I’ve brought up the issue of getting a German Shepherd next year with SarahK. Only thing is I don’t know if it’s reasonable to get and properly raise a puppy while both of us are working full time (I read somewhere that a German Shepherd should not be left alone more than 3 hours each day). Any readers how there have some info or some resources to point us towards?
Make sure you visit catrecipes.com.
Hurray for dogs!!
Also question whether a puppy can be left alone all day. Shepherds are fine dogs, but there are a number of fine breeds. http://www.petrix.com/dogint/index.html Consider an older one if you work. There are very attractive dogs available through various German Shepherd rescue orgs. I have an 8 year old male and a 4 year old female from http://www.sheprescue.org/, in San Fernando Valley. I’m from Phoenix and drove over to get my guys. 300069
NOOOOOOOO
First a group blog… then the podcast… now a dog…
Next up, you’ll tell us you voted Kerry!
Death to all dogs!!!!!
Just don’t get a terrier(EST).
…or some kind of yappy small dog.
do NOT get a dog til you have kids — you’re too young and in too good a position to have fun to deal with a high maintenance dog — that’s my two cents
I won’t point out that if SaraK gets pregnant immediately after the wedding, she could feasibly stay home with puppy and baby. I could point that out, but I won’t.
Get a Kangal. They make German Shepherds look like prissy poodle dogs. I know. I lived next door to a Kangal for about six months. The Kangal made our Saint Bernard’s sound like an ankle-biter.
Two years ago where I live, the family German Shepherd calmly walked across the living room and bit the face off the family’s six-month old. If you get a German Shepherd (or any other large dog breed), you should keep it outside only.
Tyler D. –
Shame, Shame, Shaaaaaaaaame. Terriors are the finest dogs ever. A little company during the day and they’re good to go. My Boston terrior has a retriever to play with and is just fine. A more protective dog than the terrior you could not hope to find and he’s still loving and adorable. And perfect…and…and…oooooh, shame on you.
Plus, any terrior would be happy to exercise Frank and SarahK’s cats. Constantly and loudly! Happy, I tells you.
German Shepards, and most other mild-mannered larger dogs, can be left alone for long periods of time, but not as puppies. The rule for leaving your dog home alone is this: the pup can be alone for as many hours as it is old, plus one. So if it’s 2, it can be left alone for 3 hours, etc. By nature, Shepards are social animals and need to have their “pack” around them. By definition, you and SarahK (and any kids that might come along) are “pack”. Your dog will need to have you around at least a few hours a day for the companionship and social needs, no matter how old it is. They’re a big committment, especially pups. But if you’ve got a big enough yard for them, and you can be home, have fun! I have four dogs from the Humane Society and can’t wait to get home each evening to spend time with them. The Humane Society has a good website about tips for new dog owners.
I’d give some thought to a noble Mutt, too, due to dangers of overbreeding in the more popular purebreds.
One tip, no matter what sort of dog you’re looking at, is that you should meet the pup’s mother if at all possible, and see what she’s like.
I’ve raised a German Shepherd from a pup for almost 2 years now. A few words of advice–
Put up anything you don’t want chewed up. GSD’s are notorious for chewing up stuff when they get bored.
Have enough room for the dog to run around–a worn-out-from-playing GSD is a happy GSD and they won’t get up and look for trouble in the middle of the night if they’re sleeping soundly. Let him/her sleep in your room, feed them scraps of meat, etc.–helps with bonding.
They’re attention-mongers–plan on spending a lot of time with him/her and get used to the idea of them dropping toys in your lap every 5 minutes.
They are EXCELLENT guard dogs. Strong, agile, and SMART. They’ll outsmart you if you underestimate their intelligence and they will tear any intruder a new a$$h013.
Females tend to be more protective of PEOPLE, whereas males tend to be more protective of TERRITORY….either sex will do both, though. Just take that into consideration.
I have to remind mine not to chase the cats (she has never hurt any of them) pretty often, but she plays well with them and other dogs once she knows they’re OK.
