My love comes from my childhood. I had a rough time making friends but never met a judgemental animal so i found friendship in 4 legged critters ;-)


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I am a lover of all animals but mostly horses and dogs. Particularly, GSD's. Aside from a Collie, we grew up owning GSD my entire childhood, and breeding them when I was a teenager. My dream was to be a veterinarian (never happened), but also dreamt of living in the country with my critters (finally happened). Dogs were always a part of my family, and still are. Doesn't matter what you look like, how rich you are, what kind of car you drive....all they're worried about is the love they can give/receive... unconditional. Many times when I didn't feel loved, I found it from my 4-legged family. I think people could learn a lot from them!

 

I've always wanted to work in with dogs since I was little (which I now do!), apparently I was the child one had to watch as I'd walk right up to any dog, large or small and offer whatever I was eating and a pet.

My bestfriend as a child was my aunt's white GSD, Ditto (Named after elderly white GSD that passed when I was still a baby). That dog chased field rabbits with me, swam with me, flush snaked away from me. I've wanted one ever since but am an avid adopter of homeless pets. I had an opportunity to have a puppy from an unwanted litter and now I have my own noble shepherd.

 

We grew up with a female GSD named Cheyenne. She lived to be 18 years old, survived 3 strokes, and was out in the yard playing with us up until the day before she had to be put down. I remembered playing out in the snow with her I would take her toy and go bury it in the snow and tell her to go find it. She always did. I remember thinking this was the world's best tracking dog ever. When I got older it dawned on me that she was always right next to me when I hid her toy, watching my every move lol.

 

I grew up with dogs my entire life. We had a mixed breed that my mom found before I was born. He was a small dog, probably 25-30 pounds at the most. We then had 2 Chihuahuas, a male and a female. My grandmother had a husky. 2 Brussels Griffons joined us later on, also a male and female. In 2009 we had a toy poodle and 2 years ago we got our first German Shepherd. My entire life I grew up with small dogs and I had always wanted a large one. Watching movies like Balto, All Dogs go to Heaven (my username), Air Bud, Beethoven, The Fox and the Hound, Lady and the Tramp, The Plague Dogs, Lassie, The Littlest Hobo, Due South (Diefenbaker), Homeward Bound, 101 Dalmatians, Good Boy, I could go on for a REALLY long time. As a kid I used to buy books for the day that I would own a large dog. I would read these books all day. Soooo many different breeds, taking zoo many dog breed matching tests, watching so many shows. I had gone through so many resources in preparation for that magical day. At came to the point where I didn't care so much about the breed, I just wanted to have a large dog. So one day about 2 and a half years ago, I convinced my mom and my step dad to get another dog. We looked around for a good breeder and we found one. I read their website and everything seemed perfect. These people were very passionate. We scheduled a meeting with them and we talked for about an hour and a half. My mom and I got along with them great. Unfortunately they didn't have any dogs for sale. The woman and her son wanted to keep the few that had remaining so they could breed more and the woman's son didn't have to sell anymore (He was probably in his 30's). They were in the process of selling a dog, but they weren't certain if the person was a good match, so if that deal didn't go through, we were next in line. The man ended up getting the dog, so we found another breeder. She had a new litter and after 3 weeks of our first meeting with her (The longest 3 weeks of my life) we took home our dog. Bumpy training experience and we're still in the process, but I've enjoyed every second of it. I decided to name his Charlie, after the character "Charlie B. Barkin" from the T.V. show and movie "All Dogs Go to Heaven".

Behold my giant wall of text!

 

Charlie B Barkin loved your story and your dogs name!

 

When I was a child I lived in a very "alternative" part of town with loads of students, hippies, punks, freaks... the most dogs I knew back then were Shepherd mixes and most of them, since they had a lot of contact with people and other dogs, were really friendly and well socialised. So for me the typical "dog" was a dog that looked much like a German Shepherd.
When I got older I was bit by a labrador and for a long time I was a bit scared of big dogs, but still admiring how well behaved the German shepherds were, that I met. I also was slightly envious because it looked much more fun having a dog to run around and play with than having a cat that hates children and brings enormous dead rats into the house.
Then my family got our first dog and since then I'm hooked.
I still love the Molossian breeds because of their temperament but the German Shepherds, because the most were really well trained and because of their friendly but distanced attitude towards strangers have a special place in my heart.

 

I grew up with a GSD. My dad found her abused, half bald, and barely hanging onto life near his old shop. He took her in with the intentions of getting her put down because he didn't think she'd make it much longer... gave her some food & water and she perked up the following day. The vet estimated her to be about 1-2 years old. We had her until she was 14 and had lyme disease in her kidneys and had to be put down. She was my best friend. I was 12 and crushed to lose her - my dad wasn't going to tell me he was putting her down initially because he knew how much I loved her & wanted to believe she'd be fine, but his employee told him I would be furious if he did it without me getting to say goodbye.

