Hi /an/ I'm from /k/, /tv/, and /sp/ Is there any reason

>>2215433
Because they are neurotic, raging balls of health issues with exploding hips.

>>2215433
Well, you haven't really said anything about your lifestyle so we have no way of answering that question. How often can you exercise it? How long are you out of the house daily?

>>2215440
Yep, OP didn't provided enough informatio.

>>2215440
I own a house with a fenced-in backyard.

My job is pretty flexible. Sometimes I'm required to be on site but usually I can handle it from home.

>>2215439
I would provide him/her with proper vet care. Cost isn't really an issue.

>>2215483
But why buy a needlessly unhealthy dog? You do understand that hil dysplasia costs upwarda of 5000 dollars to treat, right? The other joint issues the dog would incur could cost 2000 dollars. This isnt even getting into the other health problems GSDs have. You clearly have zero understanding of how unhealthy these dogs are. There is a huge reason they are being replaced by Belgian Malinois for police dogs and MWDs.

Do more research on breed.

>>2215487
Obviously I need to do more research.

What is the cause of these extreme health issues? Have they been inbred?

>>2215433
The TSC lets you adopt dogs that failed bomb training for free if you're in the US OP. Retired ones too but like >>2215487 said, they can have a lot of health problems.

TSC has other dogs too I think the program's in Texas mainly.

To add:

You do understand that dogs arent born with the ability to protect you right? They require really specific temperments, and very specialized training. Have you done research on shutzhund clubs in your area? Did you even know what shutzhund was before googling it after reading my post? How are you going to screen breeders to ensure you select a dog with the required temperment for protection work? What would you do if your dog ended up not having the temperment for this line of work?

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>>2215498
No. No. And no.

That's why I came to you /an/, to learn

Lastly, have you ever raised a puppy before? It is really hard, and really stressful. Hell, have you ever even had a dog on your own? Growing up with a family dog is way different than having your own.

This sounds like a dream of yours and I don't want to discourage you, but I also want to make sure you really understand what you are getting into.

If you answered no to both my above questions, start with an adult dog. Go to your shelter or city pound. They have dogs of all sizes, and if you are really lucky, you might even find an older GSD! >>2215497 is also a really good suggestion too. You could also see what your local police department does with dogs that dont make the cut to be police dogs. Perhaps they adopt them out and you can get on a waiting list?

Doesn't your breedeer provide any preventive Tests, concercing dyspl. and back-issues? Our doggy has sometimes a bad back, but with age comes pain. nevertheless GS are top-tier dogs. Calm and/or focussed, when you need them to and hyperactive when you want them to. Really fast learners, including also your own faults.They also accept equal family-hirarchy,if raised right; meaning, they'll accept and execute every task, no matter if Kid or grandparent.also great dogs if you have little kids, or puppers- pretty social animals. (But don't forget it's a Shepherd, so they are sometimes quite reserved) In terms of defending your house,its more or less a question of character. Our dog was surely a golden Retriever before her reincarnation.

>>2215502
Thanks /An/on you've given me a lot to think about.

I'm going to make contact with my local authorities and shelters and see if I can find a doggo in need of a home.

>>2215497
Hah, TSC is my IT service at work.

I just realized I meant TSA but yes there should be dog training programs at the county or state level across the US.

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>>2215496
The American Kennel Club and retards who only care about looks saying that they need to have short nonfunctional legs and sloped backs because that's what those idiots think looks good.
So for years and years these shit show breeds were inbred to keep the lines pure and now you have loads and loads of once proud German Shepherds with terrible legs and hips and sloping backs. And most people don't know or care about that stuff, they just want a cute puppy so they don't do research before buying one and end up getting a dog with health issues.

Now, working line German Shepherds are fine, as they're bred for their working abilities and not their looks, so they're generally much healthier with good legs, hips and backs. But they're also super high drive and much more work to handle than a show line for obvious reasons. But if you're up to the challenge they can be amazing pets that are highly intelligent and trainable.

Just do lots of research into the lines the dog you want came from. Do hip checks and look at the parents of a puppy if you can. Be very careful about selecting one.

>>2215502
Can confirm that raising a puppy is absolute hell, and all expectations you may have had before hand will be thrown out once you actually get yours.
I love my dog to death, but there are times he really tries my patience and makes me wonder why I got a puppy instead of adopting an older guy.

>>2215515
Glad I can help, anon. As someone who got their first dog as an adult, you will learn a ton. I am really glad I listened to /an/ and got an adult dog. I think if I had gotten a puppy, I would have been crazy overwhelmed. That being said, I fewl way more confident and my next dog will be a puppy.

