When do you become experienced?

[Kittilicious]

I am not...

I know this is going to be a complete opinion thread, but when do you feel someone qualifies as an experienced GSD owner?

[BR870]

I think there are varying degrees of experience. For example I grew up around GSDs, got one when I was 20 or so and he lived a long full life with me before passing on in 2009, and now have two more a young adult female and a puppy. Now that does not make me "experienced", but I'm also not a new first time owner either. Since I have lived with the breed most of my life, and have seen and raised GSDs in each stage of their life. I know what to expect from them and whether I can live with one and how to meet their needs.

But compared to some of the truly experienced folks on here I am but a novice. Especially when it comes to breeding, or pedigrees, or Schutzhund of similar topics.

So, one mans "experienced" is another man's "novice"

[robinhuerta]

I believe that experience comes with time.
But I also believe that everyone shares "experiences".....and one never stops learning.

[Zisso]

I try to keep to myself in most posts because while I have grown up basically with Shepherds, I feel like I just don't ever know enough and am always scared that my advice will be wrong/bad and might cause trouble. But I love to talk, live alone, and post my experiences whenever I get a chance

[GSDkid]

I am a complete novice. This is my first GSD and first dog (got her as a pup). I think I did pretty well in raising such an energetic dog but again, I'm a complete novice so it could've been better.

In my eyes, an experienced GSD owner would be someone who seen every circumstance that a GSD could possibly go through such as: birth, breeding, training, death, etc... I will never breed so I won't know that aspect of the GSD.

[arycrest]

IMHO fanciers are always learning about dogs/GSDs, health, training, behavior, competition, etc., so I'm not sure if it's really possible to answer your question. And even if someone is extremely knowledgeable in some of these areas, I don't know of many people who could be called experienced in all of them.


Wishing you a very Merry Christmas!

[Freestep]

Experience is a matter of degree, there's no magic moment where someone goes from "novice" to "experienced". I have been working professionally with dogs for over 20 years and have owned GSDs for most of that time. However, I am not a breeder and I don't know much about bloodlines. I haven't titled in SchH, PSA, Agility, or tracking. So compared to many people in this forum, I am not very experienced, but I believe I have more experience than the average dog owner, just from having worked with so many dogs for so long.

However, experience is a neverending quest and I feel like I learn more everyday--the more I learn, it seems, the less I know! That is what is really important, IMO, to keep my mind eager and open so I can continue to learn. I feel like I learn every day; in fact, I *expect* to learn every day, so I am constantly thinking about what I need to do, and constantly listening. Listening both to more experienced people, and to dogs.

Once you think you know everything, you're dead!

[onyx'girl]

Originally Posted by robinhuerta

I believe that experience comes with time.
But I also believe that everyone shares "experiences".....and one never stops learning.

I agree.
I had a GSD in the early 80's-til he passed at 11 in '93. We didn't do much as far as formal training and Stomper was our companion, went wherever we did, boating, camping etc.
He was an awesome dog, fitting into whatever we were doing/got along with the other neighborhood dogs, and people(we lived at a lake so every dog was basically loose, never really contained).

Along came Onyx with her temperamental issues, allergies, etc...that is when I started learning about behavior and health. I think when we have an 'easy' dog, we aren't challenged to learn so just go with the flow. It took a dog with issues to make me want to do more, I became passionate about it! I'm still a novice, for sure!

[msvette2u]

Originally Posted by robinhuerta

I believe that experience comes with time.
But I also believe that everyone shares "experiences".....and one never stops learning.

Bingo

One aspect of rescue/fostering that I love is that I learn so many breed traits, individual dog traits and tons about dog illnesses.
I learn about which things can be treated at home vs. which need vet attention, which antibiotics are best for this illnesses or that disease.

I do feel I've learned, over the past (almost) 12yrs., about the GSD breed and it's overall traits, but each dog is an individual within that breed.

I'd never call myself an expert (even in another 12yrs) but I have learned a lot and can share my experiences, of which everyone here has some, and can share.

I'd never have been able to know (for instance) our last dog had SIBO without message boards, or it would have taken me a lot longer. As it was, I saved his life on a weekend after reading up on it and it's treatment, and the vet missed the dx.

Now I know more, and can help others in that area. I'm thankful for the collective experiences here and other GSD boards

[KentuckyGSDLover]

Hmm, that's a good question, because it seems like it's a continual learning experience, and the circumstances differ. All three of the GSD I have had were COMPLETELY different. My first one was fearless, driven, loyal, very active and very even/predictable in temperment. My second has more of a laid back "pal to everyone" personality. My latest is wild, driven and is on the anxious side (how much of that is adjustment yet I still don't know). All 3 have been hard-headed. So I've had German Shepherds since the early 1980s. Am I experienced? I can only say I'm experienced in relation to the dogs I've grown to know individually. I'm actually struggling a bit dealing with this third one.