# I don't even have my pup yet and it's started...



## oranges81 (May 9, 2008)

My DH's friend was over earlier and we got talking dogs, I mentioned I was getting a shepherd next year in passing. He starts up about his King Shepherd (are they even a real breed??) and how he couldn't be trusted, ect. And that I have to be careful with my boy or he'll attack someone in my household. And that he'll never bond with my DH. Which in the long run is OK by me since he's getting his own dogs but I need my boy to listen to DH sometimes. 

My favorite is that we'll have to sleep with one eye open or crate him since he'll try and rip out my throat in my sleep. 

If I truly felt that I was bringing a dangerous dog in to this house, I wouldn't even consider it. But I know as well as the next dog person that it's all about training and how their raised. But it hurts to hear that coming from a supposed friend. I'm expecting the comments from strangers when I HAVE the dog not from friends when I don't even own the dog yet.. *sigh* 

I guess it's just the beginning. Better grow a thick skin now and not later..


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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

*Re: I don't even have my pup yet and it's started.*

If you listened to what every yahoo said, you would have a head full of truly useless information. Work on thickening the skin.

On the flip side of those comments, the TV repair guy was just here and said that 'shepherds are the most loyal breed. They never turn on their owner.'


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## oranges81 (May 9, 2008)

*Re: I don't even have my pup yet and it's started.*

I don't normally listen to what other people say unless they KNOW the breed and this guy doesn't. Thinks he does but doesn't.

I heard they are really loyal That's what I'm hoping for (among other stuff)


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## VectorSketcher (Jul 20, 2008)

*Re: I don't even have my pup yet and it's started.*

They are VERY loyal. I have two of them, I love the GSD breed! Your right not to listen to him, he obviously hasn't been around them. Growing thick skin to comments is good to do as well, you will hear all kinds of mean/stupid comments from people about the GSD breed, there was one posted here not too long ago actually. 

AS one member here already posted, "Either you find people that love them, or you find people that hate and are scared of them." I constantly run into both sets of peeps walking about. A GSD really is a very awesome dog, and I can't live with out mine. 

And you can tell your friend that both my GSD's sleep in my bed with me at night, one is at 125 lbs, and I have yet to have my throat ripped out. Now I have had my pillow stolen, but that is the worst of it.


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## oranges81 (May 9, 2008)

*Re: I don't even have my pup yet and it's started.*

Aie. Maze steals my pillow and blanket but she's not a GSD. Lol. I plan on letting my boy sleep in the bed once he's fully housebroken and learns the "Off" command.


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

*Re: I don't even have my pup yet and it's started.*

When people tell me all about the bad experiences they had with a specific breed I simply look at them and say "Well, you know what the experts say - there's no such thing as a bad dog ... just a bad owner" and walk away.

Shuts them up every time.


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## oranges81 (May 9, 2008)

*Re: I don't even have my pup yet and it's started.*

I tried that him when he had an argument over pit bulls. Didn't shut him up thou but it did make him think of a better come back. 

I'm gonna prove him wrong with my boy







I socialize the heck out of all my dogs.


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## zyppi (Jun 2, 2006)

*Re: I don't even have my pup yet and it's started.*

I can only imagine how he raised a dog to be afraid to go to sleep with the dog uncrated! Nah,,, don't ask him and don't let him bully your puppy.

If the breed were so untrustworthy, you'd hardly see them with the blind, with the military or search and rescue... 

Just had Jack and Sofie out around a lot of construction workers - not something they've encountered before - and the dogs barely glanced their way. Certainly no sign on aggression and not really a lot of curiosity.

Good luck with your puppy.


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## oranges81 (May 9, 2008)

*Re: I don't even have my pup yet and it's started.*

He's not allowed to get Maze to do commands since I just don't like the way he trains. He's got a rescue shepherd mix and it worries me watching him train that poor dog. He uses fear and hands on a lot. *shudder* Thankfully his other dog turned out to be a care bear since Brutus weighs in at 115lbs and is a rotti mix.


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## elsie (Aug 22, 2001)

> Originally Posted By: Oranges81
> My favorite is that we'll have to sleep with one eye open or crate him since he'll try and rip out my throat in my sleep.


this guy's almost laughable.


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## oranges81 (May 9, 2008)

Try talking to him with a straight face.









He honestly thinks that he's right about the breed.. And I think it's sad really..


