Looking for spayed female companion/guard for 87 yr. old great grandma - Page 4

Good luck in your search but you might need to think about moving your mom to a safer neighborhood?   I would be very careful about bring a GSD into the home with her for reasons stated.

besy wishes

Joseph,

Please check at the local rescues if you are really sure you want a dog for great grandma. I volunteer for several GSD rescues around my area and there are some very nice dogs available in rescue. Many rescues will work with you and allow the dog to go on a trial basis to see how things work before an adoption is finalized.

An excellent example, one of my recent fosters: http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/gsd/pedigree/544815.html

This dog was in several foster homes before she was sent to me. A real problem child only because she was misunderstood. Owner surrender to rescue, now adopted very successfully, and training for BH. Very gentle with older people. Great house dog, gets along with other dogs, good with kids and cats. And WILL bite the snot out of anyone coming in the door that doesn't belong there. You won't get near the car with her in it either. Purse snatchers wouldn't stand a chance.

You have to be kidding......get a dog that will "bite the snot out of anyone coming that doesn't belong there"....like the postman, a delivery person, an elderly friend who walks in because the resident does not answer..... and a "misunderstood dog"......Unbelieveable advice. Just the kind of dog I would not want to be adopting out.....

And for those who think I advocate an age limit, no, i do not, but I DO advocate dogs in homes where the owners have CONTROL over the dog....what a novel thought.

Some of you may have already forgotten the saga of Congo who mauled the Guatamalan worker and was sentenced to be put down. A huge furor arose and the governor, like a fool, allowed the dog to remain at home and commuted the sentence. Next thing we read of was the owner putting the dog down because it mauled his wifes' mother, who was not, by the way, close to this womans' age. 

I have an 89 year old friend. If she visited here, I would no more allow one of my dogs to be in the same room with her as I would someone with a gun wanting to assault her. My dogs are well behaved. They do not jump on people, but if there was an accident, she is too old to get knocked down. 

I agree as one rule for owning/having any dog that bites including protection or natural defenders is the ability to control it.

To answer the question re: how do your gsd react to the elderly.

When my mom (68) moved into the adjoining inlaw apt. I intruduced her to my two gsds, one 8 and one 11yro.  I did that because my two girls are although very controlable, not all that people friendly and should I mistakenly leave the door unlocked that joins our two homes and she unexpectedly walked in the girls would know who she was.  Now interestingly the 8yo would never let a someone that she does'nt know extremely well pet her, yet she allowed my mother to pet her from the very beginning.  The 11 y.o immediately sensed my mother to be a potential treat source.  Now my mom has alz, did they sense her child like qualities?  I can assure you that the introductions were very controlled and never would I have left them alone, even if she did not have alz.  They are large dogs, I have tried to set up some very strict safety controls.  Do I think that my dogs would hurt my mother, no.  But why would I take that chance?

Yep, you're right.  Somehow you've taken people's valid concerns and morphed that into  some sort of ageism discrimination insult thing to you and your mother.  Wow.

OK Hodie.  My point was for the gentleman to check with rescues. They're overflowing with dogs right now. I posted that dog as a simple example of the bloodlines that end up in rescues. They're not all BYB american lines or dysplastic or dogs with huge behavioral or health issues. There are imports and even titled and Kored dogs out there. The OP seems very confident about the lady's ability to handle a GSD, none of us here know her, so who are we to question him? And he's stated that unless he can find just the right dog, he won't do it. Seems to me, he's trying to do everything right and do what he thinks he can to help the lady.

Control absolutely! If more people actually had some control over their dogs, including the "ankle biter" breeds, they'd have a lot less problems with them. My own high drive GSD isn't allowed in the same room with elderly people for the EXACT reasons you yourself and many other people stated. But protect my home and me, yes without question. And anyone that chooses to kick in my door will have more to deal with than just the dog. Friends and relatives um, the people that are "supposed" to be there have no problems with my dog at all. EVER. It's called a balanced dog with good nerve and training.

So far as the rescue dog I posted goes, I'm sorry Hodie, that you got your shorts in a twist over it. As far as her being "the kind of dog you'd be wanting to adopt out", well, when I took her to foster, she wasn't considered adoptable and some of the other rescue volunteers said that the dog needed to be put down. I was her last chance, but fortunately, I recognized her for the import lines dog she is and had the good sense to try using GERMAN commands with her. It wasn't the dog's fault that a couple rescue volunteers didn't know how to handle her. The "problem child" not good with cats, aggressive, man hating dog was actually pretty well trained and now lives happily with a cat and new male owner that works with her daily. The people that said she needed to be put down are amazed by her and can't believe it's the same dog. Her only problem? Allergies. But, you don't know the dog or the story behind the dog, and I will not comment further on it except to say that it's a damn shame a decent showline dog ended up an overwhelming rescue success story.

But, this is EXACTLY why I've put only 6, make that 7 posts now on this board in the nearly 4 years I've been a member here. BASH AWAY!

Good Luck in your search...My neighbor has a nice german showline that she walks around, plays outside with, and he goes everywhere w/ her. She's in her late 80'S : ) If the dog can be properly cared for and living with a dog lover I think it's a good idea. He's defiantly a deterrent for crime. Why wouldn't someone trying to get some cash or goods to sell go to an easier target....I think having a dog makes a big difference. Not to mention they are great company! Maybe just a nice pet would do the trick... they could bark when needed and still be manageable for someone who may not be experienced in dog handling.

Is this your dog?  http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/gsd/pedigree/521537.html

He is a very handsome boy.  From your earlier posts on the Steve Lino thread, I understand he is your first german high lines/ddr showlines dog, previously you had an american line GSD that died very young?    Have you considered contacting Steve and/or Jagenstadt   Kennel?  They might be able to find an older showline bitch soft enough to be safe with your mom, and you seem to have developed a good relationship with them.  They might be able to match your mother  up with a good prospect.