They stay puppies for longer than average–but I hear if you can make it 2 years, they start chilling out. I’ve noticed slow improvement since about 12-15 months and it’s getting better all the time. Sometimes I think she’s lucky to have lived that long, though.
Mine hates kids. I don’t know why, but she does. HATES them. Or maybe she just thinks they would make a good snack. Who knows.
Teach them German/Russian/Yiddish/whatever. Then nobody else will be able to give them commands that way and they will be distinctly “yours”. You don’t want to have a dog you can’t control, and GSD’s are VERY strong-willed. Be a strict disciplinarian.
I’ve found the experience very rewarding and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Good luck to you and SarahK.
Justin
You also have to establish who is the “top dog” of the pack (household). Last week a family here in Massachusetts lost their 6 day old baby to their dog, who snatched the baby from a play pen when the mother’s attention was elsewhere for a brief moment. The dog was the main focus of the family and evidently felt his position was threatened by the new addition to the pack.
A well trained dog is a happy dog.
And a happy well trained dog contributes to a happy home.
Dogs are pack animals, and they need to know they are the lowest in the pecking order. My childminder’s Dalmation tried to attack my baby, and my parents had a dog who tried it with me when I was a toddler. (I won)
I would wait until you have your family. You may also run the risk of “retaliation” from Glenn Reynolds if you get a puppy.
Perhaps this item might be useful….
Bwahahaaaaa!
A dog! hooray!
If you have to leave the dog alone for more than 8 hours, you could hire a neighborhood kid to stop by in the afternoon or something.
For great info about dogs you could go to
http://www.dogproblems.com
(it feels weird being useful…)
having a puppy is like raising a hyperactive autistic three year old who doesn’t speak English and has fangs.
Not that I want to discourage you. Not at all. Puppies (and old dogs) are truly one of God’s gifts to all mankind. But you need to know what you are getting into.
In all seriousness, if you two are thinking about having kids fairly soon, put off getting a dog until the kids are old enough to understand what NO means. Kids are notorious for kitting, biting, poking, and throwing things at puppies, and a puppy’s natural instinct is to defend itself. Not that dogs kill and eat kids, but even a little nip from a big German Shepherd can really hurt a kid.
Also, if you have a dog and then bring in a kid, you never know how the dog will react. Many dogs immediately welcome the newcomer as a member of the family. But some dogs get jealous or end up not responding well.
On the other hand, if you have kids and bring in a puppy, then the puppy grows up thinking of the kids as family and will almost always be loving and protective of them as alpha-pack members.
Now, if you seriously think you aren’t going to have kids for many years (and you are young, so you could easily go 10 years or more and still be able to have kids before you get old), then by all means, get the dog NOW. Dogs older than 7 tend to get really mellow and usually are a lot more tolerant of “abuse” by little kids.
Another option: adopt an older dog that you know already gets along great with kids, then get a puppy later.
Terriers RULE. So do German Shepherds. And Alaskan Malamutes.
Do a Google search for Wakon Giant Malamute. Now THERE is a magnificent dog!!!
Just keep the puupy away from the blender.
DO NOT leave a shepard outdoors in Florida, at least not between Feb. and Nov. Stock up on flea & tick meds. Take him to the beach (if you live near enough) and let him romp in the surf. Really wears them out!
Take him and yourself to obedience school. If you’ve never trained an alpha dog before, you need the education as much as the dog. I know, I failed w/two of them. I’ve got a 14 1/2 year old Kuvasz who rules the roost!
Talk to a liberal. I am sure they can steer you in the direction of a good animal geneticist that can design you a dog that won’t bite, or bark or any of the stuff that makes a dog a dog. They can probably steer you to doggy day care, doggy gym, doggy camp and doggy psychiatrist although Tom Cruise will probably be upset. Why not just get a pretend dog. Then you could lay food in the corner for it. Fix it a bed every night. Take it for walks and stuff like that. After your friends and families witness this for a while you will probably be able to get an insanity check from the government. Then you could spend that money to get a real dog (muts are the only kind to have, who wants some blue blood inbred, liberal dog) and you could probably pay for doggy day care as well. Just be sure to keep the pretend dog to keep those tax dollars rolling your way instead of going to some hippy. The pretend dog’s puddles are much easier to clean up, too.
