Misc GSD owners, aware me on the breed for reps. (srs)

[Monkey Helmet]

I have always loved GSDs but I admit I don't know a ton about them.

I'm pretty sure I have the means to care for one as I have a medium sized backyard that's big enough for agility exercises and general running around but I also have a nearby manmade lake with a walking path around it just down the street from me and a park as well so it'll be my cardio partner.

But after researching online it seems like there's some confusion as to what I should look out for. I'm seeing some breeders listing their dogs for $1,500-$3,000 which is a bit high but it seems like that's for mostly show dogs. However a lot of forums I've visited have people saying that basically anything less than $1,500 will be a crappy dog prone to hip issues and other health problems. Does this have any truth to it? It seems like there are private breeders with great dogs that have health gurarantees and they're only listing for $700-$1,000. I couldn't care less about showing him, I just want a loyal, healthy dog.

But I also want a well bred dog. It doesn't need to be top of the line but I want something that was bred with temperament and health in mind. So where do I start? How to I determine what breeders genuinely have these things in mind? Are there certain documentation I should ask about? Am I really looking at spending $1,500 for a regular working line dog and not a show dog?

Reps for good info/advice.

Here is a nearby breeder I was looking into... http://autumnacres.webs.com/

[Sathane]

Best breed IMO.

Incredibly loyal and one of the most intelligent breeds. Increased intelligence means you have to keep them busy quite a bit in order to keep boredom away otherwise they will make their own fun - IE: eat your socks, furniture, etc.

Mostly used as working dogs for law enforcement. Larger breed so it's important to be sure to check into parents when buying a GSD to be sure there is no history of hip dysplasia. Very protective. My boy sleeps at the entrance to whatever room I am in every night.

Can seem annoying until you understand them. They are very much a pack animal and when you become their alpha they will stick with you constantly. My boy follows me everywhere and is always at my heel. Some people may get annoyed by this. They are also always looking for approval from their alpha so it's important to praise/reward wanted behaviours when you see them, especially when very young.

Highly prone to pano (growing pains). If your GSD starts to limp all of a sudden don't get too worried as it's most likely this is it's under a year old. Get it checked.

If I think of more, I'll update.

$1500 should get you a good dog. Be sure to get papers showing the parent's registrations (both of them). If both parents aren't registered, the dog shouldn't be fetching that price. For that cost the dog should have healthy bloodlines and parents with no real behavioural issues. If the parents are available at the breeder's location, ask to interact with them. Ask for vaccination information as well. Depending on the age of the puppy, it should have some vaccines already done. Do a Google search on the breeder and pay particular attention to bad reviews and the reasons given. If the breeder is established (longer than 5 years) and has no bad reviews online, chances are they are good. Also, breeders should not feel insulted if you ask for references from them. Very good breeders will take an interest in their buyers, almost to the point of getting personal. If a breeder is willing to just hand over a dog without asking so much as what you know about the breed and what kind of living conditions you'll be raising it in, be very suspicious. If they don't attempt to educate you on the animal also be suspicious. The best breeders I've come into contact with you have a passion for these animals and will talk your ear off about the breed, want to know how much space you have for the dog (GSDs need a lot of exercise), and like to show off their animals. If the breeders is simply interested in getting paid, run.

[Monkey Helmet]

^ Good stuff.

[Sathane]

^ Good stuff.

Thanks man. Any questions at all PM me. I have tons of experience with this breed.

[Monkey Helmet]

Thanks man. Any questions at all PM me. I have tons of experience with this breed.

Will do.

Do you have any hesitation on less than $1,500 for a dog? It seems like a steep price and I've seen (what seem like) reputable breeders like the one in the link I posted that are breeding good dogs that start at $700.

[Sathane]

Some more info:

When you get your new puppy it is very important to socialize it as much as possible immediately. If you have a dog park in the area, bring it there often. Play with it in water as well. GSDs aren't typically retriever type dogs but they can learn to do it if you make it fun.

Don't coddle the dog. For example, if it seems scared of thunder or whatever, play it off like there is ntohing out of the ordinary (this is true for all breeds). Coddling and comforting the dog will reinforce it's feeling that something is wrong and encourage the scared behaviour.