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## Papanapa (Mar 1, 2008)

LOL....Make sure you ask him to sleep over sometime. Leave the dog out with him though....


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## oranges81 (May 9, 2008)

Lol. He used to watch Maze for us so I'm thinking of spending a day out of town and letting him watch the dogs for the day. I probably won't since my neighbor has already laid "babysitting" claim to both dogs when I do get him. Lol.

And I don't have a spare bedroom so I couldn't ask him to spend the night. Good idea thou.


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## Elmo's Mom (May 21, 2007)

This is sad, but I'm sorry it made me laugh too. This guy clearly does not know what he is talking about. So, try not to take it to heart.

Many shepherds are big cuddle bugs. They are so smart and I think they are just naturally loyal. 

You have a good attitude. Socialize the heck out of your puppy and show your friend what GSDs are really like!


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## oranges81 (May 9, 2008)

I have to laugh in this situation cuz I know he's going to keep trying to change my view on the breed.
And since I've never had to deal with ignorant people before (due to dogs anyways) it's all new to me..

Also is the King Shepherd a real breed? I remember hearing about them but heard somewhere they aren't recognized.


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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

It's not a recognized breed. They're their own little world that someone else can explain better.


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## Elmo's Mom (May 21, 2007)

I believe they are a real breed that was 'created' in the 1990s. I remember reading of health problems with them due to their size.


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## oranges81 (May 9, 2008)

That's what I thought. I was just curious. Thanks for the info! 

And I do feel better after posting my little encounter. Next on my goals is thickening my skin.. Hmmm.. that will be a bit hard since I'm a wee bit sensitive about my dogs..


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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

*Re: I don't even have my pup yet and it's started.*

Goes back further than the 90s, my Rex was born in 85 and was commonly mistaken for a King Shepherd. He was just big, a genetic anomaly for his line (or maybe we fed him puppy food for too long







) Dogs like him were likely the foundation for the Kings. I don't recall what I used to know about Kings becuase it was sooooo long ago.


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## VectorSketcher (Jul 20, 2008)

Yes, I found out that thickening my skin was hard as well, you are so in love with your dog that you can't imagine why someone else would make comments against or rude actions against him, it can be very taxing at times!! 

I was walking Riddick on our vaca one day down in Cali, and we were crossing a parking lot, and a lady was getting her groceries out of the car, we were not even within five feet of her and as soon as she saw Riddick she dropped her bag of groceries and threw her back against her Mercedes looking as if she was getting mugged! 

I couldn't beleive her behavior, Riddick was on a leash, walking by my side and he didn't even glance her way, he did nothing to deserve that behavior, I was infuriated, I had to force myself to walk away from her when every fiber of my being was telling me to walk right up to her and tell Riddick to plant his ass and stare at her. I just walked away while her food was rolling about on the pavement. Some people...


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## dOg (Jan 23, 2006)

Geez Luise, people are such morons!

If any of that was true, I should have been eaten dead almost 40 years ago!


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## Papanapa (Mar 1, 2008)

It is hard to get a thick skin about it. I equate it to my children. I can tell you they are rotten little kids sometimes but YOU can't say that...lol

I feel the same way about my dogs.


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## oranges81 (May 9, 2008)

Lol! That's a good point! I can call Maze a Dolt but no one else is allowed.







That'll be my motto! *chants it to her self*


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## Catu (Sep 6, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: Oranges81My DH's friend was over earlier and we got talking dogs, I mentioned I was getting a shepherd next year in passing. He starts up about his King Shepherd (are they even a real breed??) and how he couldn't be trusted, ect. And that I have to be careful with my boy or he'll attack someone in my household. And that he'll never bond with my DH. Which in the long run is OK by me since he's getting his own dogs but I need my boy to listen to DH sometimes.
> 
> My favorite is that we'll have to sleep with one eye open or crate him since he'll try and rip out my throat in my sleep.
> 
> ...


Well, for what I've readed and listened, the breeder of this kind of dogs (as an average) don't consider temperament their first priority. So tell your friend that this is exactly the reason why you are taking your time to pick the best pup available from breeder that breed within standard.


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## oranges81 (May 9, 2008)

I have told him why I want this breed. According to him, Shepherds (specifically the lines I want) won't make good competition dogs.. Hmmm.. Odd since I've found that they do make excellent working dogs.. 

