Owners of large dogs...

AmyM

AmyM

New member
Advice?
I am just dying to get a german shepherd puppy. There was a stray at the last place we lived and we loved her so much. She was wild though so we never could get a hold of her and really socialize her enough to make her a pet. Playing with her made us fall in love with that dog breed.

My daughter is 7 and I have two cats that stay inside at night, come and go as they please. Isn't it true that if you raise them with cats as puppies they will be ok with them? Just train them right? What do you think? Is it wise to start off with a powerful big dog like that? Will we be OK as long as we are willing to devote the time and training, etc.?

I can't decide between getting a puppy or going to the german shepherd rescue organization in Raleigh and getting one from there. I'd love to do that but thinking with a kid and cats it may be smarter to get a puppy? Plus I've never owned a dog before, just fed the strays and helped get them to the animal shelter, that sort of thing.

My second choice is a bull mastiff but since I'm not the dog whisperer I think that's a bit too much for me to handle. ;)
 
I had a german shepard growing up :) There ARE actually german shepard "farm"/rescue places that have puppies too, so you could luck out there. I personally would go for a puppy in that breed.. especially with the kiddos. We were around 4 & 1 when we got my dog. She was great, a bit nippy (she use to bite my belly a lot :D :D ) so be prepared for that and a lot of training & physical play are a must obviously for the breed. Do you have a big yard? They need a LOT of attention, when we started school.. my dog would escape the yard every day because it was bored :D She was GREAT though, really friendly and a perfect family dog -- well once she got over the nipping haha.
 
We have two cats and a german shepherd. We got him when he was eight weeks old (in October 2007). He LOVES our cats. They play and chase each other around and there hasn't been any problems with them at all.

If you are willing to devote the time to training a pup, then I think it's fine. I actually think a puppy will be easier to acclimate with the cats than a full grown dog. But, I'm only speaking from experience with bringing a puppy into the home with cats. LOL
 
We started with a German Shephard/Husky mix and she is the sweetest thing ever. Then when she was 3, we got a German Shephard/Collie mix. I love our dogs and can't imagine having anything else. They are the sweetest dogs ever. I think a lot of it had to do with how we treated them and trained them though. They have always been so sweet with our son, even when he was a baby, he would crawl up to them and they just loved it. They are still best buds with him. I can't imagine having a small dog ever, but that's just my opinion. Oh, our dogs HATE cats, but they weren't raised with them either. There are just some in the neighborhood that torment them, so they aren't too fond of cats. I'm sure yours would be fine since you would bring them into a home that already has cats. I would also suggest getting a puppy so that you could train them the way you want them. With adult dogs, they can seem sweet, but you just never know what they've been trained or what they've been through. Good luck with your decision.
 
I'm all about rescues. So that's my choice, lol.
But if you're going to go with a rescue, you need to bring your children to meet the dog first. And be aware that just because they say the dog is good with cats, doesn't mean it will be good with YOUR cats. They swore up and down that our first greyhound didn't pay any attention to cats, and the instant we brought him home there was cat hair flying through the air and stuck to the chandelier. I make it sound much worse than it can be, but you just need to be aware.

Also, every dog is different. You could end up with an amazing older dog who listens and is calm and wonderful, or you could end up with a difficult to train rambunctious mess. And the SAME goes for a puppy too! All dogs have their own personality and it's REALLY important to meet the dog/puppy, and have your kids meet the dog/puppy to interact with it.

And you can teach an old dog new tricks, because my girl (whom I got as a rescue when she was 1.5, and is now 4) chases all things small and furry. BUT, didn't once chase my sisters cat last month when they met for the first time (see my most recent LO, lol). She is also insanely well trained and knew better than to chase the cat after I repeatedly told her no. She knows she would've been put in her crate for the rest of the day, and she HATES being kept away from us (loves the crate, hates not being around ppl when she knows they are in the house, if you kwim).

