Need to find a breeder I can trust as an inexperienced semi-newbie - Page 4

Thank you for the responses from the non patronizing non self-righteous members.The rest of you...well  I see this group has not changed.You do not educate with sarcasm and holier than thou attitudes. I am not going to, nor do I owe anyone an explanation here  of my entire homelife situation .I do have 10 acres,my dogs would be separated obviously, and  I  have 25 x 25 enclosures  6 ft high. I would love to know what you do with your low drive pet quality dogs that won't ever  be titled ,shown or make a name for your kennel. Many end up in rescue because the breeder will not take them back. Before judging me look at yourself.and how you treat new dog owners/ new people to the breed.   You will not make anyone new to GSD's want to buy a dog  or pup from you based on the self righteous, nasty replies several of you are throwing outI  It makes you look unprofessional and les s than classy.  have tried rescue and am too scared to try again since I had one try to attack my dog before even totally out of my SUV. .I  have just had someone  a week or so ago reach  my front  door,after dark, who could have been a real threat to my safety- and I do not own a gun and will not ever own one..I live by myself in the country. What do you suggest I have as a deterrent since my dog was uselesseven as a noisemaker? Until you have been approached by a stranger in the dark who was drunk,wearing sunglasses,and was willing to come up a long ways off the road, and had no warning,do not tell me what breed iIshould have!

I agree with Oaklawn..have you considered a pitbull or an American Bulldog?  Seriously, they can be lower energy couch potatoes, yet be very protective and sensible, and then when the chips are down, will give everything to protect you.   There is also the scary factor...they just look scary even if the pit or AB dog you have are just big babies that would bark at but lick the burglar's hand.  Perhaps a broodbitch who is no longer producing puppies?  I think a GSD is too high maintence for you, and you've had a dog-owner mismatch.  It happens.  Another dog that is nice in the house, but can be protective, is a Great Dane.  I had one that was just incredible many years ago.  Low energy, very biddable.  Protective of house, home, me, livestock, yet gentle with chick, goslings, foals, and children.  Veronica

I too see some red flags.  It's unfortunate that you've bought pups that turned out to have HD and dogs you state had "nerve" issues but is it possible that because you do not do much with your dogs that they were not properly socialized and developed nerve issues??  You also mentioned the incident of the man showing up at your property and your disappointment in how your dog reacted to protect the home....had the dog ever had any type of protection training??  I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's possible that you contributed to your own disappointments when it came to how the dogs turned out??  Not saying that dogs can't be bred with nerve issues and low drives BUT if socialized and developed properly even those pups can go on to be more than a disapointment.  The point is regardless of what you buy, be it a pup or older trained dog and regardless of who you buy from be it from a top kennel or a small hobby breeder there is still a committment needed on your part to stimulate the dog and maintain it's training. 

If the sport isn't your cup of tea that's ok, it's not for everyone BUT the dogs still need something more to do than keep the couch warm for you at night.  Moving on to your request to buy something from someone at a "fair price" well that is a totally seperate issue as we all have a different "fair price" on what we deem reasonable.  For pups of quality from titled parents it can be $1000-1500 for WL.  Older trained/titled dogs will obviously demand a higher price tag but in your case may be the way to go considering you aren't "into" training yourself.  When factoring in the time and expense to train a young pup to the level you desire the cost of purchasing a already trained dog really isn't outrageous IMO.  You will still need to maintain some level of training.

Any breed that is known for their protective nature will require the same level of training and commitment on the owners part.  For what it's worth there are more good kennel than bad; we just happen to hear about the bad ones more than the good. LOL  In fact there's some very good one's that post right here whom I would not hesitate to buy from.  I hope your next purchase works out better than your previous.  Best of Luck to you.

I also had cats with the Great Dane..he was protective of the cats as well as the livestock, they would cuddle up to him and take naps. He was a great dog.  Veronica

English Mastiff.  They are quiet, good in the house, and all they have to do is stand up and noone will come anywhere near your house. 

molly

wearesiamese ,,,,,    this is just a joke not to be taken seriously from me ..Have you tried GEESE ??They make a big commotion at strangers in there yard ,day or night.Oh boy can they give a stranger a fight !!!.Like I said im joking it was not ment to offend anyone..