I agree that you must make sure that the dog knows who is in charge, and it had better be you, not the dog. Make sure you can devote tons of time to interact, train, and exercise the dog. I reccommend not getting a puppy. Puppies are a crapload of hard work. Believe me, I have a 3 month old samoyed right now, and I don’t think I’ll ever get a young pup again. I’ll stick to 6 months or older from now on.
Dogs rule!
My personal preference in canines is the magnificent Shetland Sheepdog (like the one sitting at my feet). Small, loyal, obedient, non-aggressive.
If you want a good guard dog, also consider the Airedale Terrier (they were used as police and military dogs before the German Sheppard) or the Boxer.
No matter what kind of dog you get, keep these things in mind:
1. NEVER EVER buy from a pet store. The dogs often come from puppy mills. Not only does this increase the chance of genetic defects, it also supports a despicable industry;
2. Several very popular breeds such as the Dalmation and the Shepherd have been overbred so much that genetic defects are common. In Shepherds, hip dysplasia is the problem. This can be avoided by careful selection of a reputable breeder;
3. Consider how much room you have for the dog (both inside and out), whether you’ll want an indoor dog, how much time you’re willing to spend vacuuming up hair, how tolerant you are for barking, how much time you’ll have to walk or exercise it, etc. A little research now will save you (and the dog) a helluva lot of trouble later;
4. Stop by the local animal shelter, or check with breed rescue organizations. I have a terrier mix that I got from the pound, and she’s been a very sweet, healthy pet;
5. I want to echo what everybody here has said about training and asserting dominance. You and SarahK must be the alphas in the pack; your dog will likely try to boss you if you let it. That means trouble for everybody;
6. A bored dog is a destructive dog, and this is especially true of puppies. My sheepdog chewed holes in… well… virtually everything in my house before I wised up.
Good luck.
DOGS RULE!
Frank, SarahK,
Seriously … it’s very smart you’re asking opinions on this … but if you two are planning to have kids (not sure if you are or not) dogs can provide great “practice” in ways that an independent cat usually can’t. If you (or your readers) think you two aren’t up to handling a puppy, maybe … maybe, you REALLY need a puppy!
Since I am in the process of raising a lab puppy (although I almost got a German Shepherd), I figured I’m chime in.
It’s can’t be left alone all day as a puppy.
Nadine almost got it right. The general rule of thumb is that the puppy can be left alone for as many hours as it is months old, plus one. So if it’s 2 months old, then for 3 hours. Like I said, it’s a general rule. Larger breeds (such as GSD) can probably last a little longer. But don’t push it.
I did do a bunch of research on them before I decided to get a lab (hunting dog). I’ll see if I can’t dig it up and I’ll send it your way.
Dude, take a dog on a test run! Figure out if you really want a dog or not and do something good for the community–foster a dog from the shelter! It gives you a chance to see if you want a young dog or if something older fits in your life better. If you get a dog that’s recovering from an illness it’ll give you a basic knowledge of animal husbandry. You tend to freak out less when the dog’s puking all over the floor at 3:30am. Just don’t adopt the first dog that comes through your house. Don’t foster with the intent to adopt a foster dog. Heck, sometimes you can even get a pair of puppies! (Fun, fun!) You can always judge how ready you are based on how happy you are to see them get adopted. 😛
I agree with Gullyborg about Malamutes. They’re wonderful pets and are sometimes confused with wolves (which can lead to some hilarious episodes!). But they are not going to be happy in Florida. Had to leave mine up north while I lived down there.
I’ve done both. I’ve raised a puppy (lab/retreiver mutt) and I’ve adopted an adult dog (beagle). I can honestly say I had a much better experience with the adult dog. Puppies are cute and rambunxious, and they’re great for that… but they grow big FAST. They lose the cuteness and smallness and become big, hyper, and annoying for at least a year, sometimes two.
