# What's the greatest challenge of owning a GSD?



## BGSD (Mar 24, 2011)

For me, it's the destruction of many of my pants and shirts over the past few months. 

What's yours?


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## sagelfn (Aug 13, 2009)

Finding the energy after an extra long day at work to keep up with him


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## jillian (Mar 5, 2010)

For me it's the fur control in the house


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## Gretchen (Jan 20, 2011)

For me it's having our dog being over protective, not knowing who she will accept or reject, and her intense barking (although it did scare someone away who was picking through our garbage yesterday and stopped our neighbor's kids from playing directly in front of our house). Also thinking of activities to challenge her. She has never been destructive.


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

mine the same as Brandi, keeping up with all that energy


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

Some of mine have gone through annoying behavioral phases during puppyhood--like suddenly becoming reactive toward other dogs, or wary of human passers-by. It's embarrassing, but thankfully, mine grew out of it.


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## CassandGunnar (Jan 3, 2011)

Having a dog that's hard to continually challenge - physically and mentally.
Of course, it doesn't help that all 3 of them are WAY smarter then I am!


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

finding a way to have unlimited income and not have to leave them to go to work!
I wish I could have my dogs with me whenever/where ever I go.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Saying, "No."


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## Veronica1 (Jun 22, 2010)

LOL Selzer! So true.

My current biggest challenge of owning a GSD is getting his nails cut! Toughy Tough is a big baby about toenails.

Otherwise, Panzer has been less of a challenge than my previous dogs - an Alaskan Husky and a Dalmatian. Crate training has made a huge difference.


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## CarrieJ (Feb 22, 2011)

Selzer that dog looks like a young un' so it's probably up to something crazy anyway...Just say "NO"



> quoted by sagelfn: Finding the energy after an extra long day at work to keep up with him


I'm with y'all on that one.


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

selzer said:


> Saying, "No."


Really, how can you say no to that face? 

Okay, I know that technically, GSDs are supposed to have a dark eye, but I think the look of a lighter-colored eye in a dark face is just so striking... so expressive... it looks like there's really something going on upstairs. I read somewhere that lighter eyes are correlated to intelligence, is there any truth in that? If so, why would the standard call for a dark eye?

It's one of my deep, dark secrets... I love dogs with golden eyes. My Akbash dog has them, and they are so expressive... I can look at his eyes and know exactly what he's thinking.

P.S. I'm not taking a "dig" on your dog, I think this puppy is gorgeous.


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## lisgje (Sep 3, 2010)

For me, it has been the unforseen major health issues. All the rest I can handle with grace and a big dose of patience (eating two pairs of $100 RayBans, destroying comforters and burrowing into the blanket while I am asleep and finding my room looking like a snow storm because he ripped out all the batting to get INTO the blanket, getting concussions and my own trips to the ER, stitches from puppy teeth caught on my skin, suffocating because he decided to sit on my head while I was sleeping, puking on my head cause I did not wake up in time, a broken toe from Shane dropping a piece of fire wood on my foot, black eyes, bruised chin and bloody lips from errant head butts- all this from two different dogs, LOL) That being said, would not trade a moment of time with my GSD's. The love I get back makes it all worth it. LOL


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Freestep said:


> Really, how can you say no to that face?
> 
> Okay, I know that technically, GSDs are supposed to have a dark eye, but I think the look of a lighter-colored eye in a dark face is just so striking... so expressive... it looks like there's really something going on upstairs. I read somewhere that lighter eyes are correlated to intelligence, is there any truth in that? If so, why would the standard call for a dark eye?
> 
> It's one of my deep, dark secrets... I love dogs with golden eyes. My Akbash dog has them, and they are so expressive... I can look at his eyes and know exactly what he's thinking.



:rofl: Milla and Intelligence in the same sentence!

But you are right, she has light eyes, and and wonky ear (which are both up now), and a skinny ASL looking body, and is the worst left-slipper-killing, loud, jumping jack, juvenile delinquent GSD ever.


