# GSD based on colors



## rjThor (Mar 27, 2011)

When I decided to get my son a BLACK GS puppy, I wanted my son to have something different, something nobody around would have. I had done some research on them, and was happy with what I had found out about them, my lil boy is 12, and enjoyes getting on his scooter or skateboard n being around the neighborhood, I knew if I got him a GSD he would be alot safer. My question is what are the differences in GSD based on color is my question? Would like to get some opinions from people on here, planning on getting a sable female in a year, our pup Thor is 4 months, and is everything I had hoped for, very loyal pup n has been easy to train.


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## Lin (Jul 3, 2007)

None. There are no traits specific to colors. There ARE traits specific to lines, which can be heavy in one color or another.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

So I have a question, what are you hoping in the area of the shep protecting your son? Are you hoping that anyone who might consider him a target will see the dog and find an easier target? Are you hoping that if your son gets into a jam, the dog with actually protect him? 

Unless you really work with your son and the dog, the dog protecting him could be a real liability. Boys get into scrapes at times with other kids. If a kid runs toward your son, do you want your dog to jump between and attack? He is easy to train and manage now, but in another year or so, will your son be able to prevent him from attacking another kid or adult? 

As a deterrent, GSDs are great. As a protector, GSDs are great too, but you have to spend a lot of time getting the dog to that point, so he knows and trusts your son enough to let him tell him when to attack.

In any case lots of socialization, and training with your son, preferably in classes should be in order for the puppy, so that a year from now when he weighs close to what your son weighs, he will be easy to manage and have a good bond with him. 

Good luck.


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

Color should be the last consideration, at best not a consideration at all.

If I were concerned enough that my child needed a dog out with him to protect him, I am afraid I would be out there watching in such a way as to not embarass my child. 

I would never live with myself if I had a dog bite someone due to a mistake in judgement. I do know we have visions of such "lassie-esque" behaviors and probably can be found, though rarely, and today's world is much more complex. We no longer live in a time when the fact that a dog may bite is accepted, and that children are required to accept consequences of their own behaviors....(the other kids)......one scratch and you may wind up in court..........


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## sagelfn (Aug 13, 2009)

> When I decided to get my son a BLACK GS puppy, I wanted my son to have something different, something nobody around would have. I had done some research on them, and was happy with what I had found out about them,......
> My question is what are the differences in GSD based on color is my question? Would like to get some opinions from people on here, planning on getting a sable female in a year....


Animals are not cars. What kind of research did you do on Black German Shepherds? How did you not learn during that research that color doesn't have anything to do with temperament? Why do you want a sable? PLEASE tell me you will not breed.


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## rjThor (Mar 27, 2011)

wow, i'm really surprised that everyone that has responded has responded in a negative manner, I grew up with a GSD matter of fact had him for 12yrs, and he followed me everywhere and anywhere I went, he never bit anyone, maybe I didn't clarify what I was asking, In todays society, it's not the same as when I grew up, it was safer back when I was a kid for me to walk over to a friends house or a relatives house. Today the times are alot diff. and not as safe, so I dont want some grown up coming up and picking up or hurting my son, I decided on the black GS, because I found them to be not as common, all I found out about the BLACK GSD is that they are of bigger in size. I never said I wanted my dog to protect my son from other kids or to bite anybody, just wondering where anyone read that. I was asking about color because it seems so many people on here make such a big deal, so I was curious, on a thread that I was reading about the different opinions so many people put on the color of their GSD. I chose a BLACK one, because If I was gonna pay for one I wanted my son to have the color of puppy he wanted. Maybe this makes it a lil clearer for those who have taken the time to comment. Thanks.


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

If you want a truly unique dog that no one has and will attract attention and have everyone talking, may I suggest a mixed breed rescued from the pound? I actually have more people asking me about my mixed breed than my German Shepherd. 

Black GSDs are not that unique. They can occur in all lines, except the German Show lines where Black and Red Saddle pattern predominates to just about the exclusion of anything else. There are not temperament or behaviour traits associated with the different patterns or colours of the GSD, but as Lin pointed out, differences among different lines can be pronounced, regardless of the colour of the dog. 

Glad you have found a good dog and are happy with him - but buying a dog on colour for bragging right - well, not the most responsible way to go about it.


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

rjThor said:


> I decided on the black GS, because I found them to be not as common, all I found out about the BLACK GSD is that they are of bigger in size.


