# Need your help please, getting this puppy! :)



## Livefree (Jul 12, 2017)

Good day folks,

May I please request some input on this from all you GSD owners out there?

We are getting this puppy from a local reputable breeder. My two children are super happy and keenly looking forward to the puppy's arrival at the end of this month. However, I have always wanted a short haired [or a regular normal hair one] and now looking at this puppy it seems he might be a longer hair one. The breeder is adamant and assured me that it is and will be a short coat and that it is just a puppy fuzz. 

Puppy right now in the pictures is six weeks old, and amongst his litter mates is the biggest at 9lbs. His brothers from the same litter are about 7.5lbs as per the recent vet visit. Father is a medium coated [113lbs I think?] american showline purebred male, and the mother is a long coat sable.

My request to all of you viewing this is to please give me your insight whether this gorgeous little guy will grow up to be a long haired one or the regular GSD coat or medium/plush coat etc...?

I would be perfectly content with the regular plus coat or whatever they call them, just as long as it doesn't have long flowing hair like a golden retriever. 

Any examples from your puppies who liked like this and grew up to look like what now? any info as such please that you would be willing to share please?

Thank you very much for your input and time...


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## Mary Beth (Apr 17, 2010)

:wub: I vote for him being a long-coat. But even the stock-coat (the short coat) sheds alot. For temperament and more photos this older thread has some interesting comments:

http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/genetic-issues/181550-temperment-long-haired-shepherds.html

This video shows long-coated 5 week puppies with their long-coated mom:


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## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

Another vote for long coat.... like, unmistakably if you ask me.

For what it's worth, my long coat sheds less than my stock coat and is much sweeter and better natured with kids.

How does your pups coat compare to its littermates? Sounds like both parents might be long coats even tho the dad is considered "medium".

I'd question a breeder who didn't know this as well as explain it to you.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

Long coat pup. The long hairs don't fall out as easily as the short ones. You just comb out the hair from the coat. He will be good looking. My collie shed less than my GSD but when I brushed him, out came clouds of hair during shedding. The long coat contains the hair. They just never turned into dust bunnies.
Good luck with your bundle of joy!


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## Livefree (Jul 12, 2017)

Thank you very kindly for the replies Mary Beth, Fodder, and Wolfy Dog. Much grateful.

I was truly hoping that jury would go the other way. 

It is purely aesthetic, but this little guy is going to be our family member for 15 or so years and I wanted to get one similar to what I had when I was a kid. Long coated simply look golden retrievish to me...

May I ask [bother you] guys to share a few pictures of what long coated you think this would look like when grown up? Perhaps if you had pictures of your puppies and what they look like now.

I am just afraid long coat wouldn't look anything German Shepherd.


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## Quinnsmom (Dec 27, 2008)

You can check the album on my profile if you wish. One picture is of my previous girl, described as a plush coat. The rest are my coatie as a puppy and two more from the last couple of years. He is a West German Show Line and has the true long coat, minimal outer coat, hair behind front and back legs that grows continuously, and ear floofies. I have him professionally groomed once a year to get trimmed. He needs bathing more often than the average GSD due to not much guard hair but the shedding is not horrible, just clumps periodically. No one has ever mistaken him for a retriever, lol!


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## wolfstraum (May 2, 2003)

Yep - it is a coat.


Lee


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## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

When mentioning the 15yr commitment...again, I'd question a breeder that didn't know what they were producing.

But aside from that - regardless of the progress photos shared, the best indicator of your pups adult coat will be its parents. Or in cases of two stock coated parents, looking at past siblings.


