# Comments saying I have little time left with Fern?



## Hopps (Dec 5, 2021)

Once I found out Fern is around 7.5-8 years old people around me has changed their response to us. A few dog people I’ve met asked how old Fern was and I said - bit younger than 8. 

Everyone keeps saying “ohh spend the little time left with a lot of treats and fun” or something to that extent. A lot of them that don’t say much just grimaces like I told them the world is ending. Some say “well my friend’s shepherd lived to 14 so there’s hope!” Like hope of what? 

I didn’t think much of it until today. Am I missing something here? People act like Fern is going to spontaneously combust and disappear. I had someone give us a sad face when I said Fern was 8~. People are super focused on saying GSDs die early. One person gave me the name of a rescue “for the future”. 

Is this a normal thing people start to say as dogs get older? Should I feel offended by their comments? I feel like it’s very saddening and rude to basically say that she’s dying or something. The groomers and vets all said she was great and healthy. Should I tell people to stop saying that to me and my dog? I try not to think about it and focus on having fun. It’s just jarring when people bring it up like it’s a good conversation topic.


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## cdwoodcox (Jul 4, 2015)

As long as she is healthy and active I would not worry about it. It could be that these people have had to deal with a dying pet so they feel inclined to offer undeserved advice. could be that they're just awkward people.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

Tell them she’s 4.
Problem solved.


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## Hopps (Dec 5, 2021)

Sunflowers said:


> Tell them she’s 4.
> Problem solved.


I started to say she was 5 again! I was honestly a bit freaked out by the doom and gloom responses. Now I tell Fern she’s going to live forever


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## scootertooter (12 mo ago)

"Spontaneously Combust" bwahahahahahahaha oh the image. God I hope not. My vet told me that a well maintained GSD should see between 10-14. Of course, things can happen. I am no authority by any means, but I sense your stress. I wouldn't let other people influence your anxiety on this. If your vet isnt giving you these "condolences", then I am sure Fern is just fine and got plenty left in her. She's a sweetheart. Best wishes.


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## Verachi (Mar 22, 2021)

I’ve gotten this with my senior. I assume they are simply not educated on dogs. Not a big deal. I’ve gotten the “oh enjoy her while she’s still here” and “she’s at that age where you have to spoil her” when my Chihuahua was SEVEN. It’s pretty common for Chis to make it anywhere between 15-20 years. She’s 14 now with congestive heart failure and still living with plenty of zest in her. Really, try not to take random comments so seriously. People aren’t versed in every topic, it’s not personal!


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## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

I got so tired of people telling me my senior dog was so old, I started telling them she was a puppy with touches of white hair. After reading your threads, I concluded you are a caring, sensitive person. That is a good thing but it also makes you vulnerable to negativity from others. You can’t control what people say to you but you can control your reactions to them. If they are family, you are stuck with them but if it’s just acquaintances, you can spend less time with them. I have removed toxic people from my life and I’m much happier. If people important to me are negative, I try to turn the conversation around to look at a more positive side. It’s not fair to yourself to have to deal with all their negative energy. Fern is who she is and you love her. Enjoy her for however long you have. I have a good friend who lost a German Shepherd puppy in a freak fall at 5 months. A woman I know has a dog that is 18 years old and still getting around alright. We don’t know how long our dogs will live, so speculation on the parts of other is silly.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

People...... Ignore them. Deja is 8 and the picture of health and strength. It's the mature age I love about this age. Fern is lucky that you were looking beyond her age. Keep her fit and trim, good food and normal training. No need to spoil her in the sense of letting her do what she wants. Enjoy her.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

Imagine if they said that about humans… Some people…🙄🙄🙄


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## WNGD (Jan 15, 2005)

You meet some strange people .....
I have had 6 GSD and all live to 12-15

When it's their time, it's their time. Enjoy them til that day with no worries


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## Chloé&Buck (Jul 1, 2020)

Gosh... 🤣
People are SO clumsy, it's actually quite hilarious.
You know, big bonobos trying to do language.
Just take it as human comedy and laugh.
I guess some people think this is how you express empathy somehow. (Really I'm not sure, people are a strange species)
Honestly this is cracking me up, especially the part about that age when "you should spoil them".
Like when they're younger, you know, let's not enjoy these little shits, but 8, hey, start enjoying life NOW 
(The bomb is ticking)


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## Sabis mom (Mar 20, 2014)

Eleven years and 3 months ago a vet informed me Shadow would be dead within hours. I got a comforting pat on the arm and a promise to deal with her remains.
Shadow says doom and gloom begone! A zillion health issues, any number of life upheavals and missteps on the part of her crazy owner and here she lays, watching Beat Bobby Flay and eating donair eggrolls on a friday night.
Enjoy your dog, she's a gift not a given.