Never allow your GSD to take charge during situations unless it's at your command. When meeting new people or dogs, take complete control of the interaction. Make your dog sit and introduce the dog to new people/animals. Don't allow the dog to just walk up to new people. If the dog appears to be very alert when new people are around/approaching. Step between the dog and the people to show the dog that you've got this. When going through doors, up and down stairs, etc. you should always be in the lead. This is to keep control of the dog and to reinforce your dominance.

Don't teach the dog "paw"! Everyone does this and it's dangerous, especially if you have young children in your family or circle of friends. The dog will associate giving it's paw with rewards which translates into a clawed paw in the face of any child that is holding something the dog might want.

If you play tug of war with the dog it is very important that it never wins in order to keep your place as alpha.

[Sathane]

Will do.

Do you have any hesitation on less than $1,500 for a dog? It seems like a steep price and I've seen (what seem like) reputable breeders like the one in the link I posted that are breeding good dogs that start at $700.

I'd definitely do a bit of research. If the parents are available, definitely check them out. Look for things like bowed legs, favouring legs for support, bad feet, etc. If the dog has papers and has had a vet checkup done then review those carefully. Ask to see vet records for the parents. Ask the breeder why that particular animal is cheaper than the others. To be honest, all of the above should be standard for even the animals fetching higher prices. The more you can learn about the animal the better. Good breeders should appreciate that you have enough of an interest in the animal's well being to ask.

[Sathane]

Looking into that Autumn Acres now. So far no red flags with a quick search. Very glad to see this on their website too:

please note:
We receive many call's & e-mails from people interested in buying a puppy from us. Please do yourself a huge favor by doing a proper presentation of yourself. We will not even consider to re-home any of our puppies to people we do not know anything about. Some of the call's & e-mails we receive consist of only one or two things. like, "I want to buy a puppy from you. What does it cost and when can you send it?". Some of these mails are only signed by the first name, or not signed at all (yes, it is true). Our puppies are dear to us and we hope that you understand that we must know who you are before considering to re-home a puppy with you.

Looks like a good breeder. Animals are "VET CHECKED, WRITTEN HEALTH GUARANTEE, SHOTS TO DATE." which is great. Testimonials looks good too.

Looks like the price difference is for short or long coat.

Oh, another thing, short or long coat is really up to your preference. Be aware that these dogs shed like crazy regardless of coat type. Get a good vaccuum.

[syddak1llakyd]

german shepards are great but i recommend adopting a pitbull

[PuNjAbixxPheNoM]

Bought my first German Shepherd last year. They are pretty much the most alpha dog because they do everthing. They are top 3 smartest dog in the world, fast, strong, real protective. The only bad thing that I can tell you is that they shed like crazy. Other then that they learn things quick. Here is mine

[Monkey Helmet]

german shepards are great but i recommend adopting a pitbull

Not my style.

[Sathane]

Bought my first German Shepherd last year. They are pretty much the most alpha dog because they do everthing. They are top 3 smartest dog in the world, fast, strong, real protective. The only bad thing that I can tell you is that they shed like crazy. Other then that they learn things quick.

Good looking dog! Wish I had some pics of my boy available.

[Monkey Helmet]

Bought my first German Shepherd last year. They are pretty much the most alpha dog because they do everthing. They are top 3 smartest dog in the world, fast, strong, real protective. The only bad thing that I can tell you is that they shed like crazy. Other then that they learn things quick. Here is mine

Beautiful.

So is that considered long hair? I googled both and on a lot of them I can't really tell the difference.

[MuscleXtreme]

I didn't get a GSD, I got a golden retriever instead but since I recently went through the entire process of getting a dog from a breeder; I might be able to help.


You will probably want to spend $1400+ on a purebred dog. However, if you do that; make sure that breeder has health papers on mother and father. Make sure the health papers cover, hip dysplasia, eye check, elbow checks and heart checks. My breeder has all her dogs records going back to 1986.. If the breeder does not have these papers then THEY ARE NOT REPUTABLE.

Check out how the breeder raises the puppies and make sure that the breeder makes you wait until the pups are 8 weeks old before they can go home. The breeder should also have health guarantees on her pups. Also if the breeder is worth their salt they will make you sign a contract saying that you will never give the dog up to a shelter or pound and that you will bring the dog back to them if you ever decide you can't keep it. Furthermore, the contract should make you neuter/spay your dog.


What are you plans for socializing your pup with other dogs and people? This is extremely important.