Ever since then I've wanted another GSD, and am so happy that time has come!

 

I grew up with many animals including horses but my very first dog that was really mine was a GSD long coat. I was only 17 but when he started to grow into his full size my mother made me rehome him. He got to spend his life with a friend of mine who babied him like a son so I didn't feel too guilty. After that I always wanted another but went through several other dogs before getting my next one when I was in my 20's. She was half GSD and half Pit (neighbor's dog was quicker than the stud GSD they picked). After that I got another mutt that I rescued from a lobster trap yard but she got hit by a car before she was even 2. Then I found Pyrate with his litter at the shelter. I picked him out when he was 6 weeks old but left him with his litter until 8 weeks. Finally I got enough money together and had the opportunity to get Raina from Germany. Pyrate was my heart dog, but Raina was my dream dog - healthy, good drive, and good German genes. Don't know what I would have done without any of them.

 

My dad has been a breeder for over 30 years. I grew up around them.

 

We always have had dogs, cats growing up and as an adult. Cody and Clipper were my first GSDs, I had always admired them. Cody was my first true heart dog. He will always hold a special part of my heart. My love of german shepherds came from having Cody and Clipper share my life. I plan to get a collie, but I still yearn for my german shepherds. I would like to get another german shepherd also.

 

In 1963 there was a house I biked by with friends and I saw a German Shepherd in person for the first time. He was a magnificent looking animal. None of my friends would go near the enclosure where he stood looking at us with that regal aloof look.

I could't help myself, I had to touch him. Against a chorus of "don't go near him," I went up and stooped down and with my small child's hand put my hand through the fence. He immediately put his jaws around my hand and then released me. We stayed there looking in each other's eyes. He was really something special, I just knew that.

 

I grew up in with cats in a "cat" family and wasn't too big on dogs as a young kid. All the dogs I knew were my neighbor's and friend's dogs who were all typical labs and golden retriever type dogs with the relentless in your face, jump all over you and beg for constant food/attention attitude (which is fine just not my cup of tea) My mom started going to this local produce stand on a small farm and they had this middle aged black and tan GSD there, it was the first GSD I ever met and I loved everything about him, his attitude was unlike any dog I'd ever met. Come to find out this was typical GSD behavior, I wanted one so bad but didn't get one till I got to move out when I was 18-19. I've grown to love all dogs but the only dog for me is a GSD:wub:

 

The first gsd experience I had was when I was 15, living in Colombia for the summer and then some. My cousin's uncle got a puppy gsd. He already had an older gsd named jethro. Poor dog, why would he give the dog such an ugly name? Haha. No offense to anyone named jethro. Brought her to the house we were staying at. Me always having been a dog lover immediately piped up and said I would train her for him! Despite never having trained a dog before. I named her Allison, after myself of course That is my legal name. she slept in my room with me. I was bonded we her. It was time for me to go back to the USA, and a little while later I heard that she died, must have been parasites or something... I was really sad. At about 21-22 yrs old I got sailor. And the rest is history. Love of my life. Upon having sailor I vowed to never own another breed of dog. GSDs forevaaaa! And now I have mr.CaptainIwanttoplayWithMySqueakytoyallthefriggintime !

 

I don't know why really... for as long as I can remember, I've loved German Shepherds. They're just so gorgeous and smart and fun. They can go hiking and are just such a nice buddy to have.

 

I dont know, maybe that he is such a loving boy, so great, non-aggressive, you can take food from his mouth, the kids play with him for hours and he's only happy when he is playing with the kids, he grieves if they are gone, I have never seen such a wonderful dog ever, so my love comes from lots of things about him.

 

Are your really asking where does unconditional love come from?

My pipeline for this is only thru GSD's, IMHO.

 

When I was born my dad ahd a GS named Zena. All together while growing up we had three of them. So I guess I was more less born to love them.

 

I have really enjoyed reading all these.

I never had a dog growing up, and always wanted one. The little picture book of dogs that was one of my first memories had a picture of an Alsatian police dog, and that's what I wanted. I showed it to my grandfather one day and he told me that in this country, Alsatians are called German Shepherds and he told me about his dog Duke, who had died not long before I was born.
Grandpa had bred German Shepherds for years, but after Duke, couldn't bear to have another.
I grew up on stories of Duke, but never had a dog until I was 18 and living on my own. Thunder was a GSD/BC mix, and I could tell stories about him all day. After Thunder went where all good dogs go, we had a few rescues, and when my sweet friend Deacon, a BC cross my daughter had pulled out from under a shed one Mother's day, was hit and killed while I was away, like Grandpa did, I said no more dogs. I couldn't take it.