There is nothing wrong about getting a puppy in the color that you want. I am picky on color too, but you also have to remember that temperment is the absolute most important thing.

Do not just buy a sable pup because you like her color, buy her because you like her temperment and her color. 

It is not true that black GSD's are bigger. They are just darker.


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

Well normally if you expect the dog to make your child safer you would expect that it would protect him in danger and the way dogs do that is to bite.....what, exactly, are you expecting of the dog?

You were the one that said you wanted something different, something nobdoy else would have, so that is where that impression came from.

Glad you have a nice dog. FWIW, black dogs are just black dogs and not bigger or smaller or different in temperament. Black is just not "as common" because it is recessive and you tend to find it more in the working lines - UNLESS - it is just someone who breeds for blacks and to do that you have to inbreed for color which is not goodl.

I would still say today IS different in that parents are not responsible for their kids nor are their kids made to be responsible for their own actions. If I got bit by a dog when I was growing up I think the first question would be "what were you doing to get bit' instead of rushing over with the police and lawyers on my heels. 

Is it really that much worse with stranger abduction today than in years past? Or is it more media coverage and sensitivity to it? I don't know. 

No issues with a child having a nice companion but since one of our own neighbors had a bad experience with a child in charge of a dog (her dog got bit by his dog and the baby stroller got knocked over with the baby in it) I am a bit hesitant to put a 12 year old out unsupervised with a dog...


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

He's everything you hope for? No offense, but he's 4 months old, you just got him. 

You got him for your 12 year old son because you wanted him to have something different and him to be safer? Ok... and now you want another? How do you plan on training this one to protect the way you want him to?

Train and bond with this puppy. Let him grow as a family member and when the time is right, get another if you want to do it all over again.


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

jocoyn said:


> I am a bit hesitant to put a 12 year old out unsupervised with a dog...


Times are just different now. When I was younger than 12 my cousins and I would leave the house in the morning and not come home until evening. We spent all day out on the ranch with the cattle and snakes and God-knows-what-else with nothing but a cattle dog and a big stick for protection. Of course when my cousin and I got in a tussle the dog bit him pretty bad. His parents said it served him right for starting stuff. Wow times have changed. I don't think dogs have changed much though.


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

" I knew if I got him a GSD he would be a lot safer " your words. -- while he is out on his skateboard out in the neighbourhood.

So the dog would cramp his style , won't be son's focus, and won't be on lead .

What happens if some other dog without training or control enters the scene , and you have a dog fight, or the dog spying a cat , dashes out into traffic and gets hit .

Black dogs are the result of two genetic recessives, not bigger , just black .

Why want a sable female in a year's time? Breeding ?

Carmen
http://www.carmspack


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

Emoore said:


> Times are just different now. When I was younger than 12 my cousins and I would leave the house in the morning and not come home until evening. We spent all day out on the ranch with the cattle and snakes and God-knows-what-else with nothing but a cattle dog and a big stick for protection. Of course when my cousin and I got in a tussle the dog bit him pretty bad. His parents said it served him right for starting stuff. Wow times have changed. I don't think dogs have changed much though.


As a 55 year old grandmother having spent my early childhood in Baltimore County MD, I remember perverts, crimes, etc....and dogs were on lead............the main difference was that the parents knew where their kids were and anybody's mother (stay at home) could keep you in line. You did something wrong, and your mom knew about it before you got home. I guess we were also street savvy.

I remember farm dogs at my grandparents in rural GA but they were in no way esteemed and more likely to get shot for killing chickens or hit by a car. 

I absolutely appreciate the bond with a dog but think maybe those activities should be a bit more controlled in a suburban environment ....
and if the boy is on his skateboard that sounds like asphalt and sidewalks and suburbs or city.

*Oh gosh - I guess what I am saying is nostalgia is wonderful, is often not 20/20 and, even if it is, is not what is going on today - that is all. I am just not sure in a suburban situation that this sounds like having a 12 year old unsupervised with a dog is a good thing. Nothing more, nothing less.*


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I think that back in all of our minds is this little place, the Timmy and Lassie place, mabye the Leave it to Beaver place. 

The idea of a dog following you around everywhere and being your constant companion is just so romantic. The idea of your kid having his black Lassie, well, that is just like babies and puppies selling tires. 

