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First, I admire Huskies because they are so beautiful. I wanted one but the fact that they are runners made me rethink. I then fell for a young GSD female and so far, I find that GSDs need lots of exercise. She expects 1+ hour of walk in the woods and play everyday. She is also very strong to the point of dragging me if she so desires. Because she is pampered, she has turned in to a whiner/talker and sometimes she is even demanding (right now she is barking at me for her dinner, which is being cooked). GSDs are in the working dog class so they need something to do. If they get bored, they become destructive. Many Shepherds have a sensitive stomach and have to eat simple (few ingredients). My GSD is too independent. She does welcome me home but she is not a dog to be by my feet, rather she has made her own space and comes to me at specific times such as early in the morning when she usually climbs to bed and rests next to me.
Good luck with your choice!
I respectfully disagree with this post, but let me first add the disclaimer that each dog is an individual and not necessarily the same as every other in its breed.
I have owned five GSDs as an adult (as a child, we had a GSD, cocker spaniel, and husky), all have been awesome but each different in their own way. I have had a total of two females and three males (my current one is a male from a GSD rescue). NONE of my dogs has ever "required" an hour+ of exercise each day. I have never had a whiner/talker nor have any of my dogs EVER been destructive. They have always wanted to be near us at all times, not necessarily clingy but certainly within a few feet or where they could see us.
None of my shepherds has ever been what I'd consider a barker unless there was something necessary to bark out. For instance, they would not bark for dumb things like hearing a car door down the street, etc. My current GSD will bark like crazy when he sees another dog but that is only because he is a rescue and as a puppy, he was chained in a back yard and attacked repeatedly by a neighboring pit bull. The vet said he is mentally abused from that and will not ever love other dogs but he is great with people. My other four dogs were extremely friendly with everyone, including all of my son's friends over the years. We had two GSDs when my son was born and those dogs thought the sun rose and set with him. He could do anything to them and they loved it. As he got older, he would bring friends over and they would all be running around and playing and the dogs would just play with them.
This is just my experience and I am posting to give you another point of view. Best of luck with your choice.
I respectfully disagree with this post, but let me first add the disclaimer that each dog is an individual and not necessarily the same as every other in its breed.
I have owned five GSDs as an adult (as a child, we had a GSD, cocker spaniel, and husky), all have been awesome but each different in their own way. I have had a total of two females and three males (my current one is a male from a GSD rescue). NONE of my dogs has ever "required" an hour+ of exercise each day. I have never had a whiner/talker nor have any of my dogs EVER been destructive. They have always wanted to be near us at all times, not necessarily clingy but certainly within a few feet or where they could see us.
None of my shepherds has ever been what I'd consider a barker unless there was something necessary to bark out. For instance, they would not bark for dumb things like hearing a car door down the street, etc. My current GSD will bark like crazy when he sees another dog but that is only because he is a rescue and as a puppy, he was chained in a back yard and attacked repeatedly by a neighboring pit bull. The vet said he is mentally abused from that and will not ever love other dogs but he is great with people. My other four dogs were extremely friendly with everyone, including all of my son's friends over the years. We had two GSDs when my son was born and those dogs thought the sun rose and set with him. He could do anything to them and they loved it. As he got older, he would bring friends over and they would all be running around and playing and the dogs would just play with them.
This is just my experience and I am posting to give you another point of view. Best of luck with your choice.
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I am glad you are posting your own opinion, it is great.
Just to clarify that I love my dog very much just the way she is. I am not an expert in GSDs so I am very lax and accommodating with her, therefore, she has assumed a leadership role in the household. It is her personality, influenced by mine. She does follow us from room to room often but she is not at our feet in adoration position. Heck, she is a little princess!! If someone is to be adored is her. And she never has been crated either.
My dog does demand a lot of exercise. It is kind of difficult now to get her to come home while in the woods. But I admit that I have her used to that since I got her and that is probably the reason why she now demands it by barking at me and harassing me until I take her out.
