Impulse? - Page 2

The first of my current pack of GSDs was purchased in utero, with only my previous knowledge of the breed from years back. I specified female & as dark as possible. And I lucked out, there were 2 pups in the litter, 1 male & 1 female. She was named before she was born, so she was called her name from birth, & treated as a spoiled only child growing up; & we lucked out again...because there are 2 ways spoiled growing up can go; 1) intolerable brat...or 2) inquisitive adoring intellectual....& she is 20% #1 & 80% #2. Our Kali is the apple of our eyes, from a hobby breeder who totally cared about her dogs & the breed! She is all that as well, those who frequent this board have heard me singing her praises before, she is the epitome of what a GSD should be!My girls, & their best buddy, protector, & our girl Kali. jackie harris

Lukas was an impulse buy. But I NEEDED him. As a student and going through a really bad time he was the best decision for me at that moment. Even now I think I have more separation anxiety from him than he does from me. xD He is loyal, intellegent but he has his moments. He's a grouch (gotten better over time) as well as having some serious skin allergies.

Sophie was an adoption impulse. We couldn't resist her, but she's my mothers dog and thus lives with her.

Jaxon was not an impulse buy. I did two years of looking around, learning, talking and he is the most well rounded dog I've ever known in my lifetime. Which says a lot, because as a kid all dogs were impulse dogs on my parents part. :) And now we are training in PSA. He is far too spoiled by me. But I've never had a dog as intellegent to catch on and execute things so well.

 LucasGS...The pup in your avitar is quite impressive looking..: )

Ruger1

Thank you, he was about 3 1/2 months in that picture. I'd get some new pictures but right now he's 7 months and lanky, totally out of coat, he turned blonde in the month and looks like a coyote! I've been putting off updating everyone for it. xD Anyways, I wont hijack the thread.

My first purebred dog was a Boxer! She wasn't an impulse buy as I had been deciding with my mom who had agreed to let me get a purebred dog my senior year of high school. Mom wasn't and still isn't a dog person but we agreed on the Boxer as she didn't want me to have a Mastiff or Great Dane due to their size. I read about dogs of all breeds and Boxer's sounded perfect and Mandi was just that!  I had been a dog lover all my life, saw my first show at 3yrs old but didn't get to do any competing or anything til in my 20's. Mandi was so great, not from fancy show lines but from a small kennel in Eastern Oregon. She never had a health problem til she was about 14yrs old and then developed lymphoma and we euthanized her at a little over 14yrs of age! I found I was allergic to Boxer hair and saliva so decided on a different breed and got to house sit for a GSD breeder and when she got back from her trip said can I please put my pay down as a deposit on a puppy! Have been GSD crazy ever since. My current GSD is 12yrs old and been the best boy hope we still have many years left together!!

  My Benedict was an emotional impulse buy.  I got him just 5 days after Eli, my GSD,  died in 2009 from  hemangiosarcoma  6 weeks before his 9th birthday.  I did not even know Eli was sick. He had been my constant through raising 4 kids through the teens year while battling cancer and a week before he passed  I told him  "Finally  we have time to enjoy eachother” and then he was gone.    He loved me so much, and was so faithful. He gave me so much more than I gave him.

5 days later I went back to Eli’s breeder, who told me she had puppies. I saw  Eli’s  mom, who was still alive at 15, but had cancer. I ended up coming home with Benny, whose great grandmother is Eli’s grandmother.   I am very glad Benny came into my life! He has a retained testicle, (and Eli had two retained testicles) so maybe this is genetic and I was too dumb to check. 
My childhood GSD lived to be 14, trained me to train him and had no temperament or health problems so I thought all GSD’s were like this and that Eli being cryptorchid, getting cancer was a fluke.    It is only since Eli died and I got Benny that I have been researching on forums. Knowing what I know now I would not have  brought Benny into my life, BUT, I am so thankful  I did.!  He has changed my life  and I believe he is a gift from God ( in a strange disguise)
  Benny has made me an unofficial dog trainer and taken me from my comfort zone. I have learned that I need to be a little more assertive than him  so he will not just love me a Eli did, but respect and trust me, and not feel like he has to protect me. unless I tell him. I have been able to teach him service tasks. He can open doors, and picks up anything I drop and gives it to me. 
He is to genetically fear reactive and I fear he may  have inherited genetic health problems that may shorten his life so I make every minute count. It is not how long we live, but what we do with the time given that matters.  Benny may outlive me and take care of my family. Only God knows
I am researching and planning on a new GSD pup for Ben and I to raise together next year.