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## Chloé&Buck (Jul 1, 2020)

Sunflowers said:


> Tell them she’s 4.
> Problem solved.


Or maybe actually "add" a problem by telling them she's 25? 


> >> 404 error. Not found. 😱😱😱


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## Hopps (Dec 5, 2021)

scooter7975 said:


> "Spontaneously Combust" bwahahahahahahaha oh the image. God I hope not. My vet told me that a well maintained GSD should see between 10-14. Of course, things can happen. I am no authority by any means, but I sense your stress. I wouldn't let other people influence your anxiety on this. If your vet isnt giving you these "condolences", then I am sure Fern is just fine and got plenty left in her. She's a sweetheart. Best wishes.


I'm definitely not anxious about her suddenly dying but was very very perplexed that every single conversation leads to Fern not having much time left. Every dog owner that I've talked to always comments on her being on death's door or something. 


Verachi said:


> I’ve gotten this with my senior. I assume they are simply not educated on dogs. Not a big deal. I’ve gotten the “oh enjoy her while she’s still here” and “she’s at that age where you have to spoil her” when my Chihuahua was SEVEN. It’s pretty common for Chis to make it anywhere between 15-20 years. She’s 14 now with congestive heart failure and still living with plenty of zest in her. Really, try not to take random comments so seriously. People aren’t versed in every topic, it’s not personal!


I've only gotten this from other dog owners and they own large breed dogs. I have been trying to make friends with owners of neutral dogs to help Fern socialize (being around non reactive dogs). A normal conversation about dogs always turns into how cute Fern is and how she is on the cusp death! 


LuvShepherds said:


> I got so tired of people telling me my senior dog was so old, I started telling them she was a puppy with touches of white hair. After reading your threads, I concluded you are a caring, sensitive person. That is a good thing but it also makes you vulnerable to negativity from others. You can’t control what people say to you but you can control your reactions to them. If they are family, you are stuck with them but if it’s just acquaintances, you can spend less time with them. I have removed toxic people from my life and I’m much happier. If people important to me are negative, I try to turn the conversation around to look at a more positive side. It’s not fair to yourself to have to deal with all their negative energy. Fern is who she is and you love her. Enjoy her for however long you have. I have a good friend who lost a German Shepherd puppy in a freak fall at 5 months. A woman I know has a dog that is 18 years old and still getting around alright. We don’t know how long our dogs will live, so speculation on the parts of other is silly.


I've been trying to make friends with people that have neutral dogs for Fern's socialization. The conversations I had with these dogs owners have been fantastic! But my "issue" has been that it always ends with them talking about the little time I have with Fern, which I thought was very strange. All the large breed dog owners seem to know each other so I've been trying to say hi and build some familiarity with them. They seemed sympathetic when they said that but I just thought it was strange that everything leads to Fern's life being over soon. I didn't know if that was a normal path of conversation for dog owners. I've gotten this especially from owners of boxers. 

Honestly I didn't even give much thought to Fern dying until I heard these comments repeatedly. It didn't click in my mind why they were saying that until recently. I knew an old lady that had an ancient chihuahua mix that lived to 21 I think. That dog looked like an undead potato that was risen from the dead but was a cute bugger in its own way. I know GSDs definitely don't live that long but yeah. They made it sound like Fern will drop dead any second. But they were really nice about it, hopefully I can use their dog to train Fern!


wolfy dog said:


> People...... Ignore them. Deja is 8 and the picture of health and strength. It's the mature age I love about this age. Fern is lucky that you were looking beyond her age. Keep her fit and trim, good food and normal training. No need to spoil her in the sense of letting her do what she wants. Enjoy her.


I've been trying to make friends with other large dog breed owners, targetting people with neutral dogs. It was very surprising that light hearted conversations would all lead to the end of Fern!!! They were so sympathetic and sad about Fern being 8. I thought maybe I missed something.


Sunflowers said:


> Imagine if they said that about humans… Some people…🙄🙄🙄


Haha right? 


