My name is Matt. I live in east Tennessee on on 1.5 acres with a nice creek. I have a family with 4 kids. The oldest three are teenagers and the youngest is 7.
I have been doing a lot of research on DS, and feel they would fit in with our life style. My age and a dog's life span had left me with only having the pleasure of owning and training two dogs, both pitbulls. While I love the pitbull breed, I'm interested in moving on. I don't claim to be a professional trainer by any means, but feel I have done a good job with my two. My male was a high energy, wildly driven boy which made him one of the greatest loves of my life. He was willing to learn anything I could think of for even a crumb of a treat. He was always ready to go anywhere with me. We had some amazing times together. He required me to give him heathly structured life, which he seemed to thrive with. We were very much in tune with each other.
I believe I am up to the challenge of inviting a DS into our lives. I am not a person to sit around. I prefer to be outside. I could use a new friend that would always be there with me. In addition to basic and even advanced obedience, regular hikes, I would use agility training to keep him exercised. I am not sure if it would be with the intentions to be competitive, but for the simulation and bond. I have the space to create a course that could grow with his skill level.
I do have a couple concerns that may easily be answered with the first hand knowledge within this forum. I am currently searching for a breeder to get to know their dogs. I do have a little time to further prepare myself and decide if I'm ready to make the commitment. I look forward to learning more about these amazing dogs and look forward to the conversations with yall.
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I'm new and in the breeder searching stage
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- Just Whelped
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Thu Dec 05, 2019 5:21 pm
- Tell us about yourself: I am father of four children. I am currently not a Dutch shepherd owner, but love the breed. I am interested in having one join our family in the future, and just doing all the research I can before committing our future to the new addition. I have owned high energy and drive breeds on the past, so I am aware of the efforts they require for success. I interested in first hand experience and knowledge of life with these beautiful animals.
- Location: Limestone, TN
I'm new and in the breeder searching stage
Matt - East Tennessee
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- Training Dog
- Posts: 474
- Joined: Fri Nov 02, 2018 12:34 am
- Tell us about yourself: Enjoying my Dutch Shepherd and my Malinois
Re: I'm new and in the breeder searching stage
I considered myself an experienced dog man, but took my relationship with dogs to a deeper level when I got my Dutch Shepherd. If you really want to learn how to train a dog, you’ll have the right dog to do it with. Suck up all the training knowledge you can, because it’s game on as soon as the pup is welcomed into your home. Everyone in the family has to be on the same page, so they need to be educated as well. Dutch Shepherd’s have a range of personalities and traits that are easily described.
Tim
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- Training Dog
- Posts: 947
- Joined: Fri Nov 23, 2018 4:00 am
- Tell us about yourself: Sharing life with Bramble Dutch Shepherd mix (?) and Casper Whippet/Pit Bull (????) mix
Re: I'm new and in the breeder searching stage
Welcome. I have a mild mannered mix...and she can be a handful.
Pack: Peanuts-terrier mix, 16-18 years old, Bramble-Dutch Shepherd, 3 yrs
Location: NC
Location: NC
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- Working Dog
- Posts: 1371
- Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2014 2:11 pm
- Tell us about yourself: I am: a father of 2 boys, a carpenter, hunter, runner. We have extensive experience with sled dogs, shepherd mixes, a wolf hybrid, and our current dog a 95# long haired Shiloh Shepherd. We added Endeavor in April 2016. She was not working out in HRD. I train for game recovery and general utility.
- Location: central MD
Re: I'm new and in the breeder searching stage
Tim is right: they can have widely varying personalities. Most of them involve teeth. He's also dead on about the NEED for everyone in the house to be on the same page. These dogs learn QUICK, and it can be very difficult to stay ahead of them if others in the house aren't following the same line.
Tim L.
Aurora(Shiloh) Endeavor
Aurora(Shiloh) Endeavor
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- Just Whelped
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Thu Dec 05, 2019 5:21 pm
- Tell us about yourself: I am father of four children. I am currently not a Dutch shepherd owner, but love the breed. I am interested in having one join our family in the future, and just doing all the research I can before committing our future to the new addition. I have owned high energy and drive breeds on the past, so I am aware of the efforts they require for success. I interested in first hand experience and knowledge of life with these beautiful animals.
- Location: Limestone, TN
Re: I'm new and in the breeder searching stage
We are waiting for a planned litter due sometime in the spring. I have been doing my research for a long while now. I believe we can all be in tune with the necessary structure. Our oldest son is 17, am really only has one interest in life at the moment, video games... He may not choose to be heavily involved, but will certainly interact with the consistency required. I would imagine these dogs will pick up on the lack of interest from their human family members, but how would future interactions go in that type of situation? My wife and I will be his primaries. Me likely being first. My youngest daughter is fairly attached to me, and will end up being heavily involved as a result. We are a sound family with no turmoil between anyone. I am a patient and mellow person and always doing something outdoors.
