German Shepherd Ownership

T

TopCat

Striker
The wife and kids have finally worn me down and I'm prepared to considering thinking about getting a dog

Never owned one before so will be starting from zero on this one. My only stipulation is that we get a German Shepherd (my favourite breed) and that we get a puppy and start from scratch with training/obedience etc

So, am hoping there is some expertise out in the mighty SMB that can give me some pointers on:

Where to source and the expected cost? Dog or Bitch?
Equipment and apparatus needed (beds, cages, leads, toys)
On-going and hidden costs (inoculations, spaying/castration, supplements & boosters)
What to feed it (special food stuffs, hints and tips)?
Any recommended books?
Any hidden Easter eggs that the dog manuals don't tell you about?
Am I mad to be doing this when I live in a brand new house?
General advice and tales from personal experience....

Ta
 


As I understand they can be great dogs for first time owners as long as you have the time to devote to training them.

I pay about 16 quid a month at my vet for ongoing stuff like vaccinations, worming/flea treatment, nail clipping, check ups etc which works out cheaper than as hoc payments. She’s German shepherd sized.

You’ll need pet insurance which may be pricey for GSDs given their propensity for hip issues.

Some pedigree breeds can be very funny with food but I’ve not heard of that with GSDs.
 
If you're set on a GSD, I think the most important thing is making sure you get one from a working line - there is a big difference between a working GSD and a show GSD, which is a prime example of idiots breeding dogs to look a certain way at the detriment of the animal's health. A lot of police and military dog units have switched to Malinois (Belgian shepherd) because of this pollution of GSD bloodlines.

The other thing I have recently learned as a Covid-cliche new dog owner is that many people who get their dogs from shelters don't do it out of kind-hearted altruism - they do it because puppies are arseholes.
 
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We rescued a greyhound who is seemingly allergic to all forms of kibble which give her the shits. Thus she is fed “raw” which costs 2-3x the price and we had to buy a chest freezer for £200. So there’s a cost nobody told me about.

Dogs that size often smell. Her farts can clear a room. She is generally well behaved but due to their size dogs that big can cause damage. She scratched the door once and went straight through the paint.

There is the monthly cost of a vet plan then monthly cost of insurance. Insurance gets v pricey as they get older. My parents are paying something obscene for 2x 10 year olds.

Dog prices are currently inflated. God knows what a German shepherd puppy will cost but it’s probably twice what it was a year ago.
 
NYMackem said:
If you're set on a GSD, I think the most important thing is making sure you get one from a working line - there is a big difference between a working GSD and a show GSD, which is a prime example of idiots breeding dogs to look a certain way at the
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NYMackem said:
If you're set on a GSD, I think the most important thing is making sure you get one from a working line - there is a big difference between a working GSD and a show GSD, which is a prime example of idiots breeding dogs to look a certain way at the detriment of the animal's health. A lot of police and military dog units have switched to Malinois (Belgian shepherd) because of this pollution of GSD bloodlines.

The other thing I have recently learned as a Covid-cliche new dog owner is that many people who get their dogs from shelters don't do it out of kind-hearted altruism - they do it because puppies are arseholes.
Click to expand...

Bit of both. Always been determined that I wanted to give a dog a second or third chance at a good life.

The lack of pissing and shitting in the house is a massive bonus though :lol:
 
I’ve gone through this exact situation with its ups, downs and learnings over the last 10 months.

More than happy to answer any questions on PM. I don’t want to attract the stalkers again by posting too much on the thread.
 
Do it mate. They’re amazing pets. We’ve just had to put down our eldest last week at 15 year old. They’re amazing with kids, so gentle and protective. They soon learn to be house trained.
Although it’s been a heartbreaking weekend for us she was totally worth it.
The only bad point I can think of is shedding hair during the twice yearly moult.
TopCat said:
Where to source and the expected cost? Dog or Bitch? We only had bitches but I know plenty people who have dogs and they’re not much different.
Equipment and apparatus needed (beds, cages, leads, toys) Bed, squeeky toy, tennis ball, some kind of anti pull Halti type harness and extendable lead. They’re job is to be out in front checking for danger which is why they pull like fuck if you have them on a short lead. I don’t agree with cages personally.
On-going and hidden costs (inoculations, spaying/castration, supplements & boosters) They’re a hardy dog so shouldn’t need much in vet bills until age catches up with them.
What to feed it (special food stuffs, hints and tips)? Raw from the Tripe Factory in Hendon (if you can stomach it 😂)
Any recommended books?
Any hidden Easter eggs that the dog manuals don't tell you about? Many once you own one.
Am I mad to be doing this when I live in a brand new house? No
General advice and tales from personal experience....

Ta
Click to expand...
 
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