That dog looks familiar, one for the lookalike people
Looks like he might have been hiding in the coal bunker…
He’s going nowhere.
tell me about it
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Would you ever get them an auld rug?
They have their own. There’s a bit of jockeying going on. The Big lad is grand with him but he’s always positioning himself between me and the new buck 
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How they getting on? Im telling the wife our lass needs a bit of company but she’s resisting
They are getting on well yea. But it’s a lot of work. I had the big guy pretty well marshalled in his habits and he knew his boundaries. He’s not on a collar or fence even though we have a fair big garden and loads of room but this new guy can get through gaps the big dude can’t so I am afraid that 1, the stray will stray and an owner comes looking for him or it gets hurt and 2, that the stray leads my lad into harms way. So I can’t let them out to play together outside. I am not going to fence off the place as yet.
The big guy is a little put out with the presence of this lodger, as you can see in the pic his positioning between me and the stray guy but there is no aggression. Two things can happen, he will either chill out or resentment my build up over time. I expect him to chill but I am determined Lodger boy won’t be around that long.
To answer the question I think you are asking - if you are looking for a companion for your dog then it’s a different situation, this one was landed on us.
The age of your dog and the sex of the dog you are getting are to be considered if your lady is not fixed already. Two full bitches may just be that, a nightmare.
Edit: And Harvey Lodger boy is feckless. Independent, does his own thing, trying a leg on ruling this roost, trying it on to get up on furniture/the girls laps etc. There hasn’t been a bark or a yelp out of him except if he is left alone. He has no interest in toys or balls which makes recall training a bit harder as giving treats where there is competition from another animal is looking for trouble.
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A Jack Russell takes home the reserve prize. The first time ever a JRT has made Best in Show at Crufts.
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Zen had a great dog beard.
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How do you find the German shepherd with strangers? Is there a chance he’d go for someone who came into the yard or is it all bark? They are one breed that always scared the shit out of me if I encountered one at an unfamiliar house I wouldn’t be going in unless accompanied by the owner. My aunt and her husband used to always have a German shepherd on the go and they’d be exceptional at scaring people away from the back yard.
I could spend forever chatting about GS’s. They are a remarkable breed. I fell in love with them when I was a kid when they were still pretty rare to see back in the early 80’s. My Dad’s boss had one. He was very stand offish but would let me pet him.
Big Dude Brown is my 3rd GS in all. My first died young from a twisted gut. The second GS I had for 15 years from a pup. I bought him from a postman in Inchigeelagh. Serious animal of a great breeding line. His parents were search and rescue dogs.
The comparison between our current Land Shark and his predecessor is like day and night. Every dog has it’s own personalities, strengths and weaknesses. The circumstances and our family situation for each of our dogs were completely different too so they were brought up and trained differently. Inchigeelagh Lad was a General in the yard and a kitten in the house. Our kids were very young and he was extremely protective of them along with his territory. He sat in the yard on duty every day and NO One ever attempted to come in. He was pretty chilled when we were around and somebody called but if you came in unknowning to us, you would not get out of the yard on your own. So his job primarily was security of the yard and home and he did it extremely well. The cats would sleep on his back and he had no issues with other dogs.
Our current guy has been reared differently. And again, a total different personality. To answer your question he is mainly bark. Won’t engage with strangers except from a distance barking and circling his area, which in itself is pretty intimidating. At the time we got him, 2 GS’s were poisoned to enable a robbery at a Plant Hire place not too far from us. As we had camera’s installed etc we decided Big Dude would be kept in the house at night. So he’s a huge part of the family. He is very vocal, he’s almost talk to you and he is well able to express himself when he wants feeding or walks. He hated small dogs and cats drive him demented. But with a lot of work and I guess with his own maturity, he is 7 now, he has become less reactive. He’s a Dad to 19 fabulous pups. I have trace of 4 from 2 litters and follow their progress. I am delighted with the way he has taken to Harvey, it’s made the possibility of his adoption a lot easier.
I wouldn’t be without a GS. My dream is to have a breeding pair. My retirement passtime.
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That’s a great post that’s exactly what I wanted to hear - as alluded to probably a few months ago I am starting to think about buying a family dog and which breed it’ll be but I want to have it researched to the last and try to make a good decision before I pull the trigger. You are really selling German shepherds as a breed there and now have me tempted. I love the loyalty and intelligence that you’re putting across there in the ones you’ve had, plus the security factor where people simply will not enter if they are in the yard, that’s superb and win win really for country living.
