What do I need to no if I'm getting a German Shepherd (puppy)? What is everything I need to know as someone who's never had one before
>>2036804
hope you like running
a lot of running
a lot
like until it dies
Why are you getting this breed? Any reason in particular?
GSD's can have a lot of health problems, I suggest you read the Wikipedia article on the breed to start with. Do you have a reputable breeder? If it's coming from some guy who just breeds them or a store, I'd be worried. Odds are what your save in puppy cost will go to vet bills ten times over. You'd be much better off in the long run finding a good breeder who screens for hip dysplasia.
They're also powerful large dogs that require good training and a lot of exercise. You'll want perfect recall and good manners on walks as a lot of people are afraid of GSDs and one nibble could result in a lot of trouble.
But generally they're great dogs.
>>2036810
Because I read they are protective of their family and are very attentive.
This is important as I want to feel safer having caught some assholes in my yard trying to steal shit.
Plus they're fucking gorgeous.
As for where I'm getting him it's from a shelter.
Don't do it dude. They're pretty but they're genetic nightmares and you'll see it go into very painful physical decline very early. Horrible thing if you're attached to the dog.
Hi, OP.
If you're committed to the breed, I recommend a working-line. They are usually bred for performance over aesthetic and are typically in much better health than show-lines. Think, police dogs. Though, they typically have different coloring and are usually sable, they're still very much "German Shepherd". If you do settle on a show-line, try to find a breed-specific rescue before buying from a breeder because you're pretty much guaranteed shit anyway. So, better to give a homeless dog a home than spend a thousand dollars on a health problem ridden dog that'll cost you more down the line.
>>2036804
These are a smart breed, OP. which means it'll have adhd like mad, make sure to get proper training or it'll be a pain in the ass. Has a shepherd growing up, she'd climb the fucking fence and run around the neighborhood when you weren't looking. One of the best dogs I ever had, though, miss her a lot.
>>2037854
>genetic nightmares
Wait I thought this breed was a result of meticulous selective breeding by experts over dozens of dog generations.
>>2037965
Yes.. At the cost of no biodiversity.
>>2037987
Uhmm what does that mean? I thought these people knew what they were doing and would have bred out all the faults in the uberdog they created from wolves and different breeds and what not?
>>2036804
As a GSD owner, I really, really recommend you study up on a good dog breeder. Not a good show dog breeder, but someone who breeds GSDs to be in prime physical condition. If you're going to have a dog it's the best thing you can do for it.
I would recommend a police breeder. I got my dog Jack from a police breeder where I live and only after maybe a month or so of talks and info gathering.
Aside from that, make sure you're an active type of person and you have a decent backyard. they don't need a walk EVERY day, but they do need constant exercise and more importantly, mental stimulation. they are extremely smart dogs and need to be treated as such, so training is a must.
Aside from that, a fucking good dog brush for getting rid of that goddamned winter coat because holy shit these motherfuckers shed like you wouldn't believe after winter.
>>2037869
This, really, is what I'm saying.
>>2036804
Yes
Go for a working line
>>2036804
You absolutely need to go to a reputable breeder, which is extremely hard to find for this breed. Need to look out for scams, bybs, and breeders who breed for looks more than health and temperament. Really research what a good GSD breeder does
>>2038000
>. they don't need a walk EVERY day
wait, what? i grew up with dogs, german shepherds too, and we walked our dogs 3x a day in addition to having a large garden. twice a day is the minimum. granted we have a dog park right around the corner. still taking them for a walk only every other day seems way not enough.
>>2038070
Not that guy but it depends where you live. If its apartment living with no sizable back yard, absolutely need at least a couple walks. But if you have a good sized yard that they can run and play in and your doing things with them its fine. Also, a lot of people get these dogs because they are active, like going on lomg hikes a couple times a week or beach trips. So it's really just situational.
>>2038287
> But if you have a good sized yard that they can run and play in and your doing things with them its fine.
it's not.
I bet you're one of those people with a lawn covered in shit.
