Help with puppy selection - Page 7

Kathy, I don't see any reason a GSD can't do this job you describe. You and only you will know your dogs and their abilities. If you like the mans demeaner and think he will provide a good home for a dog, I see no reason why not. It's 10 sheep, close to the house. I'm sure the dog will have human contact daily. I think us humans fool ourselves thinking we are the "everything" in a dogs life. I dog who works sheep will not be lonely, he will bond with the sheep rather than to a human. He has a job, thats what they were bred for. Would you not place a pup as a bomb dog with the military, for fear it would be killed in the line of duty? Or a Police K-9 for the same reason? We all love our dogs and want to see them placed well but a "pet" home isn't always the best home for a dog. I have seen plenty of dogs who don't want to be pampered, they want a job, they want to work. Let them. I guess some people want to control their dogs futur like it is a child. You want your son to grow up, go to college and be a doctor. Well guess what, your son decides he wants to be a soldier or a police officer. Not the safe cushy lifestyle you wanted for him but he feels he is making a bigger difference. Some dogs would rather get their paws dirty too.

It does sound like a nice home for a GSD where the dog could have a job and a good life where he/she will have the needed interaction with it's human family. IMO it would be cruel to place a GSD in a situation where it would live with sheep 24/7 without the human contact this breed craves. That would go for any environment where the GSD was going to be sequestered away from his family.

For what he wants a GSD should be fine if raised with the sheep and meets the normal requirements of a livestock guard dog.

yeah well I have had more than one of my gsds kill my sheep, when given the chance.... make sure you put in your contract that you are not liable when the dog kills his flock...that will cost alot. I am also talking about show and working lines...I have both.. I guess if you have one that has no drive and maybe just maybe it will work. I would never sell a dog to someone that is wanting the dog to live with and guard the sheep...someone who is wanting them to herd heck yeah...but not guard sheep.

A german shepherd is NOT a guardian dog. Any gsd with decent breeding will NOT do fine when it is put in with sheep from a young age and raised with them. Not unless it is a 'dud' of a dog and has no drives. My young pups work the young lambs non stop and take neck grips (at 6-7wks old). If they did this with the mom's around (of the lambs) they would be trampled and head butted to the point the pup would LEAVE if at all possible. Guardian breeds are bred with low to no prey drive. They have high defence drive. They 'become' part of the flock. Again any decent bred gsd will not do this. Having said this, there is no reason why a german shepherd cannot be used to ward off predators in teh right circumstances. They are not kept 'with' the flock unless they are working them (tending etc). I use my gsd's to take my flock out in the fields with little fencing and where I do have coyote problems. Don't have them with the gsd's there working the flock. The flock is left in a more confined space during the night. This is usually enough to keep coyotes away. They smell the dog being around etc. One could certainly have a gsd in another pen close to the sheep for 'protection' and thier bark and presence will likley keep predators away. But, you better make sure it is a lower prey drive dog. Otherwise they will try every means to get to the sheep when older. Gsd's can also be trained to leave the sheep alone (again choose a lower prey driven dog) but I would not trust them ever inside the pen with the sheep without me around.