# Not sure what Im looking for



## SeaGoat (Dec 31, 2016)

We recently lost our sweet Rudi.
Shes left a large gaping hole in our family that the tears can not fill. 
My heart has been shredded, my two sons are horribly devastated, and my husband is trying to avoid most conversation about her due to the continuous heartbreak. 


Im not ready for a new puppy just yet. 
Id like to wait till the end of spring or early summer, but I want to start looking around for breeders and watching for future litters.

We have 2 dogs currently. 
Mary is a 12 year old shepherd mix we rescued as a hurricane displacement at 3 months old. She is a laid back dog that spends most of her time tucked under a table or in a corner sleeping. She loves everybody and every animal.


Ba'al is our 7 year old male GSD we brought home at 8 weeks old. He cares deeply about is his ball. 
Just throw it. Dont touch it! Just throw it 
He also really enjoys dinner time and having his ears rubbed.



Rudi was our 9 year old GSD. We adopted her from a former police officer when she was just under a year old. 
Rudi had a very very high prey drive. She was always go-go-go-go-go. You would literally have to make her stop.
Very very very protective. If my husband was away overnight night she was the one I chose to have by my bedside. 
She would lay her life down for any one of us and not give it a second thought. 
Mary would just watch from a corner and Ba'al, being the big chicken he is, would run and hide from an intruder.
Even at the moment of her passing Rudi didnt let us out of her sight. 
I miss her so much. It feels like a light has gone out in this family.


I dont mean for this to sound like a tribute, more of the qualities Im looking for. 
I dont want the extreme high prey drive she had. Any little dog or cat that passed by was an issue for her. 
Id like a dog thats protective, but also toned down.

Rudi was also a Golden GSD. Id really like another one, but looking over breeders Im just not seeing them. 
Because we got Rudi at almost a year old, Im not sure what a golden GSD puppy would look like at 8-10 weeks old. Im not sure how the genes are carried out either if I were to put a reserve on a littler. 



Im leery of getting another male. 
I took in my sisters male Pit Bull in for a short time when her housing unexpectedly changed. I had him from about 4 months to 7 months. Ba'al enjoyed him at first, but I guess as my sisters dog got older pecking order became an issue and they got to a point where they had to be separated at all times. They literally just could not get along.

From what Ive noticed females seem to be more 'family' oriented and males seem to be, not so much about themselves, but Ba'al seems to really only want you to scratch him, feed him, and throw his ball for him..
Im probably not giving Ba'al a fair analysis during my grieving. 

The hair. We all know it comes with the territory, but goodness! Rudi was a shedder like Ive never seen! Ba'al sheds, but Rudi seemed to leave little animals everywhere she went, no matter how much she got brushed. 
I dont know if that is something that comes unique to each dog or if its a genetic thing...?
Ba'als hair is a little more coarse than hers was. She was actually pretty soft.

Anyways, Im not sure about what Im looking for as far as "terms" go. ie, terms like "working dogs". 
Id like to be a little more picky than we have been in the past. Not that our dogs havent been amazing dogs, but Id like to make sure were going to get one that fits our family's needs and has the best chance at a genetically healthy life.


Could someone help guide me in the direction I think Im wanting to go, please?


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## My Black Shadow (Jan 1, 2017)

I'm new here myself, so I'm not able to advise you. I just wanted to write back and offer my sympathy on your loss. It's sooooo painful when a dog passes – I've been through it twice. Rudy sounds like an incredible dog and friend. My condolences to you and your family.


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

From the pictures you posted Rudy looks like he may be mostly West German Show Lines.

The Golden color is a lack of Black Pigmentation, and would be considered a fault, so reputable breeders would NOT breed for this color - (not that it made Rudy any less of a wonderful dog!). 

I love the energy and drive of a good dog, but having an off switch is just as important. 

As you start your research, I would suggest you look for small Hobby Breeders, that breed one or two litters a year, work and title their dogs in Schutzhund, IPO or other top-level sport. These are the breeders that know their dogs the best, and can evaluate them the best for the right balance of energy, drive and clear headedness. Find a breeder that evaluates the puppies at seven weeks, and picks the pups for their new owners. They can place the really drivey, energetic ones into work/sport homes, and the more mellow ones into pet homes. 

No luck on the shedding, LOL! That comes with the territory. Though most people feel that feeding a top-quality diet, or feeding raw, helps with the shedding a lot.


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## SeaGoat (Dec 31, 2016)

Thanks for yalls replies!

Ive been searching for 2 days for a breeder. 
The family has decided on a white GSD. 

I didnt know that about the goldens being a lack of black pigment and seen as a fault, interesting!


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