I think I'm rambling.
Basically, find some puppies (you might be able to find them through a rescue too) and find a few rescues and talk with them. And take it from there. :) And feel free to ask me anything else that pops up in your head :)
 
I have to agree with La. We take our dog out for walks in the morning and evening and that really has helped him not be bored. But, we have trained him NOT to leave our yard unless he is on his leash. My kids also take him out and play with him during the day.
 
I think if it were my first dog, I probably wouldn't start with a German Shepherd. They are big, energetic dogs that are gonna take a lot of training and care (just like babies, people often underestimate how much work dogs end up being!). They also have been bred to be on the aggressive side -- not usually toward their own families, but I prefer never to take that chance. [of course, the puppies are completely irresistable though!!!] Here's some info:

http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/reviews/germanshepherds.html
 
Actually, my dog is a german shepherd/golden retriever mix and he's super cute!! Had to brag on my baby.
 
The yard is just over 1 acre. I guess that's enough room? We can walk around the block and stuff, it's pretty rural around here.
 
Oh yea that's plenty of room. My parents have a 3/4 acre yard and they have a chocolate lab. The larger the yard, the more room the dog has to play.
 
Any dog can be bred to be aggressive.
And any dog, with the right training, can be amazing.

ETA: A large yard is awesome, but definitely still don't underestimate the power of a good walk. It's a totally different experience and excerise than just running around the yard.
 
I have always been scared to death of pit bulls. My cousin has one and he is the sweetest thing in the world. I still wouldn't want one just because of ME being petrified of them. Some breeds are said to be more aggressive but I have heard that it really depends on how you train them. His wouldn't hurt a flea.

I have been attacked by a chihauhau (whatever those little taco bell dogs are), a Pomeranian, and a springer spaniel. The spaniel got me 16 stitches in the arm when I was 11 and I didn't touch a dog again until the strays popped up at our last house.

So really, I'm scared of the little dogs. I know that sounds backwards but it has just been my experience with them. They don't like me and for some reason enjoy the taste of my skin. :blink:
 
Every person is absolutely different. You like what you like and you don't like what you don't like, even if it doesn't make total sense :p And you should never get a dog you're afraid of, that's just asking for trouble, kwim?

My pit mix is the biggest lover you'll ever meet. She's barked at a person 2 times in the entire time I've had her, and both times it was at night, and the person was wearing a heavy coat with a hood up and she was protecting me with her bark (NEVER her bite ever, she doesn't even open her mouth when she plays because we've trained her that way). Anyway, she sounds like your cousins :) They are great dogs, but I understand they aren't for everyone. I just end up on the bad side of a lot of attitudes because she's a pit, which isn't fair. I've met more pits than I can count working at my shelter, and they are all dolls. :)

And I do love German Shepards. And Dobermans. I love all dogs that have been given a bad rap by the media essentially, lol!
 
Just wanted to chime in and say that there are TONS of puppies out there available through rescue organizations...one of my favorite websites for pet searches is www.petfinder.com I actually found my dog (a cutie chihuahua, former puppy mill momma) through them--they connect you to, essentially, ads for many of the rescue groups in your area...It's like a personals ad for dogs! Because I was curious, I went to my area and checked for german shepherd pups...and came up with, like, 3 pages or more of options, so I would imagine it would be similar in other areas of the US.

A puppy would likely be easier to raise up with your cats/kids, my dog is a bit leery of BIG dogs, and of my daughter (though she's always been gentle, and likes slightly older kiddos much better), but I got her at 5-6 years old...Also, with a puppy, you know their history, so you will know what sorts of things trigger odd behavior--my dog freaks out during thunderstorms and whenever I light candles...

Good luck to you...
 