You know, some dogs are protective without training, just instinct. like the Great Dane I was talking about.  I'd think a few walks out in the country per week would keep a low drive dog very happy indeed.  If the property is fenced, and the dogs are not great fence-escapers, then perhaps the dogs have 20 acres to roam at will, which will help to keep a dog exercised as they walk the perimeter to check it out every now and then.  I had 20 acres that were secluded, and my Dane protected the livestock from stray dogs and coyotes, and did a fine job.  He was also good at running off the occassional Jehovah's Witness who found there way down my private drive.  He'd press his nose up against the window at eye level with the occupants sitting inside, and give that deep hellhound bark of his.  They always left quickly.  Veronica

WELL I AM SURE I  WILL MAKE ADDITIONAL PEOPLE MAD HERE SINCE THEY THINK THEIR DOGS WERE BRED TOlive INSIDE,(dogs herd sheep in houses all the time ya know) BUT MY DOG DOES LIVE OUTSIDE 24-7.   I HAVE SIAMESE CATS INSIDE AND WILL NOT STRESS THEM BY HAVING A DOG IN A SMALL HOUSE AS WELL (1200 SQ FT)...I GREW UP IN CALIFORNIA AND MAYBE TH ECLIMATE IS PART OF THE REASON BUT NO ONE i KNOW THAT HAD BIG DOGS KEEPS THEM INSIDE .i THINK DOGS NEED TO BE OUTSIDE AND NO ONE HERE WILL CHANGE MY OPINION THERE,REGARDLESS OF BREED UNLESS YOU HAVE A DOG THE SIZE OF A CHICHUAHUA WHICH THE RODENTS AROUND HERE WOULD HAVE AS A SNACK,DOGS BELONG OUTSIDE,.MANY PEOPLE IN URBAN AREAS "SHOULDN'T" HAVE LARGE DOGS DUE TO LACK OF SPACE AND THE NOISE FACTOR,BUT DO ANYWAYS.WHAT WOULD YOU TELL SOMEONE IN A NEW YOORK CITY APARTMENT? I HAVE 10 ACRES IN A COUNTRY SETTING AND I WORK FORM HOME.UNLIKE MANY OF YOU I AM AROUND ALLDAY NEAR MY DOG.SO WHO SPENDS LESS TIME WITH THEIR ANIMALS?

Actually i have known people who have had geese chase people down their driveway-quail make a lot of noise and hear things sooner than dogs a lot of times I understand.  Plus they kill snakes such as the copperheads we have here.There may be breeds that may be suitable for me - I see what some of you are saying,   but I need a coated dog that can live outside all the time.I do like Danes and some other breeds but they need to be inside as it can get down into the single digits occasionally during the winter although usually the lows are in the 20's(my dog has a dogloo and I keep hay/straw in it f extra insulation)

Agar is correct.. Here is an example :    I sold a pup three years ago from a Von Vollkommen stud /my ofa bitch, to a lady in a town near Waxachatchi, Tex. Met her husband half the way to there, spent days on phone with lady..She had yorkies and she was also   Afgoraphobic... 8 months later she called and ask permission to sell the dog...Ok with some hestitation I agreed..Turned out to be a nightmare for the buyer since the first own kept all papers and lied about the dog.

Ok, this last year Mahon got a call from the same lady and she wanted a pup and he traveled to her house and delivered a pup out of his litter..He met her and family and she told him she always wants a good bred gsd..He knew nothing about my incident with her...well, a month later we discussed this same lady..I told him   Trouble with double T..Oh no,,she is happy with her pup..but she is having a problem taking her to petsmart..Pup wants to bite people...yeah  well agoraphobic people dont go out in public...right...so the feelings of this womans fears had transferred to this pup early in its life...Last week, the lady called and Mahon has to go retrieve his puppy...Woman cant meet his contract requirements....so you see, the fears of our lives and how we train and how we handle a pup from getgo..has a whole lot of imprint on a pup and the outcome...tHIS PUP WAS OUTGOING, HAPPY, WELL FORMED, AND SOCIAL AND HOT TO TROT.. until it got to Waxachihaxi.........

Im posting the article   10 reasons why you might not want a german shepherd,not just for you  Siamese,but for anyone that is considering a gsd.

YR