# A bemused vent



## Amadan (9 mo ago)

So, Saturday, Finn & I were enjoying the dog park.
Around eight dogs, of differing breeds, about Finn's size, all romping, running, and playing nicely.

A new couple began to enter the enclosure, with their dog (_Greyhound mix?_).
Typically, all the dogs run to the gate area, to see who the newcomer is.
I always put Finn in a sit, about 15 feet away, so as to not contribute to the new dog being overwhelmed by too many welcoming noses,
and to demonstrate that my dog is under control.

As Finn quietly & patiently sat, awaiting his turn to greet, the woman-owner looked me straight in the eye, and proclaimed loudly:
"My dog was nipped by a German Shepherd".
Me: "I'm sorry to hear that".
(_I am notoriously sarcastic - it took all my inner strength not to reply further_)
[Meanwhile, I'm thinking to myself: "It wasn't MY GSD. What do you expect me to do?"]

They released their dog from it's leash, but she was overheard admonishing her dog about playing with certain others, or touching things.
Not sure what their expectations, regarding the dog park, were.

The other patrons looked on, in puzzlement, and confided quietly "What's her problem?" "Why did she single you out?" "Finn is always nice".
Eventually, they left, and our fuzzy kids continued romping.

I just shrugged my shoulders.


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## drparker151 (Apr 10, 2020)

We all have biases, but it is bad form to go around announcing them.

Mine is little white dogs, I've had so many charge and attack my different dogs over the years that I do not like or trust them.


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## Katiebob (Aug 9, 2021)

We have a game called GSD bingo and if you hear/see any of the following you get to take out your imaginary card and give it a dab

"My dog was attacked by a GSD"
"I was attacked by a GSD"
Picking their small dog up
Picking their child up
Screaming and running (we have had this when Juno hadn't even approached a family and was a fair distance away)

Its a good way to pass a walk 🤣


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## WNGD (Jan 15, 2005)

I had a couple tell me "german Shepherds are unpredictable" yesterday. 
I said "I know, I'm always having to watch over my shoulder...."


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

So far, all I have heard is "Oh, I grew up with GSDs", Usually after i tell them that she is a GSD as many don't recognize the sable coat as a GSD. It has always been positive.


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## alwaysGSD (6 mo ago)

I've never had people make comments directly to me, but I have gotten the apparent fear moves: people crossing the street as we approach, hands above their shoulders when my GSD's approach them, even parents bringing their children in the house when we walk by (the kids are never afraid). It's probably understandable due to lack of knowledge, but I do realize there are bad owners and you never know what experiences they've had in the past.

Yesterday my wife and I were working our 8 month old GSD off leash in a huge empty soccer field park. Off in the distance I observed a couple with two children come to the parking lot, get out and go to the pavilion. The husband pointed in our direction and they all immediately got in the car and left. I can only imagine the conversation. She's just a puppy people


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## Tank040415 (Jun 6, 2015)

GSDs are on lists of the most dangerous dogs. On some of them, as high as 3rd most dangerous. Pit bulls are obviously pretty much always #1. To me, it's not always the animal. It's the owner. I sometimes feel the same way about children...

I had my boss give me an "are you serious?" face when I told him I got a GSD. He also proceeded to tell me what I just stated above and that he'd never have a dog off that list. It's sad.

My cousin has adopted 2 pit bulls and they are ANGELS. She trained them right and they are as sweet as can be.


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## Amadan (9 mo ago)

This circumstance simply caught me "off guard".
The VAST majority of comments/reactions we receive are quite positive.


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## Sunsilver (Apr 8, 2014)

drparker151 said:


> We all have biases, but it is bad form to go around announcing them.
> 
> Mine is little white dogs, I've had so many charge and attack my different dogs over the years that I do not like or trust them.


Oh, I hear ya on the little white dog thing! I would get so many of them when I had the kennel. Used to call them 'multipoos' as most were poodle mixes. 🤣 Some were nice, some were little terrors!


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## Hopps (Dec 5, 2021)

OP, you didn't know that all german shepherd owners are linked together through an invisible neural pathway? She probably wanted you to let us all know that we should say sorry. 😂 

Ok jokes aside people are really weird. I don't mind that people dislike GSDs, I prefer to not have too much interaction with people when I'm out. Sorry, you went through that though, super awkward.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

LOL!!! The running and screaming ought to get you the free spot in the middle of the bingo card.


