German Shepherd Ownership

haway said:
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.
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We are going to rescue greyhound later tis year. How are they generally behaved? Can they be left and for how long? Due to our working patterns it would never be left more than 4 hours 5 absolute max
 


MONTYMCPHAIL said:
We are going to rescue greyhound later tis year. How are they generally behaved? Can they be left and for how long? Due to our working patterns it would never be left more than 4 hours 5 absolute max
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I suppose as with all things it depends on the dog. Behaviour wise she’s generally amazing. Doesn’t soil in the house, is very calm / quiet and only requires 1 shortish walk a day (although we walk her a lot more), doesn’t bark at all (although whines a bit), is generally clean. Most cannot ever be let off the lead (unless an exceptional amount of training is done) as they will bolt after something and have never been taught recall. She can be a bit frisky and I wouldn’t trust her not to kill a cat if she caught one. She’s not aggressive at all, but they have a pretty drive & instinct to chase and bite fast moving. They almost always travel well in cars as are used to it from racing.

Greyhounds often struggle with being left alone as in kennels they are always around other dogs. We have had to work ours up to being left slowly. Most are ok with 4 hours but it may require some time and patience.

She is incredibly affectionate, goofy and I think whenever we next get a dog it’ll be a greyhound again. There are thousands who need homes.
 
Be honest,are you both going to be out all day ? Dog alone bored shitless ,will ruin the place and never be a proper pet. Wait until you are better settled. Dogs are better with company. Used to breed English Setters ,great around kids,active when you wanted them to be and calm around the house when needed. Give 100% and you will get a 100% back.Maybe foster dog from RSPCA for week,see how things go,just a thought.
 
safc9450 said:
Be honest,are you both going to be out all day ? Dog alone bored shitless ,will ruin the place and never be a proper pet. Wait until you are better settled. Dogs are better with company. Used to breed English Setters ,great around kids,active when you wanted them to be and calm around the house when needed. Give 100% and you will get a 100% back.Maybe foster dog from RSPCA for week,see how things go,just a thought.
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This man knows his onions. Listen wisely, its a big responsibility. To many ppl dont realise
 
Keep away from my dog it got nailed twice by a German shepherd when we were walking past the country place it lives at interestingly it's owner is a retired magistrate.
Now it can sniff a German shepherd out at 1000yds and always gets first bite in has had a couple of pastings like.
 
TopCat said:
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
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Great choice you won't regret it. I would definitely have it in a cage at first for when you are in bed or go out. Also keep an eye on it for the first 6 months dont let it jump off things to often or walk it too far as they are prone to hip dysplasia. PM me and i could supply you some info on decent local breeders etc.
 
makumstu said:
You’re recommending a Malinois for a first time dog owner? I couldn’t see a reputable breeder allowing that, great in a working environment but not really suitable for the average household.

Champdogs is where most of the KC breeders use, as this is the only site I know that actually checks and approves the adverts and checks that Sire and Dam have had the relevant health tests required for that breed. For example they wouldn’t let a Dalmatian breeder advertise unless both parents had full hearing and the relevant BAER certificate.

As somebody alluded to earlier there are two factions within the GSD world, the Germanic lines which follow the curved top line and then those that are breeding toward a more level topline. The two sides hate each other and there are those on both sides breeding to the extreme, the real feel that somewhere in the middle would be best.

I can put you in touch with a friend in Staffordshire who has been breeding GSDs for years, don’t think he has anything on the ground just yet, but I’m sure he could possibly help in your search. Remember at the minute the price of a puppy has gone through the roof, everybody is suddenly a breeder, the litter of Dalmatians I have just had a pup from me (all health testing, KC assured and inspected breeder, all paperwork, etc.) were £1250 where as Back Yard Bob has put together two random Dalmatians, popped out a litter, no experience, no hearing test, no papers and they are selling for £3000 and people are paying it. It is the one area where more expensive does not necessarily mean better, the pups may be perfectly fine and healthy but that would be more by luck than judgement.

Pedigree German Shepherd Dog Puppies for Sale - Champdogs ®

Find the best Kennel Club Registered Pedigree German Shepherd Dog Puppies at Champdogs - The pedigree dog breeders website.
www.champdogs.co.uk
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Ones who i know who have them theyve been spot on, good well trained dogs. The ones at work are totally different kettle of fish
 
haway said:
I suppose as with all things it depends on the dog. Behaviour wise she’s generally amazing. Doesn’t soil in the house, is very calm / quiet and only requires 1 shortish walk a day (although we walk her a lot more), doesn’t bark at all (although whines a bit), is generally clean. Most cannot ever be let off the lead (unless an exceptional amount of training is done) as they will bolt after something and have never been taught recall. She can be a bit frisky and I wouldn’t trust her not to kill a cat if she caught one. She’s not aggressive at all, but they have a pretty drive & instinct to chase and bite fast moving. They almost always travel well in cars as are used to it from racing.

Greyhounds often struggle with being left alone as in kennels they are always around other dogs. We have had to work ours up to being left slowly. Most are ok with 4 hours but it may require some time and patience.

She is incredibly affectionate, goofy and I think whenever we next get a dog it’ll be a greyhound again. There are thousands who need homes.
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Cheers for the info, where did you get yours from?
 
BlackOps said:
Ones who i know who have them theyve been spot on, good well trained dogs. The ones at work are totally different kettle of fish
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There was a raise in demand for Belgian Shepherds (of all types) after they featured heavily in John Wick 3, not a breed I would recommend for a first time dog owner, an owner with experience of other high energy and intelligent breeds would be what I would look for.
 
MONTYMCPHAIL said:
Cheers for the info, where did you get yours from?
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Greyhound trust Durham - out near crook. A lady called Allison lives on site I think and was v helpful. They usually seem to have 10-25 greyhounds. They were very easy going and helpful. I think it was £120ish for adoption but that included neutering, microchip, collar, muzzle etc. so incredibly good value. I couldn’t recommend enough.

The main requirement was a secure garden. From what I’ve read they’re quite flexible around young children and other dogs (not that we have either) which some greyhound rescues aren’t.
 
When looking for a rescue it might be worth contacting the Breed Club / Association as well, a lot of them run their own welfare with teams of volunteer breeders / friends of the society performing home and dog checks.

I know they’re always looking for good homes.
 
makumstu said:
Assuming the rescue dog does not have any issues and needs any form of behavioural training / therapy.
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Probably no more than any puppy. It's a fallacy that all rescue dogs have 'issues' although I wouldn't disagree that some need to be placed in the right environment.
 
zwartekat said:
Probably no more than any puppy. It's a fallacy that all rescue dogs have 'issues' although I wouldn't disagree that some need to be placed in the right environment.
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If the history of the dog is known then I’d agree, but so many are dropped into rescue without any background and always rehomed due to “no fault of their own” and more often than not at the adolescent stage.
 

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