Shiloh Shepherd Owners or GSD owners?

[Close2Me]

Hello,
Just visited my SIL farm in upstate New York who owns 2 big Shiloh Shepherds which were so good to my kids. Hers are Plush (long haired) and outside 100% on her farm. I'm very interested in Shilohs and german shepherds but I worry about the heat in southern CA as well as being gentle with young kids. My ideal would be indoor/outdoor dogs.
I also am looking at Newfoundlands. Swiss Mountain Dogs, and Saint Bernards.
Any thoughts?

[Ola_]

I would not worry about the long/short haired aspect but instead look for the perfect temperament. I have a double-coated dog and she does better in the heat AND cold than my short haired dog because the coat provides insulation from heat as well.

That said I would not get a pet and plan for them to be outside instead of with the family - what's the point?

[*Aimee*]

Oh I'd get a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog! In a heartbeat!

But they can't really be outdoor dogs. They're too attached to their families.

[Close2Me]

Ola, thanks for telling me about their coats...I never knew. I'm for sure a believer of a 'pack' which includes being with us indoors & out. I hear they 'blow' their coats twice a year but if I can clean up after kids I'm sure I can handle it...hee-hee!
I was told to keep them 'working' as shepherds need to and socialize them early with kids and all the rambunciousness (sp?).

[lilyka]

honestly I was completly unprepaired for the amount of hair my dog has. I throw out a full dustpan of dog hair per day. it floats in the air. we are constantly covered in it. its so gross. and it is like this all year long. honestly if I had seen this coming we would not have gotten a dog. it is the messiest thing I have ever experianced. and she is small. and med. haird. very soft though. like a cat. we aren't sure of her breed (part german shepherd definitely, part cattle dog?. she is a lunitic mutt puppy. the great fury beast. she is lucky she is so cute or we wouldn't put up with her shedding problem. but yeah, don't over estemate your ability to deal with the shed. you cannot stay on top of it if your dog lives in your house. you just adjust to it.

[~PurityLake~]

Speaking of shedding fur, I heard that there are people who save the shed fur and there are people who use this saved fur to weave sweaters from.

[Sailor]

I have a GSD and am in SoCal. The heat really isn't an issue. But, GSD's don't have a shedding season. They shed ALL year long. So, you're going to need a good animal vacuum and be prepared to enjoy vacuuming.

In terms of GSD's and kids ... GSD's are wonderful dogs. They're great family dogs. But, here's the thing: if you get a puppy, you're going to have to survive that period before you get the wonderful family dog. GSD's are the mouthiest breeds around. I have scars on my hands and forearms from my dog's puppyhood years. I have a working GSD, though ... so a companion GSD may be slightly less trouble.

It's a dog that will require A LOT of time, work, money, and energy. The puppy period will be worse than having a newborn in terms of amount of work. It's also a high energy breed that is intelligent and requires mental challenges.

I'm not saying any of this to deter you - just prepare you. I LOVE GSD's, am incredibly biased when it comes to them. For me, they're the best dogs ever - no competition. My dog is wonderful with kids (he's 3). I'm not even the least bit worried about having a baby.

However, I can't stress this enough: the puppyhood period is difficult! Many owners, in the GSD rescue where I volunteer, surrender their dogs because they say the dog "bit" their child. Of course, they didn't. It's a mouthy breed in the puppy period ... so if they can nibble on your child, they will. This DOES stop, and is NOT aggression. But not everyone can handle the type of training and re-directing this involves.

Also, a GSD can't be an outdoor dog. They need to be with their pack. They will bond intensely with your family, and they can't be kept outdoors. It's an animal that has to be with you, actively involved with the family.

I'm probably not giving you any incentive to get one, lol. But ... truly, they are wonderful, gentle dogs. Just not in the puppy stage. They are VERY intelligent, though. They learn quickly, and will be your best friend forever and ever. I honestly don't know what I'd do without Roark ... he's seriously the best dog I've ever had.

[CvilleC]

I second what Sailor said about GSDs. I grew up with one and now am raising one on my own. I knew raising a puppy would be a lot of work, but boy! I had no idea just how much my little gal would wear me out. She was soooo nippy, and I have scars on my legs to prove it. She attacked anything that moved. I knew it was a phase, but that didn't make it all that much easier. They also have long puppyhoods. She's over a year, but she still acts like a goofball. She learns things easily, but she also tests me constantly to see if I'm really going to follow through.

German Shepherds need lots of socialization. Separated from their family makes them bored and anxious, which leads to destructive behaviors. I don't have children yet, so it took a little bit for my dog to get used to all the nephew and nieces running around over the holidays. She now knows they will throw the frisbee for her, so they are just fine in her book! And the shedding is constant. I'm amazed by all the fur.

Another piece that requires a lot of work (as with most breeds) is really doing your homework about where you purchase your pup. Since a wanted a companion for a pet, I stayed away from breeders boasting of dogs with intense prey drive and super-large sizes.

With all that said, I'll always love and own GSDs. It is fun working with an intelligent dog, and she is loyal to the bone. On top of that, the regal GSD can be such a clown. All together, they are great dogs that are worth the work.

[Chula]

I'm in Southern California and have a GSD (Malinois?) mix. The weather doesn't affect her much at all. Our two short haired dogs have a much harder time with the heat.

The shedding is beyond belief. I love her to pieces but never again.

We deal with anxiety and an eating disorder with her. She was left alone in a backyard for the first two and a half years of her life. She has a hard time with separation still and we've had her for nearly four years.

She is a good 'nanny' dog. She is very nurturing and patient with both children and puppies.

[mamallama]

I have a GSD & a GSD/lab mix.

I don't think it can be stressed enough--the hair everywhere is unbelievable. I brush my dogs (almost) daily, sweep the kitchen at least once a day, sweep the dining room daily, and vacuum probably 5 times a week. I am by no means a neat freak--this is just what I have to do to keep on top of it.

I got our mixed breed dog as a puppy. It was a lot of work, but at the time our youngest child was 4 & I'm a sahm & I trail run...a high energy puppy fit pretty neatly into my life.

No way could I do that now!

We adopted our GSD as an adult. She had some baggage to work through, but we didn't have to deal with the puppy stage. She was the right choice for us, but I can def. see the drawbacks of adopting an adult GSD with "issues." It's not for everyone.

GSD's can be awesome dogs...or they can make life miserable! I don't know that the question is so much "Is a GSD the right dog for me?" as it is "Is my family right for a GSD?"