Am I ready for a purebred german shepherd?

Question

YES i will be getting them from a guy who is very experienced with german shepherds
I'm 13 years old, and for the last few months, I have been doing TONS of reasearch about GS dogs and now i know a lot about them, like
-food
-behavior
-excersising
-health
-training
-socializing
-sicknesses/vaccinations
-history
-cost

problem is, ive never had a dog before. but i have been around dog and have lots of expereince/ tips provided from people who have dogs.
I am planning to get a MALE in 3 months, purebred, do you think im ready?
i know some people may think i have too much confidence, but i need honest opinions, and possibly some tips.
help!
ps. my mom knows how to disipline dogs cuz her relatives have had big dogs when she was little.
:)

Answer 1

contact your local schutzhund club, ask for a trainer in your area. do training lessons with someone who knows the breed and you will be fine!



you can't own one because it's physically stronger then you... yet i've heard of eight and nine year olds getting their first sch titles. and my 300lb father got pulled over yesterday while playing tug with my GSD

Answer 2

Sorry, I don't think so. You sound like you know a lot and that's great, but I would wait for a few years if I was you - a LEAST until you are 15. Seriously, it's not that long and you will appreciate it. Try fostering dogs between now and then so you can see what kind of dog fits your lifestyle.



Males can be very dominant and pushy, especially as their hormones peak - get him castrated early (5 - 6 months old) so that this will be less of a problem for you. They need so much mental stimulation every day - otherwise they find their own, and usually you won't like it! (tearing up things, being destructive, barking, chewing, digging, etc) and you will end up returning him to a shelter, where, in America, he no doubt will be killed. Don't put him through that just because you "want a GSD". Wait until you are ready so that you and he can have a beautiful lifelong relationship.



I don't want to come across as harsh, but I have seen this happen too many times. I've owned Shepherds since I was 17, before that I had Border Collies, and even a Border Collie/Dingo mix. You really have to be ready for them, and then they are the best dogs ever! I can't think of any other breed but a German Shepherd that I would ever own.



If you go ahead with it - good luck.

Answer 3

Without knowing you, I cannot say if you are mature and responsible enough to make this work, but it sounds like you are off to a good start.



More questions to consider:



-Have you found a local trainer willing to work with you as a junior handler? GSD need a lot of mental as well as physical exercise, and you both will learn a lot through obedience/agility training. Look for a local 4-H dog club as they are FOR junior handlers.



-Do you have a plan for when you grow up and move out? Dogs cannot live in college dorms, and most college students don't have the time for a high-maintenance dog like a GSD. Are your parents willing to keep it without your there to care for it for up to 10 years after you move out?



-If the dog has serious problems are your parents willing to step in and help (i.e. becomes too large for you to physically handle and develops a habit of chasing down and eating cats on walks)? Are you mature enough to make the call to put down "your dog" if circumstances require it due to behavioral problems that can't be fixed or an illness/accident? I had to make that call for one of my 4-H dogs when she was hit by a car... are you prepared for the fact that a dog will eventually break your heart?



Talk through these questions with both your parents AND the reputable, responsible breeder, if everyone still feels this is a good idea, then go for it!

Answer 4

No.



You are 13.



You are likely to be physically unable to handle this animal as it grows. I cringe when i see people under 16 handling dogs that could easily outweigh OR over power them. Even some adults can be pulled down by GSDs and similar breeds!



They are powerful, dominant, and a lot of dog. Too much for a child or a first time owner. Period. This dog's exercise and training would eventually fall to MOM simply because it will be able to over power you by the time it reaches six months of age.



Being around dogs and talking to other owners is NOTHING compared to hands on ownership experience. I do not recommend this breed to ANYONE of any age who has not owned at least one other dog, preferably TWO or more.



Sorry.

Answer 5

Well if it is a big dog like German Shepherd and your 13 year old it is going to be little hard for you, your parents going to help you right or no? you still need your parent helper with that dog living with you. you can not raise all by yourself, your parent's had to agree with you having a dog, it is lot easier for you and your future puppy.



ok your mom will help you then its fine,You already find some tips and information how to take care that's good for you.



long as you love animals then i don't think you will have any problem. when their are puppy is always hard to raise but you will get used to it, your mom and you help each other your fine.



German Shepherd is easy to train, they are easy to catch up and really smart dogs, I had a 3 German Shepherd dog before their are raised as champion blood k-9 dogs part of police dogs.

