New member - possible new Dutch Shepherd owner

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CAHerder
Just Whelped
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon Dec 17, 2012 6:15 am
Tell us about yourself: I have a few acres in CA where I can have the space to rescue dogs, let my 7 year old Cattle Dog run and chase our two sheep and two goats (calmly!) I'm looking into getting a Dutch Shepherd.

New member - possible new Dutch Shepherd owner

Post by CAHerder »

Hi all,

I've been enjoying reading through these posts, learning a lot about the breed. Very good information!

A bit about my situation: I have a 5 acre property in the CA redwoods. A large portion of it is fenced, and I have three sturdy, large kennels. I have a 7 year old spayed female cattle dog, who is my little partner :D She goes most everywhere I can take her with me, however, she is dog reactive so we're somewhat limited. We have done a TON of behavioral training, allowing us to compete in AKC obedience (she has her CD, but is too unsure of herself to complete the out of sight sit/down stays for her CDX, but passed everything else three times!), herding, and AKC rally (RE). We have taken a few years of agility lessons, and still practice at home. I have two sheep and two goats also for herding practice. Until about 6 months ago, I also had a wonderful GSD from Schutzhund lines. He was a retired service dog, but tore his ACL and could no longer do the brace work required for his job. Long story short - the ex boyfriend took him when he moved out :( I miss him dearly, and miss his drive for obedience training! My little cattle dog would rather just hang out and play, herd some easy stock, or be social! She was a rescue, and is uncharacteristically friendly with everyone.

Anyway, I'm looking into getting a Dutch Shepherd that is at least 8 months old, for obedience/agility for fun/maybe Schutzhund. I would also like a more confidant dog that my ACD that I can take out into social situations where there are other dogs, and that would be more protective of me/the property.

However, I am a competitive cyclist, and spend 2-4 hours a day training, and need time to 'be lazy' to recover. Having 5 acres right out my front door through makes it pretty easy to exercise dogs. I haven't had a problem with my cattle dog, GSD or the dozens of fosters I've had. Big advantage - I can bring my dog to work with me, a big warehouse, where we play fetch while I work :D I also have a renter in a small studio on my property, whose part of their job is to watch the dogs when I'm out of town at races.

Any comments/suggestions on my situation? Sorry it is so long! But as someone who absolutely adores ACDs, I would want to have all the info when sharing my opinions on the breed...so figure with big time DS owners, it would be the same!

Also, has anyone heard anything about VonFalconer?

Thanks a million.


Heather

Central Coast, CA
Heather

Redwoods of CA
with a "too sweet for her own good" Cattle Dog, named Surly
and a potential DS soon!
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Manstrom
Puppy
Posts: 96
Joined: Sat Dec 15, 2012 2:41 am
Tell us about yourself: I'm a 23 year old military member who just got my first Dutch shepherd. I've grown up my whole life with various breeds and trained Rhodesian ridgebacks for several years prior to joining the service.
Location: Valdosta Georgia

Re: New member - possible new Dutch Shepherd owner

Post by Manstrom »

I'm new here myself. My boy Harvey is an 8 month old rescue and is a complete sweetheart. I live in a studio apartment and he loves it (my rhodesian ridgeback, chance, back home in Illinois free roams a pasture of a couple acres but don't tell Harvey... we might get jelious). Out of all the dogs I've had he's one of the most stubborn but at the same time he has been way quicker at learning once he realizes he's not getting his way if that makes any sense. He has an awesome level of drive but due to his bad eye he's just going to be a trained up house pup.

I'm a cop in the air force and have "caught" my fair share of dutchies and malinois' and I'd argue that the dutchies even did better at bite/defensive work. On an unrelated note, I'm actually trying to go to K9 handler school and hope I can get a dutchie MWD if I do.

With that said this forum is full of knowledgeable people that can answer any question.
"A German Shepherd does what you tell it to, a Malinois does it before you tell it, a Dutch Shepherd does it before you think it"
-Harvey, DS puppy
-Paul, gsd/lab/? Mix
-RIP Chance, 12 year old rhodesian ridgeback
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feraloup
Training Dog
Posts: 352
Joined: Thu Oct 18, 2012 6:45 pm
Tell us about yourself: Artist, Mother, Equestrienne, Educator, Homesteader wannabe, dog-lover. Not counting my current DS, I have had 2 GSDs and 3 rescued mixed-breeds. All of these dogs were rescues, except for my childhood GSD, who was a gift from my parents when I was 7, and my current DS who I bartered artwork for from the breeder. Maiyou, one of my current dogs, is a Pitbull/New Guinea Singing Dog of 13 years old. Still very active and "Young" in nature. I now also have a DS named Mokume, (pronounced "Moh-koo-meh") or "Moko" for short. Newest member of our pack is Freyja, a random mixed hound I rescued during a horseback trip in the middle of a state forest.
Location: VT

Re: New member - possible new Dutch Shepherd owner

Post by feraloup »

Welcome! :)
Autumn Dufresne

"If you talk to the animals they will talk with you and you will know each other. If you do not talk to them you will not know them, and what you do not know, you will fear. What one fears, one destroys." ~Chief Dan George
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Schlussdibusti
Working Dog
Posts: 1040
Joined: Mon Jun 13, 2011 6:25 pm
Tell us about yourself: I adopted a DS

Re: New member - possible new Dutch Shepherd owner

Post by Schlussdibusti »

Welcome to the forum!
Eva & Marco BH
Jupiter, Florida
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Marjolein
Working Dog
Posts: 2078
Joined: Sun Jul 11, 2010 7:17 pm
Tell us about yourself: I'm a Dutchie myself ;-) but live in Germany with Johan and my two DS's Cobber-Dingo and Knivil (Dingo and Ivil to friends...)
Location: Warbeyen, Germany
Contact:
Contact Marjolein

Re: New member - possible new Dutch Shepherd owner

Post by Marjolein »

Welcome :)
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alexis
Green Dog
Posts: 180
Joined: Wed Oct 26, 2011 9:42 pm
Tell us about yourself: Live in NYC with Zane

Re: New member - possible new Dutch Shepherd owner

Post by alexis »

welcome! I also have a rescue DS - I'd recommend checking out NADSR if you haven't already as they're a great organization to adopt through! I didn't go through them (Zane came from a gsd rescue), but many people here have adopted wonderful dogs through them.
alexis & zane in NYC
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KellaA+dog6
Puppy
Posts: 77
Joined: Sat Mar 24, 2012 9:59 pm
Tell us about yourself: I am a married empty nester, who was lucky enough to stay home with kids, dogs, and cats when not traveling with husband.
Location: S. San Francisco Bay Area

Re: New member - possible new Dutch Shepherd owner

Post by KellaA+dog6 »

Hi, sounds like we may live not to far from each other. My dog is a "maybe DS mix". She has the brains, and some of the conformation, with a touch of brindle in her coat.( looks black in anything but very bright light)
Others have recomended NADSR for a rescue. If you havn't looked at the web site and Facebook page, you should. There have been quite a few rescues from CA in the short time I have been here
.
Also, during the year and a half of looking before finding Kella, there were a few other dogs at the San Martin, CA shelter that might have been DS or Mixes. ( before I knew much about them) If things go well, the right dog will find you at the right time.
Kella's Person Mara
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