The reality is that cars go fast, kids don't think, and dogs need training. Having a big black dog following your kid everywhere while he bikes or skateboards is NOT A GOOD IDEA. I hope you rethink this. When I was ten more than thirty years ago, we had a schnauzer mutt. I let him go with me on my paper route, and he ran across the street in front of a pick up, and got hit and thrown into a ditch. 

The man stopped, I jumped into the ditch carrying my dog and crying. He drove me home. 

We took the dog to the vet. The dog healed in his leg, but then he bit the baby. It happened twice. I do not know what my parents did to that dog, but it was entirely my fault. 

Do you want your kid, in a moment of not thinking, cause serious injury or death to the dog? A GSD is a large and powerful dog, and without proper guidance, they can get themselves in trouble. A 12/13 year old does not always consider the consequences of their actions. They may not deliberately set a dog on a kid they do not like, but they may not think twice about getting in a fight with a kid when the dog is there and running around. It would be devastating to have Animal Control come and collect a dog and then euthanize a dog because of something like that. But that is certainly a worst case scenario.


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## rjThor (Mar 27, 2011)

Hey guys sorry, I've been real busy at my office, but I did want to take a minute and just add, some of you guys are reading way to much into this, matter of fact I really got a good laugh with the Lassie story, was really never a big fan, more of a Run Joe Run fan when I was a kid, but seriously I hope nobody got the impression of that I thought a BLACK GSD was better than any other type of GSD, for the person that asked about in breeding, I seriously think you need to do some research, it's not the black GSD genetics that come from inbreeding, you were way off on that one, matter of fact our puppy is a registered AKC, and has very good genes, before I bought him I took a ride out of town where I bought him, to take a look at his parents, along with a background check on the history of where they came from, not a hard thing to do now adays. If any of you guys would like to look at the genes my pup has would be more than willing to provide that for you, matter of fact you just might want to get a pup from the breeder I bought mine from. This is my third GSD, as I had mentioned before, my first one was 12yrs old, and made an impression on me that I never forgot. I do plan on getting me a female pup in a year, It's only fair that he has a friend to play with at all times. Hope everyone is having a great weekend and a safe one. Stop reading so much into a message, or coming up with some crazy Lassie story, If for some reason you have a question or a doubt about my messages please just ask, don't assume or try to add to my message. Thanks guys


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

jocoyn said:


> Black is just not "as common" because it is recessive and you tend to find it more in the working lines - UNLESS - it is just someone who breeds for blacks and to do that you have to inbreed for color which is not goodl.





rjThor said:


> for the person that asked about in breeding, I seriously think you need to do some research, it's not the black GSD genetics that come from inbreeding, you were way off on that one, matter of fact our puppy is a registered AKC, and has very good genes, before I bought him I took a ride out of town where I bought him, to take a look at his parents, along with a background check on the history of where they came from, not a hard thing to do now adays. If any of you guys would like to look at the genes my pup has would be more than willing to provide that for you,


Jocoyn wasn't saying that black genetics come from inbreeding. She was saying that if someone breeds _for_ blacks, as in being exclusively a breeder of black GSDs, you'd almost have to do some inbreeding for color since black is a recessive trait. 

I'd actually be very interested in seeing Thor's pedigree and hope you decide to post it.


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## vat (Jul 23, 2010)

Do you have the pup now? I would love to see pictures.

I am assuming that you feel if your son had a GSD with him someone would think twice before abducting him or some such awful thing. I do not see anything wrong with that. I think if you involve your son in the pups training that would be a huge benefit for him. It would also help them bond and become best buds.


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

The bottom line is color has absolutely zero to do with everything and as has been said before, some lines "tend" to have more concentration of color than others.

Showlines (German) Tend to be black and red saddles pretty much exclusively with other colors selected against

Blacks can either be black working line because workingline people tend to put color at the bottom of the list if at all, *or* it can be because somebody was breeding for black or it can simply be from other lines or a mix of lines that have the trait.

Sables are the dominant (genetic) color and you tend to see them more often in working lines but they can be elswhere as well.

Color really has nothing to do with anything. I think that is the point people were trying to get across in terms of selecting a dog! 

Lassie comments aside, I think there is a perception that your boy and this dog are out unsupervised together (based on your input) and there are some genuine concerns about the possible outcome of the situation and some things are hard NOT to respond to.

----


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I think I don't have a problem with most twelve year olds walking a GSD that grew up in their family on lead. 

