# Tell us about the dogs in your signature.



## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Lots of names in signatures! All special and beloved pets or working dogs. Some are fixtures on the board and are familiar, others are only names on the bottom of a post, some are sadly long gone.  

Some people don't even have a signature, so in that case, tell us about the dog or dogs you would have listed if you felt like it or ever figured out how to get a sig. Some people seem to have a whole pack underfoot all the time. 

So I'll start with mine:

Keeta: adopted from the shelter. Only my second dog ever. My previous dog was also a shelter adoptee, some kind of spaniel/retriever mix, best dog ever! Passed on at 15 years of age, and after several months of grieving him, I felt ready to bring home another one. 

The shelter named her Keeta: I liked the name and kept it. She was about a year old, picked up as a stray. People friendly, dog neutral, cat friendly - just what I was looking for. 

Turned out she was probably a tied dog, had no training, no socialization, and had a mind of her own. As easy as my first dog had been, Keeta was a polar opposite. I tried to make her listen and control her by sheer force of will, and all we did was clash - whatever force of will I had, Keeat could match it! I gave up and went to classes with her (prior to Keeta, I thought classes were for loosers!) Boy, was I wrong about that! I LOVED training, learned a bag-full of stuff, and best of all, Keeta blossomed and changed, and we became a team. 

She is nine - going on ten I'm guessing, and has slowed down a bit (just a bit). She is still a challenge, but she was the one who got me hooked on training and SchH, and I will forever be grateful to her for our journey of discovery.

















Gryffon is five years old. this is actually his birthday! I never thought in a million years that one day I would be _buying_ a dog ( I'm an adopt from the shelter kind of gal ). I also always thought that I would always be a one-dog-at-a-time type of person. 
Well, Schutzhund changed all that. (Warning: IPO/Schutzund WILL scramble your brain cells and rearrange them in an un-recognizable pattern!). 
Had to have a 'proper' Schutzhund dog! One that would chill in the house, be good with the cats, friendly with strangers, safe with little kids. Easy-going enough that he won't be bothered by Keeta's bullying, but confident enough that he won't be bothered by Keeta's bullying, and kick-butt amazing on the field. Oh, and sable too, if at all possible. 

Amazingly, Gryffon is all that. I don't have much to say about him, because he just melds and fits into my life seamlessly, like flowing water. He is a joy and a pleasure, a natural at my side, always trying to please. He is best buddies with the cats, a confident but non-threatening side-kick to Keeta, and my best friend and AMAZING partner, both on the field and off. I never have to worry about where he is, or what he is doing, because he is always by my side, always trying to anticipate my next wish. 


























So what about you?


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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

Tuke is the dog in my avatar. She's our kid dog, she loves them and enjoys following them outdoors. She doesn't interact with them as much as she just hangs out and watches them play. She's likes cuddling up with her people and of our three, the only one who enjoys sleeping in our bed, if only for an hour or so. She also dreams a lot which includes lots of "running" and kicking. 

I trained her through OB, rally, and we dabbled in agility, she did alright, but you could tell she didn't really enjoy it and would much rather play fetch or go for a hike. While in class, she would grab my pant leg as we passed the exit and try to coerce me to leave. I wouldn't call her golden trapped in a GSD body, but she does kind of lean in that direction. She and her sister will be 4 this summer, can't believe how time flys.


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## Wolfgeist (Dec 4, 2010)

Hunter is my heart dog. I wanted a take-everywhere companion who I could do everything with, an IPO and sport dog, and a dog who could fit into my active lifestyle. I got one of the most stable dogs I have ever known, a dog that can do _most _of the sports I try, the best and most loyal friend I have ever had, and an unofficial service dog who takes care of me and assists me when I have debilitating migraines. He is everything to me, I couldn't ask for a better dog for me.

Hunter is my teacher when it comes to the breed and working dogs. Through him, I am learning a lot about dog sports, working a dog, and the breed itself. He is a blessing in so many ways.

We both almost drown in a river last spring, and ended up saving each other, and every time I think of him swimming me to the shore while I held on to his collar I can't help but cry. I am fiercely protective of him... he is my heart.










Zenna is our new puppy, and she is really special (to us, anyway). Driven, confident, noisy, bratty, sharky, wiggly, affectionate, playful... we love her so much already. My husband and I are excited to start training and working her, but she is just such a great puppy already and has fit in so well with our pack.










Looking forward to reading about everyone's dogs!


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## d4lilbitz (Dec 30, 2013)

Castlemaid said:


> So what about you?


 
Thanks for creating this post. I love to hear all the stories of members' pets. 

Gypsy - She's my yellow lab. She's extremely smart, loving, gentle, and has a comical personality! Like most labs, water, mud, snow, pretty much anything wet are among her favorite things to get into. I've had her since a puppy, was already potty trained at 8 weeks. Now at 3.5 she's turned into a wonderful family member. 

Red - He's our first shepherd. My family went to the first Marland Dogfest held at Blue Crab's Stadium in June 2012. His adoptive name was Rin Tin Tin, although at the time, he looked nothing like him. He was 60 lbs all skin and bones. Absolutely no muscle on him. He had no glimmer in his eyes and a dull coat. In his weakened condition, he could barely walk. He was such a sad sight. You could tell he was starved and beaten. It took him about 2 weeks not to scarf his food down when we brought him home. It was amazing to see his progress each day. Even through his ordeal, he still loved people, loved to be touched, and loved life. It's because of him that I fell in love with the German Shepherd breed.

Charlie (RIP 1/14/14) - She is my second rescue. She was turned into the shelter with two other dogs. All three females, she was the oldest. The Golden Retrieve was picked up by a rescue, the other German Shepherd was adopted. Charlie was 9 yrs old and no one wanted her. I decided to foster her to give her a better chance at finding a forever home. We had her for 1/2 a day and I had made my mind up...she'd live out her life with my family. We rescued her on December 5, 2013. She was an amazing girl with a huge heart. For her age, she was in excellent shape with a wonderful personality. We didn't know how much longer she'd live, but what years she had left she would know only kindness and love. Monday, January 13, 2014 started out like any other day. I worked from home so all the dogs were laying at my feet. Charlie was on the couch (her favorite place). Everyone ate breakfast normal and we went for our lunch time walk. At dinner, Charlie would eat. This wasn't normal. I felt her over, she showed no pain, her activity level was still normal. The next morning same thing, she wouldn't eat. If she didn't eat when I got home, I as taking her to the vet, because this wasn't normal behavior. She had blood work, a Sonogram, and X-ray done. It was determined she had Hemangiosarcoma. The vet said there was nothing they could do, so I made the hard decision to let her go. It was very hard, as I was thinking the condition was something that could be fixed when we were heading to the vets. Not once did my girl show pain or aggression. We had her cremated and she's resting on my mantle. I miss her dearly and think of her often. Charlie is the dog sitting on the fire place.


Whether they're still hear on earth with us or watching over us from above, German Shepherds forever hold a place in our hearts. It's because of these great animals that we are all a part of this forum.


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## gsdsar (May 21, 2002)

Ok, I will play!

B'lena zu Treuenhanden - call name Lena. I got her at 8 months as a USAR prospect. From the get go she had the most solid nerves I had ever seen. When we tested her at our training academy, they were testing a new robot for bombs. So they were literally setting off bombs and she never lost focus on her toy, ear twitch was all we saw. She has amazing agility, beautifully controlled on directionals, just a great dog. She did not make it as a USAR dog. Which stank. But she has been my go to dog for trying new things, we dabbled in HRD, NoseWorks, obedience, running and hiking. She is a hard worker. 

Nixon Vom Banach- call name Nix. My new puppy. He is 13 mo old. And pretty much fits to a tee everything you read about DDR and Czech dogs. Very very bonded to me. Works great for praise, fairly moderate functional prey drive. I make that distinction because he has high prey drive, he just does not have use for toys. Which makes training a bit tough. But, as he matures I am seeing some of that develop. He now works for a ball and tug. Which is making my life easier. He us very pattern oriented, which will be an issue with training in the future. He does not generalize well, so I have to expose him to lots and lots. But, once he gets something, he has it. I have him heeling beautifully and I don't do it that often. He is slow to mature and I don't think I will really know what I have until well after his 2 bday. He has a great off switch, is a lot if fun, a great tracker, I adore what I am seeing so far. 