I like GSDs so much that I am hoping to buy a house someday to start my own rescue or at leas foster them while they find homes.
I do love your post, it looks like you are a true dog person.
GSDs can be as varied wtihin the breed as between the breed. There are showlines and working lines and backyard bred which are God Only Knows What. --- Very different temperaments between the types. Working lines GSDs are bred to work and they absolutely can be destructive. I have seen a wire crate completely destroyed in 15 minutes [obviously we would have stopeed the dog if we saw it happening] I know of houses that have had the floors ripped up. They are great dogs and amone working breeds are more often known to have an "off switch" compared to, say, the typical Malinois who is always "on".....but there is so much divergence among the lines I don't think you can really typify what to expect unless you narrow it down to GSD type. Sibes I know nothing about. I , too, have had 5 GSDs - 2 from am showlines, 1 a mix of working and show, 1 a west german working and 1 a czech working and the dogs have all been very different.
The common thread - all dogs could be trained for obedience. All could go anywhere with me offlead. All had some degree of guarding instinct, both activity level and drive varied greatly. Showlines had weaker nerves than the working line dogs who were more stable.
Huskies are also escape artists, and require much more exercise. Not that sheperds don't require exercise, but huskies need to run daily. When we adopted our dog, the shelter had 3 huskies to choose from. When I asked why, the worker there told me they can figure out how to open gates, doors etc that would contain most other dogs. When they do escape, they will wander far.
When my Siberian was 18 yrs old, I was slow closing the front door...he bolted...
at that time he was totally deaf and very nearly blind...he had suffered a stroke....he was in the front yard runnung in left hand circles....but he thought he was running away....Two days later we had to put him to sleep..... but he had been able to run away so he was happy.
For the record, my female GSD DOES require an hour of activity a day, and my male GSD DOES talk, bark, vocally demand attention, his dinner, whatever he wants. GSDs are for people who realize the needs of this intelligent breed. The need for mental stimulation, socialization, and exercise ! These are not dogs who will be happy just laying around. I wouldnt take a million dollars for either of mine, but I do believe they are more work than some other breeds.
When my Siberian was 18 yrs old, I was slow closing the front door...he bolted...
at that time he was totally deaf and very nearly blind...he had suffered a stroke....he was in the front yard runnung in left hand circles....but he thought he was running away....Two days later we had to put him to sleep..... but he had been able to run away so he was happy.
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It is amazing that Huskies can live that long, it must have been heartbreaking to take the decision of putting him down.
You people are great.Thank you so much for all of the input. I guess I'm still not sure which way to go. It's my husband that wants the bigger dog. My yorkie is most definetly the king of the house so he would have an adjustment. I'm just not sure about all of the excercise that these dogs may need. Any other dogs that you people know anything about that wouldn't need as much physical activity?
My male GSD was pretty laid back. He enjoyed playing ball or going for walks, running through the woods, but he also enjoyed just laying around the house. Wasn't a big barker never whined loved going places and loved meeting new people and other dogs.
My female was very high energy, always wanted to be outside doing something. I did spend a lot more time working with her. She was more of a barker and loved to whine when she wanted something, she enjoyed going places but was a bit more aloof around people she didn't know.
These two were as different as night and day. Both had great temperaments, were very well behaved and never were they destructive. Taking the time to train any dog will be rewarding to the owner and the dog. I used to take my female to ob classes twice a week for a while, just to give us something to do and kept her from getting bored.
If you went the rescue route you would have a better idea of what you were getting.
You people are great.Thank you so much for all of the input. I guess I'm still not sure which way to go. It's my husband that wants the bigger dog. My yorkie is most definetly the king of the house so he would have an adjustment. I'm just not sure about all of the excercise that these dogs may need. Any other dogs that you people know anything about that wouldn't need as much physical activity?
retired greyhound.......
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