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

Keeping up with the hair is a big one.

I think trying to keep them busy and entertained. I spend more time coming up with activities for him (schH, agility, herding, rally, hiking, swimming, play dates, socializing, etc.) than I have ever considered for myself.


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## baseballmama (Apr 26, 2011)

For me its trying to teach her that my three year old is NOT a chew toy!!!


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## cta (May 24, 2011)

lisgje...i loved your post! my dog has done quite a few of those same things! despite all the bs they put us through, at the end of the day, that unconditional love you get in return from your dog is the BEST feeling in the world. i mean, i really wasn't feeling the love when he ate my pair of D&G sunglasses (my first and last pair of expensive sunglasses might i add) but all i had to do was look at him and was hanging his head in shame. dogs are definitely not cheap for many different reasons, but the happiness they bring to our lives is priceless :wub:


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## robinhuerta (Apr 21, 2007)

Owning only.... *one*..............darn near impossible! (I've failed miserably).


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## sparra (Jun 27, 2011)

resisting the urge to get another.....and another.....and another....


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## sparra (Jun 27, 2011)

haha...Robin great minds think alike!!!:laugh:


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## Caitydid255 (Aug 28, 2010)

Finding the energy after a day of work to go jogging a play fetch. Also tying to retain control of my own bed. Somehow every morning I wake up sleeping on the edge of the mattress and Freyja is sprawled across the whole thing. Its even worse when the cats join in. I'm thinking of getting a doggy bed for myself.


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## shadmuffin07 (Jun 6, 2011)

I love shepherds too much. To me, the only fault in a good shepherd is that they don't live long enough. I bet most of us in this forum would like our favorite shepherds to last 70-80 years and be alongside us "til the end", but of course its not possible!  .... So hard to know you'll have to say goodbye someday, somehow, some too soon, but memories and such live on forever.


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## Tbarrios333 (May 31, 2009)

It WAS the hair until we started feeding raw again. Now no hair 
Now the worst part is getting visitors at the door. The girls get way too happy for their own good and bad mom is slacking on the training in that department!


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## BGSD (Mar 24, 2011)

lisgje said:


> For me, it has been the unforseen major health issues. All the rest I can handle with grace and a big dose of patience (eating two pairs of $100 RayBans, destroying comforters and burrowing into the blanket while I am asleep and finding my room looking like a snow storm because he ripped out all the batting to get INTO the blanket, getting concussions and my own trips to the ER, stitches from puppy teeth caught on my skin, suffocating because he decided to sit on my head while I was sleeping, puking on my head cause I did not wake up in time, a broken toe from Shane dropping a piece of fire wood on my foot, black eyes, bruised chin and bloody lips from errant head butts- all this from two different dogs, LOL) That being said, would not trade a moment of time with my GSD's. The love I get back makes it all worth it. LOL


Right, the direct and indirect expenses are another major challenge.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

what challenge? you train, train, train and socialize,
socialize, socialize everyday. i don't see owning a dog as a challenge.
i do what's necessary to have a well trained and highly socialized dog.
i get up 1&1/2 hour early in the am (i'm normally up at 5:30 am
but with a pup i'm up at 4 or 4:30 am) to train and socialize.
i don't mind being inconveinced by having a pup (that much).
i know within a year i'll have that star dog. after a year i find it
get's easier. once you like the inconveince and going out of your way
for a dog it becomes easier, it's not work. after a year you should be able
to pat yourself on the back and say "look what i did", i have a well trained
and highly socialized dog. well it's 11:49 pm here. our dog didn't
do much today. once my GF and i came home we cleaned the house
and took showers. now it's family time with the dog. we're going out to
run the dog.

oh yeah, when i came home i brushed the dog.


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## Whiteshepherds (Aug 21, 2010)

Muddy footprints.


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## codmaster (Aug 5, 2009)

selzer said:


> Saying, "No."


 
Too cute! What eyes!