Phoster- she is a Labrador, my current USAR dog, just recertified her. Never thought I would enjoy working a Lab, but she has stolen my heart. She is happy and focused and so much fun. I smile the entire time I work her. She is very much a working Lab. She ignores other people and dogs, very aloof and neutral, unless you have her toy. She tugs like a GSD, and is very rough and tumble. She is epileptic. But has not had a seizure in 18 mo. But I know at some point it will end her career. 

DOGS AT THE BRIDGE

Eisenhower Von der Polizei- call name Ike. My heart dog. I still cry on a regular basis when I think of him. He was a certified live find Wilderness dog. He taught me so much. About being a firm but fair and consistent handler. I nearly rehomed him at 18 months for handler aggression. We worked through it, and he became the most stable dog. We went everywhere together and he always drew a crowd. He was a bad dog. Not fully housebroken until he was 8yo, ate a couch, a bed, anything in the trash, a few pieces of jewelry, made my cat flap big enough for a GSD, all in all a real jerk. I loved every single bad thing he did. My puppy Nix is so much like him, whenever the pup does something bad, I curse Ike in heaven for giving the idea. 

Hanah Vom Steffenhaus- call name Hanah. My first GSD. I wanted to do SchH, so I got a GSD. I thought I knew what I was doing, and I got lucky with her. We got her BH, but I did not enjoy SchH at that time( club director was abusive and I cried regularly) so we started in SAR, she was my first wilderness live find dog. She was amazingly forgiving, gentle, kind and so much fun. I retired her to my sisters home when I got Lena. The two young dogs kept knocking her over. She lived her golden years an only dog and a queen. Until she was 16 and could no longer hold her bladder or go for walks. 

So that's it. Dogs I have owned and trained. Of course it does not include the dozens of rescues I have rehabbed, but I don't think there is room for that!!! 

Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

LOVE this thread...

Misty is a Samoyed/Lab/Old English Sheep Dog and is almost 9.5 years old I got her from the animal shelter when she was 10 months old. She had several staples in her leg and they didn't know what had happened to her, but she needed surgery and they gave it to her. She was brought into the shelter as a pup, adopted, brought back, adopted, and brought back again. Finally I got her and I still don't understand why she was brought back. Her name on paperwork was Josie, but lots of the volunteers called her Diamond. She is the leader of the pack.


Tannor is a 4 year old Golden Retriever. I wasn't looking for a dog when I came across him, but my dream dog was always a golden retriever. He came from a local hobby breeder that every golden retriever in the area came from. I just went to look. As I went to go pick up the puppy in front of me, the puppy in the back flew at us and jumped in my arms...that was Tannor. I never put him back down and have loved him since that moment. He is always by my side.


Robyn is 2.5 year old GSD. I got her from some people that posted an ad for her on Craigslist. She was to much for them to handle and they had her living outside, she was 12 weeks old and her name was Baby. She gave me a run for my money those first few months, she is the only dog that has ever made me cry. But when she came around, she came around in a big way. I'm thinking she is my heart dog. She is a special girl and she stole my heart. Solid nerves and great temperament.



Midnite is 1.5 year old GSD. I got Midnite at the animal shelter when he was about 8 months. He seemed like a perfect dog until we were walking out of the shelter and he reacted to a dog So we began our road to making him the perfect dog. It took several months, but Midnite came around and was able to get his CGC and become a certified therapy dog. Midnite's name was Midnite and I kept it. It fit him and he knew it well. Midnite also has solid nerves and a very nice temperament. And he LOVES his ball...


Brennan just turned 9 months..he is my crazy golden retriever. He is super smart and always thinking, he keeps me on my toes. He came from the same place as the other golden, different parents. He really is a ray of sunshine and I love him to pieces even if he can't leave my cell phone alone(he steals it all the time, no matter where it is)


And here is a group photo, it includes my foster dog that my dad has...


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## Harry and Lola (Oct 26, 2013)

My signature is not about the dogs I own now or previous ones, it is about EPI.

Harry was diagnosed with EPI last year and I wish I had of known more about this horrible condition or someone had of suggested I get him tested well before I realised something was wrong, so I'm on a mission to spread the EPI word


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## Eiros (Jun 30, 2011)

Jack - He was our first dog as adults. He was from a BYB, which I didn't know anything about at the time, and we poured our hearts into him. He was very "typical" GSD puppy in a lot of ways: prone to destruction when bored, aloof but driven, land shark from heck! He taught us how hard it is to raise a puppy. He was a ball of energy, he could never settle down. The bf and I had a lot of disagreements, but we both cared about him so much. When he was about 8 months old I got a job overseas, and we decided to rehome him, unsure of what my move would mean for our relationship, and how long I'd be gone. We knew Jack couldn't be happy being crated every day, so we found an active family who could be with him all day and had other dogs. He grew up into a beautiful boy, but passed away tragically after choking himself on his collar outside alone. We were still in touch with the family and this shattered us, and we've always blamed ourselves for what happened. Our hearts still break at his name. 

















Warden - we weren't looking for a dog when we found Warden. The bf used to check Craigslist every night, looking for GSDs and we'd moan about how bad we felt for them, and dream about the ones we'd have someday. In October 2013, I came across 5-month-old Warden one day when I decided to look on my own, and we both instantly fell in love. His name was Nino, and his owners loved him but were gone all day and didn't have the time or space to care for him. He had no socialization, but warmed to us right away. He came home with us that night and has been a joy ever since. He's smart and sweet, driven and playful, but a cuddly couch potato too. He's the perfect fit for us. He now loves playing with other people and dogs, and has graduated the OB program at our training club. We are looking into trying SchH next! 

























Thanks for reading 


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

Vala, aka Balien zu Treuen Händen SchH3 AWD1 FH2 CGC BHOT, is my heart dog. She loves life and expresses joy and happiness just about every moment that she is awake. The whole world must know that Vala is here.  As a tiny puppy I dubbed her "the blue tick" because she was the blue collar pup (first born) and she was always attached to her mom like a tick. She was such a fat puppy that I was worried she would end up a swimmer puppy so I used to lie her on her side and push her under the pig rail so she would have to sleep on her side. She and I have been through a lot together. My first BHOT, my first to attend regionals, my first FH and FH2. We have traveled all over this half of the USA and even went to Germany together. She is the mother of my C, D, and E litter. I had thought about breeding her a 4th time, but her E litter was by section and seeing my heart upside down on a table with her insides pulled out convinced me I could not put her or me through that again. I was more worried about losing her than the pups. She will be 10 in July and still acts 2. 










Nike, aka Burgos' Unika SchH1 OB1 TR3 AD CGC HOT. I didn't plan for Nike. A friend was owed a puppy, didn't have the room at the time and asked if I might be interested in looking at the litter. I liked the looks of her mother, loved the bloodlines (I had a Mink granddaughter too at the time) so dragged my poor husband down to VA to look at the litter. We drove the 10.5 hours over night and arrived early the next morning to test the pups. I picked her because nothing bothered her and she showed crazy hunt drive. Funny, she showed absolutely no interest in a rag. I figured that if she didn't work out for me I could resell her down the road. Nike proved to be my foundation bitch. Dominant, aloof, very tough female that taught me a lot. She absolutely adored my husband and he used to complain that she would be so happy to see him when he would come home from work yet would never listen to him. She used to drop little wads of paper on his leg and if he ignored her she would drop them a bit farther up his leg. Each time she dropped the piece of paper there would be a bit more force in how she set it down until Kevin would flick it off of his leg starting the game all over again. She was the mother of my A and B litters and LOVED being a mom. She would have nursed her second litter forever. She was my last real connection to Kevin so I always told her she had to live forever. I lost her in 2012 and it left a huge hole in my life and just writing this has me crying. 










