the +*OFFICIAL*+ German Shepherd thread :D

[Souperchicken]

Funky feathers. It's so funny when dogs get that face while they are scratching. Haha!
Mr MMK. I love the fluffy puppy pictures!

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

Funky feathers. It's so funny when dogs get that face while they are scratching. Haha!
Mr MMK. I love the fluffy puppy pictures!

Yeah, thanks!

 

[dainerra]

 

[Chickery Chick]

Too funny!

GSD and my cats.

 

[Souperchicken]

Beautiful Shepherds!
Here are a couple more I took yesterday.
Here are a couple more I took yesterdayhttp://[URL=http://s259.photobucket...b20cfeb-b57d-4fb6-adc4-706b829ede89.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

 

[PoultryPower]

Hi all!
I have a question. At this moment, I do not own a German Shepherd, but I have been considering getting another dog in the near future.
I'm leaning towards either a Belgian Malinois, or a German Shepherd. I love both breeds and they seem like a good fit for what I'm looking for.
I want a loyal dog that really loves to work.
A dog that I don't have to train to protect me, but that if I was in a situation where I felt threatened, the dog and I would be so in tuned to each other, that it would sense what I'm feeling and react in an appropriate manner. In the same way, I want a dog that people recognize as not a dog to mess with, so that I'm not ever put in a situation where the dog needs to protect me. I think both breeds have gained a lot of respect through their police work.
I want to compete in obedience, rally, and agility would be fun if the dog enjoyed it. I'm really open to any competition that the dog and I would enjoy working together in. This is the main reason I'm looking into a new dog, the ones I have now are either unable to participate in activities like these (blind, intestinal issues), or just have no interest in "working". I've teamed up with a friend of the family who is heavily involved in the dog world. She's been teaching me rally and I've fallen in love with the competition side of owning a dog.
I'm a big runner, I like to do long distance and I would love a dog that could keep up.
I plan for very little time to be spent apart from this dog. My main dog (I would almost say he's my personal dog) likes to hide behind the couch all day, he's not very social with me. I want a dog nice companion dog who values the attention I give it.
I have a lot of experience with many different dogs. I don't doubt I can handle a difficult dog, I've had them in the past and I'm quite hard headed about not giving up on a dog.

My only the concern about the German Shepherd is that I've heard they are very vocal dogs. Barking I don't mind, whining on the other hand... Normally I wouldn't really be bothered by that, but I've dealt with a dog for many years now that is a big whiner. It's so bad that when I'm having a conversation with someone, he'll sit there nicely, but will out "talk" me and make it impossible to hold a conversation without interruption. It doesn't bother me as much as it's a huge distraction for the person I'm talking to.

My concern with the Belgian Malinois is that it could be too much dog for me? I want a dog that wants to work all the time, but I've never really had a dog like that, so maybe I don't know what I'm asking for?

Any advice?

 

[Chickery Chick]

I believe you need to go to this site and post your same question and will get more response.
But perhaps you don't need to because someone else already asked the question for you 58 replies.
http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/for...ing-line-german-shepherd-or--belgian-malinois

 

[SillyChicky]

My favorite breed! I worked in a kennel for a k9 security company and fell in LOVE with the breed. We have three mutts and when it comes time for a new dog we're going to fork over the dough for a WELL bred pup (work lines, good hips). There is a breeder of Shilohs near me and we will most likely be looking into her stock.

I was always sucker for an adult shelter mutt, but we have a baby now and our next dog needs to be properly socialized from puppyhood.

 

[SillyChicky]

I believe you need to go to this site and post your same question and will get more response.
But perhaps you don't need to because someone else already asked the question for you 58 replies.
http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/for...ing-line-german-shepherd-or--belgian-malinois

LOVE Mals and Dutch too

 

[Chickery Chick]

Shiloh's are not German Shepherds! They are a cross between an Alaskan Malamute and a German Shepherd and are not purbred. You can not get AKC papers or register them with the AKC. So in a sense, you will be forking out dough for another mutt. Also please note that Shilohs on the OFA site have 17.2 incidences of hip displasia where as GSD's have 19 (not much difference). Shilohs' statistics are drawn from only 750 dogs where as GSD's have over 105,000 dogs tested for their statistics so their #s are much more accurate %. With an entry of only 750 dogs to draw a conclusion on for the entire breed is just a handful of dogs. If just a few litters were added to the % it would dramatically change the numbers. Also the bigger the dog the shorter the life-span, more bone/joint, and health problems. Shilohs are noted to be 130+ lbs. and considered a giant dog. http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2011/may/short_lifespans_in_giant_breeds
Stick with your gut and get a Mal or Dutch or a GSD. Just make sure the hips and elbows of the parent dogs are passing, and their parents, and so forth.
Also Degenerative Mylopothy (DM) clear.