Some jerk abandoned Bear when he was 4 weeks old, late at night in the rain. He's been a member of the family ever since.
I already had 2 adult indoor cats at the time, so Bear was basically raised in around them.
BTW, Bear is a chow/shepherd mix...a big 53 lb baby who thinks he should still be a lapdog. He never had a problem with the cats; as a matter of fact, I think he was under the impression that he WAS a cat LOL. The cats were the ones who had to adjust to him, so it's better to bring in a dog as a puppy IMO...not as threatening to them as a fully grown dog would be. When we'd meet another dog on a walk, he'd sit back, and 'bat' at it like a cat going after a bug. After I moved away (and Bear stayed with Mom), he's only been around the cats every so often on family visits. He seems to remember them, and doesn't have a problem with them...they, on the other hand, got used to a dog-free household. Bear's moving in with us at the end of July, so I guess they'll have to re-adjust to having a canine around.
 
I have an Aussie/German Shepherd mix ands he is the SWEETEST thing! I got her when she was a little over 1 and she's 7 now! I have a full blooded Aussie too...I think if we ever get another dog and it's a bigger one, We'd get an Aussie again...seriously besides our other dog, he's the best dog ever. I just love the personality of that breed.
 
Don't get me wrong, Col, I love German Shepherds and a lot of the dogs with bad reps too. But, as you know, the reason those poor dogs get bad reps is that they are often raised by people who don't know how to train them. I am a little paranoid about the kid/dog combo because I knew a little 4 y.o. girl here who was killed by a pit bull which was an adored, gentle family pet -- they still can't figure out what in the world went wrong with that doggy. And, I have known several aggressive German Shepherds that I would not trust around my kids (but I've known some sweet ones too and my DH grew up with them).

So, all I'm tossing out for consideration, is that I wouldn't want one of those breeds as my first dog -- especially with smallish kids and cats in the picture. On the other hand, I'm overly protective about these things and I'm sure Amy would be dedicated to raising her dog right, so take my comments with a grain of salt.
 
I got Phoenix, my german shepherd, when she was 4 months old, she was a rescue of a different sort, and she's always done really well with cats, except that she loves to slobber all over them! LOL On the other hand I have a wolf hybrid that I adopted when she was 2 yrs old, she was a breeder, and she gets along with the cats even better and she'd never been around them before, she's 13 now...but that's a whole different and rather unusual story in and of itself. Definitely look for a rescue puppy and like Col said make sure you take the kids to meet any potential addition to the family.
 
Well, I speak from experience as a person that has a german shepherd AND two cats AND kids. LOL

I haven't had ANY problems with my dog and cats or my kids. I think it's all in the way you raise them. The main point is that you need to let your dog know who the boss is. When we were training ours, he was crated when he disobeyed. He learned quickly what the rules are and who the boss is. Now, he is a joy to have in the house and he minds very well.

Now, he is like the most popular dog on the block. LOL People come over to play with him and they bring their dogs over for play dates! It's hilarious. The only people he barks at now are people he doesn't recognize or when sirens go off. He HATES sirens. LOL
 
Aww Dawn... you didn't make me feel defensive at all. I just love my baby and like to brag on him. LOL
 
Just speaking from my experience, I'd get a puppy. I have 2 rotts that I got from a breeder as 8 week old puppies and they're great with little kids and cats. They're 9 mo now and the kids are rougher with them than they are with the kids.

Before these 2 we already had a female rott that we also raised as a puppy. We had her before we even had kids. When we bought our house we also got a shelter puppy, (a bordercollie/lab mix). He was also wonderful, a bit skittish, but well trained and also go along with out cats.

Now comes the kids...so rottie 1 and shelter pup came before the kids came along. After the kids came along, rottie 1 had cancer and we put her down last year. Shelter dog (now 5 yo) comes into the house (they'd been backyard-garage dogs) so he wouldn't feel lonely. Not right off the bat, but after a few weeks he starts nipping the kids - on their faces. We separated them, re-introduced them several times, to no avail. He was asserting dominance, he wasn't trying to mangle them or anything, but we couldn't take chances n our kids' safety.

DH was :cursing: pissed, wanted to take him to the SPCA. I was able to find someone at work to take him. For the 1st time in years we were dogless. :unsure: Anyway, I'm rambling, but that's how we ended up with 2 pups, we WERE going to have 1 rott and the shelter dog.