Deja, aka SG1 Dejavu zu Treuen Händen IPO3 AWD1 KKL1 BHOT......... as I tell people she is a blast to work, but I don't enjoy handling her. :crazy: She is Vala's daughter, but is far more like her grandmother, Nike. Tough, opinionated, way too smart for OUR own good. I figure maybe by the time she is 10 I will have figured out how to handle her.  She is currently curled up next to me trying to use the edge of the comforter. She would prefer to be out hiking or crushing my nasty rooster. She will actually push the roosters until she finds the one that will attack and then she grabs him over the back and crushes him into the ground. She is the mother of my F litter. Great mom, but like her mom, is done with them by 5 or so weeks. 










Elena, aka SG Elena zu Treuen Händen BH AD CGC BHOT, is another Vala daughter. Elena is a rather different dog than I normally work. Not a lot of drive for toys, a bit softer in temperament. She is a super sweet heart, loves to cuddle, pick on her mother and is wonderful with other dogs. The only GSD I have ever owned that could actually play at a dog park if I had that desire. She learns easily though I have had to think outside the box (always good for a trainer). One of the things she enjoys the most is going and harassing Deja when the latter is crated. I will catch her looking into Deja's crate wagging her tail and giving these little "hehe, I am loose and you aren't" yips. She also thought biting my ankle during the AD was a great way to add some excitement to a boring exercise.  I need some updated photos. LOL










LB, aka Firien zu Treuen Händen BHOT. OMG, Lisa has a sable.  She is Deja's daughter. More drive for toys, very good hunt drive, settles wonderfully in the house. Still young, though, so not much to write about her. She will be fun. And I REALLY need some new photos of her. :laugh:










Alexis, aka Alexis zu Treuen Händen, is not in my signature, but she is my old girl. Nike daughter. Another cuddler and she adores my nephew. Very high hunt drive and I should have done something more with her, but she was dysplastic so is just my companion. She loves traveling with me and even lets me lift her almost 80# into the truck. She expects to go when I travel. She hates her 1/2 sister and niece so makes things a challenge. 









HMMMMMMM I sort of wrote a book.


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## Daisy&Lucky's Mom (Apr 24, 2011)

Great Thread Castlemaid! Love seeing all the pictures of the dogs I've read about in the many threads on this forum. llombardo love your pack picture and Misty and Keeta are two of my favorite grand ladies of the forum It is very cool to see all the dogs in the signatures! Ihczth reading your stories of Nike and you other ladies made me smile. 

I look forward to reading each new post and will ad mine as soon as find some older pictures


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## David Winners (Apr 30, 2012)

I'm trying to decide how far back to go LOL.

I could have the wife scan some pictures out of the photo albums if they aren't packed yet.

This could end up being a novel  

David Winners


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## Shade (Feb 20, 2012)

Delgado is my first GSD and third dog, I waited years and I can't describe how happy and excited I was when I first met the litter and knew that one of those wriggly piglets was actually mine. He has challenged me and pushed me to be a better trainer for him, there are days I feel like I've nailed it and days I've felt like I've failed him but he forgives me. He is healthy as a horse and rock solid in nerves, made it through fireworks, gun shots, large crowds and has not fazed him a second  He's the one dog I can trust without hesitation 




Jasmine is my second dog, I got her the day after I put down my first dog Alex from a BYB. She was a pain in the butt to housebreak and was nervous and shook the moment she was outside of our house until we got home. She's entirely dependant on me for everything, she's my shadow and her favourite place in the world is in my arms. We've learned together how to teach her that the world is not a scary place and I do tear up when I see her achieving things she couldn't before. When I see her happy with bright eyes and a wagging tail I just feel proud of her.



Alex was my first dog that was entirely mine, I rescued him from the local shelter at 8 years old. His story was that he was dropped off with another dog from the breeder who said they couldn't afford the vet bills to fix him up. Thankfully the shelter saw his potential and they removed 13 teeth, neutered him, fixed a hernia, and repaired a cherry eye. He was lucky, the other dog died within days of being taken in from health complications. He went deaf shortly after I got him and I retrained him with hand signals, he became literally a surrogate mother to both of my cats. They would curl up with him and follow around and even suck on his paws and he allowed it without complaining. I only had him for 3.5 years before complications from a ear infection put him in major pain and I had to let him go. I brought him in myself not knowing what would happen as I had never witnessed the process and he left this world snuggled into my arms with a grateful sigh. His last gift to me was going gracefully and taking away any thoughts that I was doing the wrong thing.


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## MichaelE (Dec 15, 2012)

Bear, Anna, and Molly were all American black and tans that had belonged to Air Force military families that were PCS'ing to somewhere that they either coundn't take the dog to or didn't want to.

My chances of going overseas were zero due to my job, so I took them in at different times and found homes for them over a few years. All were good dogs that had very little training, but were fast learners. I really only ever bonded with Anna out of the three. I don't really know why, but I never felt that close to Bear or Molly.

Ossie was a pedigreed surrender/rescue from a foster home in the Kansas City area. He had a brother that looked almost identical to him. Ossie was a fawn colored GSD that was the best I had up until I got Lisl in '12. Ossie died in '05 and it took me a long time to be able to want another GSD after I lost him.










Lisl of course is my current GSD and companion.


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

David, that is why, except for Nike, I stuck to my living dogs. I would really had to have written a book if I included them all.


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## Packen (Sep 14, 2008)

I have 2, 

Gnash = In your face attitude, correction better be fair or he will come after you. But will give his life to save yours in a heartbeat. No threat, real or play is too much for this dude.

Creasy = Dude, I'm a surfer dude, let's go party.

Amazing fact = Both uncut and very powerful males yet hang out together with no issues!


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

Gosh if I started with my childhood dogs it would be a mini series, so I will start with Nakita my avatar. My first dog as an adult. She was a white GSD/Akita mix. We got her out of the paper. She was DX with HD at less than 6 months. We had the surgery and she lived to be 13 +. One of the best dogs ever! (Well I guess they all are.  

I was working at a vet clinic and got asked to long term board a dog while that person recovered from surgery. By the time they came and got her we were totally attached and Nakita was heartbroken from loosing her playmate.. So we went to Akita rescue and got Kioshi Bear. I've posted many pictures of him before so I won't bore you with more. 

Soon we added to the pack with Duffy our Boxer mixed with stupid. He was the dumbest dog on the planet but he was also my heart. What a cuddle bug. 










We soon moved out to 10 acres as our family was growing. My parents were older and needed help so we moved them out there with us. 

Our house used to belong to a greyhound breeder and then an emu breeder so we had many large pens and kennels. It was awesome! We had a goat, a sheep, peacocks, a pair of emus, lots of game birds, a tukey, ducks, guinea hens, chickens... You name it. We had it. Oh yeah and mom and dad brought their cats. 

Soon we rescued Xena out of the desert. She was my daughters baby from day one, but OMG that dog had issues. She sure lived up to her name Xena the warrior princess. I'm a lot more careful about naming dogs now. LOL 

Then came Harley the Great Dane. She was a rescue from Great Dane rescue. she was so skinney when we got her you could see all her ribs. 










But we soon fattened her up. After about 6 months she decided out of the blue she wanted to kill Nakita, then Xena as well. It was bad. We crated and rotated for months. Trainers said forget it she will never be happy with other females. Finally however a friend who had a male Great Dane and just fell in love with her. So we let her go because it was the best thing for her. It was sure hard on us though. Luckily we still got to visit her and she was one happy dog with another Great Dane to play with. 

After that experience we held off for a while. Dad passed away and mom was really sick and that took up a lot of our time but when mom passed as well we went and got the boys. Shadow and Buddy and shortly after their sister Lady as well. 

I may have posted this pic before. 










We had other dogs we boarded or fostered for short times but I won't bore you with their stories. 

Those are my main ones up to my current pack.


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## trcy (Mar 1, 2013)

Riley was a very special dog to me. When he died I piece of me went with him. I miss him so much. I doubt I will ever "get over it".

Here's what happened to him:


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## Wolfiesmom (Apr 10, 2010)

Great thread! I love reading about everyone's dogs. I haven't been on for a while, so I will play..

Wolfie... Wolfie is my 4 year old working line GSD. He is the funniest, quirkiest, smartest, and most eccentric dog I've ever owned. He has us laughing at his antics every day, and he has brought so much joy into our lives. He's also a handful, and keeps us on our toes. When you watch him, you can see his brain working, and thinking of ways to ways to outsmart us. He is very loveable, and needs loads of belly rubs and hugs. 

