Anybody here have experience with owning German Shepherds?

a reply to: ketsuko

Makes since .

I have also heard the constant interbreeding of the Shepard pure lines has weakened them physically , though I don't know how true this is .

originally posted by: Southern Guardian
a reply to: asabuvsobelow

But there bodies quickly begin to break down after age 6-7 hip dysplasia I believe they call it .

Dangit yes I heard about this... they're such beautiful dogs but I couldn't bare to deal with this in near future.... I had somebody else mention the 'hip' issues as well.

I have a female Blue nose Pitbull , she is very intelligent and loyal not to mention made of muscle . A pit can be any kind of Dog you need it to be so long as you get them from a puppy.

Yep, a Pit is on my alternative list alongside Rhodesian Ridgeback. Thanks for your response.

GET THE RIDGEBACK.

Just saying.

a reply to: 4003fireglo

Get THE PIT BULL or mix.. Best dog I've ever rescued. He loves to hike, run, swim, dive, you name it. He is also the sweetest funniest dog I have ever had. He has been on animal planet and in 3 books. He is an amazing dog
I also had a german Shepherd. Great beautiful boy. Very protective. He died at 8 and had pretty bad hip dysplasia.

.

a reply to: Southern Guardian

As a German who grew up with Belgian-, German-, also American-Canadian Shepherd and have been around training and member of a shepherd training union/club. I can tell you a little bit about the HD (hip dysplasia) problem shepherds have today. You can look for a breeder that is known for not having this genetic problem. It also depends on daily things, like long flights of stairs, walks on concrete or on soft ground and so on. If you train it or not. It all depends.

Keep in mind that these races have a strong drive to work and protect so you better keep them busy or they won't be happy. They need a job, work makes them happy.

Give the animal shelter a visit before you go to a breeder. You do not really need a dog with breeding papers and all that. Mixes are often more healthy than pure race bred because they lack the problems of over breeding a certain factor.

With the German shepherds it's the back-line and stance breeding that is related to the hip dysplasia, short HD.

originally posted by: Southern Guardian
a reply to: Trueman

I've been told by a few friends to consider this.... I guess I grew up with a German Shepherd, there's a strong childhood tie there... but I may consider this... so many need good homes so may consider visiting a shelter as well.

Thank you for trying. Take your family with you when you go to the shelter. It'll be a day you and your family will never forget. You'll be saving a life in front of them.

originally posted by: DBCowboy
a reply to: Southern Guardian

I love my dog, German Shepherd.

He is the smartest, funniest dog I've ever own.

They have a sense of humor.

Mine loves Elmo dolls.

You're using your dog as an excuse to buy Elmo dolls for yourself.

Additionally, if you go the shelter/rescue route, you can get a dog that may not be pure bred but looks like it could be, and that infusion of outbreed genes can make a huge difference in keeping it healthy for a longer time.

The trick there is to understand what those other genes are enough that you can account for any differences in expected breed behavior when you start running into them and handle them accordingly. Plenty of times, dogs in shelters end up there for innocent and stupid or tragic reasons and other times it was because their owners couldn't handle some quirk of behavior caused by breed genes in their lineage.

The bully breed stubborn fixation on stuff, or the shepherd breeds' need to work and high energy.

I had a craigslist dog. He was medically neglected and needed eye surgery for his eye lashes turned into his eyes. He was eight months when I got him. He also got nutered the same day. He got all his shots too. He was the best dog. He was a mix between a shepard, rot, and lab... Perhaps some chow( purple spots on tounge). He was a great family dog and protector. I miss my dog...

originally posted by: Trueman
a reply to: Southern Guardian
Please, I would like to ask you to visit animal shelters before you get a dog.

Rescue a dog, be a hero. Please.

originally posted by: cre8chaos
I had a craigslist dog. He was medically neglected and needed eye surgery for his eye lashes turned into his eyes. He was eight months when I got him. He also got nutered the same day. He got all his shots too. He was the best dog. He was a mix between a shepard, rot, and lab... Perhaps some chow( purple spots on tounge). He was a great family dog and protector. I miss my dog...

originally posted by: Trueman
a reply to: Southern Guardian
Please, I would like to ask you to visit animal shelters before you get a dog.

Rescue a dog, be a hero. Please.

I know what you mean. I lost my boy, shelter dog, one year ago. I remember and miss him every day of my life. I adopted a lab about 2 weeks later, love him too. We also adopted a cat. 2 birds and a fish completes the list.

My daughter and me rescue animals too. Everything for them.

Thanks for the feedback guys. Greatly appreciated.

Shepherds are great!

Get ready for the whining though..

Hip issues can happen in every breed, as well as humans for that matter, but certain breeds are more prone to it. Generally due to things like sloping backs (shepherds) or narrow hips (boston terriers).

There are breeders that are attempting to bring some of these breeds back to where they were about a century ago. Basically, before aesthetics began to override health. Shiloh shepherds, renascence bulldogs, etc.

I believe such breeds are actually a close second to the ethics of getting a shelter dog, for various reasons. FWIW, you can find papered dogs in shelters too, but you may have to look around and act quickly if/when you find one. Plenty of breed specific rescues as well.

I tend to prefer Molosser derivatives. Everything from bully breeds (make sure they have a good muzzle bone structure for outdoor stuff) to rottweilers are amazing.