I want a puppy - Page 1

 I'm new to this site, and it seems as though you all have a lot of experience with the breed, especially the working aspect. Maybe someone will have some advice for me.

 I currently live with 2 middle aged German Shepherds (spayed females), one is a rescued shelter dog, the  other is my boyfriend's purebred white German Shepherd. They are fantastic dogs, but I'm addicted and I've been obsessed with the idea of getting a puppy to raise and train as a protection dog. I've worked in dog boarding kennels for the last 4 years so I'm no stranger to dogs, but I'm looking for something VERY specific in a dog. I want a dog that is very confident and able to be in any new situation, around crowds of people, children, animals, you name it, and just go with the flow. Allow people to pet him but not get overly excited, mouthy, jumpy, or aggressive. My shelter dog is excellent in this respect. I also want a dog that would not hesitate to protect me if the situation called for it. I don't want a dog that's LOOKING for a fight. I just want a dog that has the guts when he's needed. When it comes to working dogs, it's hard for me to tell by descriptions which dogs would have an acceptable attitude, and which would just be too intense.

There are a lot of people that have nice pups out there right now and I'm sure you will hear from many of them now that you have indicated you want a puppy; but are you looking for a "young dog" already trained, titled or are you looking for a pup that is very young?  The criteria you described isn't out of reach but it's gonna be a crap shoot for you if you buy a very young pup-being new I'd have to say that you would be limited in your experience to know how to select the "right" one-no offense, I'm fairly new to the breed and sport also but I can honestly say that I would not know how to select the right pup for myself.  If you get an older GSD that is titled or at least has the foundation training done you get a better picture on what the dog will be like at full maturity.  If you are looking for something very specific I'd have to direct you to an already trained dog from an experienced breeder.  With that being said training a dog for pp work is not an easy task for someone new especially if you have not done any schutzhund training before.  The advantage of getting a trained dog when you are new to the sport and breed is that you will learn a lot from the dog and with the proper guidance of an experienced trainer there is less room for you to make mistakes that may ruin the dog.  A GSD will naturally be protective but if you want a dog that is going to perform on command then it's my suggestion you really really research the breeder and get a dog with at least a SCH I title or one that is damn near ready for it.  And even then you can't be guaranteed that the dog you've selected will have the acceptable attitude and won't be a total nerve bag when you get it.  There's a lot of people that will tell you whatever you want to hear to move a dog....as always BUYER BEWARE!  I was fortunate to have someone who knew about the breed, and knew where to send me to get my dog and he was kind enough to help select him for me.  I got exactly what you described but had I not had this help I probably would not have been as pleased with my own selection since I had no clue what to look for.  Another tip when searching for a dog/pup...more doesn't always mean better meaning that just because someone demands big bucks for their dog doesn't always mean they are truely worth it.  And if you are looking for a "bargain"...there's no one out there that is gonna sell a diamond for the cost of coal.  Hope this somewhat helped.  Good Luck!

I've considered both a puppy and an already trained dog. Part of the excitement would be training the dog and learning about the sport... however I have never done this before so I think  I need a "softer" dog. At least with an older dog I know exactly what I'm getting. I've been looking at Kraftwerk K9.. Been up there twice to meet their dogs and was quite impressed. Very expensive price tag though and if I'm going to spend that amount of money I want a guarantee that I'm going to have exactly what I want... good hips, good temperament, beautiful dog, a breeder that stands behind their pups. If I can't get that then I might as well just get another shelter dog.

It doesn't matter that much the age of the dog as long as the pup is still impressionable, or able to fit into a household that already has older (and rather bossy) dogs. By the time I came into the lives of both my household dogs they already had issues... The shelter dog with extreme fear of gunshots and thunder (and men, at first... separation anxiety, aggression toward other animals... a lot of work went into her but she was always social and gentle with people and kids) and the purebred dog has always had an extremely nevous temperament... the opposite of what I want. She's the sort that barks aggressively out of fear and doesn't trust anyone right away. She will threaten first and then if someone calls her bluff she runs away. She's manageable but it would be so much easier to have a dog that is confident and is willing trust until it has a reason not to.

I've pretty much resigned myself to the fact that a good dog is going to be more expensive. I would rather pay more to get a stable dog than pay $600 to get a nervous, flighty, fearful dog. I have to admit Kraftwerk's prices seem excessive. But the dogs are gorgeous. It does make me nervous that they don't check to make sure prospective owners know what's required to own an active dog. I want a breeder to be telling me what I already know.. a GSD is an ACTIVE dog, and it needs excercize and mental stimulation or it will be a nervous wreck like many of the dogs I've encountered at the boarding kennel.

Like I said before, if I can't find exactly what I want, I might as well get a shelter dog... no reason to be supporting breeders who are just out to make money. I did read some of the posts about Kraftwerk. Not very encouraging and I'm glad I'm hearing feedback before I make an impulsive descision.... which I've been close to doing many times. After meeting Ursus and Gina, it's hard to watch as every puppy gets sold.

There are many good breeders in the same general location as Kraftwwerk, do your homework!

Susanne Eviston of von Grunheide in Snohomish, Monroe area, Julie of von Banach in Port Orchard, animules of this board just bred a wonderful litter, Kevin of Starkphfoten in Portland area are just a few of the many breeders that may have puppies that fit your criteria. The website that comes up first on the search engines is not necessarily the best. Go meet stud dogs and bitches from other breeders and see if you like them as well. There will always be good puppies out there. Take your time. 

Thanks Changer and AgarPhranicniStraze, I took a look at those breeders and they do indeed have beautiful dogs. I actually really don't like the look of most show dogs, American or German; extreme angulation makes them look weak and crippled. Dogs with curved backs or the ones that walk on their hocks really don't age gracefully or move right. I really like the look of working lines-- stocky bodies, rich sable colors, and only slight angulation. But then I find myself wondering, if the dog is bred to work, is it going to be satisfied with an hour of excercise daily during the week and a long hike on the weekend? The protection training is going to be more of a hobby than a job..... a just-in-case kind of thing. I want a social and trustworthy dog that knows how to read people.It's just a matter of finding a dog that looks right AND acts right. Sometimes I feel a little shallow because the way the dog will look and move is important to me, but there are so many German Shepherds .... I know the right one is out there, but finding him is like looking for a needle in a haystack.