Dutch Shepherd Forum

to just email you back? i am kind of frustrated with a few breeders. I wont name names, but come on, just let me know if what you have is spoken for, will be breeding soon, have a litter due or arent breeding at this time. Why is that so hard?

sorry about the rant but i have one email thats been out there for over a week. Just let me know already!! gah!

thanks for letting me rant. =)

:dswink" Rant on, thats what we are here for

Are you set on getting a puppy? I saw on the Dutch Shepherd Rescue site a DS girl under a year. http://www.dutchshepherdrescue.org/nonnadsrdogs.html. She is located NE of Pittsburgh, may be not too far from you to take a look at and see if everybody gets along....

Sorry for shamelessly pushing for adoption. I adopted my DS when he was about a year. The big advantage of a juvenile: you see what you get (temperament, size), is through all the puppy stuff and most likely housebroken. :dswink"

thanks eva!! we are not opposed to adopting at all and i dont think youre being pusy at all either =) i am actually right this second on adopt a pet lol =)

i keep thinking puppy because i want to be sure that the dog will be chillax with my bichon =) shes a bitch and i have no doubt shed put whoever in their place (she used to do it with my berner) but i just want them to jive. =) but i soooo like all those plus' of seeing temperment, size, housebrokeness!! i joke w my hubby, i just FINALLY got my youngest potty trained! ive had 3 years in a row of potty training! why the hell do i want to start this all over again?!?!?

but i will go check that out! thanks!!! =)

mafiamom wrote:but i will go check that out! thanks!!! =)

What do you think about Sage, any potential there?

theres definitely potential! =) just waitin on the hubby to see what he says so i can get more info on her and to double check that she wont eat my bichon =)

Great!
I don't know where you are in MA but may be "NE from Pittsburgh,PA" location is not too far for a weekend trip to check it out in person. :dswink"

oh that would be a day trip =) pa is like 4-6 hours, depending on what part of pa it is =) i can be in manhatten in 4 =) im close to boston =)

aaand we are going to nyc in a couple weeks so that could be a detour.... =)

mafiamom wrote:to just email you back? i am kind of frustrated with a few breeders. I wont name names, but come on, just let me know if what you have is spoken for, will be breeding soon, have a litter due or arent breeding at this time. Why is that so hard?
sorry about the rant but i have one email thats been out there for over a week. Just let me know already!! gah!
thanks for letting me rant. =)

It was not me you were ranting about either.
But just consider that no answer is an answer too. If you are getting a pup, you are also starting a 'relationship' with a breeder. If you don't get along (or never get the chance to find out if you do) that means you have to move on.
Good for you that you are considering rescue. Especially for a setting where your demands are not very high (read: working dog potential) it is a great venue. One can find working rescue's too, but they are often more rare. A good new family member though? I'd say rescue is the first place to check.

I'll ditto what Judith said! And thank you in advance for considering a rescue DS.

ya i think rescue is a good avenue for us because of like what you said we dont need the most hardcore one out there, just someone to either a. look like they will eat you if you come in my yard or near my kids, b. will eat you if you come in my house in the middle of the night. but one that can be with the boys and not eat my bichon at the same time. =) again, i know we will def do obedience and keep the dog exercised mentally and physically. My hubby wants one that he cazn do bite work and all that with too, but for me, i keep leaning towards where this is our first dutch, lets start off with an "easier" one for lack of a better word first. im totally confident we will be fine with the dog, but being the first i would much rather work up to getting a dog like that instead of starting right out of the gate with that kind of dog... if that makes any sense at all. =)

Do consider an adult rescue DS and I will tell you why I think so. I was very active in GSD rescue for many years. During the time I would have an adult rescue in my home for rehab for a few months, I would thoroughly evaluate the dog for proper placement as well as put the dog through ob and house manner training. I would tell adopters, as an adult dog, what you see is what you get. As a puppy or young rescue, on the other hand, if you have no real idea the exact parenting, then true temperament issues and health as well will not be evident until they are older. Yes, raising a puppy in your environment is a plus but....there are genetic temperaments that you could still have to deal with later on as the pup matures. Just think about this. Be sure though that if you adopt older, that the rescue comes from a reputable experienced rescuer like those associated with NADSR. Just sayin....

vneerland wrote:One can find working rescue's too, but they are often more rare.

Actually and unfortunately, working rescues are becoming more common...I know of one K9, a few involved in Search and Rescue, and at least a couple that are very active in dock diving competition.

mafiamom wrote: My hubby wants one that he cazn do bite work and all that with too, but for me, i keep leaning towards where this is our first dutch, lets start off with an "easier" one for lack of a better word first.

I have only done Ring sport for bite work. When we work its all for fun, so even the bite work is play so we dont teach the dogs to be aggressive towards everyone as in true police work. I had a talk with my trainer because we were having children and I was worried about that too. Our trainer explained that most Ring dogs wont bite someone not in a suite, they may try but they go for the feel of the suit and can grab it and if they dont feel the suit they would come right off. Thalie just sees the suit laying on the ground and knows what it is. So at home, its a different environment than at the training field so the dog wont associate bite with the kids goofing around. But they still will defend your family and home. Just knowing there is a dog at the house, will keep out intruders.

Also, a low drive dog would be good, Thalie was a blast doing bite work, perfect Girl dog. LOL. Not a hard hitter like the guys like, but would beat out alot of the harder hitters because she had a great OUT.