Hi,
not sure this is the right category. I am looking for a puppy and am not sure where to look for. I am located in Victoria. I have had a look on gumtree and trading post. Any other sites or forums where to look?
My first choice would be a male German shepherd about 8-12 weeks old.
Thanks for any input
Negger - can you please be kind enough to give reason of -ve?
No one should buy from a puppy/animal shop, they support backyard puppy farms. Buy from certified breeder or rescue one.
What happens if you rescue one who happened to come from a pet shop?
Most puppies sold at pet shops are from puppy farms. All puppies/kittens look cute in the shop windows, but many of them do have lots of health issues. When the puppy is sold, he/she becomes sick, the pet shop will just blame the new owner.
http://www.smh.com.au/national/rspca-calls-for-boycott-of-pe…
True, I didn't know that it even existed after it was too late. We got a puppy a few years ago from a shop and the next day it didn't want to eat straight away and had parvo virus. Man it was such a drainer and expensive (yes we are stupid at the time and poor as well). Anyways we decided to make some sacrafices to pay the vet bills. It survived and very playful till this day.
check out what genetic defects that overbred breeds may have.
Germnan Shepherd often have problems with their hips.
Take care of them, they'll be fine. They are just one of the best (or the best) breeds out there.
I'm sorry, but you clearly don't understand the issue. If a puppy is born with a genetic defect, which is what is being talked about, they won't simply be 'fine,'
Wish I could +1 you a few more times. Amazing how naive some people are about simple things…
Ok. Understood.
so what's the option, ignore them and let them suffer without a loving/caring family?
this is actually a very good point, you dont want to buy a puppy that its parents have had these problems, thats why a reputable breeder would be the best place to buy a puppy from, make sure to meet the breeder see the parents and the condition they are kept in.
a good breeder does selective breeding to bring out the best in the breed and reduce the know issues the breed has.
and yes it might cost more time + effort initially, but vet bills are expensive and if its a genetic defect expect to be going to the vet often.
^ This.
I was going to say that I have always wanted to own a German Shepherd and looked into the breed extensively.
The hip and elbow dysplasia is a big issue in the breed and you should only buy a German Shepherd from a registered breeder that can provide certificates of the parents.
Read more here: http://gsdcouncilaustralia.org/
And just to reiterate the same message that all the other people have posted. Do not buy from a pet shop, do the right thing and rescue the animal from a pound or the RSPCA. But get to know the breed before you buy so you know what you are in for down the track.
Simple rule is a pure breed has more problems than that of a cross breed.
Breeders are the ones responsible for most of the inbreeding. They breed to win shows and sales.
Lol, interesting about not buying a puppy where its parents have the problems.
Sounds ethically wrong, Its like telling a couple "Do not have children, nobody will want to marry them because they may inherit your genetic issues".
Pugs.
I feel so sorry for pugs. Imagine having your face so inbred that you can't breath properly and your eye muscles are so kaput that they can't even hold the balls within the sockets.
"Ohhh he's so cute with his snoring and googly eyes". Yeah, right :/
It's a real shame that people still buy them, keeps demand high and the inbreeding to keep the traits just get worse generation after generation.
I've never owned a dog and know very little about them, but I'm aware about breathing issues with dogs like that. Poor little things. Recently visited a family friend and met their 7 year old pug cross (can't remember what she was crossed with). She still had the gorgeous puggy look but a longer snout and her eyes weren't bulging out at all. She's a really healthy, happy dog.
The relevant term here is "hybrid vigour". Cross-breeds are inherently healthier, because they have more genetic diversity within their genome; two different versions of each gene, rather than only one version, repeated twice. I reckon you should get a German shepherd-cross from the pound/RSPCA etc. There's no need to support the "industry" of dog-breeding/selling, when so many dogs are killed every day for lack of owners.
Whenever I meet someone walking their pug, I want to thank them for caring for an animal with such unsightly genetic defects.
Dogs should be bred for their own health and performance of their role, not appearance.
I believe the British Bulldog also suffers from the breathing problems, but not the eye defects that Pugs get.