Also, don't be afraid to look up a shutzhund club in your area. Geneally, the first stage of shutzhund is obedience work to see if your dog has what it takes. Maybe you will get lucky and find a bro that can do protection like you want! But if not, you'll just end up with an awesome trained dog and you'll learn tons on how to train dogs. And one of the great things about shutzhund is altered/fixed dogs can compete! Some dog sports are funny about altered dogs competing, which kind of sucks if you get a rescue.

Last, don't give up on your dream of having a GSD. As >>2215514 said, if you look hard enough, you can find good breeders to mitigate the health problems of the breed. Good luck finding a bro that is down on his luck. Shelter dogs are really awesome. I get the feeling they sort of know what you did for them, and really love you for it. You'll learn tons with your first adult dog, and when the time is right and you are really confident dog owner, you can get a GSD puppy like you want.

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Making this thread says you're gonna do it anyway, so either go to a few shelters and see if you can adopt one.

Look on petfinder.com, you can even look for just puppies if you want. Here's a link with the german shepherds or mixes near me , you can just put in your zip code and search near you.

https://www.petfinder.com/pet-search?query_id=F1006604-78FC-11E6-A38B-DEFA04A84234&page_number=0


Otherwise, look for a reputable breeder, look at the parents, are they slanted to shit? Or is their stance appropriate? If money or a yard aren't an issue, you should bust your ass researching breeders for a couple of hours and make sure you get the best you can get.

Pic related is on petfinder and is cute af.
https://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/36192719

>>2215496
Basically yes. When any breed of dog boosts in popularity, the genes bottle neck because supply is not meeting demand, so a very few amount of dogs have to make a large amount of dogs, which involves a lot of careless breeding and inbreeding.

Finding a reputable GSD breeder is like finding a needle in a hay stack. Just because their dogs are used in police work does not make them sound dogs. Just because they import their dogs from Germany does not make them good dogs. There is a whole lot to learn about GSDs just with the breeders. There are a ton of scammers and bybs and puppy mills that will look legitimate but churn out a dog that isn't sound by structure or temperament. I'd suggest getting into GSD specific forums with people who actually know what they are talking about.

Post a breeder close to you and I'm sure some people on /an/ can point out where you are getting ripped off.

OP, another option is to look online for classified ads in your area. Lots of times you'll get people selling dogs or puppies who are healthy and fine, but for various circumstances they have to give up their puppy. Like, someone could have moved to a smaller apartment or had a kid or something so they have to give up their otherwise fine dog. And because most of these people are giving up dogs like that they're not going to charge a lot for them.
You could easily find a great healthy German Shepherd since they're so common and popular who has all its shots and is housetrained.

Just another option to be aware of when looking for a dog.

>>2215525
Just going off of this;
Breeders will sell working line dogs with roached backs and still claim they are used as police k9s, so don't just take their word for it. They should be doing something besides confirmation shows with their dogs, whether it's agility, bite work, scent work, etc. You can only really tell if the dog is part frog by watching it walk, because GSDs are nearly all stacked like that in pictures.

>>2215551
This is a bad idea. You're literally paying someone compensation for their short sightedness, and now you know absolutely nothing about the dog. BYB GSDs are not only notoriously neurotic and incredibly unhealthy, but also temperamental. Meaning, they may bite you or become aggressive towards you over silly things.

At the very least, a shelter would be liable for adopting out an aggressive animal and paying an adoption fee is not paying for the animal, but more of a donation to the facility. A person selling dogs on CL is just making money on your (and their) bad decision, and they are not obligated to tell you the truth about the dog.

I've seen way too many people get fucked over by CL sellers, both pups and adults, to ever recommend it.

>>2215555
A good breeder will have their dogs credentials showing it comes from a working line. Anyone can say it is, but a good one will be able to prove it.

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>>2215530
>>2215538
>>2215514
>>2215498
>>2215525
>>2215538
>>2215551
You've given me a lot to think about!

I want to do right by if / any doggo I get. Thank you.

Too many posts for me to bother with so I'm sure someone already said it but, if you are set on finding a breeder than find someone who breeds their dogs for work. It may be much harder for you to get one since they don't typically let them go to inexperienced owners.

As for adopting, go for it. My neighbor friend has a GSD mix. I hate GSDs, and I hated this dog too for being the typical neurotic piece of shit but I got to know him better to the point where he will stop growling and snapping if I tell him to cool it even if I'm at the door. Also he treed a bear while I was walking him with their kids.
Yeah yeah shit owners but it made me a little more easy on GSDs. He is an adopted mutt and even though he may go insane when a stranger is near their house and is way too excited to play with other dogs, he is what they wanted I guess. I so much call it loyalty rather just protecting his space, though. They use a shock collar to quiet him and aside from walks he doesn't get to do much. Do much better than that and you'll have a wonderful dog that actually listens.

Heavily consider training classes too if you have never had dogs like this.