The puppy I had to meticulously house train, and there were many accidents. There were also many chewed shoes, furiniture, window sills, and books.
Now don’t get me wrong, Luke is a great dog. I raised him and we’re close pals. He’s older now and he lives with my parents to give them some company in their retirement.
The dog that lives with me now I adopted not too long ago. About a year or so. I got a beagle from the local animal shelter. He was already house broken, he knew a few basic commands, and after a couple weeks of routine he had settled down and was getting the hang of things. After a few months we bonded even stronger than the puppy I raised. A year later and he’s jsut a great dog.
Basically the great part about a shelter dog (one that hasn’t been abused at leasst) is that he can be trained right away. Take him to classes why you’re still fresh and thrilled with the idea of a new dog, and he’ll learn to respect you and he’ll bond with you very quickly. You’ll end up with a well behaved dog that loves and trusts you almost right from the start.
Puppies do the love and trust part right from the start, but the well behaved thing is a long time coming. Plus, skipping out of lunch every day to let the puppy out (and clean up any messes) really freakin’ blows.
Charles.
Hi Frank. My wife and I work as volunteers with a local shelter and as such have fostered puppies and larger dogs. My advice is:
– I don’t believe you can leave a puppy at home alone for that period of time.
– Regardless, definately crate-train the little fella. It sounds mean to some, but dogs are naturally ‘denning’ animals, and are actually more relaxed sleeping and hanging around in the crate while you are Sarah are out partying.
But, again, puppies are going to ‘use the facilities’ as it were, about every 1/2 hour to hour. Seriously. Even if you have the puppy in a large enough area where he/she can separate themself from the latrine area they’ve picked out, it’s going to make house training that much harder later on, since going in the house will seem pretty natural to them.
They need fresh food and water pretty frequently through the day. I just don’t see how it could be done reasonably wiht both working say 8 hours.
Our lab is now 10 years old. He was 3 before he settled down.
Establish who is Alpha (and Beta, Gamma, etc.) Dog needs to be Omega on the command chain.
When a puppy chews up a shoe, DO NOT GIVE IT TO HIM AS A CHEW TOY. They cannot distinguish between a good shoe, and a ruined shoe. He must learn that ALL shoes are off limits.
Best book on training a dog that I’ve found (don’t laugh) is by the Monks of New Skete
(http://www.powells.com/s?author=Monks%20Of%20New%20Skete)
Dogs rule.
Have you considered a white shepherd?. My Greta is the most beautiful, most wonderful dog ever. I might even breed her (I want to, w/in the next year.)
Can anyone recommend a dog that can be around kids (and will brutally murder anyone who attempts mischief upon said kids)?
Scott – yes. See above post. LOVES my kids. Cleans them when they’re dirty. Would kill anyone who looked at them crossways.
I think just the opposite, you should get a dog BEFORE you have kids. Having a dog has taught me:
1. to be responsible (duh)
2. just like kids, many decisions will involve your dog (like how long you can commute, where to live, etc)
3. that I need to be firm, if you give them an inch they will take a mile. Pluto now walks all over me.
4. that if you hit them even just a couple times, they will be afraid of your hands even though they were not before. I only hit him like three times but that was enough. It really makes me think twice about spanking, which I was in favor of before.
Anyway, a puppy is a lot of work. You should consider getting one that is 1 or 2 years old, they will still be young and playful, but if you get a well behaved one then it will be trained already. I never had to train pluto to only go outside, he already did that. It was great.
Get a Corgi, they’re much cuter and smaller. And they’re much easier to deal with in an apartment.
TIPS for German Shepherd lovers. Got one as a puppy and have had for two years.
1. Don’t bring the dog home on a weekend. Get him into your routine immediately.
2. Use a kennel. Never leave the dog outside of the kennel when no one’s home. Shepherd’s train easily to a kennel; we used “kennel up” and a milkbone treat. Do not provide food or water in the kennel.
3. Always let the dog outside after removing from the kennel until the dog is house-broken.
We have left the puppy for 10 hours and the full grown dog for 16 hours without bad effect. Good luck.