>>2037989
It all depends on the breeder honestly. Many people fuck up breeds by simply breeding for money without doing any health tests or keeping dogs physical condition in mind. And then you have sone show breeders that breed for looks and a certain trait for the show ring even if it comes at the cost of something wrong with the dog. Some shows absolutely require health testing, and others don't, so you really have to research your breeder if you want almost absolute assurity of what you're getting.
>>2038289
Excuse you asshole, there is no one perfect method. Some german shephs are more relaxed than others and don't need a fucking workout every single day of the year, while others do because they get bored easier.
The main thing is that you are doing something with them while your there and not just ignoring them all day.
>>2038294
>there is no one perfect method
everything is better than being so lazy you're unable to walk your dog multiple times a day.
>>2038297
What do you think doing something means? Sitting on the couch throwing a ball for them a couple times? I understand you don't like lazy owners but not everyone is like that and there are a lot of factors you need to consider.
Most people have more than one dog, so they play. There are also like five different types of german shepherds, a couple of which have been bred to be more family dogs than work dogs which usually makes them more relaxed. Combine that with someone who likes to go on all day physical events like a hike or playing in the park with the kids and barbequeing, and its a pretty safe bet to say that dog isn't going to mind one day without a walk.
Plus, dogs get older and learn the routine of the house. Some are fine with settling down for a day because they know they get to do something the next day.
Go to a reputable breeder, one whose dogs are registered online for several generations. You want to look at hip and elbow scores of parents and grandparents and great grandparents and great, great, great grandparents. You want to know about temperament of all those dogs. You want to know how driven those dogs were, how balanced, because these can be predictors for your own dog's temperament and exercise needs.
You want to know about epilepsy in the lines. You want to know about dilated cardiomyopathy. You want to know about gastric torsion. You want to know about hip and elbow dysplasia. You want to know about exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. You want to know about blindness and allergies. You want to know about early pyometra and undescended testes. You want to know about incidences of sudden death to hemangiosarcoma. These are all things that the breeder should be keeping track of within their lines.
Be prepared for a dog that requires a lot of mental stimulation. Be prepared for a dog that will nip. Be prepared for a dog that will challenge you. Be prepared for enormous exercise requirements. Be prepared for vet bills. Also be prepared for a neurotic fearful mess, because those crop up in the breed also. Be prepared to deal with either dog or human aggression.
You know, all in all, there are easier breeds to own. Not a good first dog. If it isn't your first dog, go ahead, but be aware that a GSD is not like a Golden Retriever or a Shi Tzu.
>>2036823
>shelter
Good luck. You're playing the lottery.
>>2038308
What about the little guy at the shelter he's super cute :(
>>2038313
Hope I'm as lucky as those powerball winners :)
Is it okay for a GSD to be outside basically all the time with no human interaction?
I have a Lab puppy and because I'm a worthless NEET I basically hang out with her all day. I play with her outside all the time and I can see right into the yard of the guy across the street, and he always has a huge GSD in the yard, and it usually just lies there or wanders around. Is he okay?
I always feel guilty because when I'm playing fetch with my pup or something the GSD is watching us intently (sometimes my pup stares back, pic related) like he wants to play also. I want to buy an extra ball or toy or something and throw it to the GSD but I don't think my skinny NEET arms could make the throw.
>>2038291
What you said isn't really mentioned here, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_Shepherd#Health unless I'm missing something. They said there was some inbreeding in the beginning that causes hip problems in some of them. I'm surprised they didn't breed that out.
>>2038447
No. Every dog needs socialization and your neighbour is a phaggot.
>>2038447
Can you ask your neighbor if it's okay if you let your dog play with the GSD while the neighbor is gone?
>>2038384
That's a risk you've got to weigh up for yourself, but shelter dogs are complete unknowns.
>>2036804
-Get the middle dog of whatever litter you see. Don't get the shy one. Don't get the bully. Either of those is setting you up for a lifetime of problems.
-Learn to train dogs effectively with a balanced approach. Ecollar knowledge is recommended.
-Training starts the very moment you bring your dog home.