[brianr76]

I love GSDs.

Currently I have a GS lab mix (accidental on the breeders part, had all the papers on both dogs, he gave away every pup for free.) Very aesthetic, and he has the temperament of both dogs. Tons of energy, goofy like a lab, but highly intelligent like a GSD. You won't be disappointed with a GSD, even if you're not really aware on the breed. Just google search some of the basic training tips and you'll have one of the most loyal dogs.

EDIT: Make sure you socialize the puppy as well, GSDs have been known to be overly protective and cautious of most situations if they haven't been around other people and dogs.

[MuscleXtreme]

Some more info:

When you get your new puppy it is very important to socialize it as much as possible immediately. If you have a dog park in the area, bring it there often. Play with it in water as well. GSDs aren't typically retriever type dogs but they can learn to do it if you make it fun.

Don't coddle the dog. For example, if it seems scared of thunder or whatever, play it off like there is ntohing out of the ordinary (this is true for all breeds). Coddling and comforting the dog will reinforce it's feeling that something is wrong and encourage the scared behaviour.

Never allow your GSD to take charge during situations unless it's at your command. When meeting new people or dogs, take complete control of the interaction. Make your dog sit and introduce the dog to new people/animals. Don't allow the dog to just walk up to new people. If the dog appears to be very alert when new people are around/approaching. Step between the dog and the people to show the dog that you've got this. When going through doors, up and down stairs, etc. you should always be in the lead. This is to keep control of the dog and to reinforce your dominance.

Don't teach the dog "paw"! Everyone does this and it's dangerous, especially if you have young children in your family or circle of friends. The dog will associate giving it's paw with rewards which translates into a clawed paw in the face of any child that is holding something the dog might want.

If you play tug of war with the dog it is very important that it never wins in order to keep your place as alpha.

Wait until your dog has all of its shots before going out in public to it, especially a dog park. This means they can't go out in public until 15-17 weeks.

[PuNjAbixxPheNoM]

No that is not a long coat. This is a long coat

It might be hard to tell if you don't know much about dogs but the difference is there.

[Retoaded]

good input already but some cliffs:

I had my first for 6 years, died of cancer. On year 4 with my second.


1. You HAVE to be strong willed and cannot be a pvssy dog owner with a GSD or they will run all over you. However if you give them leadership and discipline they LOVE IT.

2. Keep them at their goal weight to help prevent hip/joint issues...looks like you are already doing the research on their hip genetics by looking up breeders, thats good.

3. they need exercise which is easy if you have a back yard they will play endlessly and YOU will get tired first! they are great walkers and while friendly they don't obsess over other animals, they act like you and only you is important and they won't chase the first small dog they see and drag you with them.

4. our GSD is super with our 2 cats and great with all other dogs and people, no issues there. She gets protective of the car when riding around for some reason though, barks at people who walk close to the car.

5. offers me (and importantly my wife) a great sense of security. typically thieves are looking for an easy target/quick grab for crack, and when they see her standing in the window they'll move to the next house.

6. they SHED LIKE CRAZY. the blow their coats a couple times a year when they need to be brushed alot for a couple weeks. get ready to own a heavy duty vacuum cleaner.



10 years of GSD ownership here and no complaints. wonderful dogs. smart, beautiful, athletic, and scary to criminals.

just keep in mind, if you are a bad owner and have a pug or cocker spaniel or something, they can have some annoying habits but they are little dogs. if you are a bad owner and you allow a 90 pound GSD to develop bad habits, you have a problem, because they can destroy anything in a matter of seconds.

good luck and post pics!

potato picture but you can see how she is with the cats:

[Sathane]

Wait until your dog has all of its shots before going out in public to it, especially a dog park. This means they can't go out in public until 15-17 weeks.

Very good point.

[Monkey Helmet]

I didn't get a GSD, I got a golden retriever instead but since I recently went through the entire process of getting a dog from a breeder; I might be able to help.


You will probably want to spend $1400+ on a purebred dog. However, if you do that; make sure that breeder has health papers on mother and father. Make sure the health papers cover, hip dysplasia, eye check, elbow checks and heart checks. My breeder has all her dogs records going back to 1986.. If the breeder does not have these papers then THEY ARE NOT REPUTABLE.

Check out how the breeder raises the puppies and make sure that the breeder makes you wait until the pups are 8 weeks old before they can go home.