It's called brachycephalic airway syndrome, if I'm not mistaken. Quite awful to read about.
The mother of an ex of mine had a cavalier king charles spaniel. He was getting on but had a range of health issues stemming from his purebreed. The boy snored so loud I could barely sleep in the same house as him lol. Often sounded like he was struggling to breathe :(
There is no shortage of very good homeless dogs… try local pet rescue or pet shelters.
Better to buy from there than puppy factory shop fronts :-(
Agreed, plenty of homeless dogs that wern't just brought into this world to make a profit for someone. Have a look at Lort Smith or any local aniaml shelters.
So agree with getting a rescue. My best dog was a rescue and just had that x factor personality.
Likewise. Rescues are amazing pets and you are contributing to saving the life of an innocent animal while sending a message to puppy farms that they are not wanted or needed. Win all around.
Go down to a rescue center before you look elsewhere OP. Plenty of little puppies!
I would check DogzOnline.com
They have purebred healthy puppies. I got my puppies from the breeders that listed there.
Don't buy from a pet shop. Here is a list of animal shelters in Melbourne.
http://dogshome.com/lost-found/lost-pet-information/animal-s…
If you can't tell the difference between a male dog and a female dog then…well, perhaps invest in glasses instead of a puppy.
I don't know how he missed a pregnant puppy female sold as a male.
LOL
Don't buy from pet shops.
Rescue a homeless dog who will love you all the more for it.
So true.
If you're worried about the upfront cost of the dog, what about the food, unexpected pet bills and boarding when you go on holidays?
A true OzB would take someone else's dog for a walk and get paid for it.
I'm lucky in that my neighbours cat comes to visit pretty much everyday.
Only costs me a few dollars of cat food every few weeks and some petting, bargain.
Upvoted even tho' I pretty much hate cats.
Don't neg me, they started it - when I was a kid, 3 different neighbours' cats:
1) used to stalk me and jump onto my head from on top of our fridge.
2) came by my feet and vomited over my beloved brand new Velcro snap-on/snap-off shoes.
3) the worst: came home from school for an afternoon nap, cat had used my pillow as a toilet. For No. 2s.
I must've been a dog in a past life.
This all made me lol, sorry for your misfortune!
Think of the money you've saved by not buying that cat.
http://www.petrescue.com.au/listings/dogs?per_page=48&utf8=%E2%9C%93&size[]=all&age=puppy&gender=either&states[]=2&postcode_distance=50&postcode=&commit=Search&page=1
When you take into account the desexing, microchipping, flea and worm treatments and vet check compared to a pet shop, you are essentially getting the rescue dog for free.
Lovely looking dog. By the write up, I suspect she is there because she is an escape artist, challenging to contain.
Edit: OMG why did I look on that website, I seriously could adopt about 100 of them.
OMG - wanted - partner, any gender with child so we can adopt a husky..
You SO don't want a husky. They're notorious escape artists.
This post just makes me angry. You want to purchase a German Shepherd for what? Because the dog has stance & is certainly a very handsome animal. I was brought up with them, my parents owned many over the years - they are gorgeous but can also become aggressive & do have a very high risk of hip problems which will put you in the category of paying out thousands of dollars in vet bills. Their life expectancy is not high, 10 years normally.
However when you take on a dog it's for life ( theirs ) not as a token " look what we've got" situation, before you get fed up with the maintenance, kenneling,& all other aspects of having a new member in your household. They all need caring,training,love but will give you back far more in return & become a member of your family. Nowadays we have rescue dogs who have had terrible lives in the past but have always come good once home with us.
Whatever you decide to do please take consideration of what life you can offer the dog & how it will affect your own lives on a day to day basis. Should you start to find it a problem, it won't be the dogs fault because basically you will be a parent to him/her. They too have feelings & personalities who need to feel love back in return.
You have just written the post of the year in my opinion. As long as I have been looking at Ozbargain no-one has ever written a post that is more truthful, insightful, and both morally and ethically right.
If there was a post of the year award you should win it hands down.
Thank you for the post - I am so happy to see there are caring, passionate, and smart pet owners out there.
