# Rehome or Puppy



## Unforgiving (Jul 27, 2014)

Not sure if this goes here but here goes. My partner and I have been looking recently at getting a GS. I have been raised with dogs and I am pretty familiar with the breed, and have found a breeder etc with pups due soon. A pup is my partners preference, because it will be a family dog we can train and will know etc. However, I have also been given the chance to regime a 3 year old male who has been living in a rural property. I am very interested but a little concerned by the email I received from the owners. 

This is the email. 

Binn is purebred and comes with papers, however it *states he cannot be bred from (unless you have permission from the breeder Adrian May).
·******** Binn has not been socialised with other dogs for a long while
·******** He chases our cats
·******** He has also had the run of our place so he is not used to a lead
·******** He loves being vacuumed J
·******** He loves big bones and chasing after sticks

I am not concerned with breeding. Mainly with the not being socialised or used to a lead. I have friends with dogs who I would socialise with as well as take our dog to beach and park etc so lead walking is a must as is being sociable. 

This is why I am leaning towards a pup, I would appreciate all thoughts. 
·******** He loves people and is very very intelligent


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## VTGirlT (May 23, 2013)

Why not go meet the dog and work with the dog, do some temperament testing and go from there? 

Puppies are a lot of work, and they can get a lot worse than any of the things those people listed about their dog if not properly raised up and trained. 

My opinion. Go meet the dog an assess, every dog has "problems" some are a lot harder to work with than others. You just have to find what your willing to live and work with. If this is a dog your willing to work with-i would say go for it. If not than go find a *reputable *breeder to set you up with the right puppy.


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## huntergreen (Jun 28, 2012)

imho, you have meet the dog in person.


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## Unforgiving (Jul 27, 2014)

Thanks Guys. 

Based on what was said by the owner, and consultation with my partner who was a little sceptical about adopting an adult dog even before the email was sent, I have been doing some hunting for a local breeder. 

Initially I spoke to a guy a few hours away whose bitch is pregnant and due to pups in October. I spoke to him and he sounded good, but when I spoke to people who had previously got pups from him they worried me a little by saying he hasn't immunised his adult dogs, doesn't immunise his puppies and they don't have papers as pure-breds. I wasn't too worried about the papers but the immunisation thing bothered me too. 

I have finally now found someone who normally supplies puppies to work (I work in law enforcement) and who several friends had got puppies from. After speaking to him, and people who have also obtained puppies from him I feel much more comfortable about breeder choice. 

So, his puppies are due in early September, and I wil be collecting my new puppy in November, giving me plenty of time to continue all the research and prepare for our new family member!


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## Unforgiving (Jul 27, 2014)

UPDATE!!! I received an email from the breeder yesterday saying two of his bitches are due to whelp this week. One of the combinations, the majority go to the Police, but the others he will temperement test for what familys want, and all going well Novemeber I will be getting a puppy. 

On the home front, I have already invested in a crate, lead, brush and a canvas retrieve toy. I have spoken to the breeder about what food he uses, and when I am confirmed as getting a pup (hopefully in the next few weeks) I will look at getting some of the same food he uses. I have also brought a couple of clickers, and been doing some huge research into clicker and house training. 

Before the dog arrives I want to get a collar, long line and bell (for the back door) as well as a couple of chew toys and the likes. 

Anything else anyone should suggest I have? I need to find some decent cleaner for inside accidents (which I have decided are inevitable no matter how hard I try) and food and water bowls. 

The list goes on..... Oh. Treats. I have decided I will try first off with hot dogs sliced into small peices for low value, and chicken for high value and see how we go. Also likely is I will use the dry part of puppy food at lunch and feeding times to do some basic stuff and scent work maybe. 

I have been looking at IPO (and told the breeder this) and even though Im not so sure about competing, I do think it will be awesome for the dog obediance wise, and for some fun family days out (tracking and the like)


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## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

Piddle pads, paper towels, nature's miracle, an abundance of patience, Sheila Booth's book "Purely Positive Training: Companion to Competition"

My youngest thinks kibble is just dandy for a treat. Hot dogs are high value and have a lot of crap in them so should be used judiciously (sp). The dog food that comes in rolls works pretty well for a high value treat for tracking or general reward. 

You might want to consider a tug and a flirt pole - you might not need the flirt pole. I did with this youngster but haven't with any other dog. The tug can be fun for a puppy and for you.

One of the vets I have used (moved so no longer feasable) had a spray that was a dog odor eliminator. That's been very handy.

I like a cotton long line because although you can still get a rope burn from it, the burn is less severe than with a nylon line.


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## MichaelE (Dec 15, 2012)

I think I would want one of the puppies that are K9 bound if he thinks they are worthy of police work.


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## huntergreen (Jun 28, 2012)

make sure you do all your homework and research the breeder. check the pedigree. ask what pd are currently using his dogs. check with gsd clubs and see what they think about this breeder. it is possible you are overlooking a great find with the 3 year old gsd. i encourage you and your family to meet this gsd.


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## Unforgiving (Jul 27, 2014)

The 3 year old GSD was from the same breeder I am getting the puppy from, and has been rehomed. 

We only have 1 police department here, and I have liased with the handlers at work so know the puppies are good, plus he is a member of the national kennel club.

Pedigrees don't mean much to me, but they are listed on the kennel site, which for anyone who is interested is Wyndova Kennels in NZ.

I have been doing a lot of research on a lot of different sites, a lot of which were linked through here. Theres still 8 weeks to go and I will keep doing more until then, but geting very excited to meet the puppies and new member of the family!


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## SummerwoodSoaps (Feb 3, 2011)

To my dogs, hot dogs would be just as high value as chicken lol. Low value would be kibble or any other crunchy dog treat. Soft treats are middle value. People food is high value and the chuckit ball is god lol.


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## Unforgiving (Jul 27, 2014)

I have been doing more and more research and came to the same conclusion last night lol. A lot of clicker training people do some clicker training at meal times when the dog is hungry, but some others said not to train with the dogs usual food. Any pointers or experiance on this?


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## blackshep (Aug 3, 2012)

Do lots of homework on the breeder. Can you post a pedigree?


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## DJEtzel (Feb 11, 2010)

Unforgiving said:


> I have been doing more and more research and came to the same conclusion last night lol. A lot of clicker training people do some clicker training at meal times when the dog is hungry, but some others said not to train with the dogs usual food. Any pointers or experiance on this?


No reason not to. If the dog has enough drive to work successfully for kibble, it's a great way to slowly feed dinner, and you're killing three birds with one stone-

1. Hand feeding is great at preventing food aggression towards humans.
2. Hand feeding bit by bit slows them down to help prevent bloat.
3. They're learning something! 

My older GSD and Border Collie will work for their meals, my young GSD won't - he just doesn't have food drive for that low of valued rewards. 

I tend to use stinky cat treats for him, or food rolls diced up, etc.


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## MichaelE (Dec 15, 2012)

I used clicker/treat training for recall and heel. That was all. Lisl works for praise, but all dogs are different and might not respond to praise as Lisl does.


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