-Ignore whatever bullshit your vet says about not taking your dog out for the first four months. Take your dog to stores, parks, get them around people and other dogs. If they get Parvo, deal with the bill and get over it pussy.
-Practice leash walking skills above all. ABOVE ALL. Don't always carry the dog, let him walk and greet people/dogs that way.
Doing this and your dog will be happy, have no behavioral issues, be off-leash reliable, and friendly with people and dogs.
>>2038625
>Ignore whatever bullshit your vet says about not taking your dog out for the first four months.
I asked my vet about that when he said it to me. The reason is that someone might not vaccinate their dog and if your puppy sniffs around there poop they could catch something.
>>2038634
Yeah they could catch something and who fucking cares. Pay the vet bill to make your dog better and keep going.
If you don't take your dog out and socialize/desensitize during the critical 8-12 week period you increase the chance of your dog becoming aggressive/fearful/insecure by a fuckton.
They aren't able to handle new situations after 8-12 weeks as well, and it makes training a fuckton harder than it has to be.
German Shepherds are notorious for fucking up hard when people don't socialize them during that period. It's why you have all these neurotic, barking, whining, pulling, shitty German Shepherds these days.
It's a fucking cunt when people get Shepherds, then come to me for training, but listen to their stupid cunt vet. After a couple months, I get a call "My Shepherd is becoming aggressive with other dogs" or "My shepherd just bit the vet"
Yeah no fucking shit he did, I told you it would happen.
>>2037854
As long as the dog is bred properly there is no more genetic problems than any other breed,
>>2036804
http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/
I suggest browsing around this site before you get a GSD
>>2038686
The police force here literally had to get there dogs preventative surgery because of the problems with this breed.
>>2038552
Yeah this. I have a friend down the road who doesn't do much with their dog. I take mine over because they tear around the back yard and have loads of fun. Plus it's great for my dog because she is still getting used to them, so she feels really comfortable with him.
>>2038711
Whoa it's that common damn
>>2038991
Do not listen to ausfag he's a fucking idiot attention whore. Whoever he's talking about probably didn't get them from a good breeder, or couldn't.
>>2036809
Kek
>>2038308
I forgot to mention that you want to know about degenerative myelopathy in the lines, also.
>>2039032
Lol this kid.
>>2039105
What was the surgery that they all had? Or was it just one or two dogs?
>>2039150
I second this
One time, out on a mostly empty beach; standing next to vehicle eating a sandwich, enjoying the view. Behind and downwind 300 yards another vehicle; woman with a GSD. Next thing I know the dog's standing next to me looking for a bite of my sandwich in a nice way. Dog was four feet tall to it's shoulders. swear to gott..
How can you tell if a puppy has a sloped back or a straight one? I can tell when they're adults but they look similar when they're puppies. Anyone have some pictures or something?
>>2038679
I guess a vet would rather be safe than sorry because, keep in mind most dog owners are not good owners. Most owners will bring their dog to the vet when the animal first needs shots for registration, when it needs to die, and in-between when it's incredibly sick that it's almost dead. Most owners only bring their dog to a vet when something becomes a severe issue, and even then some people still don't.
>>2040121
Know your breeder??
>>2040171
What? I'm saying how to differentiate between the Roach back and the normal one. I'm asking this because I found a puppy at the shelter but I can't tell
>>2040232
Tell the shelter your concerns and ask if you can have your vet check him over before you take him home.
>>2040155
Shit. My dog goes to the vet every three months like clockwork, and sometimes between his three-monthly appointment, too, if necessary. The other dog is probably in about twice a year, depending on how things are going.
Do people really just... let their dogs rot until an issue gets so bad they can't ignore it?
>>2040232
It can be incredibly difficult to tell with puppies because everything all grows at different rates and they go through several very awkward phases. They don't really start looking normal until about 18 months.
Ideally, you would look at the parents, as they should be a good indicator of future structure. But it's a shelter dog, so that is not possible, and you could get any sort of mess. But you just won't know until it grows up and moves through the puppy growth stages.
>>2040276
Does the puppy always have the same back as his parents?