Thank you Lysander - The post was written very quickly, but came from my heart.
German Shepards do not become aggresive. They are assertive and strong and refrain from aggresiveness unless the situation deems it necessary. The rest of your post is accurate though, I just don't think that statement was justified. It would be a minority who are not raised or treated right that are aggresive or dangerous.
Any dog can become aggressive and unpredictable if mistreated. A bad Maltese terrier is an annoyance but a bad German shepherd is a menace.
I don't understand why people are bashing the poor guy, he obviously stated that he wants a 8-12 week old GSD puppy and he's very unlikely to find one of those at an animal shelter. I'm sure that if he didn't care what breed/age of dog he wants and wishes to save a life in the process, he'd go to an animal shelter instead of asking for information here.
If everyone followed these high horse of morals, then we should all be adopting children from Africa instead of having our own…
That's a BS analogy nix. One of the big problems with "pure-breeds" is their inherent potential for poor health due to a lack of genetic diversity (i.e. lack of heterozygosity). This is not something that occurs when people have children together, unless they are closely related.
What exactly did OP say wrong for you to get so angry? Did OP said he/she won't take care of the dog for life? Did he/she said they want a German Shepherd for a show off?
Calm down. You are going to put the person off getting a dog. Yes there are high maintenance costs for dogs but it is completely worth it. Secondly the OP never said that they wanted it to show off or anything. They are simply asking others for advice about where to buy a puppy….
Well said….points to consider….
You should buy from registered breeder so they are less likely to have hereditary problems. I bought mine from http://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/puppies.asp
It's a pretty good website that only shows puppy listings for registered breeders and also if you're sure you want a GSD then you can call up your GSD club victoria and they will be able to refer you to some dog breeders that might not be advertising.
GL! Had 2 GSDs and they are one of the best breeds!
Again, I disagree with nix. There's really no reason to get a "pure-breed" dog, if what you are after is a happy, healthy family pet. In fact, there are many reasons not to.
There's really no reason to get a "pure-breed" dog
actually there is. in my case i knew what a rottys temperament and lifestyle was. big lazy dogs (no need to walk every day if you have a decent yard), short thick hair (no need for washes/brushing etc constantly), extremely loyal and defencive of its "family" (good guard dog), very intelligent and easy to train, "scary" looking (again, good guard dog. few people are going to care about a 1ft tall poodle barking at them). while there are other dogs with some or maybe even all of these traits i very specifically wanted all of them and in a package i had delt with before and knew. this is why i chose pures over a pound dog.
fwiw ive always had cats before my current dogs, never "bought" a cat, was always ones i picked up from rescuing myself, one of which was a day old kitten whos mother was hit by a car and i had to hand raise it… im currently looking at getting a couple of pet ducks to go along with my dogs, i will be looking for a specific breed of duck as well for its certain traits (non flying, big to deal with the dogs, friendly etc)
there are reasons for and against getting certain breeds in everything, its up to the persons own wants/needs
to all the losers that negged me, you should see all the poor animals that come into our rescue and justify why you think its acceptable that people like this clown do it to them.
if someone negs a comment but dosnt mention why its basically a hollow neg, it means they know there reason for negging is stupid and if they actually wrote it out it would easily be seen where there argument fails :)
pluses from me, i have also been in and around the same and know a lot of people want a cute puppy/kitten but the reality of responsible ownership comes swiftly and sharply and then they dump there "problem" and blame the animal for its unsocialness etc….
Negged you. Not going to explain why.
hint: self-righteousness
@HN Professional: I don't necessarily see it as self righteousness. People have different life experiences that shape their opinions and values. Being exposed to animals (or indeed humans) who have been neglected, abused or dumped can really have a huge impact on a person and make them even more passionate about making sure other people think very carefully about bringing home a pet before jumping the gun.
I can see how people would interpret it as self righteousness or taking the moral high ground, but on matters like this which involve living creatures suffering at the whim of another living creature that has the ability to think and make intelligent decisions… maybe it's not a bad thing to have people speak up passionately to remind the rest of us about the realities that exist out there.