Only small problem i had with my 3 dogs were, when i took them to walk, they took me to walk instead i took them walk, because they are very strong boy and girls. so usually follow them instead they follow me but my dogs are really nice dogs and trained so they try to walk slowly for me.



you need to be aware of your puppy can grow up as dog get bigger and heavier so it may drag you and may fall down so make sure its not your dog fault its you, because you are lighter then your dog. also never be teasing your puppy they get upset or think your playing with him. and never yell but can be firm voice.



I missed them very much they got old and passed way. now i have two small dogs now. i am still learning how to take care of them, every dog breed are different.

Answer 6

I think that as long as your family is helping and everyone is going to take care of the dog it should be good. For you as a 13 yr old to take care of a large breed dog may be a bit of a challenge. They are expensive, don't forget they need heart worm medication, as well as flea and tick meds. The larger the breed the more expensive, that puppy could well get to over 120lbs in the first year. Don't forget you need to have good nutrition and def. get him neutered!

Answer 7

My reason for doubting that you are ready are:

• firstly that you need to pay more attention to spelling and punctuation;

• secondly, and of more concern, is that you are going to be about 25 when your pet is ready to die. But in the near future you are almost certain to be a tempestuous self-centred teenager more interested in YOUR desires & crushes than in your pet's needs. After that you are probably going to want to go to a flatting situation for tertiary education - you are unlikely to find a flat (especially at a rent you can afford!) that will allow you a dog, plus you will have too little time for your dog what with classes, personal study, sports, cultural & social activities appropriate to tertiary students. Are you not then likely to want to travel the world, or at least travel the country searching for a job that suits you?



So unless:

(1) You don't intend to do ANY of the above things, just stay at home being unloved plus an unemployable financial burden to your parents,

OR

(2) Your MOTHER wants a GSD, but will allow you to share the work & training while you still live at home, then she'll happily take over once you leave,

- don't get a dog!





Those who advise that you are too puny to handle an adult GSD are incompetent trainers. You might be equally as incompetent - especially if you rely on the term "discipline"! But if you train a GSD properly, in a weekly TRAINING-club class that starts when your pup is 18-22 weeks old plus do revision on your own the whole time you are with your pet, and stay in classes until he is at least a yearling, size & strength are no problem - the dog never realises that it CAN pull you over.

We have children as young as 7 handling GSDs. One of our best handlers (she represented NZ at Crufts in the Junior Handler contest, where a German breeder watching Crufts then paid for her mother & her to attend THE Sieger Show so the girl could handle for him there) started in the ring at about the age of 5, with her mother running backwards in front of her so that the dog wouldn't stop gaiting.





I also very much doubt that you have researched as well as you think you have.

• How many training classes and GSD competitions have you visited, then afterwards talked to the owners and got permission to interact with their pooches?

• Have you studied "The German Shepherd Today" by Strickland & Moses?

• Which of the 400+ YahooGroups dedicated to various aspects of living with GSDs are you asking questions in?. Each group's Home page tells you which aspects they like to discuss, and how active they are. Unlike YA, they are set up so that you can have an ongoing discussion with follow-up questions for clarification. Most allow you to include photos.

• Have you studied the Links => Defining_a_GSD section, and downloaded then studied the Files => Choosing_a_GSD.doc, in http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/The_GSD_Source ?

• Do you have a door opening straight into a yard that is fenced to not just keep your pet home but to also keep stray dogs and stray brats OUT?

• Do you have a plan for where your pet will sleep that does NOT involve hours of being in a locked crate? Pups need to exercise their growing bones & muscles the whole time they are awake, and they need to go toilet far more often that YOU do. Catch 22: An enclosure small enough to invoke the "don't mess until I get away from my nest" instinct is too small for it to exercise in. But an enclosure big enough to exercise in is big enough for it to get away from its nest to piddle/poo.

• Do you know that the proper age to get a pup is when it is 7-to-9 weeks old?

• Can you stay home 24/7 for at least the first week - preferably fortnight? That is needed to help the pup trust that you will always be there when it wants company or protection. And it is needed so that YOU can observe it with 100% of your concentration, to learn its timing & signals for "Wanna go toilet" and "Wanna BITE something" then take appropriate action. "Discipline" is NOT a word you should apply to a wee puppy, any more than you should apply it to a 22 months old toddler.

• Does your household schedule allow you to attend the local training club's weekly classes?



[Killer Precision] is NOT an expert - he doesn't even know about proper ages at which to neuter! He & you will find the research reports on that in the group linked to above.



[feeKITTY]: No GSD is allowed to be more than 88 lbs.

Les P, owner of GSD_Friendly: http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/GSD_Friendly

"In GSDs" as of 1967