Chief... Chief was my first dog as an adult with my own kids. He was an American show line GSD. He was a great dog. Very gentle with the kids. He was the kind of dog that would just sit with you and try and comfort you when you were sad. He was very good natured and calm. He got into a few things, but wasn't as rambunctious as Wolfie. I remember his favorite game was to wait around the corner for me to bring the laundry to the laundry room, and then pounce on me as I came around the corner. He was a sweetheart and I think about him and miss him every day.


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## stmcfred (Aug 13, 2013)

Such an awesome thread!! 

Here's mine:
Connor is my 9 year old mix. We assume Lab/Border Collie/GSD type. Though not too sure. I got him from the dog pound when he as about 6 weeks old. He was my replacement puppy since the one I had originally adopted died of parvo shortly after I got it.
He was a major handful as a puppy and at one point almost re homed him. But, we worked through the problems and now he is without a doubt the best dog I have ever had. He is the perfect dog to us (now anyhow). He is super loveable and has been perfect with our kids, even when they were going through their toddler stages. He's never met anyone or any animals he didn't like. He's getting old and has arthritis now. I'm hoping he'll be around for at least a few more years. He's my big baby and I couldn't imagine not having him around.


lola12wfs-031 by stmcfred1, on Flickr


Lola, 6 month old LC GSD... I've wanted a GSD for as long as I could imagine. I almost got one before my first husband passed away (he died shortly after we got married. I was 18). But since we had a baby with some minor medical problems we held off. Finally after about 4 years of convincing my current husband, we got Lola. She has been incredible. Super easy to train and just an all around great puppy. She has some issues with strangers and other dogs, but since I wanted her as a running partner I don't mind. I wanted some sort of security, though I don't expect her to protect me. One thing I love about her is her ball drive. Connor hates playing fetch and I never liked that. Lola could play fetch for hours. I love training her too. She learns so quickly and loves being worked.


lola26w-017 by stmcfred1, on Flickr


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## Loneforce (Feb 12, 2012)

Hesedhof's Beckley Jedi Knight Jonas: is my Best friend. I got him a few months after I had to have Taz PTS. I knew Ginger was getting older, and I wanted to get her a friend. I found Jonas during a search for someone that certifies their dogs, and shows them. I wanted a black and red male. We had a connection from the start. Taz was my buddy as well. It all started back in 1999. I was at work, and a customer asked me if I wanted a puppy. I said what kind? He said a German Shepherd. I said Hmmm I don't really have time for a dog right now. He knew I loved German Shepherds; because I always talked about my childhood GSD. The next thing I knew he come walking in the door with the pup. I said "seriously man" I really don't want a dog right now. He put the pup on the floor and he ran right to me. I did not call him or anything. ( I actually was ignoring him) I took care of a customer, and the pup was with me everywhere I went. So I picked him up and set him on the counter. His little tail was wagging, and he sat down and put his paw up at me. I looked at my customer and said " Ok I will take him" He said what will you name him. I took one more look at him and said Taz. The customer looked at him twice and said OMG he does look like the Tazmanian devil. Great Name! The rest is history with Taz. Ginger on the other hand was destiny. I wanted 2 shepherds, and I found her 2 years after Taz was grown up and calm. I did not do much research and found her in the news paper. " I know" Don't Judge me.. Anyways I went to look at the puppies and I liked them. The breeder walked up to me and said "here this guy is perfect for you" He handed the pup over to me, and this thing was a crazy ball of energy. ( Then I spotted her) I told the breeder I was looking for a female, and said what is up with her? " She was in the corner all by herself" He said the other puppies beat her up and don't want anything to do with her. I said " I will take her"! I called her to me and she perked up and ran and jumped into my arms. The breeder said: She would go to no one and sort of kept to herself. He was amazed. She was a shy, gentle girl and Taz took right to her; as she did to him. {there is a lot longer versions to these stories, but I am not one for long stories}  I kind of got watery eyed typing this... Great Thread!


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

Sinister is my male GSD, he'll be 5 years old in 9 days. He is from a backyard breeder, I paid $600 for him and to this day it was the best decision I have ever made and the best thing I have ever purchased. Words can't describe how much I love him. He is the best thing in my life and the thing I cherish most. He is the easiest dog to live with, he is a complete joy to be around, a pleasure to take places, fun to train and very well behaved. He has a ton of people that love him, he has many fans and several people that would fight for him if something were to happen to me. He's amazing with people, good with other dogs, good with cats. He's smart, loves to please me and his world revolves around me. He is my best friend, my protector, my baby, my most prized possession and my life. The loss of him will destroy me.

Draco is my male Dalmatian, he just turned 8 months old. He is from a reputable show breeder, I am very happy with him and very happy with his breeders, I will get more puppies from them in the future. He is quite the character, he's funny, silly, odd and has loads of personality. He's a total sweetheart, loves people, loves 2 of my cats, he loves Sinister and he is obsessed with me. He has a lot of energy and he can be stubborn and a pain in the butt, but he's adorable so I can't stay mad at him. He cracks me up, I always giggle when I am around him. He is well behaved in public and loves to have all the attention. He can be mellow in the house but he can also be a total nutjob. He is all muscle and very strong so he sometimes likes to throw his weight around. He's a good boy though and a pleasure to own. I love this little guy so much.


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## Vinnie (Sep 4, 2001)

I better just stick to the current dogs too or I might be writing a novel along with the others. 

So lhczth kind of started the story about Sundance (Ezio zu Treuen Händen, ACD, BH, HIC) as her female Vala is his mother. He has always been a big boy. Back in May of 2011 when Lisa was waiting for her E litter to be born he was busy holding up the show with his big head.

EpupsWB2weeksA by BlackDogsPhoto, on Flickr

Sundance is soft, cuddly and affectionate and not ashamed of it either. He is a big happy-go-lucky smoosh with a bounce to his step. He loves to play catch and is a bit possessive of balls (even snowballs). He still hates nail clipping time and he loves to follow my husband all around doesn’t matter where he is going. When he was little I nick-named him “the nose” because he wandered all over with his nose stuck to the ground. A short time later my husband decided he wanted to train a dog to detect accelerants and has trained / certified Sundance as an Accelerant Detection Canine (ACD). He also trains Sundance in IPO and so far they have passed the BH and hopes to go on to some titles this coming trialing season.

PICT0016 by BlackDogsPhoto, on Flickr


PICT0004 by BlackDogsPhoto, on Flickr

Butch (Dario von der Staatsmacht, BH, ORT-BCA, HIC) came to us from a breeder who had recently moved to our state from Germany. Butch is a blast, full of energy and my little monkey. He loves to body slam me and is the true definition of “ball crazy”. He is vocal and makes some very strange sounds sometimes when he is trying to express himself. He loves to run around with one of my husband’s socks or slippers in his mouth. He doesn’t chew them, just hold them. I train with him in IPO and K9 Nose Work. 

Dario (Butch) von der Staatsmacht by BlackDogsPhoto, on Flickr

PICT0016 by BlackDogsPhoto, on Flickr

These 2 boys are night & day from each other but I love them both.

PICT0069 by BlackDogsPhoto, on Flickr


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## Shaolin (Jun 16, 2012)

So...

Sebastian was my very first GSD. He was a handsome Bi-Color (They said he was a GSD/Rott mix, but I think they were thrown by the coloration as he had no Rottie qualities or traits). My parents adopted him when I was 2 and we were inseparable. He lived to a ripe 16 years old. He saved my parents lives after alerting them to the fire in the basement, then he ran to my Aunt's home (about a block away) and barked on her front porch until she came out and saw the fire. He then ran back inside the burning house and continued to bark until the fire engines arrived.

He was my best buddy and we did everything together. One of the more notable stories other than the fire one was when a neighbor kid kicked him in the balls. He nipped at him, but didn't break the skin. AC wanted to take him and have him destroyed, but the kid came down, admitted to what he did, and we just had to have a 3 day home quarantine. He passed the day after Mother's Day and it crushed me.

