the door/window......... Are all more than enough deterents for any 'bad guys'. Why bother messing with your house/family when there's no dog at all next door!

Protection training, to do it well and keep your dog/handlers up on the skills really takes alot of weekly time and training. As does the training for a great therapy dog! And since you are much more likely to be using all the skills/training each and every day that you'll need for a therapy dog, and hopefully NEVER need your dog to attack a mass murderer......... I'd spend my time and money on the therapy dog stuff.

Can't stress enough, and I know this cause I've had a yellow Labrador Retriever and the GSD's, just the look of a GSD (so choosing the breed) is enough deterent for pretty much everyone.

[Stosh]

That's what I was going to say too!

[EllaBella]

MaggieRoseLee, thank you very much. I appreciate the reply, and I agree with you. My hubby said something about having her trained in protection, and I thought the two different kinds of training would not work well together. My preference is for the Therapy Dog training, because I feel it would be more rewarding, for the dog as well as for the family. I am looking forward to bringing our little girl home at the beginning of March. Again, thank you!!

~Ella

[1sttimeforgsd]

Hello and Welcome!

Be sure to take plenty of pictures of that new baby when you bring her home and share with us please.