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## Chuuyas_Wine_Glass (4 mo ago)

Every person I walk past with mine or everyone who asks what kind of dog I have and hears German Shepherd seems to feel the need to tell me about their own experience or someone else's experience being attacked by one and how could I own such a horrible mean breed? I never even realized how bad their rep was until I got her, but I just laugh at them honestly. At least no one's gonna want to risk breaking in my house and we should be pretty safe on walks just bc of their bad rep. People always either cross WAY over, or turn around and run the other way! 😆


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## Jenny720 (Nov 21, 2014)

Everyone one seems to have a bad gsd story back in the day either their own sorry or their great great grandmother. It’s not that uncommon for peope to dislike certain breeds. It did what is it. Don’t let them put any shade on your day.


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## alwaysGSD (6 mo ago)

I have a small story that may or may not be completely accurate but I took it to heart: A Police K9 Officer lived next to me for a few years. He also trained GSD's for other municipalities. He once told me of all the burglary calls he had over the years, many victims had dogs. I was told he never once responded to a break-in to a home that had a GSD. His logic was most perpetrators check out the home before deciding to burglarize it. If they notice a GSD, they disregard the house. Take that story with caution as I don't have proof of his claim. 
If it's true, then I don't mind the fear GSD's create in people. May be better than a home security system


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## Amadan (9 mo ago)

I appreciate all the kind replies.
I'm quite aware of the existing bias toward GSDs... I simply have not experienced any first hand, until now . 
Most encounters have been very pleasant, usually including requests to pet Finn.
(_our previous GSD lived 13 years, passed in 2016... never once did I encounter any negativity_)
In the end, the recent event was really not any big deal... just caught me unprepared, I guess.


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## Rosebud99 (9 mo ago)

alwaysGSD said:


> I have a small story that may or may not be completely accurate but I took it to heart: A Police K9 Officer lived next to me for a few years. He also trained GSD's for other municipalities. He once told me of all the burglary calls he had over the years, many victims had dogs. I was told he never once responded to a break-in to a home that had a GSD. His logic was most perpetrators check out the home before deciding to burglarize it. If they notice a GSD, they disregard the house. Take that story with caution as I don't have proof of his claim.
> If it's true, then I don't mind the fear GSD's create in people. May be better than a home security system


My house was broken into 6 days after I had new living room and dining room furniture delivered. They broke in the front door then pulled their pickup into the garage and loaded it to overflowing. A neighbor saw the truck and thought I was moving out. Anyway, when the sheriff deputies came they told me to either put up a strong gate or get a big dog. We put up an 8' cedar fence and a strong gate. Several years later and six months after my husband passed I got my first German Shepherd.

...and have had one ever since.


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## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

To add some understanding - look at the civil rights activities in the southern US in the 1950s- 1960s. It might give you some perspective on why the breed is regarded skeptically by some people.


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## WNGD (Jan 15, 2005)

alwaysGSD said:


> I have a small story that may or may not be completely accurate but I took it to heart: A Police K9 Officer lived next to me for a few years. He also trained GSD's for other municipalities. He once told me of all the burglary calls he had over the years, many victims had dogs. I was told he never once responded to a break-in to a home that had a GSD. His logic was most perpetrators check out the home before deciding to burglarize it. If they notice a GSD, they disregard the house. Take that story with caution as I don't have proof of his claim.
> If it's true, then I don't mind the fear GSD's create in people. May be better than a home security system


Would YOU break in?


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## Zenapupper (Apr 1, 2021)

I agree with @WNGD on this one. I know it sucks having to hear the bad rep regarding our dogs but on the bright side the fear keeps the burglars at bay!


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## Sunsilver (Apr 8, 2014)

A professor of mine had a house that backed onto a ravine. There was a string of burglaries on his street, and his house was the only one not broken into. He said it was because of his dog, a Sheltie. So dogs don't always have to be big to be a deterrent!


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## Tank040415 (Jun 6, 2015)

WNGD said:


> Would YOU break in?
> View attachment 593493


Maybe... 😅😅 if I get to hug em!!!


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## NadDog24 (May 14, 2020)

Zenapupper said:


> I agree with @WNGD on this one. I know it sucks having to hear the bad rep regarding our dogs but on the bright side the fear keeps the burglars at bay!


