Wife brought home a rescue GSD

[devous1]

I've been wanting one of these for years. However we already have 4 cats, and two cockers in the house. So I've been patiently waiting for the attrition rate on the pets to kick in to make room. However about a week and ahalf ago one of the wifes friends called and had a male show up at her door and couldn't locate an owner. She put up signs and posted on some internet sites, called the shelters and local vets to see if anyone was missing a dog. After a week no one came foward, and she has two dogs her self and couldn't keep it any longer. The dog had a few injuries and some other problems that needed attention. So we agreed to take it to the vet and hold it for another week to see if we could locate an owner.

My wife, who has fought me tooth and nail to drop the issue of getting a GSD because she was scared of them, immediately fell in love with him. She even ended up nameing the dog.

He is w/o a doubt the most awesome dog I have ever been around, other GSDs included. He's approx 2 1/2 yrs old, 85 lbs yet very slim, extremely obedient, loves to play and loves people. The only issue with his personality are other pets. He is cool with other animals cats and dogs, however if they growl, bark or his at him it flips a switch to KILL mode immediately. This includes our own pets. He has taken after one of our cockers twice and one cat ( dont make cruel jokes about my cats).

He is now in very good health and integrating well with the family, pets and neighborhood. We do have one concern with diet, for a dog his size he just does not seem to be eating. I went from Science Diet Large Breed to Royal Canin German Shepherd 24 and am now looking to change again. In one week he has barely gone through one and ahalf large bowls of food.

I noticed on some of the old pet threads there are a couple of GSD owners on here and would like to see whats working. I don't want to go to some sort of fresh or raw diet, and I need a source of food that is locally available. I'm thinking about going to Innova Red Meat next it's rated 6 stars and is locally available. I can add in supplements for the hips and skin as needed. Please post advice.

[Monster Mach]

Congrats man.. and thank you for helping the dog out.. .my aunt had a 130lb shepard (seriously just muscle) it lasted 10 years... amazing dog very gentle very protectife and smarter than hell.. congrats and post pics dude

[ricky bobby]

i rescued a husky about nine years ago.
best thing i have ever done.
congrats

[devous1]

They are smart as hell, don't doubt it. The second day we had him I took him to the vet. While I was in the room waiting I noticed he was nudging to door handle with his muzzle. So I asked the vet assistant if she thought he was trying to open the door. She replied I don't know they are pretty **** smart.

Well later that night I had him loose in the garage. Around 12:30-1 the **** house alarm goes off and I'm thinking he set off the motion sensor in the garage. As I come down stairs and enter the kitchen to go to the garage there he is standing in the middle of the kitchen. I was a little intimidated, dark, confused dog, strange place, strange people, alarm blairing. I didn't know if he would respond or take a chunk out of my ***. But as soon I told him to go to bed he went straight back to the garage. It only took him 1 day to open the door.

Another time I was working in the upstairs level of our new garage and it only has an extension ladder there to get upstairs. I could hear him messing with the ladder and trying to figure out how to climb it. The third or fourth time I went up I could hear him, so I went over to see what the hell he was doing and he was 2 or 3 steps up the ladder which scrared me because I was afraid he would fall and get hurt, or make it all the way up and I would have th figure out how to carry him back down.

Love that dog.

[devous1]

Oh and his new favorite toy is the Chucker, I can throw a tennis ball all the way across the back yard with it about 400ft. He brings it right back and is especially interesting if he loses sight of it and has to hunt it down.

[Mikestang]

what is a GSD

[NTMAREMACH]

Originally Posted by Mikestang

what is a GSD

German Shepard Dog.

[NTMAREMACH]

I've had Shepard's almost the 33 years I've been married. One was so smart he made it on TV while filming an episode of a show called Real People. The 80's TV show Real People was a one hour show featuring interesting and odd people from around the country. The basis was that real life situations were more interesting and funny than most comedy scripts. When they were filming an episode of a pair of comedians with one living next door. The dog got up under the window shade and was as mean as they come. She was barking and growling with her face up to the window showing some big teeth. They liked the looks and added the dog into the skit. There comments about the comedians were the dog next door can't even stand them. She also took first place showing how she could follow commands. Would of made a great police dog, she loved chasing scum around the neighborhood.LOL
The Shepard we have now is as smart as they come also. When he needs to go out he looks at us, barks and looks at his butt. He does the same if we take him out and he only goes Pee he'll look at his butt and say I don't have to go poop.
He's had problems with his skin and we have him on **** Van Patten's Natures Balance Vegetarian blend. I guess you can't say ****
Your dog should be eating more than that and may be stressed out for some reason. When my wife is not around the dog won't eat very much, yes he's a mommy's boy. I don't think it's the food your using, you should try cooking up some chicken for the dog and add it to the dog food for a while. And let the dog see you putting the chicken into the food.
Good Luck

[devous1]

You do debone the chicken?

