# Do parents look like purebreeds?



## jackbauer1984 (Jan 21, 2010)

I'm interested in a particular puppy someone is selling and says the puppy is CKC Registered (Continental) which I know doesnt mean a whole heck of alot. They provided pics of the parents and with my little knowledge of german shepherd breeds the father looks a little off (but that could be just me). The female/mother looks like more of a traditional german shepherd, but it is something with the father's facial features that doesn't seem right. Also, they are asking $400 for the pup (will come with papers, shots, and dewormed). Does that seem fair price wise? Thanks for any advice you can give.

Images below:

Mother - http://fscen.com/mother.JPG

Father - http://fscen.com/father.JPG


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## Konotashi (Jan 11, 2010)

Personally, I'd be careful. For one, $400 is VERY cheap for a puppy. From a reputable breeder, a reasonable price is around $1,500+. 

They do look purebred, but (just adding my 2 cents here, I'm no expert) the father doesn't look like a secure dog, which could be genetic. Spend some time with them and see if you like the temperaments of the parents and such. 

Hopefully some more helpful people will come along shortly to help you out.


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## pupresq (Dec 2, 2005)

If this post is for real, PLEASE do not buy this puppy!!! There are about a million red flags. At an absolute best case scenario you're going to wind up supporting a puppy mill or backyard breeder and at a more likely scenario, you're going to end up supporting a mill or back yard breeder and get yourself a dog with expensive health problems like hip dysplasia.


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## smerry (Dec 5, 2009)

Yes they look purebred ... I am not even going to start on your other questions except to say they are obviously byb, and you can get the same thing with the same shots dewormer from a rescue for the same or less money and actually be helping a dog and not helping a Backyard breeder ....


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## smerry (Dec 5, 2009)

wow that was fast, there werent any replies when I started mine lol


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

Look at the hips on the father. Maybe it's just the picture and i hope it is, but that does not look like a dog with healthy hips. Do not buy from these people.


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

Both of those dogs look VERY poorly bred. I absolutely would not buy a puppy they produced.


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## doggonefool (Apr 15, 2004)

Is the breeder affiliated with a Kennel? Can they provide you with pedigree information? Like you said, CKC registered doesn't always mean a whole heck of a lot. $400.00 is way low for any kind of quality German Shepherd, if that is what you're looking for. 

There is a lot of information about breeding lines in the breeders forum and there is a forum on how to choose a puppy that may give you more guidelines. Not to be negative, I have four rescues, and don't know much about Breed Standards, but I would guess that this comes from a Back Yard Breeder.


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

I would not advise getting that puppy... They may be purebred but they do not look like good examples of the breed. Actually they both appear to be sway-backed. 
Do they have any health testing done-- hip x-rays, CERF, etc? If you do get the puppy, I would HIGHLY recommend investing in pet insurance right away, and make sure to pick one that covers hip dysplasia (many do not.)
CKC registration is not worth the papers it's printed on. If you really want to get an "inexpensive" puppy please go to a rescue or shelter and at least save a dog instead of supporting a backyard breeder. Also keep in mind that while the purchase price may be low you could end up paying a lot more in vet fees if you get a puppy with an unknown background or from untested parents.


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## Konotashi (Jan 11, 2010)

> Originally Posted By: Lucy DogLook at the hips on the father. Maybe it's just the picture and i hope it is, but that does not look like a dog with healthy hips. Do not buy from these people.


I was thinking that myself, but then it could also be him trying to hunker down in fear/shyness? Either way, I wouldn't do it.


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## Konotashi (Jan 11, 2010)

I found it interesting that it's on a sports forum website. Not sure where GSDs fit into that picture - I definitely don't see any agility or Schutzhund or any other DOG sport....


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## StGeorgeK9 (Jan 5, 2008)

I thought the father looked a bit "unstable" myself....his stance is not one of a good representation of the breed, he almost looks like he is cowering a bit....I'm not an expert on conformation, but he doesnt look emotionally stable to me.