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## stolibaby (Mar 6, 2011)

keeping up with the shredded toys...I love the ones that say made for tough dogs and have pictures of rotties or GSDs give Stoli a few days and it's a whole new item lol petsmart loves him and mama's $


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## RogueRed26 (Jul 15, 2010)

My biggest challenge is having patience and a smile as she chews, destroys, and misbehaves with other dogs and people. I can't wait for these fear periods and puppy stages are a thing of the past.


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## BGSD (Mar 24, 2011)

shadmuffin07 said:


> I love shepherds too much. To me, the only fault in a good shepherd is that they don't live long enough. I bet most of us in this forum would like our favorite shepherds to last 70-80 years and be alongside us "til the end", but of course its not possible!  .... So hard to know you'll have to say goodbye someday, somehow, some too soon, but memories and such live on forever.


It would be a double-edged sword I think. Separation would be much more difficult when the time came.

Sir Walter Scott got it right I think, when he said:

_"I have sometimes thought of the final cause of dogs having such short lives and I am quite satisfied it is in compassion to the human race; for if we suffer so much in losing a dog after an acquaintance of ten or twelve years, what would it be if they were to live double that time?"
_


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## Good_Karma (Jun 28, 2009)

Living out in the middle of nowhere, my biggest challenge has been socialization. Niko does not get the normal amount of stimulation in our home life (and we are homebodies), so we have to make special trips to places in order to get him exposed to things like cars/people. etc.


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## Sue Smart (Jul 12, 2002)

Convincing myself that I *don't* need another Shepherd. Seeing all these puppies is making it impossible. Plus my appointment at the hospital was a false alarm.


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## aManicCookie (Apr 23, 2011)

My biggest challenge is not being able to take him everywhere. I STILL don't understand why places like Wal-mart, the Mall, the movies, etc...don't let pets in.


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

The hair!

It's everywhere!


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## Jax's Mom (Apr 2, 2010)

I don't find any of it a challenge. Just the cleanup. Since every surface in the house is now wood, tile or leather, it's _easier_ to clean but at the same time there are always fur tumble weeds all over between cleanings.


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## suzzyq01 (Feb 15, 2011)

First thing that comes to mind is all the fur! Other than that I wouldn't say much, they are easily trainable and very willing to please. I am just in love with my boy! :wub:


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

Bianca's been pretty easy. I think the biggest challenge has been her leash reactivity, but I've worked a lot with her and gotten her over the majority of it, she hardly ever actually barks at another dog on leash now and the only thing she does still is sometimes growl or lift her lip if a dog is in her face. The second biggest would be the cost, although her vet expenses have not been unusually high (knock on wood) training classes are not cheap here and I haven't found an easy way to expose her to other dogs in a controlled manner without them. Even with the class it is tough because once she's seen the same group of dogs for a few weeks she gets used to them. I recently was offered a way around that though, but I am pretty sure it is only because Bianca's already come so far... We were taking a class which was more of a basic obedience class because I had won a gift certificate for it in a silent auction (not realizing at the time that they only offered basic or puppy classes). So I mostly just used the class to work on her behavior near other dogs while practicing obedience. After the class the instructor offered to let me 'drop in' with Bianca to their classes if I wanted, they hold 3-4 a week at different locations so it is a good way to get her exposed to new dogs more often.


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## marielrowland (Jan 6, 2011)

The destruction & hair. Otherwise peach keen!


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## shadmuffin07 (Jun 6, 2011)

BGSD said:


> It would be a double-edged sword I think. Separation would be much more difficult when the time came.
> 
> Sir Walter Scott got it right I think, when he said:
> 
> ...


wow never thought of it that way,he did get it right!! Haha I think I'm selfish and in that case id want them to when i do lol


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## shadmuffin07 (Jun 6, 2011)

On a more realistic note, I world have to say the shedding, but it's definitely worth it, no question


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## vat (Jul 23, 2010)

Finding the energy some days to entertain him. I wish there were two of me so one could sit down and the other could run the dog


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## Mitch (Jul 1, 2011)

chewing, digging, chewing, digging, pull washing off the line, chased our cat away, dreading what i would find next destroyed when i get home from work (she just chewed our spa pool cover and its heavy! half the firewood is on the lawn!). I still give her a big hug before bedtime though.


