[KZoppa]

Feel free to move if this isn't the right place to post this.

Okay. So i've been thinking about this a great deal. I KNOW I want a male GSD. I'm burned out on females. Too many girls in the house lol. Anyway, I know i either want a solid black or a very dark sable. NO showlines. Dont care for them. I love the quick intelligence and desire to please i see in working lines. If my understanding is correct i prefer the DDR lines because they are more relaxed than the czech lines but they're also high drive, high desire to please. Would definitely be getting a puppy as i prefer to start training than have to retrain though retraining wouldnt be an issue as long as the dog and i could connect so we could work together. Now i know there are times that you just dont connect with a puppy. The dog would be a family pet first and foremost. Would prefer to have a pup from parents who are proven to have that protective instinct as being a military wife and my husband being gone a large portion of the time, that ability would be comforting though size alone is usually a fabulous deterent. As much as my hubby hates it, the dog would be spoiled rotten (lol) and socialized extensively as i LOVE taking the dogs with me whenever i possibly can. Would be socialized with kids, other dogs and cats so a puppy would be best anyway. I'm interested in possibly getting involved with agility and/or obedience beyond basic household manners. We enjoy camping and road trips and just generally spending time with the dogs.

I would like to be able to get a puppy that has pretty good handler focus from the start, with minimal treats involved. I enjoy walking and my husband bikes and jogs so no lack in exercise available. Energy isnt really an issue as Shasta is our hellion with fur who gets the zoomies a few times a day despite extensive exercise, although i would appreciate a slightly more mellow pup but as i said its not necessary.

Am i being unrealistic when i say i want a pup with handler focus early on? I know color should be last on the list but i would LOVE to have a black GSD or a dark sable. they're just gorgeous dogs. I also like the heavier/larger dogs. Showlines are too delicate IMO. Just not my cup of tea. Hubby doesnt care for them either. The pup would be mine so hubby doesnt really care as long as its the pup i want who gets along with the kids and other animals. We visit family and they have cats and kids so its a definite must.

Am i asking too much? I have a couple breeders in mind that have just fabulous dogs that i would have no problems getting a pup from. Wouldnt be getting a pup for at the very least a year but its more likely in the next two years.

 

[Jax08]

I thought you were only allowed a certain number of dogs? Wasn't that why you couldn't keep a foster before? Or do I have the wrong person?

 

[Deuce]

How many dogs do you already have?

 

[KZoppa]

currently where we are we're allowed a certain number of dogs which is why it would be a year or two before we got another dog. we have to get a few other things in order as well before hand. I definitely dont want to add another pup until my daughter, at the very least, is in school. So it could very well be even longer down the road. I for sure dont want to bring another pup into the house until Shasta is trained to the point i want her to be. We're due to move middle of next year so dont want or need the added stress of organizing for a move and training a 2nd pup. I posted asking if what i wanted to find was too much to ask. Please read the post more accurately and you would see i said it wouldnt happen for at the very least a year but most likely more. I'm not ready to take on another pup. My daughter has decided she's going to start being your typical obnoxious 3 year old and my son has figured out that she may get blamed for something he did. Have my hands full right now. We may not even get another pup until the duty station after next.

 

[KZoppa]

How many dogs do you already have?

we currently have 3 but Shelby is going to live with my BFF/sister and her husband and her son as Shelby had a massive connection with my godson when they visited a few weeks back. I did another post about it. Shelby hasnt connected with us on the level she did with my godson and she's the only dog he's been allowed to come in contact with and he wasnt terrified of her. He wants a dog but is afraid of most (his mom has sheltered him far too much IMO). So we'll be down to two dogs come next year after our move. So Shelby will be going to live with her new buddy and into a home with GSD experience. In the meantime, she's happily with us getting as much training as i can continue to get into her brain.

Sidenote: i'm excited to be getting stationed near my BFF. It'll be so nice having a friend nearby in a new unknown place.

 

[Deuce]

we currently have 3 but Shelby is going to live with my BFF/sister and her husband and her son as Shelby had a massive connection with my godson when they visited a few weeks back. I did another post about it. Shelby hasnt connected with us on the level she did with my godson and she's the only dog he's been allowed to come in contact with and he wasnt terrified of her. He wants a dog but is afraid of most (his mom has sheltered him far too much IMO). So we'll be down to two dogs come next year after our move. So Shelby will be going to live with her new buddy and into a home with GSD experience. In the meantime, she's happily with us getting as much training as i can continue to get into her brain.

Sidenote: i'm excited to be getting stationed near my BFF. It'll be so nice having a friend nearby in a new unknown place.

Gotcha :hug:

 

[Rerun]

I thought you were only allowed a certain number of dogs? Wasn't that why you couldn't keep a foster before? Or do I have the wrong person?

So everyone should keep all their fosters? Just curious.

As I recall, that dog was always a foster - it was never their dog.

 

[KZoppa]

So everyone should keep all their fosters? Just curious.

As I recall, that dog was always a foster - it was never their dog.

Thank you.

the problem with Mia was she kept getting dumped in out yard even after i'd thought id found a reliable forever home for her. Housing was tolerant of it and gave us a time frame to find another home for her. Usually they're very tolerant of fostering but because of the situation regarding Mia, they werent as tolerant as they could have been and should have been. Time ran out and we couldnt get another extension so she had to be surrendered to animal control. Rescues were full and even courtesy posts didnt do anything. Luckily she was adopted by an older couple who spends their time travelling in their motorhome so Mia is happily the center of attention and next to never alone.

 

[GSDBESTK9]

You just described the male puppies we just sold out of our boy Arko.