Like I mentioned, my experience is with a high energy pitbull. He was always ready to go. I am planning to meet the breeder and his dogs, and hoping to be able to make a comparison of my experience and his dogs. I recall there being some difficult time with my boy, but we worked through them. I remember telling myself, "they settle down around two years old", as something to look forward to. That age came and went and he was the same ole bundle of energy as he had always been. I just kept him moving and thinking as much as I could every day.
Like I mentioned, my experience is with a high energy pitbull. He was always ready to go. I am planning to meet the breeder and his dogs, and hoping to be able to make a comparison of my experience and his dogs. I recall there being some difficult time with my boy, but we worked through them. I remember telling myself, "they settle down around two years old", as something to look forward to. That age came and went and he was the same ole bundle of energy as he had always been. I just kept him moving and thinking as much as I could every day.
Matt - East Tennessee
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- Working Dog
- Posts: 1371
- Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2014 2:11 pm
- Tell us about yourself: I am: a father of 2 boys, a carpenter, hunter, runner. We have extensive experience with sled dogs, shepherd mixes, a wolf hybrid, and our current dog a 95# long haired Shiloh Shepherd. We added Endeavor in April 2016. She was not working out in HRD. I train for game recovery and general utility.
- Location: central MD
Re: I'm new and in the breeder searching stage
Matt, I got into the DS world with a green dog, so I'm not going to have any worthwhile input on puppyhood.
Please search my posts about Endeavor biting my 5 year old. We worked through that, and she's all in with him now. However, her disdain for children in general is something she's still got in spades, and I'm honestly not taking the time to work on it because we burn our time with other training.
With regards to the oldest being distant, I would really get them together for just a 5 minute session each day; just to keep the dog in the mindset that he's supposed to be obedient to the teen.
Please search my posts about Endeavor biting my 5 year old. We worked through that, and she's all in with him now. However, her disdain for children in general is something she's still got in spades, and I'm honestly not taking the time to work on it because we burn our time with other training.
With regards to the oldest being distant, I would really get them together for just a 5 minute session each day; just to keep the dog in the mindset that he's supposed to be obedient to the teen.
Tim L.
Aurora(Shiloh) Endeavor
Aurora(Shiloh) Endeavor
- borellar15
- Training Dog
- Posts: 390
- Joined: Sun Nov 26, 2017 11:28 pm
- Tell us about yourself: Living in Austin, Texas with our dogs Zoey(DS), Henry (DS) and Tripper(labX). In college, I worked as a Handler and Assistant Manager of a training and daycare facility for 3 years where I've handled many working dogs. For the past 2 years I have been training Zoey and Henry and we have made some tremendous progress together.
- Location: Austin, Texas
Re: I'm new and in the breeder searching stage
Welcome! I got Zoey when she was 9 weeks old so I’m quite familiar with the puppy stages. They will bite your pant legs and stuff so just get used to it. Have some kind of toy on hand you can redirect it to other than your pants or your hands etc that will certainly help. Try not to correct them for that if you can although sometimes you will probably have to as they get quite focused in on the biting sometimes. Start early with the imprinting of your basic sit, down and stand positions as well. Don’t add commands in until they know what position you’re luring them into. Work on a good down and stay or “place” as soon as possible as this will help a great deal. That’s all I got feel free to message with any further questions when you’ve got your pup. Enjoy it!
Alex - Zoey(DS), Henry (DS), Tripper Lab mix. Austin, Texas
- Laplaiefier
- Puppy
- Posts: 63
- Joined: Thu Mar 28, 2019 9:00 pm
- Tell us about yourself: Dogs are a good reflection of their owners?
LOL I must be hardheaded and stubborn.
I guess before and after results with dogs tend to show the effort put into them. - Location: California, USA
Re: I'm new and in the breeder searching stage
Just a few lengthy observations here since my DS exp is still growing. Siberian Huskies are kind of recognized as being wolf like prob by looks, but they've got nothing compared to DS. Mine continuously proceeds to advance his pack position as per norm with less than 2 yr olds but double. Most of his disobedience is due to anxiety which requires at least 2 or more excercise episodes per day. Full out dead run for about 5 min or a 20 minute wrestling match which he throughly enjoys. I just have to keep reminding him I'm the only one that does. He seems truely sympathetic for my injuries which he is continually learning from, how hard not to bite.Fortysixand2 wrote: ↑Mon Dec 09, 2019 3:30 pm ..... I would imagine these dogs will pick up on the lack of interest from their human family members,........ mellow person and always doing something outdoors.
........... I just kept him moving and thinking as much as I could every day.
I'm learning this seems to be the norm for Dutchies and many stray away from such activities. I'm from the camp that believes bad behaviour should be explored only to the extent where the path to the dark side is a thought out decision the dog makes and chooses not to rather than choosing to destroy that boundry and loose all of himself to the act.
This guy is the smartest, most stubborn and headstrong dog I have ever delt with.
And he's becoming something I've long sought in dogs.
So if you have a lot of comitment time, I'd recomend it. But be prepared to stepping back and figuring out whats going on in their heads.
One last warning. Never ever let your dutchie think you are genuinely being attacked, unless you are.