So my point is, you never know what you're getting with adult dogs. With the 2 raised without kids at first, the rott did fine and the shelter didn't. Now starting out with the puppies, everyone's happy. :thumbup: The dogs and cats never had a problem with each other. It's actually the 2 cats that hate each other but that's another story.....:glare:

I just went into some background because you have to understand why dogs behave the way they do. Oh, and rotties are def not for everyone, but they are not high energy dogs. Because of their size they play hard and spend a good amount of time resting. They're very laid back. But you have to be on top of their training, much like you do germ sheperds.

That's it!
 
Dawn I'm so sorry, please don't feel bad.

I'm very passionate about dogs, especially shelter dogs, and especially the "bad breeds". You have every reason to feel the way you do, and I respect you for bringing up the bad that comes with any dog. All too often I come across people who put breeds down or throw out stereotypes who have absolutely no experience or idea what they are taking about and have never even met a dog of the breed they are bashing. So I get defensive VERY quickly, and I'm sorry for that. Heck, I was mad at Cat the other week on SYTYCD cuz she made a comment about something being mean and being like a pit bull (something to that affect).

Like I said, you have every reason to have formed the opinion you have and I can respect that. I should learn not to assume that people don't know what they are talking about. My passion just gets in the way sometimes.
 
Yeah, by all means Dawn don't worry about it. I'm glad you brought it up cause it really is something to at least consider. Honestly I am still skittish of pit bulls because of their rep, and because I've only met one good one. Most of the time when you see one around here it is on a chain and really mean and scary looking. Yet my cousin's dog is probably less aggressive than my cats :p
It'll probably be Christmas before I get one but I would like to start reading up and finding different books and places that help you train dogs, etc... I don't want one unless and until I can take proper care of it. That means also have a separate "doggy emergency" savings fund of at least a thousand extra in cash in case of something bad happening.
Yep, it'll be Christmas. Possibly sooner if I can stay away from the Bermuda triangle of paypal right here in the SSD store :p
 
FlirtatiousBrat said:
I have an Aussie/German Shepherd mix ands he is the SWEETEST thing! I got her when she was a little over 1 and she's 7 now! I have a full blooded Aussie too...I think if we ever get another dog and it's a bigger one, We'd get an Aussie again...seriously besides our other dog, he's the best dog ever. I just love the personality of that breed.
Click to expand...

If anyone's seen the layout of my Katie, she was an Aussie (her ears didn't fold over, silly girl,lol). Absolutely the sweetest AND smartest dog anyone had ever met. If she'd had thumbs, she'd have been able to type and drive a car,lol.
I love large dog breeds too. All the advice your'e getting is top notch.
 
You're definitely taking the right approach Amy, you'll be an awesome dog mom :) Too many ppl don't think about things like that!

And, if you can wait until January, 3 month old puppies usually flood the shelters because parents get them as christmas presents and then the kids lose interest or whatever, and the parents gets rid of the dog.
 
I would definitely go with the Shepherd over the Mastiff... I'd rather deal with dog hair than dog slobber any day. lol I have a tiny dog (chihuahua), so I don't have experience to speak of, but I've talked to a lot of German Shepherd owners (we want one too) and as long as you take them to a good school for training, they're perfect dogs. They're brilliant and really good with children, but I would say a puppy would be better in that regard. I'm told though that they do not like to be left alone a lot and they feel the need to "live where their family lives" meaning they need to be inside with the people they love and are protecting... so hopefully you don't have an aversion (? sp) to having big dogs in the house. lol

Good luck!
 
I don't care about the fur and all that icky stuff. As long as I can train the dog I'll let him/her in the house. Outside is best for me but if the doggy wants in then that's fine too.
Brodo I hadn't even thought about that. I might just wait until Jan
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Community platform by XenForo® © 2010-2026 XenForo Ltd.
Back
Top