WNGD said:


> You meet some strange people .....
> I have had 6 GSD and all live to 12-15
> 
> When it's their time, it's their time. Enjoy them til that day with no worries


To be fair I'm kind of a weirdo too. I've been keeping track of which dogs come out at what time. I picked out the owners with neutral dogs and tried to befriend them for Fern's socialization. The conversations were light hearted, open and great! But somehow all these conversations lead back to Fern being decrepit. The people that say this were very sympathetic about it and it felt like they were trying to comfort me? 


Chloé&Buck said:


> Gosh... 🤣
> People are SO clumsy, it's actually quite hilarious.
> You know, big bonobos trying to do language.
> Just take it as human comedy and laugh.
> ...


LOL yep! Honestly, I think you hit the nail on the head, they were being sympathetic. Most of them were large breed owners and their current dog was around 2-4 and the people were a few decades older than me. I swear when they were telling me about Fern's limited time on earth, I could hear "in the arms of an angel" playing in the background with Fern's face in the middle of the screen. 


Sabis mom said:


> Eleven years and 3 months ago a vet informed me Shadow would be dead within hours. I got a comforting pat on the arm and a promise to deal with her remains.
> Shadow says doom and gloom begone! A zillion health issues, any number of life upheavals and missteps on the part of her crazy owner and here she lays, watching Beat Bobby Flay and eating donair eggrolls on a friday night.
> Enjoy your dog, she's a gift not a given.


Thanks Sabi's mum, I read Shadow's story and it was amazing. I will strive to be dedicated to Fern as you are to Shadow. The dog owners I talked to seemed to be trying to comfort me of a brighter future of some sort. Strange but at least they weren't mean about it...


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## Hopps (Dec 5, 2021)

Chloé&Buck said:


> Or maybe actually "add" a problem by telling them she's 25?


I knew an old lady with an ancient chihuaua. That dog should have been in the movie "The Mummy". 

I have an aunt that is in denial that her maltese passed away. So far she's on the third maltese and all three have the same name. She would literally kick you out of the house if you even questioned that it was a different dog. 

Maybe for Halloween I can dress Fern up as a mummy and tell the other dog owners she's been risen.


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## Sabis mom (Mar 20, 2014)

I went to school with a girl who thought her dog was 19. Her parents had replaced him with a look a like when he was hit by a car when the kid was just 6. And then again when 1st replacement was hit by a car! I often wondered over the years how many dogs they went through before confessing and how long this girl would believe her dog was somehow immortal. Also wondered if they ever figured out that they sucked as dog owners.


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## brittanyS (Dec 11, 2018)

My high content GSD mix will be 15 in two months. Health wise she is in pretty great shape. Don’t let other people’s negativity impact you because ultimately no one can predict the future. I agree with the person above who said to tell people she’s 4 and do what you should be doing anyway - enjoying every day with your dog (and ignore the losers).


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## Hopps (Dec 5, 2021)

Sabis mom said:


> I went to school with a girl who thought her dog was 19. Her parents had replaced him with a look a like when he was hit by a car when the kid was just 6. And then again when 1st replacement was hit by a car! I often wondered over the years how many dogs they went through before confessing and how long this girl would believe her dog was somehow immortal. Also wondered if they ever figured out that they sucked as dog owners.


Oh my lord I wonder how many dogs it took for them to realize that cars can kill their dog.
My late dog had two predecessors. A samoyed (hit by a car and died), her brother a mini eskie (hit by a car and died) and she was the only survivor. The owner literally told me "i just don't know how they died" even though he saw it happen.


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## Buckelke (Sep 4, 2019)

oh, some people are just rude. Next time ask how old their mother is, then, very sympathetically, tell them they should spoil her with lots of treats because she will be dead soon. Neither your dog or you (or me) will live forever, if my sons decided to start spoiling me with treats, they had better be ready for some 'consequences'. Idiots - they're a dime a dozen. 
We have no problem adopting older dogs, they are great. Already trained, calm, just a joy to be with for 6, 8 or 10 years. Ellie was estimated to be between 5 and 7 years old and we had her 10 years. You just don't know so why start planning their funeral? Lucky was 6 and we had him for 6. Elke was supposed to be 8. We've had her 4 years and her vet calls her 'spunky' because she likes to see old dogs so active. So, just smile and ask them how old they are....


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## Verachi (Mar 22, 2021)

Ha a bit odd that they are dog owners themselves! You would think they would be a bit more understanding. It has usually been non dog owners that I get those kinds of comments from.

