Why did you pick the GSD? - Page 2

"Oh and first dog I was ever bitten by was a large GSD."

Talk about a gluton for punishment.....I was bitten by 3 different GSD's before I ever owned them.  I think it's my bullheaded Dutch side that said "oh yeah.....I'll show you who's the boss"

My first GSD was a backyard bred female (I still have her) that has major HD.  Despite that, she has always had the drives to do whatever you wanted of her even if she couldn't walk the next day.  I think their heart and willingness to please are what really drew me to the breed.  After showing Weims for many years, it was a breath of fresh air.

I hear it's those wooden shoes..........LOL.  Takes a glutton for punishment to know one MI GSD.   I recently received a to-the-dog's-gumline bite (and he has HUGE teeth) on my forearm by my big male (won't go into details, my fault, not his). He even hit bone.  I have some wonderfully big scars that are reminders of how never to be that stupid again.  My K9 trainer was very sympathetic to my "traumatic" experience and put me in the sleeve to take bites from the other dogs to get me over the "trauma" .

Showing Weims???? Now that is a glutton for punishment (just kidding.....)

Were in Michigan are you?  I am east of Lansing.

I hung with a GSd breeder and my rotties, until she asked me to evaul one she kept getting returned to her. so I brought her home, and fell in love with her . Learned what they were about and the versitlity of the breed, I was hooked, now I am a 2 breed home.

I'm in Big Rapids, about 45 minutes north of Grand Rapids.

LOL the Weims were a trip.  At least I stayed with German breeds.

I think has a kid watching movies with GSD's being brave and saving people or their owners first drew me to them. Also the look I guess, they always took my breath away. I wasn't able to afford one until in my 30's and he was  not a good specimen, but I endevored to percevier. LOL! That saying cracks me up, it was in A Man Called Horse or some old Indian movie..

I always admired  the explosion of power and high drives, the depth of the bond, ease of training and of course their dry wit.

I picked the GSD because my wife said that I was no longer allowed to have malinois.

I do enjoy the shepherds though.  Much calmer and more stable, but I miss the endless energy and drives of the mals.

Kyle

Allthough I'd always been an admirer of the breed and its versatility, and loved  the TV and movie shepherds, such as London and Rin Tin Tin, I didn't chose it.

They chose me.

When I saw that poor, pathetic, bag of bones lying underneath the table in my uncle's kitchen, I knew I couldn't leave her there. She had given up on life, and was going to die. Even the vet said he wasn't sure she was going to live, when I took her in for her first appointment. She was 26 inches tall and weighed 35 lbs. Eventually, with good food and lots of TLC, I got her up to between 65 and 70 lbs.

Unfortunately, when she was 8 years old, she was diagnosed with  ankylosing spondylitis in her spine.  A low-grade bacterial infection also attacked her spine, and between the arthritis and the infection, it began to paralyze her hind legs. Just as she was losing the ability to walk,  and I was facing the difficult decision of when to euthanize her, my room mate brought home another female GSD she'd found wandering the streets. I named her Tasha, and we had 14 wonderful years together.  That's her in my avatar. She taught me how to handle a GSD that had a mind of its own. (Lili Marlene, my first dog, had been very mild tempered, wiling to please, and gentle, and had about zero watchdog instinct. Not your typical Shepherd by any means!)

Then, just as Tasha was on her way out, my mother told me about her neighbour's dog, which the neighbour was planning to shoot, if no one else wanted it.  That's how Ranger came into my life.

My year and a half old bitch is the only dog I actually planned for, and paid money for!

I guess I'm just a GSD magnet. They can see the words "SUCKER" tattooed on my heart!

It's funny, I didn't pick the GSD. My ex did. I bought him one for his birthday, then I started reading all about them, about schutzhund and K9 and all the areas in which they excel. I thought "wow, these dogs are pretty amazing". It wasn't long before my passion for breed surpassed his by far.  I've trained damn near every breed in the book, there's just nothing like a well bred GSD.