Jase Posted December 14, 2014 Report Share Posted December 14, 2014 Interestingly there are three very well respected dog trainers over here who have all worked GSDs for 20+ years. They are all accredited behaviourists and also work with military and police. All three have moved on to Belgian Malinois and all three remarked how difficult it is these days to get great temperament and health in the one GSD these days and these people are very well connected. GSDs are very very popular in Australia and there are some great lines but it is interesting that these three trainers all say the same thing... and it is probably the only thing they agree on It seems the Malinois are more in-line with the best of the GSDs from 20 years ago and this is the reason they are the number one dog used in police and military these days. This is not to say that you can't get a great GSD these days and there seems to be some great ones on this forum Malinois or working line GSDs are definitely not for the inexperienced owner unless they are prepared to engage a trainer to help them for the first two years. They have super drive (especially Mals) which is fantastic for training and disastrous for those not prepared to put in the work. I know one lady who has a Malinois who can, on command switch from protection dog to family pet in an instant and visa versa. It has had heaps and heaps of training though. Anyway, the same goes with any breed, you often just need to keep researching and be prepared to network and get on a long waiting list if you have specific wants, especially in a GSD. Also agree that Swiss Shepherds are great Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Posted December 14, 2014 Report Share Posted December 14, 2014 Saw a Belgian Shepherd at the dog park today, pretty stunning dog. Face reminded me of the collies though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOBELHOWLUC49 Posted December 14, 2014 Report Share Posted December 14, 2014 I meet many GSD's and have a great respect for them. Some are so friendly they knock you over with there fun and games, some are so loyal to their owners they can never let them of lead and you are warned a way quite strongly (and rightly so) some are so docile they just trot a long at a slow steady pace and do not have a care in the world. Some are so clever you feel stupid in comparison. But one thing they all have in common no matter the type, colour etc they are all beautiful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jase Posted December 14, 2014 Report Share Posted December 14, 2014 Saw a Belgian Shepherd at the dog park today, pretty stunning dog. Face reminded me of the collies though Hmm, must have been a long hair - below are the type I am more familiar with Hmm, must have been a long hair - below are the type I am more familiar with Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueWolf Posted December 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 14, 2014 Hmm, must have been a long hair - below are the type I am more familiar with The Belgian Shepherd isn't really one single breed. Although for some reason it's considered a breed but with four variations: The Groenendael. A very friendly, but also very nervous dog. The Laekenois. The Malinois. And the Terveuren. I have looked into the Malinois briefly but wasn't too convinced yet. I can only think of two Malinoises I met myself, one was friendly and the other was known for attacking people Otherwise they're not common dogs around here. It does seem that the general opinion (of what I found on the web) is that the Malinois are more sensitive to their surrounding and don't always respond too well to different situations whereas for the German shepherd it's apparently easier to socialise with unknown and scary things. My own single experience with the friendly Malinois is that, although friendly, he was quite hyper and restless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Posted December 14, 2014 Report Share Posted December 14, 2014 Was definitely the first one there BlueWolf. She did seem pretty nervous indeed but she started coming out of her shell after being around Loki for a while. Loki was exhausted by that point though, he was the one running away Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jase Posted December 14, 2014 Report Share Posted December 14, 2014 Yes, I am referring to a Belgian Malinois of the variety shown in the photo I posted There is a Groenenedael, that lives near me and I would also call it nervous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOBELHOWLUC49 Posted December 14, 2014 Report Share Posted December 14, 2014 Bella is nervous but also very brave and friendly to most. (apart from my Mum). ???????, Sydney was more the Milionis type. We called him the dog that time for got. he was big and had this bony lump on his head. Nothing to worry about the lump. He was the most friendly woof in the world, never growled at strangers or my mum. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Posted December 14, 2014 Report Share Posted December 14, 2014 (edited) I wasn't really sure what it was when I saw it. Almost looked like a mix between a collie and a shepherd. Kinda edged on the shepherd side and managed to avoid making a fool out of myself though Edited December 14, 2014 by Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mydiamond Posted December 14, 2014 Report Share Posted December 14, 2014 AAAAIIIEEE!! Look at this gorgeous madam she's available for adoption at my local animal shelter and she's the same age as Dime down to the months! gosh those amber eyes should be illegal. And have I mentioned that she's called Kai? I've *always* wanted to name my future GSD "Kaiden". Aw, I wish... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueWolf Posted December 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 14, 2014 My phone has in fact started giving me suggestions as well now [emoji28] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elyse Posted December 14, 2014 Report Share Posted December 14, 2014 AAAAIIIEEE!! Look at this gorgeous madam she's available for adoption at my local animal shelter and she's the same age as Dime down to the months! gosh those amber eyes should be illegal. And have I mentioned that she's called Kai? I've *always* wanted to name my future GSD "Kaiden". Aw, I wish... 7de5aee6-4731-4b1e-8cbb-67d58612cb29.jpg Oh dear, Olivia. Haha - I've learned a long time ago its best not to look at your local shelter and etc when you know you cannot adopt another! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psychgrl Posted December 15, 2014 Report Share Posted December 15, 2014 As someone who has owned GSDs and Huskies, I just want to reiterate what many people above have said. If you've owned huskies then you can definitely work with a shepherd. There are some issues in the breed that you need to be aware of and those are, as stated, the health issues (hips are a big concern but one of my shepherds also has EPI). You also need to watch temperament. Because shepherds are popular they tend to be overbred and-at least here in the US-there are some nervy dogs out there that aren't stable. But do your homework regarding breeders and socialize young and you should be fine there. My GSDs are Eastern European working lines (aka parents from places like Slovakia, Czech Republic, etc) though they were both born here in the US. They are working line shepherds and are higher energy than the showlines but both are really stable and super trainable. They're basically like huskies in that they are high energy and smart but the shepherds are much more obedient. I can have them off lead and their obedience is wonderful (though I did intensive Schutzhund training with both-lots of time spent on them). I would obviously never have a husky loose without a fence! The shepherds are super attached and loyal to us but are much more standoffish/stoic than huskies. My boys will tolerate other people outside their pack but really aren't interested in them where my huskies are much more open to strangers. My younger shepherd (the one I did Schutzhund with for years) is ridiculously attached to and protective of me. I think I will always have a male GSD in my home-I love them! Also be aware of the way people will react to them. Due to the association with police training and general guard dog work, people can be very afraid of them. I've literally had people snatch their children away from my dogs while we're out walking even though my dogs aren't even looking at them! There is definitely a stigma attached and it can be frustrating. But on the flipside, it feels great when people recognize how great sheperds are and don't freak out about them. I get a lot of admiration from a distance, if that makes sense! People always stare at them or comment from afar even if they are too intimidated to get close! Lots of similarities but important differences. It all depends on what you are looking for. The key is to really screen the bloodlines/breedings-the US show dogs are, as a whole I think, more prone to some of the common problems. I highly recommend them for the right person (and pretty much all husky people fall into that category). Good luck with your decision! Shameless plug for my handsome boys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueWolf Posted December 15, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2014 As someone who has owned GSDs and Huskies, I just want to reiterate what many people above have said. If you've owned huskies then you can definitely work with a shepherd. There are some issues in the breed that you need to be aware of and those are, as stated, the health issues (hips are a big concern but one of my shepherds also has EPI). You also need to watch temperament. Because shepherds are popular they tend to be overbred and-at least here in the US-there are some nervy dogs out there that aren't stable. But do your homework regarding breeders and socialize young and you should be fine there. My GSDs are Eastern European working lines (aka parents from places like Slovakia, Czech Republic, etc) though they were both born here in the US. They are working line shepherds and are higher energy than the showlines but both are really stable and super trainable. They're basically like huskies in that they are high energy and smart but the shepherds are much more obedient. I can have them off lead and their obedience is wonderful (though I did intensive Schutzhund training with both-lots of time spent on them). I would obviously never have a husky loose without a fence! The shepherds are super attached and loyal to us but are much more standoffish/stoic than huskies. My boys will tolerate other people outside their pack but really aren't interested in them where my huskies are much more open to strangers. My younger shepherd (the one I did Schutzhund with for years) is ridiculously attached to and protective of me. I think I will always have a male GSD in my home-I love them! Also be aware of the way people will react to them. Due to the association with police training and general guard dog work, people can be very afraid of them. I've literally had people snatch their children away from my dogs while we're out walking even though my dogs aren't even looking at them! There is definitely a stigma attached and it can be frustrating. But on the flipside, it feels great when people recognize how great sheperds are and don't freak out about them. I get a lot of admiration from a distance, if that makes sense! People always stare at them or comment from afar even if they are too intimidated to get close! Lots of similarities but important differences. It all depends on what you are looking for. The key is to really screen the bloodlines/breedings-the US show dogs are, as a whole I think, more prone to some of the common problems. I highly recommend them for the right person (and pretty much all husky people fall into that category). Good luck with your decision! Shameless plug for my handsome boys! Thanks for the input! You'd be surprised how often I get them same reaction with the huskies right now Also, they're looking great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Posted December 15, 2014 Report Share Posted December 15, 2014 People with kids are a bit weary of Loki when I walk past. I usually keep his lead tight so he can't approach them. Kinda makes me feel bad for him but I know he wouldn't hurt anyone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueWolf Posted December 15, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2014 People with kids are a bit weary of Loki when I walk past. I usually keep his lead tight so he can't approach them. Kinda makes me feel bad for him but I know he wouldn't hurt anyone Wodak is so friendly with children, he would jump into a pram if I'd let him so I feel your pain, lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psychgrl Posted December 15, 2014 Report Share Posted December 15, 2014 I had the same experience with my last husky. I think people find them too wolf-like or something. The current puppy is still too cute and fluffy to put people off but it will come! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Posted December 15, 2014 Report Share Posted December 15, 2014 (edited) I dunno, I think I find most GSD's to look more wolf like than huskies. GSD/husky mixes even more so. I guess they're a lot more similar looking to wolves than most dogs, but I just see them as big cuddly fluff balls Edited December 15, 2014 by Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psychgrl Posted December 15, 2014 Report Share Posted December 15, 2014 Well, and especially the working line shepherds like mine. Solid black and sable is very wolf-like in my mind. I wonder if, because huskies and/or malamutes are sometimes used in movies to represent wolves, that people make the connection. It's hard for us who know the breeds to see them in a scary light! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Posted December 15, 2014 Report Share Posted December 15, 2014 (edited) Yeah I can't really speak for them, I love wolves. I'd totally own one if it wasn't so impractical (and illegal .. and we actually had wolves here etc). A husky was probably the next best thing for me But I'd also like to own a GSD or GSD/husky mix at some point in the future. I've seen a few that could basically pass off as wolves. I guess their use in movies could give kids that idea, but there's been a fair few movies where they've been used in a good light too. But I rarely watch movies Edited December 15, 2014 by Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psychgrl Posted December 15, 2014 Report Share Posted December 15, 2014 It's funny you say that...when I was a kid I'd actually read the classified ads in the paper and see where people were selling wolf pups. Thankfully my parents held their ground and refused to let me get one (they're now illegal in the state I grew up but I could actually have one where I live now). However, I've always gravitated to the more "wolf-like" dog breeds. And I've definitely seen some husky/GSD mixes that could pass, for sure. Not sure what people are afraid of either way-wolves are amazing animals! There will always be people who are afraid of things for no logical reason. It's just something you understand and accept when you have dogs like huskies or GSDs. We and, I think, most people know what great dogs they are. I'd totally recommend either one to anybody! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Posted December 15, 2014 Report Share Posted December 15, 2014 I'm a bit cautious when recommending them to people. They are great dogs for sure, but compared to breeds like labs/retrievers they're a lot more difficult to train. I was at the dog park yesterday and there was a mother with her daughter there. The daughter was just pestering mum the whole time I was there to get a husky because she thought Loki was so cute and cuddly. I don't know them at all personally, and kids can be annoying like that, but I was trying to drop some subtle hints that they're a pain in the rear at times. I'd hope people would actually do a bunch of research on breeds before they actually get one, but I know many people don't. I think my entire search history for 3 months was just about huskies alone before I decided to get Loki. I couldn't imagine going into a >10 year commitment with a dog without any research at all on the breed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psychgrl Posted December 16, 2014 Report Share Posted December 16, 2014 Oh yeah...let me clarify-I'd recommend them to anyone who has (successfully) had dogs like huskies! Definitely not anybody and usually not for a first dog. I don't even know that they are more difficult to train but they require a stronger leader that they learn to respect which can be different from labs/retrievers and a lot of other dogs. I get a lot of people that think Nyx is adorable and want a husky or I get a lot of people that see how well-trained my shepherds are and want one (not knowing I've put a ton of time into them and take the younger one of five mile walks several times a week). It's hard when you have those interactions because you try to drop hints but people don't often get them! I researched dog breeds and, ultimately, huskies for a year before I got my first one and I researched working line shepherds for months (I'd had shepherds before so not as much research needed) before going that direction. Sadly people don't research and don't take into account what the breed was originally created for and then they get upset when they have issues with the dog. I work with a girl that has a labradoodle or something like that and she was all upset because she didn't realize how big they got or how energetic they were. This dog has escaped multiple times and even jumped out of the window of their moving car! She had a mini poodle as a child and thought this would be the same thing-clearly no research! I'm glad you did your homework and that BlueWolf is doing theirs. It is a long committment to not know what you're getting into-unfortunately many people don't view it that way and dump their dogs into shelters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueWolf Posted December 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 16, 2014 I dunno, I think I find most GSD's to look more wolf like than huskies. GSD/husky mixes even more so. I guess they're a lot more similar looking to wolves than most dogs, but I just see them as big cuddly fluff balls This is Jaros. One of the dogs we had in the shelter. He could totally play as a role of an evil wolf in a movie For the record, he was an amazing and lovely dog. To compensate here's a good photo of him (He has now a lovely home with his new owner) Another one we had was Banovski. He was brought back to the shelter twice but luckily has found a permanent home now. He was another dog I grew slightly attached to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Posted December 16, 2014 Report Share Posted December 16, 2014 I dunno how you can remain sane working at a shelter, I'd go home a complete wreck knowing I can't take them all in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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