I agree, definitely one of the pros but also a con at the same time. As a young lady I feel much safer walking in public places by myself if I have Nadja with me. She helps me feel more confident in situations that would normally make me apprehensive.


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## WNGD (Jan 15, 2005)

Tank040415 said:


> Maybe... 😅😅 if I get to hug em!!!


Might be fun


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I was at the vet today and a large chocolate labrador kept coming over to me and getting right up into me. I thought of this thread, and I thought about saying, "it's always the chocolate labs that try to bite me." But I didn't. You can get away with that shtuff if it's against GSD owners. It is true though. For some reason the brown labs don't like me.


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## Hopps (Dec 5, 2021)

Sunsilver said:


> A professor of mine had a house that backed onto a ravine. There was a string of burglaries on his street, and his house was the only one not broken into. He said it was because of his dog, a Sheltie. So dogs don't always have to be big to be a deterrent!


The burglar probably didn't want to get hearing damage while he took the time to break in and take stuff 😂 I swear shelties can breathe while they bark for hours!


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## davewis (Jan 7, 2020)

This might be a regional thing or a training thing.

90% of the time when people stop and talk, they tell me how awesome the german shepherd they had on the farm as a kid. There are usually tails of something heroic the dog did combine with a shaking of the head about how the dog was a hand full if it or a neighbor dog went into heat.

Ole is really reactive. Every single time we approach some people or another dog, I whistle him to my side for a heel and a couple of treats. Unless the other dog is particularly bonkers, Ole is more interested in my hand or the treat pouch than the person or animal.

I must be turning into an old guy. I sat on a lawn chair on the front porch for Halloween. All the knocks and doorbell rings put Ole on edge. As I sat on the porch, Ole Lay inside on the bed, cool as a cucumber, watching.


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## Katiebob (Aug 9, 2021)

NadDog24 said:


> I agree, definitely one of the pros but also a con at the same time. As a young lady I feel much safer walking in public places by myself if I have Nadja with me. She helps me feel more confident in situations that would normally make me apprehensive.


Yep. I'll take Juno round the woods by myself quite happily but wouldn't go alone. She's a great big scaredy cat and I don't have much confidence that she'd protect me if something happened but she looks the part!


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## Amadan (9 mo ago)

Deterrence was certainly not the reason we got our GSD, but I'll accept the side benefit.


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## car2ner (Apr 9, 2014)

hubby got our big-boy when my "last dog" passed away. 2 reasons. 1, he loves GSDs 2. as a walking partner for me since that is one of my favorite activities. He didn't want me walking alone. That is when I found out that people either love GSDs or fear them. Or some admire them from afar. To be honest, when I am walking my gal-dog and I see someone walking their German Shepherd, I will say Hi from a distance and we can chat across the street or park or whatever. And we don't share dog parks because if anything happened, no matter who's fault, the Big Bad German Shepherd will get blamed.


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## Carter Smith (Apr 29, 2016)

Before I got Ellie, this was my personal experience with GSDs, one down the street jumped its fence and bit elderly women and her dog, another has HA. Another goes bananas at my dogs whenever we pass them and the owner seems impressed by this. My mom was running one day one skipped its yard and bit her. Two farm gsds with phenomenal temperaments and everything you would want in one. I don’t know what I’m trying to say here other than, in the wrong hands I could understand why these dogs would get a bad name.


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## NadDog24 (May 14, 2020)

car2ner said:


> no matter who's fault, the Big Bad German Shepherd will get blamed.


Very true. One time while down at the river with a bunch of family (and their dogs), a cousin of mine threw a ball into the river for Nadja, she was chased it into the river and had just climbed out of the water when my cousin’s lab attacked her because in her mind, Nadja had taken her ball. Of course Nadja took the blunt of the blame because only me and the person throwing the ball saw what happened leading up to the fight. Only a handful of people believed me when I explained what went down because “No way the lab would start a fight!”


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## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

Shelties can bark all day and not get tired. That is the only bad thing about the breed.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

LuvShepherds said:


> Shelties can bark all day and not get tired. That is the only bad thing about the breed.


I used to train with this crazy lady whose breed was shelties. At first, I thought, "how cute, miniature collies, I'd love to have a miniature shepherd." Then I started paying attention to the yapping. Shepherds bark and sometimes they howl, and I love their howling, but can do without 70% of the barking. But a sheltie would last about 49 seconds with me. And if the process if shrinking a GSD turns their vocal cords into yapping, no thanks. Maybe these big dogs will help my mobility if I ever have that as an issue as I get older. Of course the majority of my mobility needs are taking care of the dogs. Sigh. 

