How have your life experiences prepared you to be a better GSD owner?

[JulieBays]

Oops, Chelle, I forgot to say what/why my recent fear of large dogs occurred. The pit/lab mix next door who still runs without a leash killed my cat in front of me. I had panic attacks for about a year. Literally, bad panic attacks when I saw the dog. I'm over it but I needed to understand dogs first. That happened after I got Sasha and read this forum.

[chelle]

Wow, Julie, thanks for sharing that! I know you said you don't necessarily believe in God, but I think He was working in getting you that fence!!!!!! And that's a great fence, btw!!!!!!! AND a beeaaauuutifulll puppy dog! Sounds like you two were meant to be together.

That brings up memories.. When I was researching breeds of dogs, I was leaning hard toward an American Eskimo. At that time, my grandmother was dying of brain cancer. I was visiting her at hospice and telling her about what I was wanting to do... someone had an Eskie there at hospice, and anyway, we discussed it and she knew how badly I wanted that breed of dog.

So I drove 740 miles to get the dog I'd been dreaming about for years. I brought the pup to see grandma. Truth be told, grandma was mostly incoherent by then. BUT grandma woke up, reached out, petted my pup and said, "Oh! I'm so glad you got your dog!" and pretty much passed out... and that was the last interaction we had. She died shortly after.

I wasn't super close to my grandma, not as close as I wish I would've been, but I'm crying thinking about that memory now. It was just meant to happen that way. We had a really incredible last moment together, thanks to a beloved dog. I'll go to the grave cherishing that.

[JulieBays]

Chelle,

I do believe in something now. It's hard to explain. My sister would be mad at me, I think. It was a combination of my house, my fence, Sasha and just weird stuff that came together at the right time. There is something that binds us. I'll just leave it at that for now. I'm new at this feeling.

[chelle]

Originally Posted by JulieBays

Chelle,

I do believe in something now. It's hard to explain. My sister would be mad at me, I think. It was a combination of my house, my fence, Sasha and just weird stuff that came together at the right time. There is something that binds us. I'll just leave it at that for now. I'm new at this feeling.

Yup, it's okay, I get it. Sometimes there just aren't words. I'm a Christian woman -- not necessarily a good Christian woman -- but I try to be. (and fail a lot.) I know God worked thru us with my girl Dolly and grandma. There's actually a lot more to that story, but it would take 22 paragraphs to go into it, so I'll leave it with the short version. Bottom line, there was something higher working in the way it all came about.

Not to go zealot here, but dogs aren't here by accident or mistake IMHO. They're here for US. They have their issues haha, but they're SIMPLE. They will love us unconditionally. They can comfort us when another human cannot. They always forgive! I think they're God's gift to us.

Our babies are only two weeks apart in age. (May 1, 2011) !!

[Tammy GSD]

I very literally owe my GSD my life so I love her more than words can say and think I maybe have a deeper bond to her than most people do. Because of this, she is my child for all intents and purposes. She gets spoiled, trained, taken places, cuddled, called "my baby girl" and I would protect her with my life, too, valuing it more than my own. In fact, I recently had a bicycle accident accident when she was with me. I thought I may have hurt her in the fall. I went flying (broke a wrist bone, tore my rotator cuff and had road rash and brusing from shoulder to knee). As I lay there on the road bleeding, looking up at the sky, I couldn't hear her and everyone asking me if I was ok I just kept screaming for someone to tell me if my dog was ok. I was dying inside, thinking she was hurt (not so much as a scratch). I was praying to God to let me die instead of her. I meant it.

[KZoppa]

i'm not sure. I guess i would say my parents and their lack of dog skills or capability of keeping a dog for any serious length of time. I never had a dog growing up that was with us (puppy or adult!) for more than 2-3 months. I always had to work harder for everything because my parents werent exactly the most responsible financially so all those nifty cool things my friends had like the motorized cars or that totally awesome swing set or dogs.... i hated it. I had a good childhood but I wanted my own dog. I've grown up with cats. I love cats. I refuse to go without at least one cat in the house but i always wanted a dog. I spent as much time as i could with friends dogs. A guy my dad worked with lived down the street from me and he had a blue heeler named Casey. She and i became the best of friends and she would hop her fence and come down to visit me. I walked her and trained her. She and I had a bond that was strong enough, her owner asked me one day if i wanted her. Boy did i but i knew my parents. They loved Casey as much as i did but previous experience told me she probably wouldnt have been around long.

I guess my lack of having my own dog but working with friends dogs helped. I always wanted a GSD and i fell in love watching the K9 demonstrations in the spring at Spring Spree. Graduated high school a semester early, moved out 3 days after my actual graduation day and 2 months later, Geramy and I adopted Riley. Since then.... the rest is history!

[MicheleMarie]

it's impossible to not smile 3094823498234209384 times a day with my dogs

[Packen]

For me it is the ability to read a dog to determine if dog/pup will be a suitable fit. After that there is no end.

[Salix]

I couldn't really tell you how it came to be other than a mass aligning of several colossal planets that suddenly allowed me to find myself in the middle of a muddy farm way out in the country where a reputable breeder of police dogs was showing me her most recent litter. It was getting cold, nearly the end of November. I knew quite a bit about dogs then through books and friends with dogs, German Shepherds belonging to one family member growing up. It was my first time meeting this breeder and I had never visited her kennel before. We only had lengthy conversations on the phone and I could tell only from her voice and the way she spoke that there may be a good chance something would fire off in the right way. I did not go there that day planning to adopt a dog home with me but somehow I came prepared as if that day was THE day. I had everything with me - the new leash, the new collar, the money, the blankets, the new puppy toys for the car ride, the crate, even a pen to sign any papers.

I prepared a lot. I read and learned and absorbed intensively for at least 8 months before Denver came home with me that day. When THE day came, the first time I ever saw him, I knew that was the moment. And since then it requires a lot more learning, reading, and also getting out and speaking to more experienced owners especially those of German Shepherds. I owe a lot of my knowledge and experience to those with a lot more knowledge and experience.

There is no resting on laurels! Denver is my first dog and I tend to gravitate closer to GSDs than any other breed. I relate to Elizabeth and just may be a 'GSD snob' but I won't turn my back to other dogs and I love them all. I see different personalities and just relate most to GSDs on a deeply personal level.

I hope that makes sense.