German Shepherds- curious

AdrianneIsabel

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#41
Oh yes, mine do. Backup can be left in an xpen all day alone and not leave. Sloan will challenge it and escape when left too long. Sloan jumped it 3 times when we first introduced it, she also received 3 harsh corrections and decided to only leave if I wasn't around for a while. She's no dummy. lol
 

NicoleLJ

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#42
My experience has not been with a pacing, whining, destructive or overly hyper dog. I love this breed because my experience has been a breed that is very intune to its handler, extremely intelligent and loves to learn and please, active but has a great off switch, is ready for an adveture at a moments notice, able to handle and be stable through stressful situations. What is being mostly described here is not my experience with this wonderful breed.
 

Aleron

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#43
My experience has not been with a pacing, whining, destructive or overly hyper dog. I love this breed because my experience has been a breed that is very intune to its handler, extremely intelligent and loves to learn and please, active but has a great off switch, is ready for an adveture at a moments notice, able to handle and be stable through stressful situations. What is being mostly described here is not my experience with this wonderful breed.
IME white GSDs have more been more selectively bred as smart, trainable companions over the years as opposed to having the working GSD temperament. That's not right or wrong, it's just how it is. You see extremely few wGSDs doing protection sports/work or even performance and most breeders of them are breeding for show dogs or active companions. Of course, the same can be said for many American show line GSDs too. There really seems to be type of GSD to suit anyone who is interested in the breed.

My GSDs all were fine house dogs, although Jora had a hard time settling down as a youngster and Lexi was prone to pacing around, whining, talking and knocking things down for fun. I guess it depends on your expectations for the dog's in home behavior.

For teaching smart dogs to stay in ex-pens, I have found that a "time out" in a crate just big enough for the dog works wonders. That's how I trained Savvy to stay in an expen. He figured out pretty quickly that he either got to stay in the ex-pen with a nice blanket, toys, thing to chew on and attention every time we walked by...or he got to sit in a boring, empty crate.
 

AdrianneIsabel

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#44
I totally agree its about perception. I know mal owners who'd never keep one in the house. I have 2 and I love it. However my friends and family are horrified by them, basically what makes a good dog for my house could be a diablo in another. The only difference is I recognize they're not good house dogs, but they're good in my house.
 
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monkeys23

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#45
I think it also depends on the owner... a lot of pet owners aren't good at providing the kind of structure that dogs with go, go, go really need to thrive and know whats expected of them. As well as having realistic expectations of whatever breed it is. I mean, you wouldn't expect a Sibe to be an angel loose in the house all day, so why would a high drive thinking dog be okay with no mental stimulation and minimal exercise. I dunno, I guess thats kind of redundant with whats already been said.

That pic of the "doggie jail" cracked me up! :lol:
 

Romy

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#46
My experience has not been with a pacing, whining, destructive or overly hyper dog. I love this breed because my experience has been a breed that is very intune to its handler, extremely intelligent and loves to learn and please, active but has a great off switch, is ready for an adveture at a moments notice, able to handle and be stable through stressful situations. What is being mostly described here is not my experience with this wonderful breed.
Keep in mind too Nicole, that being a working SD Sheena likely gets more daily stimulation and exercise than most companion or sport shepherds. I'm sure that she gets more than the SAR shepherd I lived with. Willow had a high level of fun activities, but they were concentrated around the weekend. The rest of the week she needed to be able to settle and she was just a mooing moaning pain in the butt, lol. Now consider a sport shepherd bred for PP or schutzhund, and you have a high drive dog that likely hangs out at home most of the day while its owner works, gets an hour or two of training and play time when they come home, with maybe the weekend plus an evening or two mid week when they go out to play and really engage the dog in its "job".
 

NicoleLJ

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#47
Keep in mind too Nicole, that being a working SD Sheena likely gets more daily stimulation and exercise than most companion or sport shepherds. I'm sure that she gets more than the SAR shepherd I lived with. Willow had a high level of fun activities, but they were concentrated around the weekend. The rest of the week she needed to be able to settle and she was just a mooing moaning pain in the butt, lol. Now consider a sport shepherd bred for PP or schutzhund, and you have a high drive dog that likely hangs out at home most of the day while its owner works, gets an hour or two of training and play time when they come home, with maybe the weekend plus an evening or two mid week when they go out to play and really engage the dog in its "job".
Very good points but Sheena is not the only GSD I have owned. Luca my black GSD I rescued was not any of the things described and neither was Ajax, Sheena's pup that I raised till almost 2yrs of age. I guess it really does come down to lines. I can honestly admit that I don't think I could handle the high drive sch bred dogs that have to go go go all day long. I prefer a GSD that has Sheena's, and my others, temperment, medium drive, and so on. To me she is exactly what I want in a GSD. She doesn't get out working everyday. Currently it is maybe once or twice a week. But she has many jobs in the house she does too.

I think it is a little bit of everything. Someone wanting a GSD needs to really look hard into why they want one. They really need to research the characteristics of the breed and make sure they can handle that. For me this breed is perfect for my needs and wants in a dog. But on that note I don't think I would ever go to a breeder that has lines focused on the high drive go go go personality. Which is why I am glad there is such diversity in the breed.
 