My sister was saying that when she goes to get a second dog, she is thinking about a small dog because of the older women that live in the home. I gave her an earful about how small dogs are smaller, but they are often more difficult to house train and do not necessarily have the same biddible temperament that shepherds have. But the pup's strength and size coupled with NE Ohio's ice caused them to go down outside. They do love their dog and I reassured her that in another 9 years, with patience and persistance, he will be the best dog in the neighborhood. She only laughed a little and said something about how I went from 2 years to 3 years the last time I talked to her. Well, I said something to the effect that we learn the most from the challenging dogs. The good news is that Kai loves me. He pees a little when he sees me, so we meet outside. But he is getting there.


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## dojoson41 (Oct 14, 2018)

alwaysGSD said:


> I have a small story that may or may not be completely accurate but I took it to heart: A Police K9 Officer lived next to me for a few years. He also trained GSD's for other municipalities. He once told me of all the burglary calls he had over the years, many victims had dogs. I was told he never once responded to a break-in to a home that had a GSD. His logic was most perpetrators check out the home before deciding to burglarize it. If they notice a GSD, they disregard the house. Take that story with caution as I don't have proof of his claim.
> If it's true, then I don't mind the fear GSD's create in people. May be better than a home security system


years ago there was a youtube video from a tv crime show about break-ins and how to avoid them that showed an ex burglar showing how and why he broke into houses. this 2 story house had no visible large dog signs like water/feed bowls etc so as the tv crew filmed and he had on a go-pro, he climbed up to the always unlocked second floor window via the garage and as he opened the window no sound or site but then when he turn back to go in thru the window a large black and tan German shepherd dog was sitting right there in his face with this dont even try it look on it-he fell. I will never get the picture out of my mind.


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## dojoson41 (Oct 14, 2018)

Sunsilver said:


> A professor of mine had a house that backed onto a ravine. There was a string of burglaries on his street, and his house was the only one not broken into. He said it was because of his dog, a Sheltie. So dogs don't always have to be big to be a deterrent!


my female GSD barks up a storm for everything, the male never barks, took me 2 years just to teach him to speak and its still just a quite woof?


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## pfeller (Sep 10, 2019)

wolfy dog said:


> many don't recognize the sable coat as a GSD


My two youngest GSDs are sables (just over a yr old now) 
I get asked what mix they are. I tell them German Shepherd. They always come back with, 'and what else'.
If I'm feeling a bit salty I tell them "well... the DNA test said they are about 40% hellhound, but I don't like to mention that"


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## Hellish (Jul 29, 2017)

Amadan said:


> As Finn quietly & patiently sat, awaiting his turn to greet, the woman-owner looked me straight in the eye, and proclaimed loudly:
> "My dog was nipped by a German Shepherd".
> Me: "I'm sorry to hear that".


I am with you, hard to hold back on the sarcasm or being inappropriate. We had a similar encounter. My boy was like 6 mos old and we were in the big dog area of the dog park. In walks a woman carrying two Chihuahuas. One of them is completely destroyed with massive scars and a missing eye and it is having a meltdown even before she put it down. Woman proceeds to tell us that her dog had been attacked by a GSD. I just took my dog and left. I so wanted to tear into this fool for bringing that poor animal into a big dog area after such an event.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

selzer said:


> I was at the vet today and a large chocolate labrador kept coming over to me and getting right up into me. I thought of this thread, and I thought about saying, "it's always the chocolate labs that try to bite me." But I didn't. You can get away with that shtuff if it's against GSD owners. It is true though. For some reason the brown labs don't like me.


Chocolate Labs always seem to be hyper and out of control. Never seen one that was properly trained. And they often use them to create doodles too, even more horrifying.


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## dogma13 (Mar 8, 2014)

Any dog can be taught a quiet command. This is my Sheltie "AJ's Little Hatch"(R.I.P.) who never barked excessively, with a neighbor's pup.I would love to have another, but it's increasingly difficult to find a decent breeder.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

dogma13 said:


> Any dog can be taught a quiet command. This is my Sheltie "AJ's Little Hatch"(R.I.P.) who never barked excessively, with a neighbor's pup.I would love to have another, but it's increasingly difficult to find a decent breeder.
> View attachment 593587


I love his beautiful, moderate coat. They don't seem to breed them like that anymore. Barky breeds can be easily taught to be quiet by never rewarding it with attention, treats or by not giving them anything they want at that moment of barking (starting asap after taking them in as pups)


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## TayStrike (12 mo ago)

middleofnowhere said:


> To add some understanding - look at the civil rights activities in the southern US in the 1950s- 1960s. It might give you some perspective on why the breed is regarded skeptically by some people.


I get why some people are often wary or even fearful of the breed due to police/military dogs etc but conversely they were also the first guide dogs, the first search and rescue dogs etc. it’s a shame human beings tend to dwell on the negative 😒


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## Amadan (9 mo ago)

The part I found most perplexing:
As she is taking the time/effort to inform me of her dog's previous unfortunate episode with a GSD (_we were "parked" several feet away_)-
7 other dogs are swarming her cowering pooch.
Priorities.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

dogma13 said:


> Any dog can be taught a quiet command. This is my Sheltie "AJ's Little Hatch"(R.I.P.) who never barked excessively, with a neighbor's pup.I would love to have another, but it's increasingly difficult to find a decent breeder.
> View attachment 593587


I love how beautiful they look. Until they open their mouths. But then this trainer whose breed of choice was Shelties, couldn't teach her Great Dane pup do go down without body slamming him. She explained that he doesn't have the work ethic my Babs had, who was about the same age, 8 months at the time. So maybe she just wasn't able to train her Shelties to quiet down.


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## Réa538 (Mar 25, 2021)

pfeller said:


> My two youngest GSDs are sables (just over a yr old now)
> I get asked what mix they are. I tell them German Shepherd. They always come back with, 'and what else'.
> If I'm feeling a bit salty I tell them "well... the DNA test said they are about 40% hellhound, but I don't like to mention that"


 I get the same thing and have a dark sable. People are just uneducated. What kind of dog is that and is he friendly...I started telling people, no. Lol


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## cagal (Sep 3, 2013)

Yes, I’ve been asked what kind of mix Django is. When I say he’s a GSD, I get no he’s not. Because I wouldn’t what kind of dog I have _sigh_. I think the sable coat really throws people off.


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## Hopps (Dec 5, 2021)

wolfy dog said:


> Chocolate Labs always seem to be hyper and out of control. Never seen one that was properly trained. And they often use them to create doodles too, even more horrifying.


There’s a man with a chocolate lab that is very very well trained but it’s a big dog. It is probably around 100lbs, not overweight. We asked if it was an English or American. He said the dog is from Swedish lines? I didn’t get much info online. I saw a chocolate lab punch a toddler in the face one time though…


dogma13 said:


> Any dog can be taught a quiet command. This is my Sheltie "AJ's Little Hatch"(R.I.P.) who never barked excessively, with a neighbor's pup.I would love to have another, but it's increasingly difficult to find a decent breeder.
> View attachment 593587


I’ve only seen a handful of shelties, a lot of them were a bit “nervy” and had an awful extremely high pitched yelp bark. I’m guessing the shy/nervousness is common these days?

One Sheltie was awesome. Nothing existed when there was a frisbee. Super confident, cordial and almost aloof? The dog was very focused on her owner. She barked like crazy when running after the frisbee and even when she had it in her mouth. The owner said she only does it during play. They seem to be very high energy but the other ones I’ve seen don’t get much exercise


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## dogma13 (Mar 8, 2014)

@Hopps I'm not happy with what I'm seeing from the little bit of research I've done on Sheltie breeders in the last few years.The sturdy little working type is not easy to find nowadays.


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## car2ner (Apr 9, 2014)

pfeller said:


> My two youngest GSDs are sables (just over a yr old now)
> I get asked what mix they are. I tell them German Shepherd. They always come back with, 'and what else'.
> If I'm feeling a bit salty I tell them "well... the DNA test said they are about 40% hellhound, but I don't like to mention that"


When people saw my big-boy and asked what he was mixed with, my answer was "more German Shepherd". I usually got an eyeroll from that.


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## WNGD (Jan 15, 2005)

People don't know labs come in chocolate, poodles come in standard (and work!), there's no such thing as a Golden Lab and German Shepherds come in Sable....don't sweat the small stuff.


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## dogfaeries (Feb 22, 2010)

I find it curious that Lab people seem to refer to their dog with the color, like it’s the name of the breed. “Chocolate lab” or “black lab”. Oh and “yellow lab”


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## WNGD (Jan 15, 2005)

dogfaeries said:


> I find it curious that Lab people seem to refer to their dog with the color, like it’s the name of the breed. “Chocolate lab” or “black lab”. Oh and “yellow lab”


I don't know why but .... very different personalities seem to generally go with the color


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## dogfaeries (Feb 22, 2010)

WNGD said:


> I don't know why but .... very different personalities seem to generally go with the color


Many people think that red poodles are lunatics. My theory is that the ones we see are just poorly bred. Lots of breeding just for color in dogs.


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## Katiebob (Aug 9, 2021)

dogfaeries said:


> I find it curious that Lab people seem to refer to their dog with the color, like it’s the name of the breed. “Chocolate lab” or “black lab”. Oh and “yellow lab”


I see this a lot on the raw feeding Facebook groups I’m on. “I have a fox red lab” “I have a blue staffy” and then their question…

It’s food. The colour of your dog isn’t going to affect what you feed them.


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## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

wolfy dog said:


> Chocolate Labs always seem to be hyper and out of control. Never seen one that was properly trained. And they often use them to create doodles too, even more horrifying.


For some reason chocolate labs are extremely active and not trained very well. My friend had one and it wanted to kill every dog when we walked together. It much have something to do with traits that tend to appear with the color.


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## LuvShepherds (May 27, 2012)

Hopps said:


> There’s a man with a chocolate lab that is very very well trained but it’s a big dog. It is probably around 100lbs, not overweight. We asked if it was an English or American. He said the dog is from Swedish lines? I didn’t get much info online. I saw a chocolate lab punch a toddler in the face one time though…
> 
> I’ve only seen a handful of shelties, a lot of them were a bit “nervy” and had an awful extremely high pitched yelp bark. I’m guessing the shy/nervousness is common these days?
> 
> One Sheltie was awesome. Nothing existed when there was a frisbee. Super confident, cordial and almost aloof? The dog was very focused on her owner. She barked like crazy when running after the frisbee and even when she had it in her mouth. The owner said she only does it during play. They seem to be very high energy but the other ones I’ve seen don’t get much exercise


Shelties herd by barking and nipping, so it’s bred into them. They can be quiet. They seem like easy dogs but they need consistent training and handling and to be rewarded when they don’t bark. they need lots of exercise. They should not be left outdoors alone.


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## dogfaeries (Feb 22, 2010)

I’ve had two shelties. I thought they were really easy dogs, and not particular barky. I did get them from people who showed.


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## misfitz616 (Jan 10, 2022)

WNGD said:


> I don't know why but .... very different personalities seem to generally go with the color


I hear this in horses, too. Chestnut horses are supposedly more spirited. And don't get me started on tortoishell/calico cats 😂 They're supposedly more spicy/attitude...mine certainly was. Black or tuxedo cats are supposedly the most chill. Funnily enough, orange cats also have a reputation for being chill...it's just the torties that get the bad rap.


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## pfeller (Sep 10, 2019)

Réa538 said:


> What kind of dog is that and is he friendly...I started telling people, no. Lol


I've gotten to the point I just try to avoid people when I have my dogs. Not that they aren't friendly or anything (the dogs), they are covid puppies, they haven't been socialized at all, around people. So when someone comes walking by, they alert/freak out. Their bark is so deep and low and turns nearly to a howl. The woof woof woof turns into a woof, woo, woo, wooooooof. 
I think its adorable, but from the expressions I've seen on others, maybe not so much to them. Those that power through that initial greeting get the message of the partial hellhound. 
This is when they were about 5 months and when I started calling them my hellhounds in training.


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## jfert (9 mo ago)

My last dog was a chocolate lab, but he thought he was a GSD (which is why I now have a GSD). His favorite activity was bite work and he was a beast. We just did it for fun and we never competed, although I always wanted to. He would patrol the house for strangers at night and he broke two windows “protecting” against people approaching the house. 

I also saw a documentary where they interviewed burglars who were locked up to ask what they targeted and what was a deterrent. Hands down, a big dog or signs of a big dog (bowl, leash etc) was the number one deterrent. They didn’t care at all about alarm systems.


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