# Advice on breed, lines, etc...



## nuwatovu (Jun 16, 2021)

Hello, my old greyhound passed away. 
Me and my husband have been wanting another dog recently and we understand there is a big difference between the two breeds. We think a German Shepherd would be right for us, but don’t know what lines to get. We will be able to offer a 30 minute walk in the morning, an hour off leash run about in the afternoon and an hour - 3 hours off leash run about in the evening, depending on the day (of course, when adult). On weekends, we normally are out in the woods ect with my family, who have a dog of their own, so will be taking the dog with us, mainly off leash. We plan on having a child within the next few years, so need a generally family friendly dog (although of course this is mainly up to socialisation, we need a dog with a stable temperament). Our family members also have young children on both sides. We will probably be looking for a male, as I will be spending the majority of the time with the dog, and heard that males bond better with females, this was true for our old greyhound, so assuming it’s also true to German shepherds.


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## drparker151 (Apr 10, 2020)

Find a good breeder and work with them to find the right temperament in your puppy. Only caution is GSD puppies have very sharp teeth, are clumsy, play rough, and can accidently hurt small children. Close supervision will be needed until the pup is older. 

Be honest with your breeder and be willing wait for right litter and pup. 

I believe there is no better family dog than a GSD can be. On the flip side the wrong temperament who is not trained will be a nightmare.


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## gsdsteve (Apr 24, 2010)

Any reputable breeder should be able to place the right pup for you whether showlines or working lines depending on your plans for the dog. Just be sure to stay far away from backyard breeders! Where are you located?


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## OldGreg (May 18, 2020)

We love Cannoli very much, but def she was a dinosaur as a puppy. She is our first German, and my first dog, so take this with a grain of salt, but now that I have been around other puppies, I realize she was (and still is) pretty rough. Her teeth were very sharp and she was very mouthy. Granted she was one of the mouthier ones in the litter so we can't complain. It was really hard at first. I remember thinking "I just want to pet my dog!" 

Cannoli is 19 months now and a much calmer puppy. But we need to work with her more around children. We don't have any so she doesn't get much practice. We are hestitant with her around our younger family members. Not because she would ever intentionally hurt them, but she has a lot of energy and strength. When really excited, she jumps. We are working on that.

My biggest piece of advice is to get a balanced trainer that is experienced with Germans. 


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## wolfstraum (May 2, 2003)

There are dogs who are great with kids from both types and there are dogs who are not going to like being "mauled" by a kid....I have had both. One who did not appreciate kids just tried to avoid them, and NEVER DID ANYTHING WRONG! But his expression when kids ran up to him was less than happy....the worst thing I ever saw was a wrinkle of his nose when a small child abruptly threw her arms around his neck while waiting in line at a shop. On the other hand, my girl Csabre ADORED kids, would suck them into interaction with soft ears, tail and expression - then stand leaning on them as long as they would pet her....both were working lines, and actually paternal siblings. Grand"kids" of Csabre are also with families with infants and small kids to teens - all these working lines....super family dogs. BUT in my experience, and with the lines so common now (and the maternal family of my boy who was just not thrilled with kids) you have to be very careful in your selections. This is true of both working lines, showlines and American Showlines....not to mention pet breeders, commercial and retail breeders....

Look for a breeder who has years of experience, who has developed breeding a family line, even if bringing in outside animals with some common lines. Look for a breeder who questions you more than you question them. You can find a stable dog in all types - but avoid the high profile super credentialed working pedigrees as they are going to be less suitable for a novice owner or family dog.

Good Luck!

Lee


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