 

[Jax08]

So everyone should keep all their fosters? Just curious.

As I recall, that dog was always a foster - it was never their dog.

Well Rerun...the question was if she could even have another dog right now because of a previous conversation where she could not keep a foster any longer due to being over the limit of allowed dogs. The OP understood what I was asking. So sorry I didn't explain it all out for you.

And since I have fostered dogs and am active in helping to rescue GSDs, you can lose the attitude with me.

 

[KZoppa]

Okay, i want to make this VERY clear. I wrote this post not asking for critism regarding PREVIOUS FOSTERING history. I foster when i can which is not often anyway. In all honesty i try to stay away from it for now because of how young my kids are unless i feel i can handle the dog no problems. When someone else is in control of your place of residence, you do what you can but when they are continually changing rules its tough. So leave it alone. I am asking if i personally am asking too much in what i'm looking for in a puppy right off the bat. We will NOT be adding another permanent dog to the family for at the minimum a year but its more likely a couple of years down the road. I have things i want and need to take care of before i bring in another puppy that will need training into the house. I have my hands full with my kids, current pets, and an upcoming move that i've been busy prepping for along with work.

The question is STILL "am i asking too much to start or am i on track to get exactly what i want with already having an idea in mind?"

 

[KZoppa]

You just described the male puppies we just sold out of our boy Arko.

so basically i'm NOT asking too much.Thats good to know. haha you're actually one of the breeders i have in mind when we get to that point lol.

 

[KZoppa]

i also want to mention i wouldnt want to get the pup neutered either. He wouldnt be allowed to breed. I just dont like neutering if its not necessary. I wish we hadn't had to have Riley fixed but he was adopted from the humane society. All my girls get fixed when they're about 18months -2 years old because i like them being able to have that time to grow properly. I believe they get stunted if they're fixed early. And honestly, if i'm getting a male, i would much prefer he not be fixed so he does take on that masculan shepherd look. Riley looks very feminie despite his size. Yes, he's a mix but i think him being altered at 6 months old had an impact on it. Also, for me, theres just something not right about a male dog not having any ya know?

 

[boeselager]

No, I don't think you are asking too much when looking for a puppy. With some puppies you can see what you are looking for at an early age, but some you can't until later. I wish you the very best in your search

 

[Rerun]

Okay, i want to make this VERY clear. I wrote this post not asking for critism regarding PREVIOUS FOSTERING history. I foster when i can which is not often anyway. In all honesty i try to stay away from it for now because of how young my kids are unless i feel i can handle the dog no problems. When someone else is in control of your place of residence, you do what you can but when they are continually changing rules its tough. So leave it alone. I am asking if i personally am asking too much in what i'm looking for in a puppy right off the bat. We will NOT be adding another permanent dog to the family for at the minimum a year but its more likely a couple of years down the road. I have things i want and need to take care of before i bring in another puppy that will need training into the house. I have my hands full with my kids, current pets, and an upcoming move that i've been busy prepping for along with work.

The question is STILL "am i asking too much to start or am i on track to get exactly what i want with already having an idea in mind?"

Some people just don't have the ability to let things go, and bring up snarky remarks anyone certain people post a thread asking about something completely unrelated.

Reference your actual question, no, you aren't asking too much.

 

[KZoppa]

No, I don't think you are asking too much when looking for a puppy. With some puppies you can see what you are looking for at an early age, but some you can't until later. I wish you the very best in your search

thank you! i'm glad to know i'm not crazy for wanting to be able to find those qualities in a pup rather than an adult.

 

[KZoppa]

Some people just don't have the ability to let things go, and bring up snarky remarks anyone certain people post a thread asking about something completely unrelated.

Reference your actual question, no, you aren't asking too much.

thank you.

I think the problem is people are trying to read between the lines rather than what is actually written and thats what causes the problems. not to mention some automatically assume because of something that they dont agree with, others are always going to be in the wrong for thinking towards the future because of past or current things. I know my limits and currently, they do not include wrangling another puppy. One puppy is plenty to handle right now. Just really wish people would pay attention rather than assume.

 

[BlackGSD]

Maybe it's just me but the DDR dogs I have been around I would NOT say have a "high desire to please". They have a high desire to please THEMSELVES, but not necessarily the handler. This is the main reasons that I am looking at OTHER working lines for my next pup.

 

[KZoppa]

Maybe it's just me but the DDR dogs I have been around I would NOT say have a "high desire to please". They have a high desire to please THEMSELVES, but not necessarily the handler. This is the main reasons that I am looking at OTHER working lines for my next pup.

i've met a couple who were like that but the majority i've met have been very "please handler" types. Really as long as i can find the pup i'm looking for in either czech or DDR, i'd be happy. I'm not a fan of showlines american or german and i want to stay away from them. But as far as working lines, i prefer the DDR opr czech lines. Dont care too much for german working lines since from what i've learned they tend to have showlines in there. I dunno. I have time to figure it all out.

 

[JakodaCD OA]

I don't think your asking for to much, we all want that perfect dawg And I would definately keep caroline on your list.

I have always had ddr/czech, and I have found mine anyway, to be the opposite of what tracy has seen..Mine have always been very handler focused and "what can I do for YOU" attitude, which is why I like them..Tracy, I love those von banach dogs by the way tho I don't have one)

The one thing you may have trouble with, (and you breeders can correct me if I'm wrong), is the not wanting to neuter a male. Tho I haven't had any males that I've neutered early, most were between 1.5-2.5 years old, glad I did, kinda put their doofy brains back where they belong

Good luck in your search