Cheyenne was my husband's dog. She was a Tri-Color Collie and she was dumb as a box of rocks. She never met an animal or person she didn't love. Her version of fetch was getting excited when the ball came out, and when you would throw it, she'd watch it go over her head, then bark at you as she was ready to watch the next throw. She was probably the sweetest dog I've ever met. Everyone loved the **** out of that dog and it crushed all of us when she passed.

Ya'll know about Finn. He's my White GSD and he's my heart dog. I've never had a dog more wonderful than him; obedient, kind, gentle, and a spit fire. He's too smart for his own good and he'll let you know it. He's my first "papered" dog and the first dog I've done dog sports with. He's solidified my love for the GSD breed as a whole.

Abi is my little rescue Pom. We found her and it took a lot to get up the energy to keep her as she wasn't a GSD and she was a little dog, but I'm so happy I did. She's tested my patience and my training abilities, but I couldn't be happier. I've learned so much from her and I'm sure I'll keep learning.

The only dog not in my Siggy is Baxter. He was a Chow/Husky mix that I loved to pieces. We got him after Sebastian died and while he came with a whole host of problems, we worked through them. He died just a few days ago.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Well, this is interesting. 

I changed my signature last week to something rather rude that a mod typed in response to a thread I had started. And when I changed it back, I found that someone I picked up some extra characters. I finally had to remove my dogs that are not longer living: Arwen, my second GSD and my heart dog, gone but daily remembered. Whitney and Tori, both of whom I have lost. 

The current dogs in my signature are with me. And I have two that aren't listed here -- probably due to that number of characters thing, that caused me some trouble. 

Jenna and Babs were out of my first litter, out of Arwen. Jenna is special. Well, they all are, really. But Jenna is another one that is just sweet and cool and fun and yet gentle and easy. Not an obedience dog by nature, more an agility dog. Very intelligent, and an escape artist. She is overall just a totally fun girl. 

Jenna:


Babs, is currently in my SUV, freezing out there. But I will be going soon, and I doubt the car has cooled down that much, after the trip in. She is an obedience dog. At just under two, I titled her on a weekend where I got legs on three other dogs. The one leg, the leash got looped up around her ear, and we went the entire course with that leash loosely looped around the ear, LOL. She just is easy to train, and loves to please. A little weenier in some situations than I would like, but mostly a nice solid dog. We trialed at some pretty huge shows, for her RA and her CD. Now she is retired, and is spending her retirement teaching girls how to handle dogs.



Next we still have Heidi. Heidi is another obedience/rally type dog. Loves to please, beautiful. Easy. I took first place with her for her final leg of her RA, and decided to move up as I was entered in two shows the same day. I took first place on her first leg of her RE, and some of the things we had to do, we never did before that day. I was training her in the parking lot on some of the signs, and she did them flawlessly inside. I have also taken her out with the girls to the park, but I don't let them walk her yet. 



I better go a little quicker before Babs gets cold out there. 

Milla and Ninja are crazy little bitches out of Babsy and Rushie. Terrible breeding, LOL. Though, both are doing well now. I think they will be 6 in August. So it only took 5.5 years. We trialed outside with them. For the most part. Ninja NQ'd in the morning, and then took first place in the high nineties inside that evening. The next two days of the show she qualified, so we did title that weekend, both of them when they were just a year old. They both flunked their CGC too. I started the class, and two weeks later my club had a show where they offered the CGC, I decided to take one for the club. Milla passed! Ninja flunked -- no surprise. At the end of their set of classes, Ninja passed fine. Milla flunked. Huh? Well, Milla was fine. It was insane, the evaluator could not control her own dog, and I don't know, I was so totally unconcerned about the outcome, watched dumfounded while this lady who couldn't get her own dog to sit or stay or anything, failed mine. Whatever. 

Ninja is the crazy one that will fight with any of my girls, but let some little Yorkie mix, circle us barking and growling, and a LEAVE IT and a HEEL kept her from going after it. Milla is the one that loves slippers. Left slippers. Always the left slipper. 

Out of time. 

Milla and Ninja:


Maybe I can get the others tomorrow.


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## TommyB681 (Oct 19, 2012)

Penny is my current GSD she is just about a year and a half now. I got her from a breeder in Pa last Dec when she was 14 weeks. I dont have kids so shes my baby. We do just about everything together, and she was my first puppy so being able to bring her up and train her has been a blast.

Abbi was the first dog that was really mine. I took her from a family friend after they got a divorce and she couldnt give her the time needed raising 2 kids and working. She was 2.5 when I got her and had her for a year before she died of cancer last year. Out of all the experiences Ive had in life her death was the single worst day of my life. But she gave me the best year of my life so I forever greatful to her


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## shilorio (Mar 21, 2010)

I actually just edited my signature! 
My first dog of my own was miss Shilo the tiny sable GSD I got off of craigslist for 200$ I know it's bad! But I was a youngin. She now lives with my grandmother. She started having anxiety and with my life style and then my grandmas last dog died ): so I had Shilo stay with her for a while. And they became inseparable, I could not take her back, Shilo was so happy and I know it would break my grandmas heart if I took her from her. 
So she stayed. 









I have Elios, who you have all heard of, the 70 pound light liver who was kept in a kennel and beaten to a pulp who I bought for 200$ against everyone because my heart too me to. 
He is my heart dog. I had to teach him how to be a dog and to trust. He wouldn't even let me touch him or use stairs when I got him. He is now an amazing dog with only a barking problem we are working on. 
This dog has changed me he really has. 









Now I'm gonna cheat a little and post another cutie who is on my signature! My little baby hedgehog Harvey Dent. 
He was a little guy I rescued and he has mites when I got him. He is a little bundle of spines but I love him  









And the snakes, Daxter and Ripley


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## vicky2200 (Oct 29, 2010)

Dakota: German shepherd/Lab/something huge mix. He is almost 10 years old. He has had epilepsy since he was around 2 years old but he has been seizure free for nearly 4 years now. We are currently waiting to find out if a lump on his neck is cancer or an infection. He was the smartest puppy we will probably ever have. He was essentially house trained at 6 weeks old when we got him and he learned tricks in a matter of minutes.
Ditto: Purebred GSD. She is going to be 6 in April. She has always acted more mature than her age. She loves to play fetch, but I limit it because she has injured her knee in the past. She hogs the bed every night, never laying parallel to me, always perpendicular and kicking me off the edge.
Daisy: Daisy is an Alaskan husky. She will be 5 in June. She was definitely trouble when she was younger- constantly getting into everything, digging holes, and even chewing on the door handle. To this day she cannot be off leash and we have to keep the trash up. However, she is one of the most lovable dogs I have ever had. She is the alpha of the pack. She comes from a long line of sled dog leaders.
Weegee: Weegee is the baby. He is a toy poodle who is 2 1/2 years old. He tries to run the pack, and usually he is allowed to. However, occasionally Daisy will put him in his place with a swat of her paw. Surprisingly, all of our dogs get a long great with him, even with the major size difference. Weegee is incredibly smart. He loves to play fetch and if you hide his ball he can find it, no matter where it is.


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## Daisy&Lucky's Mom (Apr 24, 2011)

I've been waiting to respond to this thread but I cant get my pictures to load.So Ill just narrate .

Daisy-GSD- My first dog that was mine. She was a byb. I now know her maternal great grandmother was sold w/ the agreement she would not be bred. Honestly she was a pretty stable pup but after almost losing her to parvo she became anxious and alot more reactive. Daisy was wicked smart and I should have been on this forum when she was a very young dog. She was however a lover .If she decided you were hers she was cuddly,ornery and a fierce protector.She alerted others when I was having insulin reactions. She was the consumate theif and the dog most likely to be kicked out of class. I spent countless hours at puppy play socializing and she was usually in time out. She was wonderful off leash once she got past 18 months. It was 6 months to the day we lost her that we left to pick up Cheverly and Thunder. I miss her and find myself tearing up as I write this.If I posted a piccture folks would say she was fat and too oversized but to me she was gorgeous.We tried and tried to help her diet and after joining here and realizing portions were a problem it got a little better. We were thinking in her last 9 months she had DM w/ the weight loss in her rear hips and the curling of her toes on her back paws but it was cancer we lost her too.