I'm sure that noone ever plans to buy an animal and then later get bored of it and dump it, or abuse it etc. And I certainly don't assume anything of the OP (which I dare believe that others here who have been a bit critical might also feel - I think they're just being critical as a general warning and smack of harshness to ensure the OP has really thought about this).
We should be critical of everyone and ourselves before making a huge life decision like getting a dog (or any animal for that matter). Better than taking it too lightly and not being prepared for difficulties that could arise once the animal is in your home and natural, predictable things like health or behavioural issues arise.
I've never had a dog, and probably never will. I love all animals dearly and have pets at the moment… but a dog is a whole different ball game. It's like having a baby - not exactly something I'd do on a whim lol.. and I know I'm not fully prepared (or financially free enough) to cover all bases with dog ownership. If someone's already worrying about how much the dog costs to buy, I'd wonder if they have enough savings for any emergency vet bills, too.
but a dog is a whole different ball game. It's like having a baby - not exactly something I'd do on a whim lol..
bingo, sadly some people also bring humans into the world with little to no thought process..
enough savings for any emergency vet bills, too.
dont forget desexing, yearly vaccinations, flee treatments, heartworming… but yea your correct, the fright of a $1800 vet bill you were not expecting is a killer when you have dogs. even something simple like a lump removal left me $700 poorer a couple months back. if they cost of initially getting a dog really is your biggest concern then a dog probably isnt for you
@nosdan: I had my adult rabbit spayed a few months ago. The surgery itself was only between $200-300, but pre-op x-rays, fluids, after-care (she had complications) etc ended up leaving me $1k poorer. Somewhat unexpected, but she's 7 years old and should've been spayed a long, long time ago (female rabbits are guaranteed to suffer from cervical/uterine disease/cancers if they aren't spayed before like the 4 year old mark). Hence the costs just added up because of the extra precautions and care she needed during and after the surgery.
It was with a brilliant vet who I absolutely trust, and who looks after all my 'exotic' pets. He never over-charges.. in fact he often under-charges me (like examining 5 animals at once and only charging $90 which is a consultation for one animal lol - other vets charge PER animal even during one consultation). Point being, costs can be a huge shock when it comes to animal health. I'd even go as far as suggesting any new pet owners look into the real costs of the basics involved with maintaining good pet health (ie. how much are vet consults, how often will the animal need check ups, costs of meds like parasite treatment, vaccinations, desexing if it's not already done, etc etc). It's pretty scary lol.
The surgery itself was only between $200-300, but pre-op x-rays, fluids, after-care (she had complications) etc ended up leaving me $1k poorer.
which is why i use "responsible pet ownership" (versus just dog ownership etc) because all pets can and do get expensive, i have had big bills for all kinds of pets. just with dogs along with that you also have to take seriously things like socialising, obedience training, food dominance issues just to name a few.
but, congratulations on being a responsible pet owner, if only everyone would take the lives of the things they choose to bring into this world as seriously and responsibly :)
you cant justify an evil deed by making a good deed seem wrong by placing negative connotations on them
do you abuse animals too? is that why your trying to justify it?
All the excuses in the world don't matter because it doesn't solve the fact these dogs and cats are killed.
They don't comment because they know they are wrong, they know they can hide behind their negs and they know they cant justify themselves. I can assume who negged me also voted for you so thanks for your comment :)
You doing the wrong thing doesn't make me self-righteous, it just makes you wrong.
Go to www.petrescue.com.au or RSPCA web site or Animal Welfare League. There are puppies who were born in shelters, pet shops or rescue from breeders. Adopt and dont buy from pet shops. Also before you buy, suggest you start with fostering and see if you really really want a dog. Some people dump their dogs in pounds after they bought their dogs for couple of months realising they can't keep up with the expense on worm chews, flea drops, grooming cost, vaccination, desexing & other vet costs. Another advantage adoption puppies from rescue groups are these dogs are already desexed and might even toilet trained. It usually costs about $450 to adopt a dog but it costs over $1,000 to buy from pet shops or breeders. Some pet shops source their puppies from puppy farms which means the dogs are treated like money making machines. The dogs are confined in cages or small areas with limited food & water, no health checks…
Honestly go to a the rescue shelter and get a mutt (crossbreed of heaps of dogs), you'll get less issues with it and every dog I've ever gotten from a rescue shelter will make you feel appreciated like you've saved their life. Whenever I've had a dog from a puppy it has always felt entitled and behaved poorly (probably because I'm not good at teaching dogs good habits). The point I'm trying to make is find a dog that already had good habits and just re-inforce them, it's alot easier than building them.