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## onyxena (Oct 24, 2007)

Both of my GSDs are such wonderful dogs! I am sooo happy with them. they have pretty good off switches, so haven't really had any major issues that were difficult to handle. They are no couch potatoes either, so we have fun with walks and hiking, ball in the yard. They are always up for anything! But sometimes I'm not!

Really though, the shedding is a challenge. All three of my dogs shed at diffeerent times, so it is never ending here. I bought them their own shopvac, but so far I am the one that has to actually use it. 

And like others have said, always resisting the urge to bring home just one more!


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## AgileGSD (Jan 17, 2006)

Hand down, I'd say separating bitches who wanted to kill each other and breaking up fights between said bitches when separation failed.


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## rrent (Apr 21, 2011)

being sure I'm training her and she's not training me...


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## EchoGSD (Mar 12, 2010)

The energy level and the intelligence factors. Same reasons I love the breed!


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## Mitch (Jul 1, 2011)

I agree that its hard not to bring another one home. Someone in our town is giving away her GSD only 1.5yrs old.......I hope she finds a new home soon. If only i can take her in.


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## bellamia (Feb 7, 2010)

biggest challenge is that they are truly a breed apart. too intelligent,perceptive and almost everytime very human like. Biggest challenge is when they look with the most expressive eyes ever, one cannot say no or if 'no' said anyway then it eats at the owners heart. Biggest challenge is when they give u intelligent, unconditional, devotion and love when one doesnt even deserve it. Biggest challenge is when they are percvd as vicious or aggrs. wronly, and it ravages ones very soul trying to prove otherwise especially when it really is otherwise! Biggest challenge is that, remarkably, no matter what, gsds adapt to their msters makeup, no matter what lines they come from. Biggest challenge is that they are eerily one's 'third'eye even if and when(MOSTLY WHEN!) they are drivin one nutso!!. Biggest chlng is when one knows that he/she is being judged for daring to have and love gsds, esp. ones who arent in the forces! Bigst clge is when one wonders why he is being given this beautiful gift of a creature, (surely this is a dream?)Biggest challenge is when one knows this is going to all finish one day too soon.

ofcourse then there is also shedding, need for excercise, training no matter how tired, space etc etc!:help:


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## Whiteshepherds (Aug 21, 2010)

rrent said:


> being sure I'm training her and she's not training me...


LOL spoken like a true GSD owner!!


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## brembo (Jun 30, 2009)

My biggest challenge is not filling the house with a pack of them. Might toss a Doberman or two into the mix since I'm dreaming here.


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## misfits (Jan 13, 2011)

The biggest challenge? When you realize they have health conditions that can't be cured. So you seaarch and question and pray and grasp at straws, anything to gain one more month, week, day. And finally you have to face there is one final act of kindness to perform, and so you do it for them while your heart is being ripped out


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

robinhuerta said:


> Owning only.... *one*..............darn near impossible! (I've failed miserably).


Guess, I can finally admit that I fail at this one too.  If failing felt like this, well.. then... bring it on!


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## marshies (May 18, 2011)

elisabeth_00117 said:


> Guess, I can finally admit that I fail at this one too.  If failing felt like this, well.. then... bring it on!


Who did you eye?! I'm very curious!


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## Chrissy_GSD (Jul 3, 2011)

BATH TIME. 

It always ends up that I'm the one taking the bath...how _does _that happen?


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## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

2 things: grooming and keeping them physically and mentally challenged.
or is that 3 things?


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## Josie/Zeus (Nov 6, 2000)

Keeping him physically and mentally challenged also, if I leave him out in the yard a little too long, he goes swimming on his own. 

No problem with shedding here since he is fed raw.


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