Lucky- He's from a rescue three breeders worked together after Lucky was found on the streets of Canton ,Ohio to keep him safe. They were paying out of their own pockets . the trainer who hasd worked w/ Daisy called me to tell me about him. He was staying w/ a GSD breeder who did some great traing w/ him and he was thought to be about 18 months old. Our vet thoughtmore like a year or ten months. He had Heartworm and we began to live with rotate whose out as we had Dodger ,pit lab who hated Lucky .Dodger was around for the Lucky's first three years. Lucky is the perfect gentleman in the house . No counter surfing a dream on the leash but god help you if he is off leash. Lucky has prey drive that is unreal. We joke that Lucky is our Forrest Gump. He is not a dog who problem solves and after living w/ Daisy's evil genius I was kind of relieved. He was the ultimate traveling companion except for that pesky vomiting . Seat belts stopped that a little. He went many places w/ me and we did walks everywhere in our village parks and cemeteries as well as any fields or paths we could find. Lucky hated water in fact we were at a lake walking and I decided to sit for abit looking at the lake. Lucky turned his back so he was looking at a field. Lucky is aging he still chases his ball but slower now sometimes he's still tearing around the yard chaing bunnies and other times his movement is slow and difficult. He is mine . My SIL has tried over the years to coax Lucky to follow her but the Lucky is a one woman dog. He and Daisy were our ying and yang dogs.I pray I have more time and have to remind myself to make these days count. Sometimes I fail.

Ms. Chevy Cruze or Cheverly;She looks little but she is taller then Thunder and is the Queen of the Couch. She is the the last one outside and the first one in. She uses her sister as her pilow and enjoys our fireplace . She is cuddly on her terms and likes everyone especially if you have food. She is a bit of a curmudgeon w/ other dogs. She grumbles in growly voice when she has to move. She and Lucky often lay next to each other watchin the front field .She tolerates him. She has arthritis and we keep some tramadol around if she has a bad period . 
Thunder from the East- Chevy's littermate. She is cuddly,likes to sleep in bed w/ you Perfers to lay on the cool tile in our sunroom. She loves walks, is great w/ kids ( Chevy is too).She appears to have some hearing issues. She waits for Lucky to forget wher he put his cows ear or bully stick and then hides it. She is a counter surfer and if Lucky walks away from his bowl tries to get it. Thunder is sweet ,more bonded w/ me then husband but she is the middle kid sort of and I have to work on giving time to her.


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## Daisy&Lucky's Mom (Apr 24, 2011)

Im not sure how Thunde got cut off,I typed it but /Oh well here's Thunder

Thunder is Chevy's littermate. She is a chow hound , world class. She is wonderful w/ children(so is Chevy). Thunder and Chevy both love everyone.Thunder is a cuddler ,wants to sleep w/ you until she gets to hot. Loves walks and is pretty healthy. Her only mobility iossue was when she tried jumping over the other two on the steps and injured her leg . we treated w/ some anti inflamatory and she was fine. thunder carriesx her age somewhat like Lucky. She has aged well. She has propeller ears . Her toes are light brown w/ pencil markings on each. She has put on weight despite the fact weve cut out most treats and they get 1 cup iof kibble twice a day w/ some lean protein such as chicken or beef. She appears to have some hearing issues so Im trying to teach her hand signals. Thunder is the middle child and sometimes she doent get her fair share of attention so thats something I have to work on.


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## BWCA Shepherd (Oct 3, 2012)

Storm was surrendered (forcibly) and brought back to health over several months. He was 63 pounds at 1.5 years. He is now ~95 lbs. and close to ideal weight. At 4.5 years, he had the first TTA ACL surgery, and the other TTA at about 7 years. He is doing very well and has been a real good boy. Hard to believe his prior owner was that negligent. Storm loves to ride anywhere in the car and boat, and loves hikes in on the trails in Northern WI. I have had two Shepherds, with each one very different. Both were absolute dreams to share life with.


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## osito23 (Feb 17, 2014)

Hi! I'm new to the forum and would love to introduce my pack. 

First is Pickles, my 7 year old lab mix. My husband (boyfriend at the time) and I brought her home at around 6-7 weeks after our first spring break in college. Long story short she was a rescue that we didn't plan on but couldn't leave behind. She is a wonderful dog that lives to please you, and she loves everyone that she meets. My husband used to teach obedience classes and often brought her to class as a demo dog. I would love to have her do therapy work and am looking into getting her certified.







Next is Schatzi, a 6.5 year old border collie (?) mystery mix that we adopted from the shelter at around 16 weeks of age. She's a sweet girl that is fun and always ready to go. She also used to go to obedience class as a demo dog. 





Next is Winnie, a 2.5 year old chihuahua/dachshund mix. My first little dog and a lively little girl. She keeps up with the big dogs and loves hiking/off leash adventures or snuggling on the couch.





The three together:





And now Bear, the newest addition. He's a 4 month old WGSL that we planing on doing obedience, agility, and maybe conformation with. He's such a smart puppy and we're having a lot of fun with him! 






And a group photo of the 4 of them just relaxing


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## glowingtoadfly (Feb 28, 2014)

How does one get a signature?


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## TAR HEEL MOM (Mar 22, 2013)

Just from my adult years.

Our first dog after getting married was Ms. Molly. She was an AKC registered Labrador Retriever. She was on the small side and was the smartest dog I had ever seen. I miss her to this day. When she was two we bred her for the first time and out of her first litter we kept Dixie, a gorgeous female that was the only yellow in a litter of 8. The rest were black and she looked like a little yellow dot. Of course I had to keep her, right? We also ended up keeping Max, a huge black male. He was a swimmer puppy and for some reason, had these long hound dog ears that we thought he would never grow into. I was afraid he wouldn't get a good home, so I kept him too. He grew into the ears and was a huge muscular beast of a dog who was as gentle as he was big. My babies (the humans ones) climbed and rode all over him.

Molly, Max and Dixie were our family for so many years. I don't have any pics on the computer of them because it was pre digital days and I would have to scan one. I might do that tomorrow.

When the last of the three musketeers was gone across the bridge, we went a long time with no dog. We had four children and our lives were so busy that I felt it was an injustice to any dog we might have.

One day, out of the blue, my mother (unbeknownst to me) went to visit a new litter of Jack Russell puppies. She bought one for herself and one for my kids. She took the pup to school with her when she picked up my youngest son and then they sprung the whole thing on me. What was I supposed to say then? It was the perfect crime, perpetuated by granny. Jack was a wonderful dog. Absolutely perfect manners, smarter than a whip, perfect companion to my children as they all grew up and moved on. We finally had to let him go at the age of 13. Everyone in my family and a lot of the people in my small town still mourn him. We lived right on Main Street and Jack made it a habit to spend time at the local diner. He was famous.

My kids had been begging for a Lab for years, and since Jack was absolutely the easiest dog in the world to take care of, we gave in and my beautiful Jocassee Belle came into our lives at Christmas four years ago. She and Jack were best friends and when we finally released Jack, Jocassee was very sad. Still at that, I didn't intend to get another dog anytime soon.

A few months later IT happened. An older gentleman who had had an accidental litter of GSDs came into the shelter where I work and wanted our help in placing the 6 puppies. It was an instant and unexplainable love! I tell people now that I love my GSD in a totally irrational and almost insane way. I joke that I would almost trade one of my human kids for him if it came to it. He is so smart and funny and has such a wonderful personality. He and Jocassee are the best of friends. I can not imagine life without either of them.

Here are some pictures. It was always hard to get a good picture of Jack because he was never still Jocassee gets to go to the coast with us because she is an excellent car rider. Tar...not so much. But see that baby Tar face? How could anyone resist that?


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

Kenya was my first GSD. I got her from her breeder when she was 3.5 years old. She was U-CH Alta-Tollhaus-Krieger Lamb Chop FO OB1 CL1-R CL1-F RA HIT TT TDI CGC. She is now over the Rainbow Bridge.









Coke is my heart dog. He is a 7 year old rescue mutt (his mother was pregnant, in a kill shelter, and pulled by the rescue hence I know his birthday though he was probably street bred). He is very lazy and low drive but very, very special to us  It took us 3 obedience classes just to get his CGC and I ordered the special certificate from the AKC because that's probably the highest "title" he'll ever earn, but he's a once in a lifetime dog.









