Put a deposit on a DS - should I adopt?!

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Since my shepherd/doberman mix passed a few months ago, I have been looking for another shepherd mix. I am perfectly fine with rescues and loved the temperament of my shepherd/doberman mix. He was very laid back and was easily trained and smart. A great dog for the family.

On Petfinder, I found a Belgian Shepherd/Yellow Lab/Rottweiler mix at a rescue that caught my eye.
http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/27168180

I went to the rescue and found 7 adorable pups. People were ahead of me so the one in the above link was immediately snatched up. However, I did fall in love with the "runt" of the litter. He was about 2/3rd the size of the other dogs but he looked healthy,playful and not shy. Here is his pic.

http://imgur.com/JYnAeDy

He was very sleepy at this point and was falling asleep in our arms.

I put a $100 deposit down and I can pick him up in a week after neutering and chip placement.

I had never heard of the Belgian Shepherd breed and began researching after I got home. I figured this pup was just another "shepherd mix" that I could bring home as a family pet.

As I started reading about Belgian Malinois Shepherds, alarms starting going off like crazy. The pup is brindle colored which makes me believe he is actually a Dutch Shepherd. These are very high energy dogs that require intense training and 5-6 hours a day of exercise. My old shepherd was trained by myself and he was perfectly content with a couple walks a day and some fetching/playing ball.

I work 8-10 hours a day and do not have time for 5-6 hours of exercise daily with the dog. I also live in Ohio where it will be snowing in the coming months so that means walks will be limited. There is someone at home during the day to let the dog out but they will not be able to provide any additional exercise or training. I do not have any other animals.

Would it be fair to adopt this dog? I am looking for a family pet and now I'm not sure if he will fit because of what I have read. They list him as a mix but it is hard to see and lab or Rottweiler in him. To me, he looks like a full bred DS. We did speak to the foster mom and she was ecstatic that someone chose the runt. She said he had trouble competing for food with the rest of the 7 larger pups and was worried he would not get adopted. I have no other pets at home so this will not be an issue. He will be very spoiled! . I'm hoping him being a runt, his submissiveness with the other dogs and being mixed with other breeds may make him a nice family pet.

[Asha]

Hah, I saw that pup on petfinder last week and thought the same thing, total Dutch Shepherd! He is darling. I am no expert on the breed and only recently became aware of them because our neighbors found some abandoned pups and we agreed to take one, the runt as well. All I can truly say is two things, if you found a pup that you already feel a connection to don't let it slip through your fingers, this breed is amazing! I have never felt so much love for an animal, mainly because I can tell she loves me back even more. Second, you might find yourself going completely out of your way to spend more time with the dog, it's kind of an obsession for myself and my two daughters. You'd be surprised how much fun you can have working on a few simple obstacles or scent games, and watching the dog get better so quickly makes you all the more interested in the training.
Do what you feel is right for the dog, and definitely listen to other forum member's advice. But you won't be disappointed in giving this dog a home, if you think you can provide him with tons of attention, good food, lots of exercise, mental stimulation, a safe place to be when you're not home and love, love, love I would say go for it Good luck with your decision.

[audiofx]

I am definitely looking out for the dog. He is only 10 weeks old and if I don't adopt, I'm sure he will get picked up fast. I do not want to re-home after a year or two if it doesn't work out when his chances of finding a good home are diminished.

I am very new to the Dutch Shepherd breed. I guess my worries come from just learning about the breed yesterday after I made a deposit. What's interesting is that they listed him as a Malinois mix. 5 out of the 7 puppies were fawn colored. 2 were brindle which means they have Dutch Shepherd in them, correct? Does Dutch Shepherd mean the color? Is it even possible to have Malinois and Dutch Shepherds in the same litter?

Can I be over-thinking the breed since he's a mutt anyways?

[johninny]

Mals and DS seem often to be intermixed, and they are so close already. there are experts here - not me - who can speak to the genetic possibilities. but, yes, this seems possible and so i think you may have a relatively pure-bred dog [ in this instance, ignoring any line between DS and Mal, i.e., no rottweiler, lab, etc.]
i often try to talk people who come here in your position out of wanting a DS, but for you, in think Emily's
[''Asha''] response to you was beautiful and perfect. there are a few calm DS and this runt has a good chance at being more manageable. you and this dog chose each other and i think all will work out fine.

2 thoughts about what you said.
you did not say if your yard is well-fenced, but your comment about letting the dog out during the day implied to me that it is. if that is the case, i think this will not be so hard for you.
is there a way you can have the shelter not neuter him at this young age if you promise to do so at a more appropriate age? neutering at this age is just plain stupid and even barbaric. maybe you can convince them in a more polite way, but it should not be done for at least some months. ideally, it would not be done til he is 18 months, but 6 or 7 at a minimum not to cause him problems.

good luck with him. you will love him and he will love you. Emily is so right.

[audiofx]

My yard is not fenced in. Our neighbors both have fences so that covers 2 of the 4 sides, but my side is not fenced.

We have a 20-30ft. lead that reaches the door. When our dog want out, they go out on the lead and have almost full range of the yard.