My problem is with the vision of the bicycle and skateboard and the dog. 

My dad when he was a young man, newly married went hunting with his buddy, and they took the dog, Foxy. He was about 19 or 20 at the time -- my dad. 

THEY FORGOT THE DOG!

And this was not them dumping the dog because they did not like the dog. Everyone loved this dog. 

They went back and searched and called for the dog and could not find him. My parents lived in Cleveland. It took a few weeks but the dog found its way back home. It lost an ear, was limping and hungry. But it came home. 

I guess if a couple of young adults can FORGET about having the dog with them, you really cannot expect a boy to be 100% conscience about the dog, while he is doing things that are pretty dangerous in themselves. I mean kids get hit by cars on bikes all the time because they aren't thinking about what they are doing. Is your kid going to have the dog on lead while he rides his bike and uses his skateboard?


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## lemans (Jun 18, 2005)

Based on your description, look for a purple polka dot Shepherd. They are the most intelligent, and require zero training.


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## gracieGSD (Jan 10, 2011)

Thor sure is a handsome boy  Just my 2 cents here, my last GSD was black and I kind of wish I had gone with black this time too. The reason being that so many people had no idea that He was GSD and _everyone _knows what my black/tan girl is. Long story short, people are nicer when they don't know that your dog is a GSD. 

Did you say how big thor is now? Just wondering as my girl is 70lbs at 9 mos and I would not allow my 13yr old take her out alone at this point. All about liability, sorry but that is the way of the world now. I never thought I would say this but life was way better whenI was a kid


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## rjThor (Mar 27, 2011)

Thor is 4 months 1 week, when I took him for his last set of shots his wieght was 37pounds, at the time he was just turnin 4months. He's been eating alot and has started to loose his baby teeth. I enjoy taking him to the dog park, alot of dog lovers with some awesome dogs, along with a few pesky dogs that enjoy giving the pupies a hard time, I also get alot of compliments on him I guess not very many people have seen an all black GSD. I do get asked if Thor is mixed with a lab, I find it funny, but It gives me an opportunity to meet new people and strike up good conversations. For the most part I run into the same people that seem amazed at how healthy n the color of his coat. The best thing about it is I get to take him out to socialize n let him run himself ragged.


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## GSD07 (Feb 23, 2007)

Thor is a very cute pup, looks very happy and has a nice bone. Could you post his pedigree, please?


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## rjThor (Mar 27, 2011)

Sure GSD07 n Emoore, I purchased Thor from a breeder in Hondo, TX., if you go to the pedigree database(GSD)you will find his parents on their, his father's name is EVO von Hartwin, n his mom is Brisa vom Runderberg. Thanks GSD07, We have been blessed with a real good puppy.


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

Evo von Hartwin - German shepherd dog
Brisa vom Runderberg - German shepherd dog

German working lines, that's all I can tell. Looks nice to my uneducated eye.


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## GSD07 (Feb 23, 2007)

His dam has DDR. No wonder the pup caught my eye and looked familiar LOL His great grandfather (or how you call it) is my dog's sire.


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## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

rjThor said:


> wow, i'm really surprised that everyone that has responded has responded in a negative manner, I grew up with a GSD matter of fact had him for 12yrs, and he followed me everywhere and anywhere I went, he never bit anyone, maybe I didn't clarify what I was asking, In todays society, it's not the same as when I grew up, it was safer back when I was a kid for me to walk over to a friends house or a relatives house. Today the times are alot diff. and not as safe, so I dont want some grown up coming up and picking up or hurting my son, I decided on the black GS, because I found them to be not as common, all I found out about the BLACK GSD is that they are of bigger in size. I never said I wanted my dog to protect my son from other kids or to bite anybody, just wondering where anyone read that. I was asking about color because it seems so many people on here make such a big deal, so I was curious, on a thread that I was reading about the different opinions so many people put on the color of their GSD. I chose a BLACK one, because If I was gonna pay for one I wanted my son to have the color of puppy he wanted. Maybe this makes it a lil clearer for those who have taken the time to comment. Thanks.


My son had a black GSD, he weighed 50 pounds, not exactly BIG.
This is one of the stupidest threads I have seen in this forum.


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## Andaka (Jun 29, 2003)

Play nice!


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## rjThor (Mar 27, 2011)

To PAddYD, and who do you think you are to be judging any threads on here? I take it your parents never taught you any manners, if you ain't got nothing nice to say, then don't say anything at all, I'm not gonna lower my standars to yours, have yourself a great week coming up PAddYD....


