MadaboutGSD
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Jul 4, 2007, 10:59 PM
Post #2 of 4
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Re: [liliman] german shepherd-safe?
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Hi Lilman, I don't think there's such a thing as 'sound' or 'unsound' GSD / dogs in general. I think it should be 'responsibly bred' or 'poorly bred' GSD / dogs. I believe every puppy starts out with an equal chance, and it's 99% the owner's fault if the dog develops behavioural problems. Tying up a guard dog to the post all day only increases frustration, pent up energy and increases the territorial aggression. This is not the way to raise a guard dog or any dog. That same dog if properly raised with socialisation, exercise and training would turn out to be perfectly fine dog. It's humans that cause it to be that way. Then there's 'poorly bred' GSDs. These are the backyard breeders who care only about $$$ and pass on poor genetics: bad hips, poor nerves (i.e. scared of surroundings), structural faults etc. That maybe is your definition of an unsound dog. So my advice: do your research on the breed, ask around for a good / responsible GSD breeder, and check out first. Don't rush into it at all. DO NOT EVER BUY FROM A PET SHOP....ANY DOG! A GSD being a 'powerful' breed needs special attention, esp. if you've never owned a dog before. You really need to assess if to see if you've got enough time, energy and space for a GSD. A GSD generally needs good strong leadership and you need to really understand concepts of pack behaviour and leadership - there are many good books on this like "Cesar's Way - Cesar Millan". When you don't practice the leadership, all the problems start to begin. The cute puppy becomes uncontrollable in the end, you end up tying up the dog or locking it in the cage and eventually in SPCA or worse, dead. Please invest in dog knowledge / psychology if you plan to get a dog or a GSD. Sorry, I have very strong views on this Apart from that the normal coat colours are: black, tan, red, sable, white. Pure white and long coat German Shepherds are not recognised and are disqualified from entering dog competitions (AKC). One last thing, a pup needs plenty of socialisation especially before 5-6 months. This means exposing it to different people, places, environments. I used to sit mine at a bus stop just to watch the buses and motorcycles go by. I hope this advice is useful. Best of luck.
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