Nevis saying hi and looking for advice on puppy quest - Page 1

Got to love auto correct, it should say Newbie Hi everyone, I found this site quite by accident and have spent the last couple weeks soaking up all the knowledge you guys have by reading as many threads as I can, so I am hoping some of you can assist and point me in the right direction. I am going to be in the near future starting my quest to find a puppy so will be looking for some opinions on what kernel to look into to find the puppy that will fit with my needs.   Also I say near future but it could be longer, I am in no rush and want to take my time and do my research and gain as much knowledge regarding various breeders and pedigrees as I can.  Part of the reason I say that I am in no rush, is that I currently have 2 dogs, both rescue Shepherd mixes, a male (7 years, had since 8 weeks) and a female (6 years, had since 6 months). My male has the most amazing temperment, but a bit of a couch potato, but my female has dog aggression.   I have been working with a professional trainer for the last 7 months and she has come leaps and bounds, and is now more reactive than agressive, and able to live at peace with the male (under supervision) and is doing much better. As to where all this is going... Part of her rehab training has been to give her a job, and getting involved in competition obedience was the job for us. Needless to say I am now hooked, she loves it too, and i will take her as far as i can, but i know I cant go too far in competition obedience with a mixed breed, my options for trials are very limited. So this is where my search for a GSD puppy comes in.  With that said it is my females aggression that has caused me to be reluctant to bring in another dog. Sorry for the long story but I thought it necessary to give you a bit of home life background so that you can help assist in finding a breeder suitable for me. Here are the criteria, in order of importance that I am looking for in a puppy. Temperament- Must be a sound easy going puppy, well balanced, mentally strong but not thick headed.  My female has taught me a lot about dogs and understanding them, and I cherish all she has taught me, but if given the option I would chose not to go that route again, and would like to start off with a balanced temperament (my female came to me with issues) I know that this is not a guarantee and will take on any issues as they arise, but figured starting out in the right direction was the best way to achieve this.  - suitable for family living, this will be a family dog above anything else. structure- I plan to work this dog in competition obedience, and I am looking for the body frame and structure of a WL (straight back versus slope) and the agility that goes with it. Not saying SL can't do it, but they are just not what I am looking for. Drive- I think a medium drive would suit me best, I don't want a couch potato, but I don't want a go go go dog that is too much for me to handle, but a dog with enough drive to excel in competition obedience. I guess what I may be looking for is a pet puppy from WL if there is ever such a thing??? Or are there WL that are bred with medium drive??? -sex- I love the feminine look of a female, but from my experience they can be the to put it mildly bit**y, of the two sexes, and my current female has me leery to bring in another female because of her issues, and could cause more problems than a goofy male would. So I wonder if a male would be better??? Thoughts?  I have no intent to do any breeding, he or she will be altered at an appropriate age, so i have no problem with a limited registration so long as I can have the registration I require to do competition obedience. Color- I would love to find a bi colored or black GSD, but color is way down on my list... if the dog fits my needs color doesn't matter. Location- I am in Canada, so a Canadian breeder would be ideal, but I am not opposed to having a puppy shipped as long as I am able to trust the breeder, build a rapport, get good feedback and if possible have someone with experience check the puppy out for me. If you made it to the end of this, thank you so much for taking the time, and I look forward to any suggestions of pedigrees, breeders and kennels to look into that may suit my needs. Thanks for reading and I look forward to getting know everyone.

Ack I hate auto correct sometimes, it should say newbie not Nevis

Id say if you got a female you would be pretty much guaranteed to have issues with fights and would not be able to leave the females loose together.  I have two fairly mild tempered females that used to get along as younger dogs and I have fighting issues with them.  Females usually dont get along together very well.

I do agree a male would probably be your best bet.  Unfortunately some GSDs can show same sex aggression.  If your female is already having aggression issues and your male is friendly with other dogs - a male puppy would be a better choice for you IMO. 

As for working lines with medium drive - yes they do exist!  If you find a good breeder with good dogs/lines, each puppy in the litter will be different.  Some in the litter may be more laid back and less drivey than the other pups.  And of course each individual dog/line is also different.  Some lines are known for producing over the top drives, while others are more middle of the road.  I would explain in detail what you are looking for to the breeder, what your concerns are, what traits are important to you, etc... and if it is a good breeder, they will be honest with you about what they have and if it is a good match or not. 

I think if you are planning to socialize the puppy, properly raise him, train and compete in obedience, a working line pup would be a great match for you.  Working line dogs can also make excellent pets/companions!  My dogs are all house pets first and foremost, living with my family (which includes my 2 1/2 year old daughter).... even really high drive dogs should still be able to live in the house if they have the correct nerves and temperament. 

I think that you need to look more for the temperament and nerves that would suit your house rather then drive level. 

Good luck on your search, it is nice to see people who are doing it right - taking the time to research and find the right breeder!
Valerie

Thank you both so much for your replies! Sorry about the squished text, for some reason on my iPad it just won't give me paragraph breaks? I totally agree on the female issue, and I think the pup will definitely have to be male. Temperament is my number one criteria for the puppy, and everything else just icing on the cake. I also plan to do as much socialization as possible, with other dogs, animals, people and places. Along with early puppy classes ( series of early puppy, junior puppy,and advanced puppy that are age appropriate from my current trainer) basic manners classes, and obedience training. Absolutely on the puppy being a family member first and for most! My male loves all people and animals, cats, other dogs, birds, is essentially bomb proof, and if I could find a puppy with half his temperament I would be happy. And cross fingers that some of his temperament rubs off on a new puppy. It didn't work with my female because we got her after that crucial imprinting and socialization period.

try this breeder they're in canada. I also a newbie so can't say much about the dogs they produce, also have a look at they're youtube page. 


http://www.canczechdogs.com/page6/page6.html