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

Halo is a longcoat sable, like that puppy. Here's an adult photo of her:


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## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

...and she's certainly no golden retriever @Cassidy's Mom (although Tilden is still but for debate, lol)! Where's the knife photo!?! :rofl:


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

Fodder said:


> ...and she's certainly no golden retriever @Cassidy's Mom (although Tilden is still but for debate, lol)! Where's the knife photo!?! :rofl:


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## montse (Jun 21, 2017)

OMG, sorry for the digression, but isn't that dangerous?? O_O


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

Why yes, it is! When your dog has stolen a large knife off the kitchen counter while you're in another room and you come upon her laying on the living room floor happily chewing the plastic handle it's very important to stay calm and not freak out, lol. The camera happened to be nearby because I'd used it recently, so I snapped a couple of quick photos before encouraging her to bring it to me so I could safely take it out of her mouth before she poked holes in my nice leather couch, or, you know, her brother Keefer. :wild:


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## montse (Jun 21, 2017)

LOL. Glad that nothing bad happened.

You give them toys to chew but then they prefer sticks, plastic bottles, shoes and knives :wink2:.


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## Livefree (Jul 12, 2017)

Thank you all of you for taking time out to reply to my post. I am most grateful. 
I usually keep responding right away, but I suppose as a new member on this forum, my posts needs to be screened; which causes a complete delay and I am unable to thank all of you at the same time you post.

I am going to go ahead with it and pick up the puppy. Coated or not, this is the hand I am deal with I guess! 

I will share pictures when we bring the little guy home.

Thank you again.


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## Bentwings1 (May 29, 2017)

What ever the coat be ready with about 6 different brushes and combs. You won't believe a dog can lose that much fur. Get used to dog hair every where. LOL Also get a dematting tool. I have one of these. It's made up of a number of wavy sharp blades, blunt on the points of course. This tool cuts the hairs around matts so you can pull them out. I use it for shreading cockleburs too. Nash things we get in the fall.

Otherwise congrats on the new dog. Do be careful with the kids. Get them involved with training.


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## Bentwings1 (May 29, 2017)

*GSD with knife*

My Aussie has shredded four kitchen knives just like your dog. I about had a heart attack when she ran with it. I get out the extreme value treats on these occasions. I treat it like a retrieve. Then go and smack myself with a rolled up newspaper for leaving a knife on the counter.


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## montse (Jun 21, 2017)

Bentwings1 said:


> My Aussie has shredded four kitchen knives just like your dog. I about had a heart attack when she ran with it. I get out the extreme value treats on these occasions. I treat it like a retrieve. Then go and smack myself with a rolled up newspaper for leaving a knife on the counter.


LOL. Have you tried trying to teach her not to get things from the counter? I guess she doesn't do this while someone is there, but maybe try to set her up (you could pretend to leave but stay close) so she's caught red-handed. I think you should be able to leave knives on the kitchen counter without any problems.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

montse said:


> LOL. Have you tried trying to teach her not to get things from the counter? I guess she doesn't do this while someone is there, but maybe try to set her up (you could pretend to leave but stay close) so she's caught red-handed. I think you should be able to leave knives on the kitchen counter without any problems.


Good luck trying to outsmart a GSD! They always know where you are and will make you look liek a fool :grin2:
Put them (the knives!) in the dishwasher when they are dirty instead. Remember that smell lingers on a seemingly clean looking knife. A GSD can smell a drop of urine underground. Why not teach the humans to clean up the counter?


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

The anti-countersurfing trick that does not require you to catch them or have good timing: CAYENNE! Dust your counter top with cayenne, and let 'em get a noseful of it when they countersurf. Most only do it once. OTOH, my blind dog is Cajun and doesn't mind it, so your mileage may vary.


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## montse (Jun 21, 2017)

> Good luck trying to outsmart a GSD! They always know where you are and will make you look liek a fool :grin2:


That's a good point! Still I think it's safer to teach them (or at least try to) that there are some areas / things they are not allowed to do, human or no human around. 



> The anti-countersurfing trick that does not require you to catch them or have good timing: CAYENNE! Dust your counter top with cayenne, and let 'em get a noseful of it when they countersurf. Most only do it once. OTOH, my blind dog is Cajun and doesn't mind it, so your mileage may vary.


I agree that this may work and I think it's worth trying. I've just remembered that as puppy Nix went through a phase of chewing the wooden handles in the kitchen drawers, and an ethologist recommended covering them with a mixture of lemon juice and Tabasco source. It really helped to break her out of the habit and she no longer chews them.


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