first time owner vs first dog ?

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master2

first time owner vs first dog ?

Post by master2 »

Hi Everyone

since my last post tow months ago I have still be volunteering for the lab rescue and at weekends my friends boarding kennel in May I started helping the RSPCA (walking there dogs and helping with training) so I can get as much experience.

one day I do hope to have my own dog and am still between the retriever or GSD, im not quit ready yet as I am enjoying helping out rescue dogs maybe in about tow years but am not rushing as I want to get as much hands on experience first :D . Anyway the thing is at the boarding kennel on Sunday a Man had brought in his GSD (German Shepherd) and I was asked to take her to the kennels and settle her in and I said how beautiful she was and that I hope to have one someday and he asked have you already had a dog or are you a newbie and I said that this would be my first dog and he told me to forget having a GSD, I asked why and he said they are THE worst dog breed to have as a first dog and are not for first time owners and that I would be better of with a retriever? apparently no matter how hard I try it will never work as they are to challenging and dominant and want to be top dog and that a retriever dose not want to dominate you they are more submissive and wont challenge you for leader of the pack :?

I asked the RSPCA and they said that they can be a handful but not the worst and that there are no bad breeds for first time owners there are only bad first time owners Shelia (my boss at the kennels) said that they have rehomed Rottweiler's to first time owners but we make sure that the new owner understands what breed they are taking on and that they go to training class's and are willing to put the effort.

what I wanted to know is who's side are you on regarding who gave be better advice?

as I was 100% sure that when I am ready in a couple of years I would get a GSD as in a previous post I explained how I felt when I see a GSD and for tow weeks in May I was looking after my mothers new GSD 10week old puppy as well as all the older GSD's. but with what I was told by the man I met I started rethinking and got quit upset to think my first dog might not be a GSD which surprised me how upset I got :o . then when I asked the RSPCA today I felt a bit better but thought I would see what you all think? I just thought that if I went to a good breeder and did not rush and once I have found a good breeder that if I put in all my time and effort and go to training class's as well as a one to one trainer (who come to the home to help me if needed) give lots of physical and mental exercise and spend quality time with him that I would be fine as I am REALLY committed to this breed and Shelia made a point in that if I got a Retriever what if you start thinking you could have been a GSD and life's to short to wonder what if! and you have no idea how this man has trained his GSD or why he found it so hard.

who do you agree with

Shelia - who says life's to short and with a proper upbringing and training the positive way and going to a training class's and asking for help when needed a GSD can be a great dog. she says there are no "first dogs" just really bad first owners.

The Man- GSD are bad first time dogs no matter how much effort you put in and that they want to be pack leader and will consistently be challenging you for top spot and they are way to dominant and I would be better with a retriever?

Thanks
Master2 :D
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Nettle
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Joined: Sun Apr 13, 2008 1:40 pm

Re: first time owner vs first dog ?

Post by Nettle »

Well, you already KNOW what we here think about words like pack, leader and dominance :wink:

There are breeds I wouldn't recommend for first-timers - indeed there are breeds I wouldn't recommend at all (don't ask cos I'm not going to say!) but the GSD is not one of them. Thing is, there are first-time owners and first-time owners. A person can know a lot about dogs before they own one: a person can know hardly anything. It is wise (but not often done) to get a lot of experience before owning a dog. This is what you are doing.

ALL breeds pose their challenges, all puppies are hard work, and no matter how much you know, each dog presents a different set of needs, wants, desires and problems. The great thing about the sort of experience you are getting is that it shows you what you are happy to put up with and work through, and what you don't want at any price.

Don't be put off by people disagreeing. People all disagree, and dog trainers disagree more than most :lol: Go with what you know you want and what you know you can do.

Spare a moment to feel sorry for this man, as he has no idea what the relationship between dog and owner can be. For him, it's a competition - he wins: the dog loses. Some people like that. You don't have to.
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog

SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS
master2

Re: first time owner vs first dog ?

Post by master2 »

Hi Nettle

thanks so much for replying and your advice, I agreed with you in my last post that I should get more hands on before getting my own after what happened with the Lhasa. with what you said I agree with you again and this is why I wanted to post it on here as I always get fantastic advice from everyone here. when you said I should do what I really want and what I can do then I will stick to what I know what is best and that is when I am ready in a few years time I will stick to getting my German shepherd :D

Thanks Nettle
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