>>2040565
If the parents both have similar structure, then it's incredibly likely that the puppy will be like them. Though sometimes dogs end up with heavy influences from their grandparents and not their parents, so it is a good idea to look at the entire line and not necessarily the parent dogs alone.
Fucked up dogs run in lines. You're more likely to get a roach-backed dog from a pair of roach-backed dogs than you are from a pair of square dogs.
It has a lot to do with the angulation of the rear.
Of course, if you have a dog that is overangulated at the rear, then it is better that he is also overangulated at the front. A dog that is balanced in rear and front will do better than a dog that is unbalanced, even if his angulation is not perfect.
Is it true Roach backs are more prone to HD?
>>2036804
May I suggest you get a rotty?
>Just as smart
>About the same size, slightly heavier
>Much calmer, hence lower exercise needs
>Less likely to chew your shit
>Less likely to run around your house
>Less likely to bark
>Also from germany
>Just as much if not more protective
>Much stronger bite force
>Fucking menacing
I dont know dude, i would rather go with a rott unless youre really into outdoor sports.
>>2041600
No. A dog with a perfectly straight back can have terrible hips, and a dog with a roached/sloped back can have well-developed hips. Hip dysplasia, while prevalent in German Shepherds, is far from isolated within the breed -- you will find it in most large breed dogs with closed gene pools, and many mutts also depending on their parentage. Two dogs with malformed hips will make another dog with bad hips, even if one's a Great Dane and the other is a Labrador.
You cannot accurately assess a dog's hips without x-raying them, which should be done after closure of the growth plates but prior to breeding.
However, the practice of breeding extremely roached dogs has been done by breeders who are not necessarily reputable, and who have not necessarily been paying attention to the hips/elbows of their breeding stock.
For this same reason you should always be leery of breeders selling colour-bred dogs. People specifically setting out to breed blacks or livers or blues and even whites are not always paying attention to anything BUT colour. So health issues are overlooked. (Note that White Swiss Shepherds may be an exception, but you've got to do your research.)
>>2041636
How come the police don't use roaches?
>>2042492
Not that anon, but I'm guessing the roached back came from the show lines, and police need working bred dogs, not show line dogs.
Just a guess though.
>>2042492
They actually do, you just can't tell because you're only accustomed to seeing GSDs in their stack
Are white sheperds the same as german shepherds
>>2042749
White Shepherds are a separate breed that is an offshoot of the GSD. Originally white ones were allowed but in the early 1900's they were excluded from the breed standard so people eventually made them their own breed. As far as I am aware its basically the same dog but white.
>>2042746
Hey are all of those Roach backs in the pic?
>>2043069
It's the same dog in different stacks
>>2043221
It's not a roach back is it?
>>2043226
You tell me. He is an AKC champion (upper right stack)
>>2041603
How great of a pet are rotties? Never loved or hated the bred but they seem interesting. I know they get a lot of bad rep but the only rotties I know are owned by a middle aged women and they act like her babies.
>>2043229
That is a very nice looking dog.
This one has a roach.
GSDs require a steady suppy of video games in their lives.
>>2043229
So that's a no?
I've got a mixed breed, Redbone Coonhound/GSD mix and I can tell you by far she is the most disciplined and quick learning dog I've ever owned in my life. I was blessed with her and I'm grateful to have her, hoping she is still around when I have kids.
>>2043341
This dog is crouching, look at the stifles . The whole purpose of my post was to show how misleading pictures can be, and how you can't really judge the structure of a dog without seeing him in person and putting your hands on him.
>>2043488
Your picture is a straight back right?
>>2041603
This, way better breed. I´m planning on getting one as well. GSD are absolutely beautiful animals, but they´ve been bred to absolute shit, at least here in germany.
>>2044197
>way better breed
*sigh*
Should i get an adult german sheperd from a shelter
Do gsds and pitbulls get along?
>>2041603
This.
I thought rots where some cold blooded throat rippers before I met my wife's brother one.
They have two little girls in the family. It's like personal bodyguard and best friend in one.
9/10 changed opinion
and it's aggressive only when you tell it to be