It's great rescuing a dog. Sometimes though they may have unexpected behaviour which may tick it off.
I know of a sad case where the original owner kept hitting and threatening the dog with a cooking spatula. Every time the dog saw one with the new owner it would go ballistic.
There is no way you would have known about this just by going to the shelter since it could have acted all well trained and stuff.
I have found puppy schools good, especially the ones which don't focus on teaching the dog, but on teaching the owner how to teach the puppy.
I know of a sad case where the original owner kept hitting and threatening the dog with a cooking spatula.
Gordon Ramsay should never have been allowed to own a dog.
I LOL'd
Also try http://www.animalarkpets.com.au/ too, they are located in Southland, They are a pet shop, except that they sell rescues in their pet shop as oppose to farmed animals. An interesting concept. Of course you could support a charitable shelter directly but at least they will capture the "puppy in the window" market of impulse buyers at a popular location with rescue animals.
Good to see so many voices urging to rescue a life rather than buy from a pet shop.
Guys and girls, please spare a thought for the shelter animals and see if you have any spare/old blankets and towels to donate… I know that the Lost Dogs' Home for one has an appeal for these items: http://dogshome.com/lost-dogs-home-blanket-appeal/ but any pet rescue/shelter would be grateful given the time of the year
Please PLEASE go to your local shelter, they have all you will need, they are well treated and checked. and, (as we are on OZbargain) THEY ARE CHEAPER!
Plus you will be saving a life.
There are some reputable animal rescue places that mainly cater for certain breeds of dog. They sometimes have other breeds, and mixed breeds, but they are mainly focussed on a certain breed. I live in Victoria and regarding Shepherds I know of this organisation: http://www.sweetshepherdrescue.com.au/. I'm sure there'll be others, and there are similar organisations in other states. They sometimes have pups and often have young dogs. If you're after a medium size dog but maybe not specifically a shepherd, I also know of http://www.workingdogrescue.com.au/. There is also http://www.petshaven.org.au/ and - again in Victoria, Lort Smith - http://www.lortsmith.com/. There are many others - I'm not letting you know this to take you away from RSPCA and the other places mentioned by others here, but just to give you more ideas.
Sometimes it takes a fair bit of looking to find the dog that you 'click' with. The rescue places make you fill out a form with heaps of details and they'll help you find a dog whose temperament etc are likely to suit you. They have a huge interest in the welfare of their rescued dogs and want them to go to the best possible place. So if you don't know a lot about dogs, talk to them when you see a dog you might want, and they're always friendly and willing to help with advice. There is a charge to get a dog from a rescue place, but as mentioned by someone above, it's not expensive if you take into account that any dog through the reputable rescue sites has been desexed (or you get a voucher for that if the dog is too young) and microchipped, vaccinated, etc etc.
One thing if you decide to go through online breeders is that you have to be careful of online scammers (as well as puppy farmers). I don't know if it happens a lot, but I do know there was a scheme a while ago where you thought you were organising to buy a pup through an online breeder and were actually sending your money and details to a scammer. I could provide more detail regarding the scam, but was just mentioning it here so that you know to check and double check if you want to buy that way.
There's been a few good sites mentioned by others - I know that a couple have already mentioned http://www.petrescue.com.au/ - they have listings that are provided by a lot of different rescue places (but not all) but it may help to centralise your search a bit. There's a a couple of other sites like that which i can't think of at the moment, but petrescue is well known.
