# puppy in a cpl of years



## K9_girl1994 (Apr 17, 2009)

I am 15 and will be waiting a cpl of more years to get my first GSD puppy. We have two small family dogs that I have worked with for the last year and I am very impressed with their progress. I have thought of becoming a dog trainer. 

I know that I have a huge passion for dogs. I have been browsing this forum for awhile, and have decided that a german shepherd is right for me. I am energetic, and love the outdoors. I don't mind shedding, and know that a gsd is a lot of work.

My aunt recently got a gsd. Cloey is about a year old now and I visit her often. I know how energetic puppies are, and feel that I can fulfill their needs.

Now the problem is...I am enrolled in a virtual learning academy charter school. It is an online highschool. I learn what public school kids learn, but I can stay home all day. I am also going to just get a certification through an online college to become an animal behavorist, so I can be home all day with my future Gsd. Is it hard balancing college with a puppy?

I would work a job 5 times a week, 4 hours a day. I will also be babysitting to make some extra cash. My dog would go through puppy classes, and I want to go through all of the obediance training. I would also really like to take on dock jumping or agility.

I want a european woking line, male german shepherd. I tend to like males more, and have always grown up with them. And I like the sable coloring, but that doesn't really matter.

Also we have a medium sized yard and house. I would be willing to give the dog up to 3 hours of exercise every day. My dog would go almost everywhere with me. One of my aunts will be having kids soon and my other aunt is pregnant again, so my dog will get to see little kids often. 

Do you think that a gsd puppy is right for me? I would be willing to spend up to $3000 on the purchase of the puppy.

Oh, I forgot to add....I have done a lot of research on the diet of a dog, and have decided that I will feed my dog raw. I would feed him all of the supplements (I forgot the exact ones, and forgot my notebook at my house), that he would get out of a high quality kibble.

Thank you for your time.


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

I would just like to say that you are very mature and seem very responsible for being a 15 year old!! You seem to have a good head on your shoulders and good for you for knowing what you want in life, I think a GSD would be great for you! Good luck to you and welcome!!!! :greet:


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## K9_girl1994 (Apr 17, 2009)

Thank you! I tend to overlook my future, and I have my life all planned out. I even have started to look at possible breeders


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

You shouldn't need to spendy nearly that much for a working line puppy. I got my girl Halo from VON ROKANHAUS German Shepherds in Connecticut, and she was $1200. Kandi has mostly sables and solid blacks and some black and tans too. She occasionally has longcoats in her litters, which is what Halo is:


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## K9_girl1994 (Apr 17, 2009)

Halo is beautiful, I love her markings! Connecticut is close enough to me, do you know any more breeders in new england? Also do breeders sell puppies to people the age of 18? I know that when you adopt most shelters wont sell you the pup unless you are over a certain age.


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## K9_girl1994 (Apr 17, 2009)

Too bad I'm not 18 right now, the breeder that you posted a link up has a beautiful pup named Karat from the K litter. He would be like the perfect pup! I have to write down their name and website on my dog breeders list!


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## holland (Jan 11, 2009)

Wow...good luck with your search...miss being 15 when I knew something (just kidding)


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

I believe that Karat just went to his new home, Kandi posted something about it on her Facebook page a few days ago, she just hasn't updated her website. I love him too, and if I didn't already have two dogs I would have been very tempted! :wub: He's also a sable longcoat and is a half sibling to Halo (same dam), so he'll probably end up looking very similar to her. 

I think most breeders will only sell to people over 18 because you'd need to be of legal age to enter into a contract. But if your parents wanted to be the legal owners of a dog and have you responsible for the care and training I don't think that would be an issue. 

I believe the Schutzhund club that Kandi trains with is in NH - you might try contacting her and see if you can visit the club and watch them train. There is at least one other breeder I know of that also trains with her, so it would be a good way to make contacts and have some fun.


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## WynterCote (Feb 15, 2010)

You should consider Nordosten Haus in Connecticut. Our puppy comes from good working lines and she was $1200. She's a sable plush coat. I don't think the breeder has an age limit on adopters.


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

You can't legally enter into a contract until you're 18, (unless you're an emancipated minor) so unless the breeder does not require buyers to sign a contract there would have to be a minimum age. But as long as a parent is willing to be legally responsible for the dog, they would be the buyer and could sign the contract. 