Yes we had another "talk" about it last night.. He's just to set in his ways which is fine by me. I know what I know and I'm more likely to listen to people that have experience with the breed then from someone who knows nothing about them.


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## Innuendo (Feb 27, 2008)

I've gotten a few similar comments from people and worried looks from moms as their kids ask to pet my dog. I have met some German Shepherds that make me cringe at the thought of what the owner must have done to them to make them act that way, but most i've met have been very loyal dogs and very charming. I couldn't live without mine. I'll agree there are some aggressive ones out there, but you are going to find that with any dog breed not just a gsd.

In fact i've been bitten by dogs running wild twice, both times it was a black lab, not a pit bull or a german shepherd.


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## Kayos and Havoc (Oct 17, 2002)

Gosh if I had to be afraid of being eaten in my sleep and sleep with an eye open I should be one very exhausted person! I have had GSD's for 20 years!

Ain't been eaten yet!


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## oranges81 (May 9, 2008)

Well it makes me feel better knowing I won't be eaten in my sleep. *biggrin* Lol!


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

you're friend sounds clueless. i guess a King Shepherd is a breed. i wonder if it's a pure breed?? King Shepherds, Shiloh Shepherds, Old World Shepherds, Over-Sized Shepherds, are they pure bred??? i need to research it some but i don't think they're pure bred. you should crate your friend when he comes over because you don't want him around your dogs.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

don't let your husband's friend watch your dogs.


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## oranges81 (May 9, 2008)

He doesn't watch my dog anymore. My neighbor watches her for me. And she's already agreed to watch my boy when I get him.


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## Timber1 (May 19, 2007)

*Re: I don't even have my pup yet and it's started.*

Timber, my GSD wakes me up every morning. But between the kisses his planting his body on me, and mostly steeping on my bare feet it can be painful at times.

As for DH's friend, I have little tolerance for uninformed comments.

I now have three GSD's, all different, but trust them 100 percent.


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## CookieTN (Sep 14, 2008)

*Re: I don't even have my pup yet and it's started.*








Ignorant people make me so mad! They obviously don't know anything about the breed if they're telling you that garbage.


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## ceardach (Apr 11, 2008)

*Re: I don't even have my pup yet and it's started.*

I've had a bunch of people try to tell me how dominate and protective my dog must be simply because she's a GSD :roll eyes:

She's one of those dogs who is confident enough to lead if she feels no one is taking up the role, but is absolutely willing and seeks to acquiesce to a leader. She's also anxious enough that she desires a comforting strong source to rebalance her nerves when she gets hyped up.

In the end? She is perfectly content to live under my leadership. She seems to want to have it no other way.

But it is a huge PITA try to explain this to people who are convinced that she is trying to "protect" me.


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## GSDolch (May 15, 2006)

*Re: I don't even have my pup yet and it's started.*

People would say that about Bailey.

"Wow, I bet no one would ever break into your house, she'd eat them up!"

She wouldnt eat them up, but the police might have a hard time trying to figure out why a perp drowned in the middle of the living room floor with no water around.


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## oranges81 (May 9, 2008)

*Re: I don't even have my pup yet and it's started.*

Lol! That just gave me a good mental image. 
I feel that my 40lb lab mix will be more dangerous then my Shepherd. She's scared a good many people that have tried to break in to my house. =D


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## bethd (May 23, 2006)

*Re: I don't even have my pup yet and it's started.*

We were out on the walking trails the other day and a bunch of kids (3 - 4 yo) were walking towards us, we heard "Look, there's a dog" "Do you think he's going to eat us?"

So I put Max in a sit and had him shake hands with me before they got to us, next thing I know they're running over to Max, wanting to shake hands and pet him, no longer afraid he would eat them! LOL


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## oranges81 (May 9, 2008)

*Re: I don't even have my pup yet and it's started.*

People are afraid of Maze. No idea why.. She's not even scary looking so I dressed her up with Bandanna's and taught her some random tricks. She can wave to kids now so they love to pet her. Lol


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## blueshepherd (Sep 7, 2008)

*Re: I don't even have my pup yet and it's started.*

Well the quicker you get your boy the less you have to worry about him coming around! People are so ignorant I swear. They are scared of my pup and she is 9 weeks old! I love when they get down and start petting her and playing with her and then ask what kind of dog she is... its for a good laugh to see them jump up and act scared of the big bad puppy!


