Why did you pick the GSD? - Page 4

My reasons stack up to a little of everything. My "foster" grandmother had a GSD named Prince, that he was. I loved that dog and still treasure the pic or 2 I have of him. He was put down when I was about 6-7 for HD I guess. I remember pounding on the barn door(crying my eyes out) while the vet was in there giving him the shot! I was crushed. Prince, the goat Tinkerbell and the huge 17 hand tall saddlebred Sunny, where my life from the time I had memories-6yrs old, when my "foster" grandma passed away. Growing up we didn't have $ for pedigreed dogs and I settled for a bunch of mutts that wandered in and out of my life.

 I'm a nature buff and have a passion for North American Wildlife, Wolves, Moose, Mustangs, Bison, Elk and Cougars. The closest dog to the wolf are Alaskan breeds, which I have owned. I enjoyed them but wasn't swept off my feet. They stray, can be hard to train and not protective enough to keep themselves from being stolen right out of the yard. GSD's somewhat resemble wolves with their coat leangth and upright ears, so I tried that rout, with sweet memories of my childhood pal Prince. Once I had my own GSD at age 14, I have never owned another breed since. Each dog has had it's own personality and quirks but they have all been something special, loyal and loving, while protective and strong. They cover every need I have in a dog, keeping me from needing another breed. I love dogs and animals period but the GSD will always have a special place in my heart.

There is so much you can do with a GSD, the sky or your imagination is the limit. If you can think it up and train for it, they can do it and usually with less work than another breed.

Intelligent, loyal, reserved, sweet, protective, patient, strong, obedient.  And they have a wonderful sense of humor!  If it's not a GSD, it's not a dog.

 I didn't  pick the breed--my dad did.   My first dog was a Beagle named Bambi.  He was hit by a car, but I was told he had run off to Disneyland.    After that, for YEARS, I wanted a collie, like Lassie.  But, my dad had been drafted into the Army and sent to Korea, which is where he was intrroduced to three things for the very first time:

   1. Pizza   ( how weird is that?  A Kentucky boy goes all the way to Korea to see/smell/eat pizza for the first time!!)

    2. Japanese ( don't know why, but he came back semi-proficient in Japanese)

   3. German Shepherds

He thought the Army gsds he saw were the most wonderful dogs in the world and decided he'd have one one day.   So, with a daughter begging for a puppy, he used that as his opportunity and showed up on Valentine's day with a big box, wrapped up with a pink ribbon.  I thought it was maybe a rabbit, or my collie puppy.  I was very disappointed to see this balck and tan thing (6-8 weeks old) that was clearly NOT a collie.  Two weeks later, and ever since, you could not pay me to take a collie.  I will not go into details, but that dog is literally the reason that  I am alive today.  When I was nine, she saved me from an insane person who was quite literally trying to smother me to death.  Later, she saved me from drowning in the Ohio River by coming in and getting me back to shore.   Then, there were the little leather-jacketed idiots in the neighborhoood from whom she protected me.   The cops  loved her.  No matter how many times she bit (always with good, defensive reasons) the cops never wrote any of them up, because she was "doing her job."   The postal employees thought she was pretty cool, too:  she accompanied my dad on his deliveries at the first of the month.  That stopped the sometimes violent folks who would accost him for their welfare checks blocks from their home.   Whenever she threw a litter, cops and postal employees were always waiting to take a puppy. 

     I still judge gsds by her.  I have yet to hae one that had ALL of her attributes.    

My grandpa was a veterinarian and had a small animal clinic with boarding.  I was around many different breeds.  It was obvious that the GSDs were by far the most intelligent dogs that I ever saw, whether of expensive import breeding or common backyard breeding.  Once I was around them when their runs were cleaned a few times, I was able to make friends with them.   I was astounded by their extreme intelligence, loyalty and agility.  From that point on I have never liked any other breed of dog.  When I became an adult and could afford it I bought my first GSD and have always had at least one one ever since except for a couple of short periods.  The uniqueness of the GSD as a breed continues to impress me after many years and I view these dogs as a great blessing to mankind.  As my one friend, a breeder of 40+ years stated many times,  there is nothing like a good temperamented GSD.

Several years ago, the last dog in the world I ever wanted was a GSD -- but my husband was a GSD person -- he loved German Shepherds,  had had 6 before I met him.  I love him, and he loves Shepherds, so when he wanted to get a Shepherd, I agreed, thinking that in 6 months I could make the case for getting ME a Boykin Spaniel, Border Collie, whatever . . . . that mindset didn't last long . . . . as far as I am concerned there is NO other breed.  If  you are a "Shepherd person" you will understand, no explanation necessary!  If you have ever had a GSD, you just understand . . . .