What would you do

Breed specific discussion of your favorite breed.

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ZaraD
Posts: 577
Joined: Sat Feb 04, 2017 10:06 am
Location: Staffordshire, UK

What would you do

Post by ZaraD »

Hi all

My dad has owned German shepherd Dogs for more than 35yrs he got his first when he was 18yrs old and has loved and admired the breed ever since. He sadley had to say goodbye to the last GSD he had due to bad hips as the poor dog could not walk anymore Logan was 13yrs old when he was put to sleep yesterday.

My dad has told us for a while now he has been thinking of not getting another GSD , Logan was his 15th GSD my dad's tend to have long life spans all of his normally reach 14 before they pass Logan was the youngest age he's lost one which 13yrs is not young really and the vet said that he's always amazed at how long lived my dad's are. He puts it down to a lot of love , trust between dog and owner , pure happyness from the dogs, raw feeding and good exercise.

The thing I worry about is he's saying he's made his mind up that he won't get another only due to the way there backs, legs are as he said there getting more and more unstable as the years go by. But I know he really wants another he's said it himself but just can't with the way they have become. I wanted to ask what would you do if the breed you currently own was bred differently and changed dramatically like how the GSD has would you still get another of your breed or not? What would you do if you were in my dad's shoes?

Many thanks
ZaraD
Erica
Posts: 2697
Joined: Fri Aug 05, 2011 9:35 pm
Location: North Carolina

Re: What would you do

Post by Erica »

Sometimes it's a question of looking harder -- there are breeders of nice GSDs, physically and mentally, out there, but they can be tricky to find. If he doesn't want to go on a difficult and exhausting search for a good GSD and then wait possibly years for a puppy, then yes, I think getting out of the breed may be a good idea. He may also not want to deal with the hellfire of a GSD puppy at his age. ;)

If what I loved about a breed -- a poodle's intelligence and humor, for example -- were no longer present in the breed, I would look for other dogs, yes.
Delta, standard poodle, born 6/30/14
JudyN
Posts: 7018
Joined: Tue Jul 26, 2011 1:20 pm
Location: Dorset, UK
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Re: What would you do

Post by JudyN »

I wouldn't get any dog from a breeder if I didn't think it had been bred it to have a sound constitution. Which would rule out a lot of breeds completely.

If your dad could find a breeder who was doing their best to turn the clock back and produce healthy GSDs, then maybe he would be happy to have another GSD. Otherwise, I'm with him. But it's his decision to make, of course, not anyone else's.
Jasper, lurcher, born December 2009
ZaraD
Posts: 577
Joined: Sat Feb 04, 2017 10:06 am
Location: Staffordshire, UK

Re: What would you do

Post by ZaraD »

Hi

Thank you both he's read your advice and appreciates you taking the time to help.

Erica he said he did not thing there would be any good GSD from show lines left in the UK? Are there? He normally get a cross between show and working lines and normally goes to merjuke German shepherds the last one he had from her died at the age of 14yrs old and had no hip problems and when he hip scored him as his vet was curious he had a hip score of 0/1 and that was at age 10 :shock: :D . But he waited 3yrs for him. As she doesn't breed very often. And she's not sure if she is breeding again. He said if he could find a breeder who was good with hips, back then he would be happy to wait.

Here's a link http://www.merjuke.co.uk

She recommended Reinglen GSD http://www.champdogs.co.uk/breeder/42471
JudyN
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Location: Dorset, UK
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Re: What would you do

Post by JudyN »

You might find this thread of interest: viewtopic.php?f=23&t=21700
Jasper, lurcher, born December 2009
ZaraD
Posts: 577
Joined: Sat Feb 04, 2017 10:06 am
Location: Staffordshire, UK

Re: What would you do

Post by ZaraD »

Hi JudyN

Interesting read, and one of the members were mentioning merjuke :D

What do you all think of Reinglen GSD
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