Jen, got any pics of your girl?


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## boeselager (Feb 26, 2008)

Good for you on knowing what you want at such a young age!!! I had not a clue what I wanted at that age, lol!!! You have plenty of time to do your research on breeders and what lines you want, Wet working, Czech, East German, etc, etc. Good luck in your search, and the best to you ;-)


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## K9_girl1994 (Apr 17, 2009)

Thanks everyone!


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

holland said:


> Wow...good luck with your search...miss being 15 when I knew something (just kidding)


I know! When I was 15 I was 100% sure I would be a single psychologist and live in a big city somewhere. At 28 I'm a married personal trainer living in the middle of a corn field and couldn't be happier.


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## koda00 (Apr 27, 2009)

K9 girl, the breeder im getting my puppy from is in Townsend, Ma. Just dowm the street from Nashua. Here is her web site: www.traumhofgsd.com. Good luck with your search.


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## unloader (Feb 16, 2010)

Since no one addressed the college question, I might as well since I am fairly fresh out. I think it all depends on your situation, but many things could change while in college. This is all hypothetical, but you will most likely move out at some point, and if you were to move to an apartment, it may make this tougher with the lack of a yard. If your degree requires a Coop, or externship, you may move out of state to a large city, which also could make things hard. 

For some people, the college years are very predictable, but for most it is a "fly by the seat of your pants" scenario. I have a biology degree, planned on the whole doctor thing, and ended up getting a masters in IT and now am working in the IT sector. Although I didn't move out of my home state, I have many friends that did and they wouldn't have been able to care for a dog during their move out of state.

If you are a diligent worker and keep up with your school work, you should have no problem caring for the dog and doing all the activities that you want. But if you were to enroll in a college and live on campus, that would pose a huge problem since I don't know of any colleges that allow pets in their on-campus living unless a service dog is needed.

So it all depends, and things could change drastically at a moments notice if you go with the flow. But that is a personal decision, and it is up to you in terms of how your life will play out. 

On a personal note, I am just now getting my first dog, I'm 26, have a stable job (finally) and am now in a place where I can care for a dog without any foreseeable changes coming in the future. I chose to wait, and just trained and cared for my parent's Malinois(photos in my profile). I had to accept that fact that I didn't have enough income to care for a dog while in school, and nor did I have a stable home for it to live in since I was continually moving from place to place. That is why I chose to delay my decision until now to get a puppy.

Good luck with your future and new addition when ever that may be! I admire your planning, and your thought process reminds me of myself.

Sorry for the long post, it got out of hand 

-Michael


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## K9_girl1994 (Apr 17, 2009)

koda00 said:


> K9 girl, the breeder im getting my puppy from is in Townsend, Ma. Just dowm the street from Nashua. Here is her web site: www.traumhofgsd.com. Good luck with your search.


 
thank you, I have so many breeders I like now!


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## K9_girl1994 (Apr 17, 2009)

unloader said:


> Since no one addressed the college question, I might as well since I am fairly fresh out. I think it all depends on your situation, but many things could change while in college. This is all hypothetical, but you will most likely move out at some point, and if you were to move to an apartment, it may make this tougher with the lack of a yard. If your degree requires a Coop, or externship, you may move out of state to a large city, which also could make things hard.
> 
> For some people, the college years are very predictable, but for most it is a "fly by the seat of your pants" scenario. I have a biology degree, planned on the whole doctor thing, and ended up getting a masters in IT and now am working in the IT sector. Although I didn't move out of my home state, I have many friends that did and they wouldn't have been able to care for a dog during their move out of state.
> 
> ...


If I were to say that I was working at a pet store 5 days a week, 4 hours each day, making minimum wage. And I made atleast $25 every week babysitting. Would you guys think that I would make enough money to own a gsd? That is what I am worried about, not having enough money, becasue when I get my gsd, I plan of getting really nice things for him. 

I will not get a gsd until I save up money and get my drivers license and of course a car. (My mom isn't the richest)

My mom is opening up a savings account for me, so I can start saving now.  All of my b-day money will be going in there, before I spend it.


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