What are you plans for socializing your pup with other dogs and people? This is extremely important.

I'll check into the health papers for the parents but from the link I posted it seems like these breeders are legit. I don't want a show quality dog, just a healthy and safe one so if I can buy one from them for $700 I'd rather pay that then twice as much for a show dog that will never see a show in its life.

As far as socialization goes we have a park nearby so we can get him/her used to kids and there is a dog park near us as well that we plan to become members of. Also my girlfriend (lives with me) has family nearby so her brothers can come over and hang out with it whenever.

[JoshSP1985]

If you play tug of war with the dog it is very important that it never wins in order to keep your place as alpha.

Interesting, will make sure to always win now.

[Jeff203]

The black ones remind me of ninjas....I've always wanted a black one. Urban dog of peace.

[Monkey Helmet]

Interesting, will make sure to always win now.

Yeah I never thought of that. I always let my childhood dogs win but they were always smaller. This will be my first big/medium sized dog so I'll be sure to bring the alpha.

[Sathane]

Interesting, will make sure to always win now.

I never let my boy win naturally but my gf would always just give up after a bit of time and the dog would always attempt dominance over her - pulling on walks, trying to race ahead across streets and out doors, nipping at the knees. After speaking to a trainer she was told to not allow him to win in tug of war and to never put herself in a position where the dog can look down on her from a higher vantage point or anything. Only about a week later and he started showing her the same respect as me and actually listens to her.

Being consistent in your training of these dogs is important too. They are creatures of habit and do best when things are the same. For this reason, before you allow people to interact with your dog on a training level you should aware them of your methods. This is very important when they are young and less important when they are older as they should be well trained by then but consistent is always best.

[Retoaded]

The black ones remind me of ninjas....I've always wanted a black one. Urban dog of peace.

I always thought the sable colored ones with black faces were just badass...if we decide not to have kids will be next buddy...

[klimjoco]

I have a gsd who was from a backyard breeder. She has no health issues in fact, she is very healthy. I live in an apartment and she is very happy with me. She doesn't get a lot of exercise on Mondays-Wednesdays because I have work. But she gets a lot of exercise on thu-sun.

You don't need to spend so much money for a registered akc dog. Why don't you check out humane society first see if they have a full bred gsd? I got mine for 500 and I hve a friend who paid 3,000 for one and is now dead.

[Jeff203]

I always thought the sable colored ones with black faces were just badass...if we decide not to have kids will be next purchase...

hell yeah they are. plus, dogs>kids so you should get one ASAP.

[Sathane]

I have a gsd who was from a backyard breeder. She has no health issues in fact, she is very healthy. I live in an apartment and she is very happy with me. She doesn't get a lot of exercise on Mondays-Wednesdays because I have work. But she gets a lot of exercise on thu-sun.

You don't need to spend so much money for a registered akc dog. Why don't you check out humane society first see if they have a full bred gsd? I got mine for 500 and I hve a friend who paid 3,000 for one and is now dead.

Humane Society dogs 'can' be good but I always prefer to get a dog that is verified to have the best chances of good health. For big breeds it's just too hit and miss for me to risk. Remember, this animal is going to become a loved member of your family so anything that can be avoided is always good. Also, if the dog is older you have no clue about what it's been through or what bad habits it might have.

[Monkey Helmet]

I have a gsd who was from a backyard breeder. She has no health issues in fact, she is very healthy. I live in an apartment and she is very happy with me. She doesn't get a lot of exercise on Mondays-Wednesdays because I have work. But she gets a lot of exercise on thu-sun.

You don't need to spend so much money for a registered akc dog. Why don't you check out humane society first see if they have a full bred gsd? I got mine for 500 and I hve a friend who paid 3,000 for one and is now dead.

I don't have any aversion to adopting one from a humane society, but I'm just concerned about getting a dog with no knowledge of its parents or upbringing. If it was a smaller breed I wouldn't have much hesitation but a dog like this could do some damage. I know buying from a breeder is no guarantee but I'm less skeptical about owning a larger dog if I have a better idea of its background.

[HunterSadEyes]

not questioning my misc brahs's dog knowledge
but also try posting here http://www.dogforums.com/
most people who frequent that site are serious dog owners, trainers, experts etc. you'll get a detailed and expert advise.