Post up a pic or two if you have time.

[ASH302]

congrates on getting the dog, i can't do cats but i can do dogs and that is sweet you getting one in your situation, it helps out big time, there are so many dogs out there that would make great pets and people should look in to getting one of them


ASh

[NTMAREMACH]

Originally Posted by devous1

You do debone the chicken?

Post up a pic or two if you have time.

We use the boneless and skinless and just break up into small pieces. These also make the best treats when training the dog. Start by giving small pieces as a reward for doing his business outside. Bring the dog outside let him do his thing and come back into the house for the treat. It won't take long for the dog to figure out the quicker I go the quicker I get the chicken. We also use the dog treats made by Natures Balance. My shepard is over 9 now and hope to see many more years. Here's some pictures of the current dog when he was a pup and some taken just minutes ago. Pay no attention to the drill, scale and the late 70's picture. My wife found the picture lately and she left it out so we could all laugh.

[devous1]

Heres the best pic I have. He's amazing.

[Mach 1]

Well, If you guys are gonna show off your pups so am I... This is Greta, she's seven years old and weighs in at 80 - 85 lbs, is great with people, kids and other dogs. But she doesn't really care for the mailmen or any other delivery people. Is very protective, especially of my wife. By far the best dog I've ever had.

To the OP, I agree with NTMAREMACH. Your new dog is probaby not eating well because he's still adjusting to his new home. Chicken is an easy on his stomach kind of diet. My dog loves chicken mixed into her food. White rice mixed with it might help too. A dog food with condriotin and glucosamine will help keep his hips and joints healthy. Also, You may want to have him tested for dysplasia.

Good luck and Congrats on the adoption.

[ster!nn]

Here's a pic of my GSD following my wife everywhere she goes, just like a little shadow.....85lb, bite work trained, shadow.



Her name is Sexy Lady, and is just over a year old- very social and loves all 3 of my cats and as the months go by, is becoming such a loyal and affectionate buddy.

Good luck with your GSD, they require alot of care and special attention but as long as you're not a bonehead you won't have any big problems. I would suggest doing some reading-up on the breed though and that will help you understand their mentality and how they're different, or more wolfy, than other dogs.

Steve

[shadowmaker]

I ve had 4 of them. Only one was a female and she was smart as heck. She was an escape artist from the fenced lot. She would climb out anyway she could. The lot had boards on all the corners, the door was completely tied shut, boards all around the bottom... When she finally couldnt get out, she bite the fence till she made a hole. Broke alot of her teeth but she made a hole big enough to crawl thru.

She wasnt mean, she just hated that fenced lot. I had a board over the corner with a cinder block on it. One day I saw her climb the fence and push up until the board slid back enough for her to crawl thru. She was sitting on the board when I got out the door and on the ground before I could get to her.

We had one in the house but he was tearing up too much. So, I put him in the lot with her. He would get out from time to time but he never went anywhere. After he died, I told my wife no more fenced in dogs. They just dont get the attention and closeness of a family in a lot behind the house.

The last one, the male we tried in the house, he was funny. After he ran for about a hour he would come back. WHen I would go to put him up, he would go RIGHT to the spot he got out. So, I didnt have to find the escape hatch. LOL

The dog maybe one that worked with blind people or something if it knows how to open doors.

[devous1]

He's definately had some training. He is completely house broke, know all the normal commands and listens fairly well. We have two acres and knows the boundrys, but really unless he's chasing a ball he is right there with one of us.

I did mix the existing Royal Canin with some innova red meat and he did eat some of that. The wife said she is gonna do what it takes to get him eating, if we have to get some chicken tomorrow then thats what we'll do. Are we talking chicken breasts?