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## rjThor (Mar 27, 2011)

Hey Emoore, it took me some time to find the right breeder to get the best pup for my son, and if a breeder had both parents and all the info, all I had to do was take a 45min. drive to actually look at the puppy(Thor)and the parents. They also had kept a male from the last litter who was solid black and was gorgeous. I'm not an expert, but I am very happy with the pup I chose for my son, he's been very easy to train n work with. Hopefully the info. I provided for you answered any questions you might of had in refrence to Thor or his bloodlines.


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

rjThor said:


> Hey Emoore, it took me some time to find the right breeder to get the best pup for my son, and if a breeder had both parents and all the info, all I had to do was take a 45min. drive to actually look at the puppy(Thor)and the parents. They also had kept a male from the last litter who was solid black and was gorgeous. I'm not an expert, but I am very happy with the pup I chose for my son, he's been very easy to train n work with. Hopefully the info. I provided for you answered any questions you might of had in refrence to Thor or his bloodlines.


My questions were answered by looking at his pedigree. I was just wondering if he was working, show, pet, or what kind of lines. I can see that he's from working lines and it _appears_ to be mostly West German with a little East. He seems like a nice pup.


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## lanaw13 (Jan 8, 2011)

Congrats to you and your son on a gorgeous pup!!!


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## rjThor (Mar 27, 2011)

Thanks lanaw13, we are both very happy with our pup, he's growing so fast, their must had been some misunderstanding at first, I recieved alot of negative reply's, but all In all what it came down to was my son n his pup, and I see them everyday growing together and building a bond, that will last if GOD is willing all thru my son RJ's teen years, and maybe into his early adult hood. Posted some new pics of RJ n Thor that I took today....Once again Thank you.


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## rjThor (Mar 27, 2011)

At jocoyn, just finished reading your input on this thread, what I really think is some of the folks on here just decided to get defensive based on the thread itself, I wasn't trying to make one color better than others, it was just about what my son who is 12 wanted for his b.d.. I wasn't looking for a show dog, or a working dog I was looking for a black GSD, and this one just happened to come from some real good bloodlines, for me any dog will always be loyal to his owner, my son just happened to want what his dad had when I was growing up. The way I see it a GSD is always gonna be a working dog first(family)and show dog second. We all know a GSD is loyal, very protective around family members, I did take that into account also. I posted his bloodlines on here, you are more than welcome to view them.


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

rJ Thor, I never said one negative word about your dog. Looks like some nice bloodlines.

My only comments were based on personal experience with teenagers and dogs in today's world.


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## rjThor (Mar 27, 2011)

Hey jocoyn, wasn't refering to you, so I apologize if it came across that way was just trying to comment on some of the other one's on here, and at the same time answer yours. It's the first time i've ever come across a forum that people are so paranoid of the what if's......Thank you for responding back.


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## GSD07 (Feb 23, 2007)

Emoore said:


> and it _appears_ to be mostly West German with a little East.


 To me it seems not a little but at least 50%  He'll have gorgeous coat.


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## rjThor (Mar 27, 2011)

GSD07 thanks, I get so many compliments on his coat already, as you can see on the pics. We keep Thor inside, especially living in TEXAS, it's about to get real hot down here, so him being inside in the AC makes it more comfy for him, he don't have to worry or stress over the heat. So from reading your prior one before this one, our GSD are related, what a small world.


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

GSD07 said:


> To me it seems not a little but at least 50%  He'll have gorgeous coat.


Thanks for that. I'm still learning.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I train with two dogs from von Hartwin. One is a police K9, the other a pet that is doing SchH~this one has a very high threshhold.


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## rjThor (Mar 27, 2011)

Thanks Emoore, because of you i've been able to find so much more about our lil pup Thor. Jane n Oksana thank you for the info. on the pedigree, has been very helpful, as I've stated before, I'm here to try and learn as much as possible, so every bit of info. is helpful. Looks like I got alot more than I had bargained for. Thor is still a lil pup and Is so sociable with other dogs at the park, but loves to chase the cats out of our yard, birds, and squirls don't even come around the yard anymore. I'm able to walk him without a leach at the park, he strays a lil, but as soon as we call him he comes runnin back. The breeder I bought him from, loves his dogs and does a great job with all his dogs.


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