People can just be rude though, intentionally or unintentionally. I had my own family member say word for word to me “you know she’s going to die soon anyway right?”, when discussing my senior. She truly saw nothing wrong with her comment.

An example I didn’t find rude at all; when I was staying at a hotel, I took the girls out to go to the bathroom and there was an older man already out there. When he saw Chi’s gray face, he immediately lit up and started asking me about her and if he could pet her. He told me he just put down his last little dog who was 12. When I told him she was (at the time) 13, he genuinely got a little upset and told me to enjoy her while I still can. I don’t think for a minute that he thought that comment could be seen as upsetting. So I definitely wouldn’t take it as everyone being rude!


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## tc68 (May 31, 2006)

People are always gonna talk. We live in a time when everyone's got an opinion and feel the need to express it. Most of these opinions are unsolicited. Pay no mind to them. It does nothing but get you "stressed." (On a side note, I miss the days of pre-mobile phones and social media.) However, I do agree with the sentiment that our dog's lives are short and we should enjoy every moment they are with us. I'm sure all of us who've had multiple dogs over the years would say the same thing.


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## Hopps (Dec 5, 2021)

Buckelke said:


> oh, some people are just rude. Next time ask how old their mother is, then, very sympathetically, tell them they should spoil her with lots of treats because she will be dead soon. Neither your dog or you (or me) will live forever, if my sons decided to start spoiling me with treats, they had better be ready for some 'consequences'. Idiots - they're a dime a dozen.
> We have no problem adopting older dogs, they are great. Already trained, calm, just a joy to be with for 6, 8 or 10 years. Ellie was estimated to be between 5 and 7 years old and we had her 10 years. You just don't know so why start planning their funeral? Lucky was 6 and we had him for 6. Elke was supposed to be 8. We've had her 4 years and her vet calls her 'spunky' because she likes to see old dogs so active. So, just smile and ask them how old they are....


I was definitely surprised that other dog owners would bring up the topic so suddenly in the conversation! This was all a side effect of me trying to find a neutral dog to use for training purposes. The conversation was going great and it was fun talking to other dog owners until they brought that up! I'm so glad my first GSD was a mild mannered, older dog. She's teaching me so much and I'm so happy to see many years with her. 

Whenever I get my mom something nice, she's always super happy. She then stops and asks what I did. The next day she told me she doesn't want to live in a nursing home LOL. 


Verachi said:


> Ha a bit odd that they are dog owners themselves! You would think they would be a bit more understanding. It has usually been non dog owners that I get those kinds of comments from.
> 
> People can just be rude though, intentionally or unintentionally. I had my own family member say word for word to me “you know she’s going to die soon anyway right?”, when discussing my senior. She truly saw nothing wrong with her comment.
> 
> An example I didn’t find rude at all; when I was staying at a hotel, I took the girls out to go to the bathroom and there was an older man already out there. When he saw Chi’s gray face, he immediately lit up and started asking me about her and if he could pet her. He told me he just put down his last little dog who was 12. When I told him she was (at the time) 13, he genuinely got a little upset and told me to enjoy her while I still can. I don’t think for a minute that he thought that comment could be seen as upsetting. So I definitely wouldn’t take it as everyone being rude!


Definitely odd! We were having a nice conversation then BAM, doom is near. I feel like maybe they recently had a loss? Or maybe their dog didn't live as long. Someone suggested that maybe it was their way to trying to be sympathetic but botched it. 

That's really awful when your family said your dog is going to die soon, some people don't have the empathy or care for animals. 

That is a very sweet moment with a stranger. I think a lot of the people I talked to had breeds that have myriad of health issues and early deaths. They all seemed sad when I mentioned Fern's age. I believe one of them had an elderly Great Dane, but I'm not sure if that was the same person. I honestly didn't know if this was a normal thing dog owners talked about in passing conversation. My last dog was dog aggressive so I never had convos with other dog owners. 


tc68 said:


> People are always gonna talk. We live in a time when everyone's got an opinion and feel the need to express it. Most of these opinions are unsolicited. Pay no mind to them. It does nothing but get you "stressed." (On a side note, I miss the days of pre-mobile phones and social media.) However, I do agree with the sentiment that our dog's lives are short and we should enjoy every moment they are with us. I'm sure all of us who've had multiple dogs over the years would say the same thing.


The people I talked to were other large breed dog owners so I gave them the benefit of the doubt. I honestly thought there was something I missed concerning Fern's age and longevity! I knew I only have maybe 2-6 years with her but I wasn't worried about it. The other dog owners made it sound like the gates of heaven opened up with Fern's name on the next ticket in. I choose to believe they probably went through a loss or that specific age hit a sore spot with them. They were all very kind and sad about her age but I thought it was so strange!


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## Sunsilver (Apr 8, 2014)

I've had 3 GSDs make it to 14. Star was running up and down a steep hill, chasing a ball, at age 10. Tasha was blasting through snowdrifts for the fun of it while we cross-country skied at age 12.

Don't listen to them!


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## Sabis mom (Mar 20, 2014)

Hopps said:


> I believe one of them had an elderly Great Dane, but I'm not sure if that was the same person.


That makes sense. They call Danes the heartbreak breed. Eight would be old. They are notorious for dying young, of heart issues. I lost mine just shy of her 7th birthday, I knew a gentleman who lost one at 7 another at 4 and his last at just 18 months. Breeders have made huge progress with increasing longevity but 8 would still be beyond what many make. The fact that they are such incredible dogs means their often sudden deaths scar owners badly.


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## Lexie’s mom (Oct 27, 2019)

I got my 1st Shar Pei from the kill shelter in October. When we came to pick her up there were rows of kennels full of bully mixes, very affectionate, jumping and barking etc. All the way back she was laying on the pile of towels shivering. Bald, covered with dandruff, green goop coming out of her eyes and nose, skin and bones because she was abandoned and locked in the apartment for who knows how long. When I pointed at her my husband said: You gotta be kidding me, that’s the ugliest dog I’ve ever seen in my life!
Well, I brought her straight to the vet and by the look at his face I could tell that he thinks I am nuts. She was in a very bad shape, he thought she is a senior, like 8+.
Got antibiotic, medicated shampoo, eye drops and off we go. Came back in a week- you should see the vet’s face! He was like OMG, she looks like a different dog! No more goop or dandruff, gained some weight. Long story short after she recovered, gained her weight back and her hair grew back also she was a beautiful blue horse coat Shar Pei. I scheduled her spay surgery and the vet was pretty sure then that she is only around 4y.o. She was adopted shortly through my rescue by a wonderful family.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

People are odd. I walked up to my husband's shop with Seger this week and a contractor was there. He started exclaiming "oh he's a young dog!" I said "no, he's 8." And then he started carrying on about how "he's really old". 

Shut....Up....


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## Chloé&Buck (Jul 1, 2020)

Jax08 said:


> People are odd. I walked up to my husband's shop with Seger this week and a contractor was there. He started exclaiming "oh he's a young dog!" I said "no, he's 8." And then he started carrying on about how "he's really old".
> 
> Shut....Up....


Gosh... I like this thread 🤣
My girl is a Boxer/terrier mix with a type of coat just like a Border Terrier.
For some reason people interpret this (and the mustache) as very macho. So, "it's a male right?" is how most people choose to start a conversation when I walk her.
Then comes how old is she, and then not much, as apparently there's not much to say about being 5/6 yo. 😂 (What a boring age)
With Buck it's more "he's young !" or "wow so well behaved!" which is a complete joke as Buck is precisely the most difficult dog I had. Lol


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

I like to ask how old dogs are, just to confirm my guess.
When owners tell me, especially if a senior dog, I make sure to tell him how fantastic the dog looks. Never occurred to me to say anything else.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

It always makes me happy to see someone with an old dog. I know that there is a commitment there and it shows that they get each other.


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## Dunkirk (May 7, 2015)

You could tell people Fern is sensitive about you discussing her age.


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## drparker151 (Apr 10, 2020)

"She is doing well, but you don't look that hot, how long did they give you?" 😜


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## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

Chloé&Buck said:


> Gosh... I like this thread 🤣
> My girl is a Boxer/terrier mix with a type of coat just like a Border Terrier.
> For some reason people interpret this (and the mustache) as very macho. So, "it's a male right?" is how most people choose to start a conversation when I walk her.
> Then comes how old is she, and then not much, as apparently there's not much to say about being 5/6 yo. 😂 (What a boring age)
> With Buck it's more "he's young !" or "wow so well behaved!" which is a complete joke as Buck is precisely the most difficult dog I had. Lol


There was a park that i used to frequent with my LC…. one particular guy always mistook him for being female and when i’d correct him, wait for it….. “sorry, it’s because of the long hair”
oh. right. 😐


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## Bearshandler (Aug 29, 2019)

Fodder said:


> There was a park that i used to frequent with my LC…. one particular guy always mistook him for being female and when i’d correct him, wait for it….. “sorry, it’s because of the long hair”
> oh. right. 😐


Some guy once saw me with Bear and said nice female. He then tried to approach us and ask about breeding to his male. Terrible dog to try this with.


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## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

Bearshandler said:


> Some guy once saw me with Bear and said nice female. He then tried to approach us and ask about breeding to his male. Terrible dog to try this with.


hilarious


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## Verachi (Mar 22, 2021)

Fodder said:


> There was a park that i used to frequent with my LC…. one particular guy always mistook him for being female and when i’d correct him, wait for it….. “sorry, it’s because of the long hair”
> oh. right. 😐


🤣 this must be why I never have anyone incorrectly say Vera’s gender, she’s got a nice flowing coat. Everyone calls Chichi “he” though. Even the dang vet techs.. and I’ve got a nice light pink collar with rhinestones on her. I used to correct people but don’t even bother anymore. Last time I took her to the vet, the tech was mushing all over “him” and telling me how cute his gray hair is and how well behaved he is for X-rays . I just replied “yea she’s always a good girl”, and the tech didn’t say anything lol!


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## Hopps (Dec 5, 2021)

Fodder said:


> There was a park that i used to frequent with my LC…. one particular guy always mistook him for being female and when i’d correct him, wait for it….. “sorry, it’s because of the long hair”
> oh. right. 😐


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## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

_ I've gotten this especially from owners of boxers._

@Hopps boxers are notoriously shortlived so their owners have more to worry about than you do. If you wanted to be mean you could mention the life expectancy differences between breeds. Although owners claim it’s 11-14 years I’ve read several articles that say around 8-9 years. People tell me GSDs can die young. I’ve seen it here. But there are also a lot of seniors. Mine have all lived to over age 13.


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## Sabis mom (Mar 20, 2014)

Bearshandler said:


> Some guy once saw me with Bear and said nice female. He then tried to approach us and ask about breeding to his male. Terrible dog to try this with.


Some guy told Sabi she was a nice boy. I corrected him, said she's a female. He looked at me sort of confused and said "Are you sure?" 
Not kidding. 
I had a man last weekend ask me what kind of German Shepherd Shadow was. Two weeks ago I had someone inform me that at 8 years old German Shepherds get hip dysplasia. Like it just magically appears.
People are weird.


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## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

My neighbor once wanted to mate my spayed female with his neutered male.


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## Chloé&Buck (Jul 1, 2020)

Sabis mom said:


> Some guy told Sabi she was a nice boy. I corrected him, said she's a female. He looked at me sort of confused and said "Are you sure?"
> Not kidding.


Exactly like you just pointed a blue ball and declare it red. The brain has trouble accommodating. 🤣


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

“She’s actually a puppy...” 😂


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## Hopps (Dec 5, 2021)

Sunsilver said:


> I've had 3 GSDs make it to 14. Star was running up and down a steep hill, chasing a ball, at age 10. Tasha was blasting through snowdrifts for the fun of it while we cross-country skied at age 12.
> 
> Don't listen to them!


LoL I know right? As long as I have a McDonalds cheeseburger in hand, Fern will never pass to the other realm haha!


Sabis mom said:


> That makes sense. They call Danes the heartbreak breed. Eight would be old. They are notorious for dying young, of heart issues. I lost mine just shy of her 7th birthday, I knew a gentleman who lost one at 7 another at 4 and his last at just 18 months. Breeders have made huge progress with increasing longevity but 8 would still be beyond what many make. The fact that they are such incredible dogs means their often sudden deaths scar owners badly.


Oof that's tough, no wonder everyone is freaked out about Fern's age. The people in this area LOVE their giant breeds. I had a family friend that euthanized their dane at 1.5 years old due to bloat. To be fair he said it was cheaper to get another dog vs treatment but still. Now I get it!



Jax08 said:


> People are odd. I walked up to my husband's shop with Seger this week and a contractor was there. He started exclaiming "oh he's a young dog!" I said "no, he's 8." And then he started carrying on about how "he's really old".
> 
> Shut....Up....


Honest I should tell them Fern is 8. When they start babbling about Fern's death I'm going to say "8 months, not 8 years" just to see how they'll backtrack! 


Chloé&Buck said:


> Gosh... I like this thread 🤣
> My girl is a Boxer/terrier mix with a type of coat just like a Border Terrier.
> For some reason people interpret this (and the mustache) as very macho. So, "it's a male right?" is how most people choose to start a conversation when I walk her.
> Then comes how old is she, and then not much, as apparently there's not much to say about being 5/6 yo. 😂 (What a boring age)
> With Buck it's more "he's young !" or "wow so well behaved!" which is a complete joke as Buck is precisely the most difficult dog I had. Lol


When I used to say Fern was 5 people didn't care! Seriously 5-6 seems to be the sweet spot for no conversations about dogs dying of old age lmao


Sunflowers said:


> I like to ask how old dogs are, just to confirm my guess.
> When owners tell me, especially if a senior dog, I make sure to tell him how fantastic the dog looks. Never occurred to me to say anything else.


Me too! I love senior dogs, they're so adorable. I've always told people he or she is a fantastic pup and wave bye to them.


wolfy dog said:


> It always makes me happy to see someone with an old dog. I know that there is a commitment there and it shows that they get each other.


One of my neighbors back in the bay area had a porky chihuahua named Pinto Bean. He was definitely fat but still very active. He was so chill since he was like 15 but adorable. He had to get a few teeth extracted so his tongue would hangout a bit to the side all the time. LOL


Dunkirk said:


> You could tell people Fern is sensitive about you discussing her age.


Ehehehe I really should. That would be great. People might label me as the eccentric GSD owner that lives down the street. 


Bearshandler said:


> Some guy once saw me with Bear and said nice female. He then tried to approach us and ask about breeding to his male. Terrible dog to try this with.


Whenever random people bring up breeding their dog to mine, I always say "i mean i guess if you're into that kind of thing" and they turn beet red and run. 



LuvShepherds said:


> _ I've gotten this especially from owners of boxers._
> 
> @Hopps boxers are notoriously shortlived so their owners have more to worry about than you do. If you wanted to be mean you could mention the life expectancy differences between breeds. Although owners claim it’s 11-14 years I’ve read several articles that say around 8-9 years. People tell me GSDs can die young. I’ve seen it here. But there are also a lot of seniors. Mine have all lived to over age 13.


We have so many dog owners with boxers! I think there's around 5-7 of them in the area that use the park regularly. Some people have two of them as well. 


Sabis mom said:


> Some guy told Sabi she was a nice boy. I corrected him, said she's a female. He looked at me sort of confused and said "Are you sure?"
> Not kidding.
> I had a man last weekend ask me what kind of German Shepherd Shadow was. Two weeks ago I had someone inform me that at 8 years old German Shepherds get hip dysplasia. Like it just magically appears.
> People are weird.


I love how people always ask if we're sure about something concerning our dogs as if we're not the dog's owners! I wonder what kind of response they were expecting: "OH NO I just realized that those were not little punching bags! They're testicles!"


LuvShepherds said:


> My neighbor once wanted to mate my spayed female with his neutered male.


I can almost hear your neighbor's 3 braincells trying to powerup.


Sunflowers said:


> “She’s actually a puppy...” 😂


"Oops sorry I meant 8 months not 8 years"

I also found a solution to this issue. Im going to tell them Fern is an 80 year old grandma and she needs spare change for her french fry addiction.


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## finn'smom (Oct 4, 2019)

Sabis mom said:


> I went to school with a girl who thought her dog was 19. Her parents had replaced him with a look a like when he was hit by a car when the kid was just 6. And then again when 1st replacement was hit by a car! I often wondered over the years how many dogs they went through before confessing and how long this girl would believe her dog was somehow immortal. Also wondered if they ever figured out that they sucked as dog owners.


I know a lady who thought her goldfish lived for many many years .. every time she'd go away and leave her son in charge he'd dispose of the fish and buy a new one just before she returned.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Yeah, Shepherds can live to 14, but the AKC give them 10-12 which means many start dying around 9, it is, unfortunately typical. 

A few years ago I started losing a bunch of my girls one after another. Jenna who was almost 13, then Milla and Ninja who were 10 within 2-3 weeks of each other, then I got the news that Quinnie who just turned 3 had oral cancer. It took 5 months, but then I let her go, I should've let her go sooner. Then Babsy who was almost 14. Then I lost Heidi, who was just over 13, then Joy who was 11. And a couple of months ago Odessa who was a little over 14. 

Right now Cujo2 looks emaciated, a year ago we did bloodwork and the vet said, bloodwork like this and the dog like that is generally cancer. But he rallied and gained some weight, last Feb he was 77, then he started failing again. I let my friend take him for a while, cook for him, take him to her vet, he went down to 64 and looks like death warmed over, but he acts like he is still full of life. She gave him back to me, and I got him up to 68 pounds. He is still thin, but he seems pretty happy. He is going to be 9 on the 29th. His litter sister is doing ok. Hepsi is a year old and she is thin, but not seriously so. She looks good. Bear will be 12 in March and she looks awesome. 

But as they start getting around 8 or 10 or 12, yeah we, at least I start thinking about the inevitable. I hope I do not let my losses, taint the comments I make to others. Because your 8 year old dog can look excellent like Bear and Babs and Jenna and Heidi did when they were 8. Or your 3 year old dog could be dying like Quinnie.

Maybe folks make such comments because they feel they have to help prepare you. I don't know. Maybe they lost a shepherd around that age. If you and your vet feel she looks great, than let be how you think about it.


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## Sunsilver (Apr 8, 2014)

Longevity is highly inheritable. Both Star and Eska have relatives that lived long, healthy lives. Two of Eska's female relatives made it to 15, and Star made it to 14 1/2! My other two dogs that lived to 14 were both rescues, so I don't know anything about the pedigrees.

Scientists did a study to try to find out why giant breeds like great Danes and Irish wolfhounds have such short lifespans. Their conclusion was it was nothing to do with their size, but was more to do with genetics, mainly inbreeding. The lifespans could be increased by selecting for the longer-lived dogs.


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## car2ner (Apr 9, 2014)

I would have agreed with the OP but when I lost my big-boy at not quite 8 years old, now I just nod my head when people talk about the end of life span. Of course, that is happening on the human level, too, as contemporaries pass away.


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## gtaroger (Aug 4, 2015)

I'm sorry to hear that people can be so insensitive to you.There's not much you can do to smarten up these people.Try to let it go in one ear and go out the other.


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## GSDchoice (Jul 26, 2016)

I think it's a thing with rescues? Our dog was also listed as 5, but turned out also to be 7 or 8 per the vets! I think they know that older dogs have a hard time finding homes...so most adult dogs are "5"...

Anyway I love Rumo and I'm proud and happy that he's made it to 11.5 and is doing really well! He has survived nearly being put to sleep at the county shelter, heartworm, eye surgery, GDV/bloat surgery, and some kind of mean previous owner (he used to flinch at brooms, swinging arm, etc). I tell people proudly that he's a "senior guy". We don't meet many dogs as old as him, out walking. 

Nobody has ever mentioned death or lifespan to us...and I'd never think of bringing it up to someone. It seems horribly rude!


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## drparker151 (Apr 10, 2020)

Every dog we've gotten from a rescue or shelter was list as the magic age of 2. So not a puppy, not to old, impossible to verify by teeth.


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## bchevs (Oct 15, 2020)

I got my retriever when she was around 12. Everyone always told me she was going to break my heart, wondered why I would rescue a dog that was going to "die so soon"

And I mean, I can't even argue because they were right. I had just over a year with her and she most definitely broke all our hearts. Now I have people act shocked when I say I'd like to adopt another older dog some day. "Even after what you went through with her?!" seems to be the typical response. 

But the joy that Cara brought to our lives for that year was completely worth it, I'd do it again without hesitation. I think a lot of people who are on the outside see "just a dog" and they don't see the day to day. They just know I got a dog and then I lost that dog and was sad, so that is what they think of. They didn't see the impact she made on our daily lives so they don't understand why I would ever "put myself through that" again.


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## Squidwardp (Oct 15, 2019)

drparker151 said:


> Every dog we've gotten from a rescue or shelter was list as the magic age of 2. So not a puppy, not to old, impossible to verify by teeth.


Never thought about that, because we've only gotten one dog, a great female GSD, from a shelter. Assuming she was "2" (1.5, really), we lost her a little after 9 years old to Hemangiosarcoma.
But maybe they say that to preserve the idea people are getting a young dog. She DID have the look of a young dog. 

She never really got old or slowed down. First sign we ever had that something was wrong came when she lay down on a walk in early spring weather. 

But you just don't know how much time a dog's time with their person(s) will be. Yeah, it's good advice to enjoy the time, but that's true whether the dog is 8 weeks and just came home, or 9.5, maybe on its way to 14. Looking at life from the backside of late 50s, you're amazed, stunned really, how fast it all went. It is good advice, but at the same time, you kind of know this without being awkwardly told to do it.


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