Hey, I'm one of these idiots! :lol: Finally, a topic I'm an expert on...sorry in advance for the wordiness
I guess this would be my advice to someone dumb and new like me...
.5. Telling an idiot they can't deal with it is fraught with consequences, so tread carefully, even though I totally agree with you.
1. if they are going to get a GSD, do a ton of research, and while what I'm about to say will probably cause some of you some grief...buy from established lines bred for size/temperment/health predictability (while realizing there's a lot of variation and this could mean jack). That's why I went with a very German line with a pedigree I could trace back because I needed that predictability. I would not buy an American line GSD, that's not a knock, I just think there is less risk there for a n00b like me. Having Troll and Fero lines is cool (to about five people in the US) but mostly I just like knowing the histories. Gives me more appreciation for the dog's capabilities and my responsibilities even though I know that may sound weird.
1.5 Let experienced dog people suggest a breeder for you that seems to mesh with your own research. Only buy from a breeder that must qualify you as an owner before you can buy their dog Only buy from a breeder who understands the differences between working dogs and family dogs.
2. Let the breeder pick the dog for you based on an objective understanding of your home environment and your ability to invest time and energy in the dog. Make them intrepret their selection according to Volhard selection criteria if they don't do the specific test. Don't get a "1" dog although my dog leans towards that. Buy from a breeder who will refuse to tell you particular pups from the litter because of their screened dispositions.
3. Talk with reasonable owners of like animals and ask them their opinion as to whether you can handle it.
4. Don't buy one if you don't want the house dirtier, your clothes messier, and every other neighbor really irritated that you now have a "mean dog" on their block. Plan on spending 5x more than what anyone tells you you'll spend on a dog.
5. Don't buy one if you think they (i.e., dogs from working lines) can train like dolphins with halters on.
6. Go to leerburg and other sites and read the horror stories about idiots like me who buy them and then tie them out the backyard for a few years. Read as much as you can about the training philosophies on that site and others, even if you are like me and don't agree with some of them. Cesar Milan is great but he does not teach people how to properly handle working dogs. There's some middle ground in between the two.
7. Ask yourself where you will get the 2-3 hours of "high quality and stimulating" interaction time a day to spend with the dog. For the next 15 years. Try to live that schedule for a few weeks (e.g., go for long walks, etc. but take that time AWAY from your current life).
7.5 Don't kid yourself about personal protection training if you are a n00b and you do not have a house where you could not keep a loaded gun on the kitchen floor. Read carefully all the comments from LEOs and MWD handlers about how few dogs can actually do this. Like, twice.
8. If you don't like asking for directions because of pride, don't get a working dog.
9. Be honest with your wife about shedding, it will save you trouble later. :lol:
And tell them their lives will change just as much as they did when they had a baby! Except dogs housebreak quicker.
Now for the more controversial stuff, I guess: first-time dog owners should not own GSDs. Beyond GSDs, I would not recommend a working Mal or Dutch or molosser/pit breed to anyone who did not spend >50% of their work and play lives in dog-related activities (kennel ownership, training, etc.) and had previously owned dominant dogs (successfully). I think there should be a breeder code of ethics keyed to these types of things that would restrict to whom breeders could sell animals. I think serious breeders should be given preferential tax incentives to pre-qualify potential dog owners. (I am not talking about BSL, I'm talking about incentizing, because good sales mean less harm to society down the road in many ways). I think there should be tax incentives for spaying/neutering.
Sorry for the length, this question causes me to think a lot. Some days more than others!!!