My husband put up with that for a little while, and then told me it was flat out unnatural to see me without a dog, and he was getting me one. I like GSDs, right? He was buying one in a month. I could pick one, or at the end of the month he was bringing one home on his own.

Since he meant it, I started looking, and was lucky enough to find a perfect (for what I wanted) one-time breeder, and we brought home my first GSD, and my first girl (always wanted a female dog, every rescue that ever showed up was a boy) who I named Sunni, after my Grandpa Sonny.
And the world was once again in balance. I don't think I'll ever be without a GSD.

 

We had an awesome dog named Pal when I was growing up. He was a Samoyed. I'm not sure when I became obsessed with this breed. I was kind of raised on RinTintin too I guess. What I actually wanted more then anything in the world was a horse. I cut my teeth on Walter Farley novels. We always had various pets. etc. hamsters, birds. Mom was always a soft touch for any animal that was hurt. When I moved out, my first dog was an irish setter. I loved him but didn't really like how hard they were to train. My second dog was a GSD. God, he was smart. I wanted to train him right so I signed up for a summer dog training class and tried to work him at what I thought they would be on. I was already two weeks late joining the class and with my rotating schedule at work I would miss half the classes. I trained him for 3 days and went to the class. They were working on the down command that week. The instructor was showing ok say down and shove them here. I said," what about them just going down on command?" He said," Oh no. That's weeks down the road." I said," But my dog does it now." I gave Sarron the command," Down." He went down. The instructor said," How long did you train him?" I said," 3 days." He said," You don't need to be in this class." LOL I have loved the breed to death ever since and I'm on my 6th and 7th ones.
P.S. Oh and BTW, when I moved out I bought my first horse too. I've owned a horse ever since.

 

I have no idea where my love of dogs came from. My parents aren't dog people, and neither are my brothers. Ever since I was a child, I've been obsessed with dogs and puppies. Finally, when I was just barely a teenager, my parents bought me the most wonderful puppy. Ever since then, I've been totally hooked. We had almost seven amazing years together before he passed away. Now, Vesper is my first puppy since then after a couple of years without one.

 

My dads side of the family, they like to recycle animals.. I think its disgusting.. Anyways, my dad worked at a scrap yard on weekends when I was 7ish, I spent every weekend there with him and Thunder, the giant rotti guard dog. That dog followed me everywhere, played with me, let me walk her on a leash.. (Everyone told me she would drag me down the road on my face). The scrap yard was getting rid of her.. Had no idea at the time why, we took her in. Turns out she bit a kid.. My dad instantly gave her back.. or gave her to whoever.. I was so heartbroken. Still am almost 20 years later, and I know to this day some idiot wasn't watching their kid and I never got to see my bestfriend again because of it.
Teach your kids how to treat animals!

My assumption here is RIP THUNDER :rip:

 

When I was 5 years old I would act like a dog. I acted like a dog for years after too long after. I just loved them I don't really know why. We had friends and family that had dogs and I think they sparked my love.

When I was 9 I was crazy about dogs and dog breeds. I got a breed book and studied them all not kidding quiz me. Out of all the dogs I read about the german shepherd was my Fav. I would sketch them and dream about one day having one. I met a few and loved them all. When I was in 7th grade I got my first dog. I had to go to summer school to get her. My mom did not like dogs. I wanted a GSD but they told me they are too big and all the health issues. So I got a Boarder collie mix who was awesome.

Now I am adult I wanted a GSD but my husband said no because he was scared of them since he was chased down and bitten by one when he was 10. So we compromised and I got a GSD Mix. My husband loves her and now he is ok with the idea of even rescuing GSD when we lose our old pitbull dog.

After having my dog Cookie that is half GSD I only want GSD and or GSD Mixes. They just match my personality is so many ways it's kind of creepy.

 

I have no idea tbh. Both sides of the family has had their fair share of dogs. Though my aunt on my mom's side is a big animal lover too, so everyone thinks I got it from her mainly. As long as I can remember I have always wanted a GSD, so when we got Molly I was super excited. My mom had one growing up and my great grandma had them and loved them.

 

My love came from raising Titan to be honest. I actually didn't even think I liked the breed when I moved on my own in Germany. I saw one once when I was little and I thought he was ugly.. then when I was looking for a dog there was an ad for GSD puppies and for whatever reason I checked em out and Titan got me right in the feels! Now here I am... obsessed. :wild: