# Non GSD puppy too mellow or is this normal?



## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

Sorry this is so long but I want to give full story.. as a few of you might know already we recently got a 5 month old mix puppy from the pound. He has got some lab, likely some border collie and I don't know what all else mixed it. I really hadn't planned on a puppy at this point, I was afraid I didn't have enough energy for one. Turns out I shouldn't have worried... Or should I be worried?  Its been over 15 years since I've had a non GSD puppy but I don't remember a puppy ever being this easy. He gets up goes out and goes potty then comes and sits next to me while I check my email and wake up. He gets the zoomies after a little while, so Buddy and I go outside and I throw a ball for him. We walk the perimeter of the yard, (about 2 1/2 acres fenced) well he runs it and runs around us. We work on a few commands, sit, come down... Then we go for a ride, somewhere local maybe to the library or the car wash or the post office or a couple of days a week we will go further and visit the vets office for some socialization. I come home feed them then he and Buddy go out to the spa room and pen while I go to work. After about 5 hours husband comes home from work and plays chase with them and sometimes brings a friend to play with puppy as well. I get home we have supper and feed dogs in the evening the puppy is content to lie in my lap or near us while we read, play on the computer or watch t.v. one more trip outside to potty and run around a little then when I say its bedtime he goes right into his kennel with very little fuss. Not to complain but this does not seem normal to me? He seems way to mellow for a puppy or is this what non GSD dogs are like?


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## ksotto333 (Aug 3, 2011)

I think he just sounds like a laid back pup. As long as he's eating well, is alert, and plays when you want him to I wouldn't worry. Just relax and enjoy him..


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

Thanks. I've never had a lab before. Even my 9 year old shepherd is always in my face, pet me now, lets go for a ride, can I have another cookie? And his brother Shadow was 10 times more high maintence, play now, play more now, I want to keep playing. This is when they were adult dogs, as puppies they were terrors. This pup just seems like an old soul. I don't think he has had much love or good attention in his life. He eats normal, pee's and poops just fine. Its just so wierd not having him bouncing off the walls. It kinda worries me.


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## Kaiser2012 (Mar 12, 2012)

Dakota was ridiculously laid back. She was a rescue I brought home at 8 weeks. She had been with the rescue for 2 weeks prior and came to me underweight, terrified, and with a yeast infection. The first night she slept in her crate without a peep for 8 hours. And every night thereafter. She NEVER pottied in her crate once, and only had accidents if she drank too much and then played a little too hard. She was an awesome pup (and still is, at 6 years). She is the most laid back dog I've ever known. Crazy smart with the most intelligent eyes, but no drive of the GSD or collie breeds she has in her genes. If Dakota could be a new species of dog, I would own her kind for the rest of my life.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Don't be worried. My friends lab is very, very laid back. Mr. Magoo is very well named.  She once told me, after watching Jax bring the ball back to me all ready to burst, that she could never have a GSD because of their energy level. lol


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## mysweetkaos (Sep 20, 2011)

Sherman is the same way!! Kaos was more active with severe arthritis than Sherman is on a normal day In fact by 9 last night he moved the baby gate and went upstairs to bed while my husband and I were on the main level watching TV. He gets a couple of periods of zoomies a day that last about 10 minutes, then he crashes. He humors me on walks 2x a day, but he would rather not.......Loves car rides!!

All of this and he is 1/2 GSD.....so I can't imagine what a full Mastiff is like:crazy:

I'm sure your pup is fine. I think when you have GSD's you don't realize how active they are, because you love doing it all for them. Then you get one that isn't a GSD and are amazed at the difference in activity needed.


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## Twyla (Sep 18, 2011)

Sounds like my lab. She is more then ready and willing to rough and tumble with Woolf, run circles in the yard and so on. But then she is also more then ready to just lay by your side, or in your lap IF you let her (more like half in your lap 75 lbs don't fit lol ) and just be very laid back otherwise.


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

Thanks so much everyone. Why didn't someone tell me about these awesome dogs years ago?  My first dog as an adult was a Shepherd I thought all puppies were high maintence.. How could I have missed out on these smart mellow dogs for so long.


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## LaneyB (Feb 5, 2012)

My lab is a very sweet, mellow dog. He is no longer able to play, but when he was younger he loved to play with his jolly ball. He was a bit of a stinker about grabbing things and running outside with them, hoping we would chase him. If he had something he shouldn't, and we would tell him "drop it!", he would always look to see if he could get past us to run out the door before deciding if he was going to drop it or not. Not good behavior, but it always made me chuckle inside.


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## mysweetkaos (Sep 20, 2011)

shepherdmom said:


> Thanks so much everyone. Why didn't someone tell me about these awesome dogs years ago?  My first dog as an adult was a Shepherd I thought all puppies were high maintence.. How could I have missed out on these smart mellow dogs for so long.


NO doubt. Only dogs I'd ever raised from pups were GSD...so I had no idea!! Now that we've discussed someday getting another I told my husband we should look for a 2-3 yr old rescue because Sherman has spoiled me for laid back puppies.....although he WAS an absolute landshark for awhile. I used to tell my husband he couldn't be outside alone with the kids for even a second when he was young because it looked like SCH trials


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

mysweetkaos said:


> NO doubt. Only dogs I'd ever raised from pups were GSD...so I had no idea!! Now that we've discussed someday getting another I told my husband we should look for a 2-3 yr old rescue because Sherman has spoiled me for laid back puppies.....although he WAS an absolute landshark for awhile. I used to tell my husband he couldn't be outside alone with the kids for even a second when he was young because it looked like SCH trials


Oh I'm not saying my little guy isn't a landshark  in fact he is teething and I've found a coupe of those sharp little needle baby teeth on the floor but he is so much more mellow about the whole process. He doesn't have to be in constant motion. He can lay down an happily destroy a toy rather than running around the house getting stuffing everywhere and finding 10 other things to stop and chew on.... its just weird. But a good wierd.  How are you and Sherman doing BTW?


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## TheVintageAngel (Oct 4, 2011)

Oh crud I did it backwards. My first pup was a mix and was truly laid back just like this. The only issues we worked on were chewing shoes and potty training issues. 

Now I have a GSD puppy and OH MY GOODNESS :help: ....the energy level....the spazziness, she has two speeds "Fast Forward" and "Sleeping (getting ready to reload to fast forward again".


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

TheVintageAngel said:


> Oh crud I did it backwards. My first pup was a mix and was truly laid back just like this. The only issues we worked on were chewing shoes and potty training issues.
> 
> Now I have a GSD puppy and OH MY GOODNESS :help: ....the energy level....the spazziness, she has two speeds "Fast Forward" and "Sleeping (getting ready to reload to fast forward again".


lol lol that is what I was expecting. It is why I keep worrying my puppy is sick.  I really thought all puppies were like that.


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