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## oranges81 (May 9, 2008)

*Re: I don't even have my pup yet and it's started.*

Well it turns out all my friends are against me getting this pup. But ya know what! Too bad! I know what the breed is like and I'm not afraid of them. So if they don't like my boy, they don't have to come over.


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## VectorSketcher (Jul 20, 2008)

*Re: I don't even have my pup yet and it's started.*

What? Sounds like you have your work cut out for you, I wouldn't let my friends in the house if they had that attitude against my pup. You will have to show them all! Good luck!


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## CookieTN (Sep 14, 2008)

*Re: I don't even have my pup yet and it's started.*



> Originally Posted By: Oranges81Well it turns out all my friends are against me getting this pup. But ya know what! Too bad! I know what the breed is like and I'm not afraid of them. So if they don't like my boy, they don't have to come over.










They don't know that they're missing out on!


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## wesleyb (Jun 11, 2008)

Ive been bitten by 2 dogs in my life when i was a kid. both of them were GSD's... You see what i own? Umyea....


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## Powell (Oct 13, 2006)

Time for new friends. I have been bitten by the #1 and #2 dog in agression. Doxy and Chihuahua. The Doxy got the mega shun treatment. I gave the Chi a nose flip and showed him teeth and growled at him. He slept with me in bed. I was fostering him, and when I took him back to the shelter, he cried and cried. 

And I volunteer at Full Moon Farm, and did get bitten by Nije' who is called shredder. It was my fault as I put my hand in there when here "mommy" was visiting. I knew better. I saw those teeth clomp down, and I thought, HECK, this hurts. I had better play this right. I yelled at Nije' .....NO WOLF TEETH ON HUMANS !!!! BAAAD NIJE' BAD!!! Her eyes got really big and she opened her mouth and I got my had out of there. Now Suze was in there, and I thought she was going to have to change her dress. She asked me if was hurt, and I said I had 3 little leaks. If the teeth had gone in the wrong place, I would have had a serious problem. Washed it out with Peroxide, and it healed fine, not any redness or swelling. Now, Belle is very food agressive and I toss her treats. ( Belle is mostly wolf, but was well trained) One day I went to pet here and she thought my hand was a treat. The very *INSTANT* her teeth touched my hand she stopped her ears went flat on her head, and her tail whipped under, and she started whining. She KNOWS that's a NO NO, and she was apologizing. I told her she was a good girl and she let me pet her. 


Powell

Powell


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## littledmc17 (Apr 9, 2008)

*Re: I don't even have my pup yet and it's started.*



> Originally Posted By: Lauri & The GangWhen people tell me all about the bad experiences they had with a specific breed I simply look at them and say "Well, you know what the experts say - there's no such thing as a bad dog ... just a bad owner" and walk away.
> 
> Shuts them up every time.


Oh I so have to agree with that statement!!!!


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## HarleyGirl52874 (Jun 16, 2006)

*Re: I don't even have my pup yet and it's started.*



> Originally Posted By: Oranges81Well it turns out all my friends are against me getting this pup. But ya know what! Too bad! I know what the breed is like and I'm not afraid of them. So if they don't like my boy, they don't have to come over.


We get this all the time too. Why do you want another dog. Why don't you get little dogs, bahbah bah. I just tune them out, my house, my money, my life, if ya don't like it don't talk to me anymore.

And yea King Shepherds Large Olde world style shepherds are all real shepherds, pure like another poster said, what they do it take the bigger shepherds and breed them to another larger shepherd, and keep doing this to and you then have the King Shepherds. In my opinion they are not pretty looking at all.


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## Manfred (Sep 15, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: Oranges81My DH's friend was over earlier and we got talking dogs, I mentioned I was getting a shepherd next year in passing. He starts up about his King Shepherd (are they even a real breed??) and how he couldn't be trusted, ect. And that I have to be careful with my boy or he'll attack someone in my household. And that he'll never bond with my DH. Which in the long run is OK by me since he's getting his own dogs but I need my boy to listen to DH sometimes.
> 
> My favorite is that we'll have to sleep with one eye open or crate him since he'll try and rip out my throat in my sleep.
> 
> ...


Wow , seeing how GSD's are the third most registered dog in the USA , if they all turned on their owners , there wouldn't be very many of us left would there


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## oranges81 (May 9, 2008)

I know. If they're such horrible dogs then why are they so widely used? Lol.


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