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## StGeorgeK9 (Jan 5, 2008)

Jack, go to the working or training section of the board and look at the pictures that are posted for dogs actually working. That should give a good idea on what a sound dog "looks" like. The breeding section can help you too. 

Think about what you want of your dog, what kind of activities are you interested in doing with him/her. The temperment of the dog is just as, if not more important than just the physical soundness of the animal.


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

I can definitely tell you you're doing the right thing by asking for opinions instead of just going out and getting a cute puppy. 

Most people arent as smart as you and thats why so many dogs end up at the pound on death row.


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## Amaruq (Aug 29, 2001)

I would find a local rescue or a reputable breeder. You can't tell a dogs temperament or health by pictures. The ANGLES on the male are a bit much for me but the way he is standing has NO bearing on his hip condition which can only be determined by x-rays. 

Again I would NEVER by a pup from this pair for NUMEROUS reasons.


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## Doggydog (May 12, 2009)

Have to agree about this pup. These dogs should not be used for breeding, they are not structurally optimum. If there's things wrong with appearance, then surely there are things wrong that you can't see. 
Can someone who's more techie than I post a link with examples of good GSD form? 

But I don't agree that you need to pay 4 x that to get a decent dog. I bet if you do your research & look around, you can find a GOOD GSD for around the same price, or little more.


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## BuoyantDog (Aug 21, 2009)

I think you could get a much better looking dog from a rescue.....even a shelter or humane society. The benefits to this would be the following:

1. You are helping beautiful German Shepherd Dogs in need, whose _only flaws_ are that they once had irresponsible and stupid owners.

2. You won't be supporting some country trash backyard breeder ($400?!







)

Take a look at my dog, and tell me who looks in _better health_ and _happier_. My dog? Or the parents of a $400 puppy from a backyard breeder??

















I paid $25







dollars for her at a humane society shelter, I have never received so many compliments in my life, her temperament is superb, and she is as healthy as a horse. It's time to start looking at a rescue.









You can see more pictures of my dog by visiting our blog, clicking on any of her pictures, and you can see large detailed photographs.


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## jackbauer1984 (Jan 21, 2010)

I appreciate the advice! I have gone to several shelters and rescue centers in the Dallas/Ft worth area and I havent found any german shepherds in the last 2 months. These puppies were in a local ad I found. I usually use the Humane Society (thats where we got our two cats from), but I'm just having no luck in finding any german shepherds that are pure bred. We have little kids so having a mix without knowing what breeds is a big risk as far as temperament goes. Any suggestions?


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## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: Jack Bauer 1984I appreciate the advice! I have gone to several shelters and rescue centers in the Dallas/Ft worth area and I havent found any german shepherds in the last 2 months.Any suggestions?


My suggestion is to look at a _German Shepherd_ rescue. There are quite a few in the state and a couple specifically in North Texas. This PUPPY is less than 20 miles from Dallas.










north tx: http://ntxgsdrescue.org/

north tx: http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/TX274.html

central tx: http://www.gsdrescuectx.com/

austin: http://www.austingermanshepherdrescue.org/

san antonio: http://www.gsdrtx.com/

houstin: http://www.ghgsdr.org/

also, having children is even more reason to get your pup from a reputable breeder or rescue!


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## jackbauer1984 (Jan 21, 2010)

Thanks for the links.

My only concern with some of the rescue ones is that several of the dogs I have found all seem to have some history of abuse and that sometimes makes animals a bit more riskier to have around small children.


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## Kaity (Nov 18, 2009)

There are tons of rescues out there. Not ALL of them have that backround, and you can usually work around it.
Dogs are a lot of work anyways. I'm sure you can work around the problems. You'd be getting a heck of a lot more problems with a $400 puppy than a previously abused dog from a shelter, IMO.
Just find one with a good history. I know not everybody can handle certain dogs, but please don't discriminate against the ones (especailly them..) who have been abused.


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## GSDSunshine (Sep 7, 2009)

She is a bit older but here is a pretty Girl

http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=15550386


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## GSDSunshine (Sep 7, 2009)

As for temperment, if you are worried about young kids, getting an adult dog from rescue would actually be a better idea than a puppy. What you see is what you get. And there are plenty of Dogs in rescue that are pure bred and are wonderful and not abused. I got my guy from a rescue. And i have accidentally fallen on him and he did nothing. The neighbors kids terrorize him and he takes it like a champ!


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## GSDSunshine (Sep 7, 2009)

http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=15487839

He is another girl. There are tons of great dogs in shelters out there and it kinda upsets me when I hear people say, "go to a good breeder or adopt a great adult." What about the puppies out there in shelters?


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## GSDElsa (Jul 22, 2009)

> Originally Posted By: GSDSunshinehttp://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=15487839
> 
> He is another girl. There are tons of great dogs in shelters out there and it kinda upsets me when I hear people say, "go to a good breeder or adopt a great adult." What about the puppies out there in shelters?


1. Because puppies almost ALWYS get adopted immediately.
2. Because adults are easier to evaluate than puppies because their personalities are already developed. A puppy who grew up with kids can turn out to be bad with kids as an adult. An adult already has their temperment worked out.

As an aside, I swear that male looks almost crippled his legs and back are so bad. And you're worried about abuse and a bad temperment? Look at that tail tucked between the legs there and think about what that might mean. He doesn't exude cool, confident, stable GSD.


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

I also wanted to add another option many people don't think about-- you could also consider getting an older puppy from a breeder. When I was looking into getting a GSD I noticed some good breeders had puppies available that were a little bit older and had been reserved but it had fallen through, or they were returned, or not picked, or the breeder had kept them back to evaluate as a possible show or breeding dog. The fee was also often less than an 8 week old puppy but they were still a well bred GSD.


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## Mandalay (Apr 21, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: Jack Bauer 1984 I havent found any german shepherds in the last 2 months.


2 months is not all that long to be looking. I looked at dogs and pups for more than 6 before one jumped out at me. 

I agree with you about the father. His head looks very small for his body.

Rescues, and many shelters in this area anyway, have dogs fostered in a home environment, so even if it is not a PB GSD, they would have a better idea of its temperment than you would have getting a pup that is not even grown yet. Plus the pups go through the landshark stage, which could seriously turn your kids off to the dog if not handled near perfect. I would not be as worried about getting a mix w/o knowing the breeds as I would be getting a pup w/o knowing how its temperment will be when it matures.


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## JKlatsky (Apr 21, 2007)

I do think they are purebred, however, Dad is really lacking a mask, looks pretty unsure based on his posture, and also his topline is really wonky. He looks like his is way too thin/under muscled. I would not buy this puppy.

Sure, you sometimes get abused rescue dogs that have trust issues. More often though the dogs that are in rescue have just been abandoned. I just pulled a beautiful long coat shepherd brought in as a stray from the shelter that knew how to sit, come, lay down, shake with both hands, walk on a leash, was completely potty trained, and participated in a behavioral lab in a giant hotel conference room where he was handled and manipulated by dozens of strangers. No problems. 

Truly there are few puppies, even those from quality breeders, that I would trust with young kids. German Shepherd puppies are generally very mouthy and the kid's reactions/interactions and the puppy's underlying temperament (which you don't really know in an 8 week old puppy) will determine how the dog reacts to children as an adult.


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## Jason L (Mar 20, 2009)

Like everyone said, I would look for a stable adult from rescue. If you work with a good rescue, they can help you find a dog that is good with kids.

Puppy and kids = very complicated. There are tons of threads in the puppy section about this. I have a little landshark pup that bites without conscience but I can laugh it off because I don't have kids. If there are kids in the house though, then I am not sure I can/would have a pup like Ike around.


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## Kayos and Havoc (Oct 17, 2002)

I would be more worried about a puppy with small children from the pair you posted. Just by looking I can probably assure you that no health testing is done and I would also be very willing to bet the breeder has given no thought to temperament either. 

No one has said so I will bite......

The CKC is a KNOWN registry for puppy millers. If you purchase this pup you are supporting a puppy mill. Supporting puppy mills just means keeping them in business producing poor quality dogs both in health and temperament. 

Consider a rescue. Coming from a reputable rescue or good shelter that evaluates temperament is more of a guarnantee of a good dog than a puppy from an obvious puppy mill.

Check out the thread in rescue follow-up about Madelaine from St Pauls NC. She is wonderful and a shelter dog. My Max is a rescue and he is awesome with kids. So keep looking and check out the rescues.

THis board has had several dogs from your area posted in the pst month. I am just glad I am deployed in Iraw right now, I might be a 4 dog home if I were home in Oklahoma, just 3 hours north of Dallas.

And as Chicago said many times breders will hold on to a puppy a little longer or have one returned due to family being unable to keep the dog (for many reasons not temperament related). Often they will re-home the dog for a nominal fee that covers vetting and food.


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## Kayos and Havoc (Oct 17, 2002)

Jack this is the kind of beauty you can find in a shelter. This dog is perfect.

http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1326441&page=1#Post1326441


And I forgot to say welcome to you.


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## DianaM (Jan 5, 2006)

Jack Bauer, how about making a new post for finding a breeder that includes your location, your ideal German shepherd, and whether you are willing to ship? There are several good breeders in Texas.

On an aside, you should be expecting to spend around $800-$2000 for a puppy BUT the pup will come from health tested and thoroughly temperament tested parents which is CRUCIAL for a pet puppy. People always say that titles don't matter since they are getting a pup but if the breeder works their dogs to ensure the best temperament, that is absolutely worth the price in knowing you have the most stable and clear-headed dog possible with your family.









Also, you would be surprised about what turns up in rescues. I ran into an impeccably obedience trained Rottweiler at the humane society I volunteered at. We are talking competition trained to a T. Why was the dog there? Owner probably died. Rescues are not just full of someone else's problem, they have true gems that are there through no fault of their own.


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## Toffifay (Feb 10, 2007)

This is my rescued GSD. I got her when she was one year old. She was completely unsocialized with other dogs, had virtually no training and was horrible with cats. She has always been excellent with all children, however!
She adapted very well to her new life with me and learned fast! They are German Shepherds....i.e....they are VERY intelligent! You can rehabilitate them, even if they aren't exactly how you want them to be when you first adopt them.
She is so devoted to me, I wouldn't have ever believed she once belonged to another person.


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## BlackPuppy (Mar 29, 2007)

About hips, when I had Doerak's hips x-rayed, I found out he had moderate dysplasia. I was visibly upset talking with the Orthopedic vet about how to make his life better, and he said, "don't worry, your dog's hips are probably better than 90% of the German Shepherds on the street." 

So, my opinion is, if there is no OFA certification (and you can check on the OFA website to verify), then don't even bother asking any other questions. 

For OFA certification, the dog has to have permanent identification in the form of a tatoo or a microchip. That way a breeder can't pass off some other dog's OFA on a dog with bad hips.


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## BlackPuppy (Mar 29, 2007)

Eisis, she's one beautiful dog. And for people who think it's too much work, UM, ever have a puppy!?!?


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## StGeorgeK9 (Jan 5, 2008)

I will also tell you this is a good place to hang around, go to the urgent and non-urgent sections on this board. Look at the beautiful dogs that are out there, that have been discarded. I bet if you hang out a while you will find a dog or puppy pretty close to home that needs you. 

Good luck!!


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## jackbauer1984 (Jan 21, 2010)

Thanks guys for all the info and suggestions. I'm not stuck on a puppy by any means. I will look at some of these shelters more in detail. While I have been looking for a few months I have just now become more serious and have had more time open up to researching everything. Last thing I wanted to do was jump right in and buy a bad puppy simply because it looked cute and the price seemed good.

Also to Kaitykaity, I was not saying ALL dogs in rescue centers have this background nor was I discriminating against abused dogs. Those dogs need love and good homes as well, but I have had an abused dog before and there would be certain things that would set him off (not sure if it was just memories or reactions to certain things). Most of them require more time and devotion to help them overcome certain things and they are risky with small children. Many rescue shelter workers have already told me this about a few dogs I was looking at. But again by no means am I discriminating against those dogs. 

I know the right dog is out there for me. I just need to take my time in finding him/her. I will follow-up on the several suggestions here. Thanks!


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## Jason L (Mar 20, 2009)

If you are in North Texas, check out Good Shepherds Rescue of North Texas.

This is one of the dogs they have, Garrison: 2 years old. Said to have a good temperament for a family pet.









Also, keep your eye on the rescue section of this board and on City of Irving shelter. For some reason there are always purebred GSD turning up there at that awful shelter.

Down south Austin has a really good GSD rescue group too.


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## BuoyantDog (Aug 21, 2009)

> Originally Posted By: Jack Bauer 1984I'm just having no luck in finding any german shepherds that are pure bred. We have little kids so having a mix without knowing what breeds is a big risk as far as temperament goes. Any suggestions?


I might offer.... Just because a shepherd is pure bred, it does not mean that their temperament is perfectly suited for young children. It almost sounds like you are implying that if their is a "mix" in there somewhere, the dog might have a "whacked" out temperament not suited for children. I would suggest that you judge individual dogs by their temperament, not based on what mixes they are, if they are a mix, or if they are purebred. I have met pure bred shepherds who would not do well with children at all, and I know shepherd mixes that are perfectly suited for very young children. 

So, I disagree with you that there is a risk involved if the shepherd has a mix, and/or you don't know what breed the shepherd is mixed with. Start looking at individuals, not breeds. I have met pit bulls who wouldn't harm a fly and love their children, and I have met labrador retrievers who would probably bite a child in the face. 

That being said, I am very happy that you are here and asking us questions. The people here are so knowledgeable, and I can tell that you want to be a responsible dog owner and adopt the best possible friend for you and your family. My dog might or might not be a mix (she has a blue eye!), and she lets toddlers pull her tail, throw rocks at her, throw sand in her eyes, etc. and she takes it like a champ! Stick around, we're here to help. Sincerely, Christina


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## gsdlove212 (Feb 3, 2006)

Jack, 
I understand where you are coming from in reguards to temperment. But let me ask you this...a poorly bred GSD is a poorly bred GSD. "Sometimes" there are GSD's in rescues with a history of abuse. That is true, but when you go with a rescue, odds are the dog has been in foster care for some time. The rescue has learned about the dogs temperment and will (if reputable) pass that info on to you. I would have to say that if you can not afford to go with a reputable breeder, then the risk of getting a poorly tempered GSD is higher if you go with a BYB or puppymill than if you went with rescue.


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## tnbsmommy (Mar 23, 2009)

I got our 3 yr old off of Craigs' list. She's a wonderful girl, came pretrained~all the way down to waits til the door opens, doesn't go through the trash no matter how yummy last nights dinner looks, and is housebroken. Her previous owners were moving and "couldn't" take her with them. Their loss is most definitely our gain. So, that may be an option too, could be someone in your area who has children and a gsd who can't keep the dog anymore.


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

I'd be WAY more worried about temperment on the male than anything else those photos showed. He looks fearful and since I'm guessing the guy who's holding him is someone he knows that's a HUGE RED FLAG.

Even if it was a stranger, you don't want an adult dog to be looking so cowed and worried. Fear issues can be passed on and a dog that grows as large as a GSD that's a nightmare that lasts the poor pups lifetime.

That pedigree means nothing, could mean I can have a sick viscious GSD and bred it to another fearful GSD with allergies and hip dysplasia. CKC AND ANY registry has no health or temperment part to it. 

Why it's worth doing the research to find a GREAT breeder who really knows what they are doing, and have dogs that you KNOW you like. And you'd rather wait and save a year to afford one of these than pay $400 for another that needs $1000 per HIP for surgery next year.

If I were you I'd go to a shelter or rescue before supporting the breeder with .01 cents of my money. Least the money at a rescue is helping dogs in need, not being spent to breed MORE dogs to possibly fill a shelter!


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## JKlatsky (Apr 21, 2007)

Craigslist is sometimes the first place people go to when they need to find their dog a home, but are not yet at the stage where desperation requires that they place the dog in a rescue or shelter. Obviously buyer beware. Some people are just BYBs trying to sell dogs that they bred, and there was an operation at one point of people who would pick up "free dogs" and resell them for profit to others.

I got Ike off of CL. He's a great dog and insanely trained and titled.


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## tnbsmommy (Mar 23, 2009)

Ike is Gorgeous!!! Yeah, I treated her like I was interviewing them just as much as they were interviewing me, I asked a ton of questions, and wanted lots of pictures. and wanted to make sure we were getting the right dog for us. Definitely be careful if you go that route, but there are great dogs on there whose owners are either moving, or can't afford them anymore.. I just looked in your area, there are a lot of puppies on there, I wouldn't get any of them, here's a few from the last couple weeks...

http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/pet/1556722451.html

http://dallas.craigslist.org/ftw/pet/1548515476.html

This one has pics, she's very pretty...
http://dallas.craigslist.org/ftw/pet/1544656338.html


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## jackbauer1984 (Jan 21, 2010)

Buoyant Dog, while I understand the point you're discussing I do disagree with parts of it as well. Yes not every dog of a particular breed will "fit the part;" meaning not every GSD will act like the typical dog in that breed. You have exceptions with anything. BUT when you are taking a mixed breed without knowing what the breed is mixed with you are taking a bigger risk. Simply because some breeds are more aggressive than others. Here in Texas we have a huge problem with mixed breeds involving pitts. While there may be some pitts that are very loving around children the fact is the breed has aggression problems and more times than not that is an issue. In my personal opinion you are taking a risk having a dog without knowing what breeds are in it. It's fine if you disagree with me on that. I appreciate the input. 

Again there are exceptions to everything. I have owned several mixed dogs in the past that were all very loving animals. So I'm not saying "mixed" means "whacked out" at all.

We could just call it a personal thing, but I would rather know what breeds my dog is if it is mixed.


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## pupresq (Dec 2, 2005)

Here's the problem with that though - there's a lot of circular logic that goes into people's breed ID. There's the idea that Pits are aggressive and then when a mixed breed dog is aggressive it gets labeled as a Pit, which reinforces the idea that Pits are aggressive, so that when a dog is aggressive people think it's a Pit... etc. etc. etc. But in reality the aggressive dogs being identified as "pit bulls" may have no bully breed ancestry at all. There was a recent thread on here that addressed that topic.

But to get back to GSDs - GSDs are a common breed and, as such, encompass a huge variety of individuals and temperament types. Because of that, it can be hard to generalize how they will be with children. In general, I've found them to be good dogs with kids, but it's not something you can guarantee just based on breed. Bouyant Dog is making a really good point about judging individuals rather than breed. It doesn't really matter what a certain breed is known for or what stereotypes about it exist if the dog you have in front of you is excellent with children.


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## pupresq (Dec 2, 2005)

As others have pointed out, not every dog, or even most dogs, in rescues/shelters have a history of abuse, but even when considering potentially abused dogs there are a lot of misconceptions.

For one thing, there's dog shyness - abuse versus weak nerves. You can have a dog that is shy because he was abused or a dog that is shy because he has weak nerves or a dog that was both abused AND has weak nerves. People tend to assume that any dog who came from rescue and is shy was abused. That's often not the case though and many of the dogs who come from rescue and are NOT shy, _were_ abused. So much depends on the dog's genetic temperament. 

People tend to assume that if a dog is raised in a loving home and well socialized it will grow up to be a friendly happy family pet but sadly, that's not true. Conversely, it's easy to assume that a dog who is beaten and starved will mistrust people and be aggressive, and happily that's not true either. 

This is why your chances of success are best going with either a well bred puppy from well-screened temperamentally sound parents rather than a back yard breeder with cheap puppies OR adopting an older puppy/adult dog from a rescue group that uses foster homes, who can tell you exactly what that individual dog is like. In your case, I'd lean towards the latter because small kids and young GSD puppies can be tough.


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## Mandalay (Apr 21, 2008)

To share a shelter dog experience....When I was 10-ish we adopted a dog from the local shelter. She was a Bearded Collie and estimated to be about a year old. We got her a week before school was out for the summer. Since she housebroken and already knew how to sit and lay down, I spent the summer teaching this dog to stay, crawl, carry things in her mouth, shake (with each paw), take things to different family members by name, speak, speak softly, and talk (grumble growl). She was the absolute BEST dog. So friendly. Sweet as candy. Bouncy. Happy. To this day I dont think she was dumped by her owner. I think she was a breeders dog who was taken and dumped or got lost...she was too awesome and well taken care of. My parents had her for 17 years (which makes be think she was under 1yo when we got her).

I dont think I could have grown up with a better dog that that shelter dog.


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## Amaruq (Aug 29, 2001)

I have not yet read all the replies but:



> Originally Posted By: Jack Bauer 1984Thanks for the links.
> 
> My only concern with some of the rescue ones is that several of the dogs I have found all seem to have some history of abuse and that sometimes makes animals a bit more riskier to have around small children.


And if you explain the situation to a GERMAN SHEPHERD RESCUE they will work to match you with the right dog or puppy. The mass majority of dogs in a breed specific rescue have their adoptable dogs in homes and can more readily evaluate their temperament, drive and see how they would mesh in different situations like with children or cats. Most shelters will do what they can but the dogs are not in a home situation so there may be things that the shelter will not observe about the dog since they are not in a home situation.

The black pup that Camerafodder posted is simply adorable!


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## BuoyantDog (Aug 21, 2009)

Jack, since the point of this post is to help you find a good GSD, I will make it short, because I do want to help you and for others to help you. 

I strongly disagree with your statement, "some breeds are more aggressive than others." However, that is a common judgement that 90% of people in today's society have decided, so who am I to disagree?? Sometimes I feel so alone in this matter. Usually, any old "aggressive" dog is labeled as a pitbull these days. I have had a number of people ask me if my dog is a pitbull mix. Is it the pointy ears? Large muzzle? Big white teeth? All black that invokes fear? Most "pits" don't even have these characteristics. I guess I will never understand. 

Please remember to judge individuals when looking for a GSD, not breeds, as they all have different personalities, temperaments, backgrounds, and ancestry.


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## jackbauer1984 (Jan 21, 2010)

Buoyant Dog, you are right. I am driving the discussion away from the original purpose. I'm sorry. Thanks for all the help you and others are providing. I'll keep in touch with my progress and will absolutely follow up on some of these suggestions. These forums are filled with wonderful information!!!


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## Fodder (Oct 21, 2007)

buoyant - think i understand your point... but i did want to clarify that certain breeds are more aggressive than others, and with that, i mean there is a difference between inappropriate aggression and natural aggression that has a purpose and an outlet. NO dog, be it a gsd, pit bull, poodle, jack russell, etc should ever be aggressive towards their family, children or even to strangers w/o valid cause... and ALL dogs need to be trained, socialized, and have their breeds purpose understood completely. the OP singled out pit bulls... so perhaps its their personal preference to avoid that breed. whether they understand the breed fully or not - its their choice. just as i'd want to know if my dog was mixed with a breed known to have certain traits . a border collie for instance isnt a good match for every household... so if i know that - i might initially think to avoid a gsdXborder collie, but i'd still judge each dog individually.

HOWEVER

another belief of mine is that - if a dog is such a low mix to where you can't even recognize the other breeds... i'd also think the chances are pretty low that the dog will exhibit that many of the other breeds traits. so if a dog looks like a german shepherd and acts like a german shepherd - i'm not going to wonder if a great great great grandparent had a drop of pitbull in them. but if that is a valid concern - then i'd be headed to a reputable breeder with generation after generation accounted for... not the dogs the OP posted. if thats the case - there are dogs in rescue that are better examples of the breed.

the mother in my opinion, looks like she had an akita grandparent.


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## Konotashi (Jan 11, 2010)

Personally, I don't feel that any dogs are naturally "aggressive." However, I do agree that some breeds are more prone to be raised and be aggressive due to the fact that their owners didn't research the breed and properly socialize them. Dog breeds are all different, so it's important to research a breed if anyone wants to add them to their family. Dog care is far from universal, but unfortunately, a lot of people don't realize this, and when they try to raise a Charpei the same way as a golden retriever, problems can arise.

I agree 100% with judging an individual rather than the breed it is.

Also, I'd like to add, that most dogs in shelters are dropped off by their owners, which will almost always tell the shelter what dogs it's mixed with. So you probably wouldn't have to worry about getting a GSD with an unknown mix.


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## BuoyantDog (Aug 21, 2009)

A German Shepherd Dog rescue near Dallas would be an awesome place to look, because most of the time, rescue dogs are living in a foster home - and some foster homes have children! So, their foster families can provide tons of information for you about what the dog is like on a daily basis and living a regular life. So, when ya find your friend, come back with A.D. (After Dog) pictures, otherwise, stick around with B.D. (Before Dog) questions. L8r.


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## Lin (Jul 3, 2007)

I just wanted to remind people that dog aggression and human aggression are not the same thing. Pit Bulls used to be nicknamed nanny dogs because of what great family pets they made, and how great they took care of the children. The little rascals dog was a pit bull. They have inherent dog aggression, but thats not the same as people aggression. Breeds such as the GSD are more likely to have human aggression than a pit bull, and the pit bull is more likely to have dog aggression than the GSD. Because of this its actually rather difficult to make most pit bulls human aggressive. At a shelter I used to volunteer we had a pit bull picked up by animal control that met the officer with a wagging tail and lots of licks. She had severe burns down her back that the vet said could only have been made by pouring boiling water on her. The assumption is someone was trying to turn her into a human aggressive dog, and when all methods failed dumped her on the street. 

My rescue dogs are great with kids







I used to live with 5 and 2 year old boys. The only problem we ever had was not being able to get the 2 year old boy to stop sharing his food with my dogs!


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## doggonefool (Apr 15, 2004)

Lots of great advice! I'm glad that all of our well meaning opinions doesn't appear to have scared you off. When you get down to it, we all have something in common; we are all crazy about our dogs, German Shepherd or not, and don't hesitate to voice this love when given the opportunity. 

Good Luck on your puppy search and please keep us posted!


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

I had to laugh at your statement that you couldn't find any purebred GSDs in the DFW area. I'm a volunteer with the Austin German Shepherd Rescue living in DFW. On Friday I called on a gorgeous young male Shepherd at the Lancaster animal shelter that had been there since Jan 5 and was scheduled to be put down that day. They're holding him for me until I can pick him up on Monday and I'll be fostering him until he gets adopted.

If you're interested in going through AGSDR, send me a PM and I'll be more than happy to talk with you. 

We've been low on dogs lately due to a lack of foster homes, but now that we've re-opened intake I expect we'll have a lot more dogs on the website in a short amount of time.


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