Dutch Shepherd Forum

Hello everyone,

My name is Samuel Matthews but everyone calls me Matt for short. I just moved to Kaisersalutern,Germany do to the military. I do not currently have a DS but looking to add one to the family. I fell in love with DS and Mals when one saved a friend of mines life in Afghan. Star took 3 bullets for her owner because the enemy was hidden behind a door but Star protected the owner and he was able to return home safely and untouched. Forutanly the dogs survived the incident as well and was in good spirits just 2 weeks after it happen. That was my first time encountering a DS or Mal ever in my life and I said if I ever get a dog thats what I want. Just due to the fact that dog still stayed near the owner and to her it wasnt even a issue of the wounds on her body, the love was still there like it never happen. SO Im over in Europe yet I dont know where to go to acquire my new family member. I have been looking on the NHC site but the translation is giving me the business , lol. I look forward to knowledge that you guys/gals have to share which will ease the learning curve for me. Thanks for creating the page and Im glad to be here.(steps off soapbox)

-Matt

Welcome to the forum! And thanks for sharing the amazing story.

Welcome, and wow, what a story. Understandable how inspiring that must have been in influencing a breed preference.

I'm kind of new, here, as well, but there are lots of very knowledgeable folks here who can be of lots of help to you in learning about the DS before you jump in.

There are a few folks on this board who are also in Germany.

Regards!

hi matt!
i´m living in germany we have a some good dutchies and malis in germany. so if you need contacts - let me know

i saw at google maps, from kaiserslautern to regensburg, thats "just" 390km ... so if you want, you can meet our dutchies and in stuttgart there are some working dutchies as well.

welcome to the forum !!

Thanks everyone...and Geremy I certainly will take you up on that offer. Yes I will need some contacts because Im looking to get one for the family in the first part of the new year.

hi Matt, you will love your new DS when you find him, i am sure. but from what you say, you have not actually had the experience of LIVING with a DS or Mal, which can be a VERY difficult experience and quite different from any other breed for someone lacking the experience. quite a few soldiers and police officers find this out the hard way to the detriment of themselves and their dogs. many rescues come from just this source.

having said that, you are already doing the right thing by being here on this site where there is so much to learn from so many people that have incredible insights into the ''lines'' and also training, socializing, living with these amazing creatures who are so smart that they require a touch, an approach that is different from 'normal' dogs.

sorry for this little 'lecture'. i did not intend that, but it turned into the preamble for what i really wanted to say ---- there are many people here - the most knowledgeable ones in general about DS - for whom 'working' with these dogs either professionally or for very serious sport is a major part of their lives. these will be the people whose advice will probably be the most valuable to you, but they are for the most part working with and enthusiastic about DS [ or Mals] from ''working lines''. from what you have said so far, i understand you want a pet, a companion - albeit a very special one who would readily comprehend a situation where he might risk his life for yours.
all DS share very special traits, but a working line, drivey DS may be more to handle and difficult to live with than you can currently conceive, so i urge you to think seriously about exactly what you want from your DS and unless you plan to take him into wartime battle with you or pursue some of the hard-core protection sports, you MIGHT prefer a DS that is not from ''working lines'', but one that will fit relatively more seamlessly into a home environment - which will still require more intensive interaction than most dogs. in the end though, such a dog is a priceless addition to one's life - a life-changing experience in a positive way as you have already described.
very good luck in your search for knowledge and for a DS partner!

and, if i were so near [ even in my position of NOT looking for a dog], i would accept STEPH's [geremy] offer of a visit to meet her and the dogs of hers and others. she is a new member but i think i and most people here think she is pretty awesome. such a visit would probably be quantum leap in your efforts.

Awesome story. I'm military myself (air force security forces), actually been to Kaisersalutern plus spent sometime there as an air force brat. I fell in love with malinois' and dutchies while I was stationed in Alaska. I'm not sure if they do it overseas but have you looked into an MWD adoption?

I definitely agree with what johninny wrote. What you've seen in action is the best of the best as far as these dogs go, and it takes a TON of work getting them there. I'm not saying you're not suited for the breed, but they do need a lot of physical and mental stimulation. Especially since you're currently serving, make sure this is something that every member of the family is suited for and can put the time into.

@john & stephanie:

it´s a big different to see a well trained dutchies and get one dutchie pupp by yourself. breeder is not breeder and every breeder has there own breeding goals. so you have breeder how are breeding "family dogs" and breeder how are breeding pure working dog - a working dutchies need his family, but he is living for work!

if you want, i can ask sabine b. (the breeder of my dogs) if you can call her. she has 2 dutchies (ambra and ariane) and knows a lot about dutchies. she speaks english very well ...

n the spring there are in frankfurt or near stuttgart a dutchie meeting. so there you can a lot of dutchies.

i would prefere a dutchie with realy good nervs. it´s more easy for the beginning. my dutchie I.Q. is realy explosive and it´s sometime a little bit hard - but i grown up with dogs (collie, hoverwart and then malinois) and handle dogs by myself since 10 years. then i adoped I.Q. and everything was changed i love him and he is a great dog, but not realy a "pure familiy dog"and no dog for beginners. he is great at work, he will do everything for me, but he is very explosive and don´t like unknown people. he is neutral with them outside, but not at home. so i have to put him in the kennel when somebody meets me at home, because he respekts only hanse (my boyfriend - he knows him since the first day) and me.
when i will go on hollidays i have sometime a big problem for a dogsitter for I.Q. - only 3 guys can take care of him. one is in NRW (near dusseldorf), one in austria and one here in bavaria. thats not realy easy sometimes *lol*

he is the halfbrother of geremy - but geremy and I.Q. are different like "day & night". he has realy good nerves, likes other people (if he is not on duty ). he is nice to train, but strong to handle at the protection work - he wants to be led.

so meet our dutchies, go to dog schools, have a look about the training there and than surch for a breeder, or a dutchie from a shelter. (i have good contacs to a dutchie rescue as well)

when you will think "boah cool and well trained dogs" - BUT it was not everytime easy with them

Werlcome on board

Amazing story!

You are also welcome to come and see our dogs, I'm in Germany too, but I am Dutch. Can tell you lots about the breed. If you are clear on what you want (family dog, working dog, something in between), it should be easy to find the right pup for you, there are quite a few litters right now and coming in Holland and Germany.
Let me know if I can help out If you have the time, I would definately go and see some of the different lines that you can find here