Also I did have the vet check his joints because he had a bad limp on the drivers side front when we got him. I was seriously concerned, but after about an hour with him, we were gonna pay what ever it cost to keep him from suffering. Luckily the vet said it was muscular, and gave me a prescription and he appears fine now. He does have yeast infections in both ears that we are having problems with and skin problems which the vet said could both be caused by pour nutrition while running loose.

He was not chipped, no IDs.

[Lonestar]

Try can of Purina one salmon my sisters poodle love it and get bad fish breath is is very healthy. I use to feed my Rottweiler sirloin every so often and she would hunt and eat squirrels and rabbits. Smartest dog I have ever owned best guard dog.


LS

[ster!nn]

Throw out some raw chicken wings for him to chew up and eat.


Raw meat and bones are good for their gut and their teeth. But you shouldn't EVER give them cooked / dried bones- they can't digest that the same as a raw bone- and it can ruin their gut.

Raw skin, meat, and bones are good for your dog. Similary to yours, my GSD is prone to ear infections quite a bit - if it gets rainy out, her ears will start to get reddish so I give her some wash and goop I got from the vet and that clears it up real quick.

[NTMAREMACH]

Originally Posted by devous1

He's definately had some training. He is completely house broke, know all the normal commands and listens fairly well. We have two acres and knows the boundrys, but really unless he's chasing a ball he is right there with one of us.

I did mix the existing Royal Canin with some innova red meat and he did eat some of that. The wife said she is gonna do what it takes to get him eating, if we have to get some chicken tomorrow then thats what we'll do. Are we talking chicken breasts?

Also I did have the vet check his joints because he had a bad limp on the drivers side front when we got him. I was seriously concerned, but after about an hour with him, we were gonna pay what ever it cost to keep him from suffering. Luckily the vet said it was muscular, and gave me a prescription and he appears fine now. He does have yeast infections in both ears that we are having problems with and skin problems which the vet said could both be caused by pour nutrition while running loose.

He was not chipped, no IDs.

Yes chicken breast. German Shepard's are prone to skin problems because they are allergic to many things. We always used better dog food Iams, Science Diet but none cleared up his problems. I have quite a few vet bills I could show you that are caused by allergy's. The vet suggested Van Patten's Natures Balance and most of his skin problems cleared up. He recently has been going through an infection on his lower lip which turned into Murcer. Don't know how he got that. The meds came up $250 not counting the vet bill. But he's worth every cent.
Here's a link to the dog food we use and get it at Petco.
http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/dogformulas/home.html

[clobato]

Congrats! You're going to love him. GSDs are great! I have two of them and couldn't be happier with them.

Here is a pic from this morning. The black and tan is a two year old male and the solid black is a four year old female.

[bababuschka]

Mine is a rotty/GSD mix and he gets skin rash's when he eats beef protien's. He has a protein deficiency and we have to feed him Blue Buffalo vegetarian. ( I think it actually has salmon in it, fish protiens are fine for whatever reason). It is a little expensive but, him and my pit love it. I miss my dogs

[muzman]

Originally Posted by clobato

Congrats! You're going to love him. GSDs are great! I have two of them and couldn't be happier with them.

Here is a pic from this morning. The black and tan is a two year old male and the solid black is a four year old female.

Good pic, I love the scenery, is CO short for Colorado? The autumn (Fall) colours are great. Nice looking dogs in everyone's pics. Cheers.

[MachGirl04]

Congrats on the PUPPER!!! LOL! Smart and protective is exactly what I want in a dog with two kids and such. I had a GS mix as a little kid. Right now, no dogs, I'm just a godmother to a 4 mo. old pitbull who visits several times a week and thinks I'm the world's greatest chew toy. UGH! Ouch!

I think it's wonderful to go through rescue. Best of luck to you all and PUPPER!!! haha, That's what I call them all.

[bris09]

Congrats on the GSD. I had to switch food 4 times until I found something he would keep eating. Ended up with Blue Buffalo Chicken.

[clobato]

Originally Posted by muzman

Good pic, I love the scenery, is CO short for Colorado? The autumn (Fall) colours are great. Nice looking dogs in everyone's pics. Cheers.

Thanks! Yeah, I'm in Colorado. It's about the peak of the aspen color change in the mountains right now, so the wife and I loaded up the dogs and went for a drive today.