I've always had my dog neutered later but the rescue demands that they are neutered before they are taken home. Not sure if I can do anything about it.

[johninny]

i would fight like hell to try to prevent that. convince them it will be done; there must be some way they can make a temporary exception for such a young pup. do your research on the subject to show them it widely considered to be premature, not in the pup's interest, and can lead to complications since the testicals have not even dropped.
even a low energy DS should probably be off lead in a fenced yard if you are not going to do the exercise stuff the way you out-lined. yes, a long lead may allow the dog to wander everywhere, but wandering is not running with abandon - it does allow the kind of all-out play, investigation and discovery that a DS will need to stay mentally healthy if it is going to be left pretty much on its own. YOU HAVE OTHER DOGS? without a fence - on a lead on their own - they cannot interact properly; you really need a fenced yard. though i would not leave a DS in a fenced yard when no one is home as they are very clever and athletic and are often inclined to go in search of their person.

[audiofx]

No, I have no other dogs. The lead is from my shepherd mix that passed a few months ago. He used that for 11 years and enjoyed roaming and laying in the yard. He would come and knock on the door when he wanted in.

I did read up on the neutering at a young age. His surgery is scheduled for Thursday. I'll call and see what I can do.

I would only use the lead for bathroom breaks during the day. For any type of training, I would be with the dog in the yard and hopefully train him to go without a leash while I'm around. If that doesn't work, I will consider putting a fence and blocking the other 2 sides of my yard.

[Asha]

I would definitely try for the fence, just for your peace of mind, mainly because in my experience with our pup, she can wiggle out of any harness you put on her! SO I imagine yours will be able to do the same, and while she never really runs far and ALWAYS comes when called it is really scary when you go to let him in and he's gone.

[johninny]

very good point that i forgot. and when people hear these stories, there is a tendency to think that, ''well, that guy simply did not fit the harness correctly or have it on tightly.'' but that is not true. these dogs use their brains to figure out the physical dynamics of the harnesses and can get out of the tightest situation so fast and with such ease of movement that it takes your breathe away in astonishment.

[TexasMedy]

I have never put in 5 to 6 hours of training per day. Hopefully some day I have this much time but I certainly don't now. Some days i have zero hours. I have two companies and i travel a lot. He will obviously require daily work or there will likely be problems. The personality will vary from dog to dog
IMO. You can count on high intelligence and a working mentality.
The option of this not working out should be off the table before adopting IMO. It is a 15 year commitment period. good or bad times. If you really believe someone else will take him then maybe that is best even if you lose your deposit. If you believe he will be put down then that is another story. They should never be left unattended in back yard fence or no fence. Especially not on a lead. Even if this has worked before it is an accident waiting to happen.

[johninny]

yes, ''especially on a lead'' and especially a DS. what may have worked in that regard for another dog is not going to be satisfactory for a DS.
a fence will do wonders for your sanity and his. a little extra effort but the pay-off is certain.

[Revhendo]

Just make sure it's a tall fence. Roo can CLEAR a six foot fence when she wants. She doesn't consider the seven footer worth her effort. These are a great breed with many benefits, personality and a pretty dang good sense of humor. You just have to be ready for them and honest about yourself. My life is so much better with and because of Roo.

[TexasMedy]

I agree 100%. My life is much better with my DS. I welcome the extra work in comparison to some other breeds to have the opportunity to have this wonderful dog. The extra time is not a chore but good times. She is so passionate about every thing she does it makes me laugh. these dogs are so smart they can make us look good with a some effort. My only regret on DS is that I did not find the breed sooner.

[Sugars Mom]

Reading your post, I have to say that I don't think anyone who works 8-10 hrs/day should adopt a puppy. Expecially a DS. DS's are known to be velcro dogs. They have this need to be in the same room as their people. You literally cannot even go to the bathroom alone!

And puppies need to pee every couple of hours, need training to grow into well behaved dogs, and social interaction. As the pup gets older, they can be left longer and even all day. Maybe.

There is no way to say how much time this pup will need from you. Besides just all the extra work puppies require in general, some DS dogs are much higher maintanance then others. You really won't know. Obviously putting the time in with them to work with them, stimulate their minds, and exercise their bodies will greatly reduce seeing behaviour problems, separation anxieties, etc, and some will just need more then others.

And you have read, this breed needs alot when comparing breeds.

These are amazing dogs!! But when you say you have alarm bells going off in your head, I feel like you need to listen to your gut. Going from a mellow older dog, fully trained to a puppy, then to a DS puppy will be quite a big change and alot of work. Really think about this and make sure you are prepared. I'm glad you are considering this seriously.

[johninny]

Sue has very good points. I was not my normal grump self in my earlier posts, but I think it is a good idea to consider what Sue is saying and what Emily said in the last big sentence of her first post in this thread. if you think you cannot or will not do those things [ and do a fence very quickly ], then a re-thinking is definitely in order. there is no way that a DS can just be a fixture around the house like many dogs are; this dog will need a lot of attention of some sort.

[Sugars Mom]

Example:
http://www.dutchshepherdforum.com/viewt ... =53&t=2988