Just a few follow on questions:
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I’m looking for something robust enough to remain outdoors all the time including sleeping outdoors - but also want something that’s ok for the kids the play with (they’re currently very young just toddlers but in a few years when eldest starts school I might get the dog then) - but do you find them ok being around kids (and not just kids from the dogs own house but friends of the kids)? I guess this might be different from one GS to the next and depend on how you rear them and getting them from a pup maybe?
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I think I know the answer to this - but they’re not really a roaming breed are they ? I don’t want something heading off down the fields or finding a gap to break out and head down the road + bother people walking by? One solution there I guess is the collar that puts them off leaving your boundary, example when the gate is open for a car to enter.
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and lastly - again these questions may differ dog to dog although you may see common traits in GS’s - I don’t want a dog that’s going to bark at the moon all night when he’s outside. The ones you’ve had were they annoying barkers or only doing so when they have to? Our neighbour here has a dog and he never shuts up barking the whole night long it’s quite annoying - but must be worse for them.
Ok - robust yes, but I’d hope you’d set up that your dog has access to somewhere warm, dry and comfortable to sleep in. Wooden kennels can be problematic in that a bored dog will chew it to shreds. A dog left sleeping out at night in winter time will develop joint problems and suffer frost bite on its ears. GS are prone to hip dysplasia. Do a health check on the parents. Think that one thru. It doesn’t have to be 3 star accommodation but practical. Get insurance. It’s not going to put out the lights but you’re talking €30/40 a month for a plan.
You are thinking correctly with the planning in relation to the kids. Here are the things to think of -
Buy a pup from a reputable breeder or at least research the person you are dealing with. Be sure to see the pup’s parents also. Papers aren’t necessary but can act as a guide on what you’re buying. Vaccination records too, not a biggie as you can do this yourself if in doubt.
Why a pup? Well you want to bring this dog up with your kids. You don’t want to take in a dog from a shelter with baggage to your kids. Anyhow, a shelter may not give you a dog with young kids and they will insist you house the dog indoors. There’s loads of other things to consider when getting the dog but foremost thing I would say is - a GS pup’s teeth are like needles. Playful pup ‘mouthing’ with young kids can be a problem and we all get off on the wrong foot.
You will be as much time teaching your kids on how to behave with the pup/dog as you will with the animal itself. Both the kids and dog need rules until they are both big enough and old enough.
I always put my dog away in his kennel when there was visitors adult or kids, for the dogs safety first. GS’s are on the restricted breed list. A visiting child standing on a dogs tail and startling the dog, and subsequent reactions could define the dog’s fate. Not the dog’s fault thou.
GS’s don’t ‘roam’, they are pretty territorial. Sadly though I know of 5 GS’s that have been shot on sight or destroyed due to they not being fenced or supervised. Totally the fault of the owners. Radio fences are great - invest in the correct one and maintain it properly. You can tailor the fence to restrict access to areas you don’t want the dog in eg at the front wall barking at passers by.
My dogs bark(ed) when they should but also if there is a bitch in heat in the area. Dogs bark for lots of reasons. We have foxes in the area and there are nights my fella will lift out of his sleep barking if a fox is calling up in the field behind. You can get a collar to correct barking if it is incessant but it’s better to work around the source and solve the problem.
All of the above is from my experience. I learn something new everyday. One thing we have proven together here is the success of your dog and the success of you as a dog owner is down to the time you spend with and working with your animal. A bored GS will cause problems, any or all of the following - chewing, digging, barking, separation anxiety. All of the above is true with any dog but I emphasise a lot of it as GS’s are on the restricted breed list. I’ve put down a Cocker Spaniel in recent years because it bit a neighbour.
One last thing, be prepared for the hair 
this can be helped thru diet and maintenance but tell your family to buy shares in Dyson.
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Brilliant informative posts here for rookie dog owners. Thanks
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How much daily exercise does a GS need? There is a small woman down the road here who has one but she is a keen runner so he gets plenty of mileage, however the look of terror on her face when they meet a yappy dog is something else because at that point the GS starts to walk its owner.
It’s her look of terror that’s the problem. Her dog is reacting to her tension. That’s a whole other post.
How long is a piece of string? If my lad isn’t brought for his usual hour in the woods we would need to play ball with him for a half hour or so to sate him. Now he’s 7 he needs just the regular exercise for mind and body as opposed to him bursting with energy when he was younger.
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Very harsh on the oul sossie madra
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