I hope that helps - I could provide more links if you want. :-)
The Sweet Shepherds group looks so great! I am totally in favour of breed-specific rescue groups. I am in love with the Golden Retriever breed and have found a Goldie rescue group who I sponsor now that I have my own Goldie: http://www.grr.org.au/
I may be negged for my view, but I wouldn't be recommending a rescue animal to just anyone. My experience with rescue animals is that because of their mistreatment and abdandonment (mistreating and abandoning animals is abhorrent), they usually suffer all kinds of (understandable) behavioural and possible health problems. Some people aren't ready or capable of dealing with these problems, despite being kind-hearted enough to adopt a pet instead of supporting awful mall pet stores or puppy farms. Animals with physical and emotional problems need special, dedicated care that is vastly different (more complex and more demanding) than just responsible pet ownership. I don't think it's fair to assume all pet owners are capable to care for a rescue animal - especially if they have kids.
When researching breeders for my preferred breed, I visited the website of the dogs society in my state, compared that list with the list of advertisers on dogzonline and started a dialogue with the kennels that were on both lists. I kept in touch with the ones who were expecting litters when I was ready to bring our new family member home, met them before the litter was born, met the litter twice after they arrived and saw them a third time to pick up our puppy to take him home. We stayed in email contact for a few weeks afterward, sending photos and stories and will take our puppy back to visit his biological mum and dad in a few months' time. I don't think we would have had anything like this experience if we had gotten a rescue dog. It might come off as selfish but I really think it is for the best this way.
Our little Justin is a lot of work to train but is happily being moulded into the perfect addition to our household. Right now he is snoring on the floor next to me :)
Your right, I wouldn't say usually buy sometimes animals that owners cant handle often end up in the pound or at rescues (because those owners wouldn't get training or vet consultation (including euthanize) but there are just as many that come from DIVORCES (1 household become 2 and now suddenly no-one can take the dog? or its dumped to spite the partner). you might consider a dog the worst one in the pound but from their view it was the best on the p.t.s list
Always research ask and interact before adopting. Some are fully trained with pedigrees - any animal can be dumped. Dogs that are great usually get homes quicker so some of the more undesirable traits (mostly not as cute, or barking) can cause some to stay longer (and end up killed). Sadly due to too much supply, its actually not worth fixing unhealthy dogs when a good dog is available and they wont become available to purchase they just euthanise.
Most people don't miss the puppyhood experience when you rescue, in the end if its a right match and you love the animal and you just are so happy that you got to save them so you don't regret it and you come back. Good rescues don't rehome badly because they don't want to turn you off and have you come spread degrading opinions like this - but in my experience a lot of people who spread opinions like yours is hearsay and not personal experiences (you didn't disclose what your experience was, if you rescued or you just witnessed other rescuers)
Rescue is the kindest option but you made an informed decision and what you did is the next best thing. Buying a puppy on impulse and dumping it ( insert excuses here ) is the main problem so its why people encourage heavily to adopt and not shop and whatever you do, make it informed. You know your going to get negged because your trying to justify your decision (which wasn't a bad one but you may feel guilt or pressure) by defaming rescue and justifying buying a puppy - I don't like this because it sounds like you haven't had much to do with rescue and don't know how it works. I wish that you didn't feel you need to justify it but rather that you looked into rescue and it wasn't the best option for you.
People hate when pounds kill, they don't adopt donate or support then they do supply or turn people off rescuing. the pounds are suddenly the bad guys when in fact they are all animal lovers - they are doing more than most which is volunteer to try and help.
No, not defaming rescue at all! I love rescue organisations and think they are some of the most selfless people around. All dogs (animals) deserve a loving home, whether they were bred for a specific family from pedigree or whether they have been rescued from another family who couldn't continue to care for them for whatever reason. If you look at the comment above my original one, you will see that I support the great work done by Golden Retriever Rescue (GRR) in NSW.
I have four friends who have rescue pets, three of them with two resuce dogs each, and all of the owners and pets are stressed individuals because of the emotional challenges the dogs experience. My friends were not prepared for the challenges of owning a pet who had been dumped and left to wander the streets as all of their pets had been, and their pets are not exactly happy animals. It makes me incredibly sad for the animals. The owners love their pets but it's a daily challenge that I don't think the owners were equipped for.
That said, I have another friend who also has two rescue dogs, both of whom also had been abused as puppies, and she has raised them to be incredibly loving and happy dogs. This is a great story.
I will freely admit that I didn't look into rescue first, this was because I wanted a puppy owned by me only and I wanted a specific breed. I'll also admit that I didn't think there would be any rescuse Golden Retrievers around as I didn't expect that anyone would abandon a Golden Retriever because they are such incredible dogs (IMHO) but now that I have become more aware of GRR, I see this is not as uncommon as I thought.
In my view, rescue IS the kindest option - as long as the owners can meet the needs of the animal they are rescuing. Just like all dog ownership, really.
Not every dog that ends up in a shelter has issues, in fact I'd hazzard a guess and say that the vast majority have probably not been abused. For instance, a LOT of pups end up there, simply because the irresponsible owner of their mother can't be bothered getting her desexed.
Or someone takes home a pup then, because they didn't research the most suitable breeds for their situation, finds it does not suit them. Or their circumstances change and they can no longer physically care for the dog (ie they go into a nursing home.)
Or one of my favorite hates - kiddy gets a puppy for Christmas. The following year the family is going on holidays, so off said dog goes to the shelter to save the cost of having it boarded, with the intention that they'll get another one after they come back from their trip. It happens a LOT.
The very first thing one should do is establish that they actually have the time (and interest) to care for a dog. Then do research to find what dog would suit them best. DON'T get a working dog if you live on a suburban block and don't have time to walk it a LOT. You're almost guaranteed of having a naughty dag. Don't get a husky unless you have a gazillion foot high fence …. even then it's going to try very hard to escape lol.
I agree with those who have said the first place to look should be a shelter. Don't be in a hurry - make a few visits, and don't take something home straight away just because it looks cute, or even worse, don't feel sorry for it just because it's cowering in the corner. Feel sorry for it, for sure, but don't take it home unless you have the time, patience and skills it needs. Our dogs are both rescue 'puppies.' The older one had come from a home where there was a lot of violence, and literally took 3 YEARS before he would have anything to do with my hubby, and didn't cringe every time he saw a pair of size 13 shoes in the same room.
Don't buy from pet stores, because you're supporting puppy farms, and increasingly these days, the same thing applies to buying them at local markets.
EDIT Have just seen Kwaker's post, and it seems I've repeated a lot of what he/she has said….. oops!
that's ok Geewhizz your 100% on the ball and great to see a testimonial from someone that actually has a rescue dog themselves and not just spreading hearsay.
You are 100% right. Rescue animals are usually great. Sometimes they come from families who simply took on more than they could handle or they are moving house and cannot keep the dog or the parents are getting a divorce or lots of other reasons. I don't condemn any of these reasons, when you get a dog it is FOR LIFE what ever happens.
Sometimes however they can have had a bad experience(i.e they have been abused) and be a bit frightened around new people and it can take a lot of work to get the dog back to normal.
Yes it certainly can - but basically all they want is love & understanding - they are not human - but do respond to caring to make them feel secure & then become well behaved as they are happy in their new environment - which obviously leads to a very happy contented household ( for every member whether they have two legs or four!!)
Hi OP
I recommend having a look at dogz online - this is where my family recently found the breeder we bought our puppy from.
We bought a Golden Retriever so we used the Golden Retriever Club Of Victoria's website to find tips about what to look for and what should raise alarms when looking at the puppies.
There is a German Shepard Club Of Victoria - http://www.gsdcv.org.au/ Have a look at that. I recommend buying a dog from a breeder that is listed and registered with them. This applies to all breeds. Their puppy list is here
Feel free to post back on here if you have any questions once you have got your puppy or are ready to start looking.
You occasionally find animals in cages behind the local dodgy take-away shops. Pretty good if you're looking for a rescue animal. Bring bolt cutters for the authentic experience.
Find a rescue dog! I have two rescue kelpies and they are the most loveable friendly dogs.
Mine is a rescue kelpie/doberman cross who was left with the RSPCA aged 6 weeks (the breeder kept the black and tan ones and dumped the 4 puppies that were the 'wrong' colours).
I often get comments on what a gorgeous dog he is (all chocolate brown) which goes to show you the stupid reasons dogs end up at shelters.
If anything kelpies are too friendly (he is so excited to meet new people he is a useless guard dog, but great with small children and cats).
Had a rescue greyhound for the last 3 years, sadly he passed away 3 months ago from bone cancer, best dog I've ever had (had golden retrievers previously). My greyhound was one the the four greyhounds dumped by the owner in the pound. Once they're too old or not fast enough they're usually dumped by the owners. Sad.
http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2012/s3629114.htm
Once they're too old or not fast enough they're usually dumped by the owners.
actually they are usually just straight out killed.
oh and +1 for owning a greyhound. ive never owned one but seen plenty of ex race rescued pets. definitely great dogs.
Have to agree, 3 months ago adopted a re-homed greyhound from
http://www.gapnsw.com.au/
best dog we have ever had……
Thank you all for the positive votes. I'm in tears at the moment as my husband has just been to our doggie graves in the back garden to weed & clean the area. We planted rose bushes after each dog passed away on their grave & they are beautiful - I now have a house full of roses which I can look at & remember our very special dogs & know that they will never leave us. Please remember that a dog is for life
German Shepherd rescue Victoria > facebook.com/germanshepherdrescuevictoria
We were lucky in that we got a beautiful well loved(Fixed up)female German Shepherd with papers a few weeks ago advertised on Gum Tree. She is a little over a year old from a couple who just had a new born baby as well as a 4year old and could no longer give her the needed attention she deserved.
My suggestion is to take your time do not rush. If your in no hurry it took us 6 months to find the right dog and worked out well as it was a win, win we got a beautiful natured German Shepherd and helped out someone who wanted her to go to a good home. We previously had a Shepherd and Retriever who both died of old age a bit over a year ago so we took our time in looking and it worked out well for us.
something to think about when buying a dog.
buying from a breeder is expensive - maybe $1000+.
However, you do the research, and you know what you're getting, and it's worth it.
$1000 divided by 10 years = $100 a year - that's cheap.
Regardless of what dog you get, the vet bills will be more than $1000 at the end.
The purchase price is the cheap bit - do your research, and buy from a good breeder. You will be better off in the end.
Edit - or a rescue dog ftw - you can usually try those dogs out - rescue dog fosters usually pick the best home, so if you get picked, you should be so lucky. I have one rescue dog mutt (kelpie cross), and one border collie. The rescue dog is the better behaved, and easier to train dog.
Hi dosada
apologies to all if this has been repeated but GSD do have alot of health issues (like any pure breed would) hip dyspepsia, arthritis and skin issues are big problems. If you are going to get a pup, make sure the pup's parents have a healthy genetic line. Usually a good breeder will have it's parents radiographed to detect hip dyspepsia.
Arthritis is inevitable in any large breed dog but can be managed with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory meds. In the form of tabs or a course of weekly injections for 4 weeks.
In regards to skin, this can also be managed but tends to be difficult to find a balance with meds. Some vets will suggest fish oil supplements in conjunction with oatmeal shampoos. in worse case scenarios, vets will prescribe predisposition tabs. I suggest you apply for pet insurance for the dog (pet plan has 4 weeks free at the moment so take advantage of the offer or go on canstar.com.au to search for the the best plan for your dpg's needs)
Be aware that GSD require a lot of exercise and if they aren't walked regularly, these dogs tend to be very destructive.
Having said that! I understand you would like to get a GSD but also consider adopting a dog from a rescue group. You would be adopting cross breed; the best kind of dog in my opinion, usually minimal health issues compared to pure breeds AND!!!! you would be providing a loving home to apoor dog that may have had a sad past
GOOD LUCK and i hope you find the right dog :)
pyramid on 01/08/2014 - 12:15 Comment score below threshold.