Red Chrome

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#48
My dog as I have atated is a high drive working line dog with no off switch. I can not compare him to something different because that isnt fair. People may not like my description but it is accurate for the GSDs I deal with!
 

CharlieDog

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#49


Figured I'd post this here to. The blanket back on the right is a normal sized GSD. Knox is on the left.

Also, Knox is not a genetic dwarf, he's just undersized.
 

CharlieDog

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#51
He's rather hard to measure, and I don't have an official measurement wicket or anything, but he's a little over 24" somewhere between 24 and a quarter to 24 and a half.
 

Aleron

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#52
He's rather hard to measure, and I don't have an official measurement wicket or anything, but he's a little over 24" somewhere between 24 and a quarter to 24 and a half.
He's not undersized then :)

"The desired height for males at the top of the highest point of the shoulder blade is 24 to 26 inches; and for bitches, 22 to 24 inches."


http://www.gsdca.org/german-shepherd-dogs/education

My Lexi's dad was about the same size as him. I see a lot of oversized GSDs around, even in the show ring. My male was 28" or so and considered "average sized" by many GSD show people. There is no disqualification with GSDs for size in AKC and a lot of people seem to go for the "bigger is better" thing. But the truth is, your guy is a perfect size!
 

CharlieDog

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#53
No, he's technically within standard, I know, but he lacks the power that larger males have. He's not nearly as imposing as a slightly larger male would be, and he weighs about 55 to 60 pounds. Enzo is technically within the Labrador standard, but she's also not correct.

I guess more fitting would be they both are not to type? They are clearly "in standard" but both fall on the very small end of it.
 

Aleron

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#55
No, he's technically within standard, I know, but he lacks the power that larger males have. He's not nearly as imposing as a slightly larger male would be, and he weighs about 55 to 60 pounds. Enzo is technically within the Labrador standard, but she's also not correct.

I guess more fitting would be they both are not to type? They are clearly "in standard" but both fall on the very small end of it.
Actually the standard for GSD does not have a size preference. Males between 24"-26" are equally correct per the standard. So per the standard, his size is very correct. GSDs are really not supposed to be huge dogs and larger does not mean more powerful. My biggest GSD was probably the least powerful and definitely the least athletic. I suspect the dog that you posted his picture with is oversized, although it can be hard to judge in a photo. I have a friend with a working bred female who's 22" (again that is the correct size for a bitch per the standard) and trust me, she could be plenty intimidating if need be ;)
 

monkeys23

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#56
I like Knox's size. Just throwing that out there, lol!

A girl at training (she's 13 months old) is about the same size as him. She's Czech/west German lines and oh so lovely! :)
 

CharlieDog

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#57
Oh I wasn't saying I dislike his size. I feel it gives him a bit of an agility advantage over larger dogs for sure. He turns much quicker, tires out much more slowly, and can clear things much higher than I think a larger dog would. PLUS, I can totally pick him up and put him somewhere. I'd be hard pressed to pick up an 80 pounder, even in the event of an emergency.

Knox is my "truck dog" right now, lol, and he fits in pretty well. I just thought he wasn't exactly correct, since his size is the reason he was given to me. He was originally his breeders "keep back" pup, he's got AceofNike on one side, and Zidane on the other. He reminds me quite a bit of Nike.
 
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#58
I don't know the heights on mine
they both weigh about 58lbs
and I'd have to look at their pedigrees to see who all is back there :) I have a good idea, but I'm terrible with human names, not much better with dogs.
 

Aleron

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#59
Oh I wasn't saying I dislike his size. I feel it gives him a bit of an agility advantage over larger dogs for sure. He turns much quicker, tires out much more slowly, and can clear things much higher than I think a larger dog would. PLUS, I can totally pick him up and put him somewhere. I'd be hard pressed to pick up an 80 pounder, even in the event of an emergency.

Knox is my "truck dog" right now, lol, and he fits in pretty well. I just thought he wasn't exactly correct, since his size is the reason he was given to me. He was originally his breeders "keep back" pup, he's got AceofNike on one side, and Zidane on the other. He reminds me quite a bit of Nike.

Different breeders have different priorities. They may have been hoping for a large male or a male with more substance for their breeding program. Just because 24" is a correct size for a male GSD, doesn't mean people don't have personal size preferences. There is a pretty big acceptable size range in Belgians 20 1/2" for the smallest allowable bitches to 28 1/2" for the largest allowable dogs. Their ideal range is the same as GSDs and within that, some people prefer them to the smaller side of the standard and some prefer to the larger side. Jagger is about the same height as Knox and he had good substance for his breed, which is correct per the standard for them too but he would be "too small" for some breeders to want to use. But that's just personal preference.
 

Equinox

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#60
I don't know the heights on mine
they both weigh about 58lbs
and I'd have to look at their pedigrees to see who all is back there :) I have a good idea, but I'm terrible with human names, not much better with dogs.
I would love to hear more about your dogs, I have always liked your descriptions of them and of what a German Shepherd Dog is and should be. Can't view videos right now but looking forward to watching the ones you posted earlier today when I am home.

My dog is around 27" at the withers and 82 lbs, his dam was a moderate bitch at 63 - 65 lbs and his full sister is about the same size. A littermate of his is approximately 75 lbs, not sure how tall. His sire was a large dog, although a great deal of that perception might be because of his presence. Powerful male with a broad front, very solid dog.
 

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