Nikon is my current competition GSD. He is U-CH SG Alta-Tollhaus Bono SchH1 KKL FO T1 PA TFE-II FDCH-S CL1-R UNJCH UJJ U-CA HIT TT CGC. He is my first Schutzhund titled, breed surveyed GSD. Right now we train primarily in nosework and flyball and compete almost once a month year-round, several times a month April - Sept. He competed in U-FLI Nationals last summer after winning our division qualifier and we hope to again this summer. We also do conformation, dock diving, and lure coursing but these require little training. We've done agility on and off but only trialed once years ago (just before he turned 2). He loves agility, maybe even more than flyball but I find it is more difficult to afford since I need far more instruction and floor rental. 









Indy is a rescue mutt, she is a pit or pit mix, probably around 2 years old. I sort of "share" her with my sister but right now she primarily lives and trains with me and is doing flyball. She had some issues like being very mouthy, can be very pushy with other dogs, has personal space issues with people she's decided not to like, but we're working through this along with her flyball training.









Legend is my 5 month old puppy, Winter Storm's I Am Legend. He is Nikon's son. I have not yet decided what direction to go with him since he is so young but he's started flyball (as much as a puppy can do) and I hope to re-join a Schutzhund club this spring. I will start his tracking and obedience and then add in protection depending on his maturity. I also hope to show him in UKC and SV/USCA events (I plan to show Nikon and Legend in April).


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## CindyMDBecker (Feb 22, 2013)

This thread absolutely warms my heart. You ALL have beautiful animals (including hedgehogs & snakes). What wonderful tributes and stories.


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## Rei (Oct 10, 2008)

Trent is my first and (currently) only dog, so that makes my job easier for me. But I know I'll write a novel anyway, so you all aren't getting away that easily!

Where to start? I've wanted a dog for as long as I could remember, I was always that crazy kid who just stayed indoors with the friends' dogs when I went to birthday parties. When I was in high school, I was finally able to come to an agreement with my parents and getting a dog became a possibility. I wanted a Husky, a Doberman, or a German Shepherd and to be honest, I probably wasn't completely compatible with any of those breeds and would have had an easier time with a retired Greyhound or a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. But I did end up picking the GSD based on aesthetic appeal and the romanticized version of the breed, so I turned to the internet for information. I got a few breeder recommendations from this board and went from there. Months later and I came home with my puppy. 










He was crazy. Puppies are tough but I found out quickly that GSD puppies seem to be a special brand of crazy. He was a land shark in every sense of the world, would turn around on walks and attack my ankles and wrists and fingers. His leash had been taped over too many times, because if we bought a new one every time he damaged it, we'd be broke. Surprisingly though, he was not a very hard puppy to have in the house because he was very, very good in the crate, had almost no accidents, and was not particularly destructive of furniture. But I was stressed out because I wanted a puppy that was cute and loving and fun and Trent couldn't care less about me. When I heard about the definition of pack drive years later, I realized that he did not have much of that at all. 

But I sucked it up and did some more reading and talking to people and realized that I had a really good dog in my hands, and I needed to appreciate the working dog temperament. I was too focused on what he wasn't and didn't take the time to reflect on the amazing dog he actually was. Once I did that, all my previous complaints felt ridiculous and petty and now I know that if those were my only problems, I had it really good! 

He grew up pretty nicely


















Now? He's a wonderful dog. I wasn't entirely prepared for this kind of a dog, as a person who had never owned a dog before, but I am so glad that this is what I have and he's converted me for good. We have a wonderful relationship and though he was very independent (and still has that independence), we've put enough into our relationship that we work well together. 









He's driven, only a little smarter than I want him to be, and a dog capable of dabbling in anything. And he has a good soul, this dog


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## Daisy&Lucky's Mom (Apr 24, 2011)

Really loving this thread!


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## Athena'sMom (Jan 9, 2014)

Pegasus is my wild child! He is a white siberian husky I rescued off of craigslist at seven weeks. He was knocking on deaths door. He had severe roundworms and was lacking proper nutrition. He was food aggressive when I brought him home. We worked hard to gain his trust and love. He now loves everyone he meets and is thriving!
 
Athena is my long coat shepherd and my heart dog!! She is truly the best dog I have ever owned. Athena loves everyone she meets and enjoys being out and socializing. We are working on her CGC and hoping to become a therapy dog after her 1st birthday! 

Sinister Black is pure landshark!! He is the smartest little burger out there! He loves to train and has a toy drive like no other! I hope to involve him in shutzhund when he is older! He starts puppy class this Saturday, super excited for his future! He is a great boy!
Sinister @14 weeks


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

Athena'sMom said:


> Sinister Black is pure landshark!! He is the smartest little burger out there! He loves to train and has a toy drive like no other! I hope to involve him in shutzhund when he is older! He starts puppy class this Saturday, super excited for his future! He is a great boy!
> Sinister @14 weeks


 My GSD's name is Sinister Black.


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## Athena'sMom (Jan 9, 2014)

LaRen616 said:


> My GSD's name is Sinister Black.


LOL!! We were debating between quite a few names when we got him and Sinister stuck! His nickname is "Devil Dog" or "**** Hound".. He is pure mischief!


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

Athena'sMom said:


> LOL!! We were debating between quite a few names when we got him and Sinister stuck! His nickname is "Devil Dog" or "**** Hound".. He is pure mischief!


Odd.


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## LoveEcho (Mar 4, 2011)

Echo is my crappy BYB lovebug. He's an absolute disaster, but he's still my heart and soul. He's completely changed the way I see the world. He's four and I hope he lives forever  He struggles with some health issues and crappy nerves, but he's the smartest dog I've ever met and a great friend. He also enjoys poetry and long walks on the beach at sunset. 










Delta is coming up 16 weeks. She's got a killer nose on her, and I look forward to doing a lot of tracking and IPO with her. She will also actively work livestock on our farm. This is my first really well-bred dog, so watching her progress is really exciting. She's very drivey and a lot sharper than Echo was as a puppy, but she's really sweet and has a huge personality for a little pup.


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## RocketDog (Sep 25, 2011)

I've had several dogs, but I'll just do the last one and the current one. 

Prior to Rocket, I had this dog. He did not start out as one I ever thought would steal my heart the way he did. In many ways, he will be the single best dog I've ever or will ever have. I miss him terribly. He was a serious working lab, very different from the goofy, brainless depictions you hear of Labradors. This does not mean he wasn't friendly or that he was nervy. He was absolutely ROCK solid. He was an incredible dog, and when I hear the term 'genetic obedience', I think of him immediately. Once you have it, it's very difficult to ever have anything else. He was so fabulous I don't know if I could even find one thing wrong. Well, except his shedding. Oh, and he hated running. :crazy: 

He did my bidding before the words even came out of my mouth. He couldn't care less what was going on around him, who and what dogs were around, he only had eyes for me, and then his family, then our accepted circle. I could trust him with brand new kittens, baby turtles, he even once brought us a baby squirrel that had been kicked out of it's nest; so gently, there wasn't a mark on it. Once a strange dog came silently barreling off the road towards my daughter, at the time about 10, who was out playing football while I watched in the front yard. He shot towards that dog like a silent rocket and shoulder-slammed it to the ground (a big black lab mix) and then stood over it, making teeth visible and low-growling while the owner was freaking out. He used to get between my kids and the UPS guys coming down the driveway--never acting aggressive, not making a sound, just walking alongside the kids, keeping an eye on the dudes. They used to tell me he was quite impressive the way he would eye them. I could have taken him anywhere in the world without a collar on. When he died, we truly grieved. The look in my children's eyes, when they would stare into mine, was one that I'll never forget. He was their first lesson in heartbreak and losing something you loved deeply. My gut hurts still thinking about it. This was him:




















Then we got Rocket. Let's just suffice it to say that I wish I'd known then what I know now, but Rocket is a great dog. He is also rock-solid, he is my go-anywhere, do-anything dog. He absolutely is my backpacking, hiking, running dog. He is the best running companion ever. He is appropriately serious, watchful, and confident, but he is trustworthy (as trustworthy as a 2.5 year old GSD can be, heh). He is not one to start fights, but I suspect he will be happy to finish them. He is great at dog language, loves cats (a little too much). He goes shooting with us, thunderstorms are a non-issue, he could care less about fireworks, except for wanting to chase the 'Flowers'. :laugh: He teaches bite-prevention classes with me for our school district (as did the Lab and my prior dog), can handle a crowd of thousands on Halloween, 4th of July, you name it without batting an eye. Crosses cattle guards, metal mesh staircases way out in BFE, like I said-- we can go anywhere, do anything. 

I just certified for our Sheriff's dept SAR. The director of the dog team as well as the head deputy have met Rocket and encourage me to bring him to training and be fully evaluated, (ok, they keep hounding me) but I'm not sure I'm going to do that yet, as it's such a HUGE financial and time commitment with the dog team, and I have three teenagers at home, including a graduating senior and a seasonal job where I work 60 hours a week in season (7-8 months a year). Maybe next fall, or down the road. 

That said, he is fun, he is goofy, he is affectionate, and he is *not* as genetically obedient as my Lab.  This has made training more challenging for me, and frankly, I wish I had more gumption and resources to do more with him. I think with a better owner, he would be quite capable of doing many things, but I guess he'll just have to suffice with climbing mountains and running mileage. 




































































( Rocket's first climb, to 7,714 ft)


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## GatorDog (Aug 17, 2011)

Too many pics, so I will do one for each dog. 

Aiden is my heart dog. He is from someone I consider a BYB, and has some nerve issues and had been put through some pretty crappy training before I knew any better. I got him at around 5ish months old while I was working at a veterinary hospital, after he was returned by his first owner. He was pretty sick and had some general behavior issues that he overcame quickly with a little TLC. We've had our fair share of failures, but we managed to get IPO3 two times and our FH this past December at 4 years old. He is now retired from IPO (mostly), but will continue to come with us to club training and get some fun bites to teach new helpers how its done  I may decide to get his AD and breed survey for our club's conformation show in the fall. 



















I love this dog on a level that I can't really relate to my other dogs. He got me involved in sport and training and really sparked a huge passion for something that has become such an important pice of my life, that I can't thank him enough for. I feel an immense amount of guilt for allowing the type of training we had in the beginning go on for so long, but his love for me has never wavered. And even when I know he really didn't want to continue, he has always done so because he knows it is what I wanted from him. He is an absolutely incredible, once in a lifetime dog. 

He is incredibly serious. Its a rare occasion to find this dog in a goofy moment. But he is also very, very sweet. He doesn't like to be hugged on all the time, but always wants to be at my feet, always watching. Believe it or not, he is actually pretty lazy. He doesn't have the type of drive that is suitable for sport and makes an excellent house pet. He is protective of his property, but is very happy to otherwise just lie on the couch all day. He will try anything that I ask of him, and hardly acknowledges the presence of anyone else but me. 

I'm pretty sure this dog would give his life for me and I will be absolutely devastated when he is gone. He is my best friend.


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## GatorDog (Aug 17, 2011)

Then came Carma. After all my troubles training with Aiden, I was sure that I wanted a large, strong, male working line dog for my next puppy, preferably black and tan. And I somehow ended up with a tiny, sable, long coated female.  I guess sometimes, exactly what you need isn't always exactly what you expected.



This dog is absolutely incredible. She has grown into everything I could have ever wanted and it has been a breeze since day 1. She loves anything and everything and would do anything that involved a toy or a ball or just fun in general. She was made to work. We have gotten a puppy show rating, dabbled in agility, and trained heavily for IPO. I have a whole lot of hopes for this dog and hope we can make it far together. She is everything I wanted in my sport puppy, even though I never saw it coming. 

She is so silly and happy, although very serious in her training. You'll be hard pressed to get a tail wag in tracking or protection, because to her it is very serious business. It never stops in obedience or agility though, and she is so incredibly happy working out there with me. She settles wonderfully in the house and recently graduated to sleeping in my bed, because I just can't say no to all that fluff. It comes as a surprise to some people who have met her on the IPO field, because she is so crazy for the work, but she really is an excellent little house dog. I don't think I will ever find another dog who has made training in this sport as easy as Carma has made it for me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nin28bTmXGM


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## GatorDog (Aug 17, 2011)

Tulah is still just a baby at only 4ish months, but so far she is proving to be quite alright  She gave me a run for my money in the beginning and really tested my training and my patience, but has proven that sticking it out was worth it. She is my first Malinois and I think will be the dog to really push my training ability to the limit. She fits in really well with the rest of my little family and has so far been the cuddliest puppy and most affectionate out of any of them. She has plenty of drive and a wonderful little personality to match. Carma and Tulah and best friends and get along (and tire each other out) wonderfully. I hope it stays that way, but for now, we will enjoy it while we can.  She has started her foundation in IPO, and I'm excited to see what we accomplish together as she grows.


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## Merciel (Apr 25, 2013)

Pongu (the Insane) is my first dog, my first sport partner, and my Number One Favorite Dog in the Whole Entire World (as I tell him constantly every day). I adopted him at four months old from a city shelter; he'll be 4 in April. His previous owner, a college kid who wasn't supposed to have any pets, moved out and abandoned the puppy in his apartment. Pongu had a broken foot at the time, so there was probably some abuse or at least severe neglect going on there.

Pongu is a _terrible_ dog. He is severely, genetically fearful. In the rare moments when he's not just scared out of his mind, he is a complete jealous jerkface. We have worked through a full spectrum of behavioral issues together: separation anxiety, fear aggression, fear/anxiety generally. And his underlying personality is still terrible.

He hates other dogs, he hates kids, he hates my husband. He will walk up to my husband and bite him for no reason, just as sort of a "screw you" throughout the day. He regularly raids my husband's trash can and tears up his garbage out of (as best we can tell, anthropomorphic as it is) vengeful spite and a delusional belief that my husband is somehow hoarding up used Kleenexes and discarded grocery-store receipts as precious, precious treasures. Once when my husband was on vacation and Pongu was allowed to sleep in the bed, he tried to rip out my husband's side of the sheets. It was an impressively specific tear pattern.

I don't bother to fix any of those things, because I'm a horrible person and they make me laugh. Pongu loves me, and I love him. He is extremely smart, he works as hard as he can to do whatever I ask of him, and he got me hooked on competition sports. On our good runs, the connection we share in the ring is like nothing else.

Despite his many, many limitations (which I've talked about at length in my dedicated thread o' whines), and despite our shared inexperience, Pongu has done pretty well for himself overall. 2013 was his first full year in competition, and he finished it ranked #1 nationally in his World Cynosport Rally division. He is, provisionally, the #9 WCRL dog overall and the #1 mixed-breed dog in the sport for 2013.

I'm proud of him and look forward to seeing what else we can achieve together. He is my special little guy.



















Then there's Crookytail, our Akita mix, who is about three years old. He comes from Robeson County, North Carolina, where he was picked up as a stray and dropped in a high-kill shelter. I adopted him because I was told he was a 45-pound Aussie mix and might be a good sport candidate. He turned out to be an 85-pound Akita mix (although he _was_ 45 pounds at the time he entered the shelter, that was because he was starved down to skin and bones) with zero performance potential whatsoever.

Crooky is a _wonderful_ pet dog. He is sweet, stable, affectionate, gentle. He has perfect house manners, never barks, is happy to play as long as you want or sleep if you're not doing anything. He is a creature of joyful doggy exuberance and love. I wrote him into an upcoming novel as a major character just because he's so darn charming.

But as a sport dog he's a washout, poor guy. He's not smart, he's easily discouraged, he has no edge. Crookytail cannot compete on the level I'd like to ask of him -- he _wants_ to, with every fiber of his being, but he simply doesn't have the ability -- and our relationship is not what it should be, owing to that mismatch between dog and person. My husband loves him tremendously, though, so Crooky sticks around as his dog. Not mine.



















So that's my crew: the world's worst dog, whom I love and cherish because he'll do his little nerd sports, and the world's nicest dog, whom I would rehome in a heartbeat if I could.


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