Finding the right breed for me

Finding the right breed for me

Choosing a pet is no simple task.  Multiple factors will influence you decision.  It is a decision that should not be taken lightly.  It is a commitment on your behalf to welcome new being into your life, a companion, perhaps even a protector of your loved ones.  

Once the choice has been made that a dog is the right pet for your needs and wants, next comes choosing the right breed.  A dogs breed and its characteristics are unique, just as the patterns on a snowflake. 

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Do you really, really want a dog?!
Do you really want a dog? Do you want to wake up early on a cozy Sunday morning, and take him out in the rain? After all, he needs his exercise. Are you ready to spend as much time as you can with him?

Are you prepared for the lifestyle impact, the financial impact, and grooming considerations? Hmmmm… Are you up for cleaning up various messes? Getting up in the middle of the night with a sick dog?

Whether it's a puppy, adult, or senior dog you're considering adopting, the newness soon wears off, and then you're left with a loving companion for, hopefully, many years to come.

Why do you want a dog?
In deciding what type of dog you should get, consider what you're looking for in your future pet. Is he going to be a fun playmate for the children, or is his main job going to be to accompany an older person on quiet walks? Do you want him to go jogging with you, or is he going to be guarding the house? 

THE RIGHT DOG FOR YOU

Deciding what kind of dog to get is as important as deciding whether to get a dog in the first place. The AKC recognizes over 160 different breeds of dog, and each of these breeds has its own unique temperament, appearance, activity level and set of needs. You should do some serious and careful research to determine which breed of dog is right for you and your family.

• TEMPERAMENT

You're going to be living with this dog for a long time, so you need to make sure he has a personality you can live with. Do you want a dog that is active, or subdued? A dog that is easily trained, or strong-willed? A dog that is friendly to everyone he meets, or one that is loyal to family but aloof toward strangers? A dog that needs a lot of attention from family members, and lots of activity to prevent him from becoming bored and destructive, or a dog that is content to be left alone for periods of time during the day?

• SIZE

All little puppies are adorable, of course, but they grow quickly-and some of them grow a lot. Find out how large-in height and weight-that cute puppy will become before you bring him home. Remember that larger dogs require more food and space-is your yard or living room big enough to meet his needs? And keep in mind that some little dogs still need lots of room to run around and burn off energy.

• COAT/GROOMING NEEDS

All dogs need to be groomed regularly to stay healthy and clean; most dogs will shed. But some dogs shed profusely all year round; some shed in clumps for a few weeks; some dogs shed only a little bit. Long-coated dogs are beautiful to look at, but require a lot of effort to stay that way. Short-coated dogs are easier to care for, but may still shed, and may require protection in cold or wet weather. Dogs with fancy trims may need professional grooming. Decide how much dog hair you're willing to put up with, and how much time and energy you can afford, when you're deciding which breed is right for you.

• MALE OR FEMALE

In general, there is no significant difference in temperament between male and female dogs. If you are getting a dog for a pet, you will want to have your dog spayed or neutered, which will eliminate most minor differences anyway. If you plan to show or breed your dog, you must be vigilant about preventing unwanted breedings by keeping your intact male safely confined to your house or yard, and by keeping your intact female away from other dogs when she comes into heat twice yearly.

• PUPPY OR ADULT

The advantage of getting a puppy-aside from its irresistible cuteness-is that you can raise it by yourself from the beginning, and participate in its training and socialization every step of the way. The disadvantage is that training a puppy requires a great deal of time and patience. Busy families should keep in mind that puppies cannot be left alone for more than a few hours at a time. They need plenty of trips outside, frequent meals, and lots of interaction with people. Adult dogs-whether purchased directly from a breeder or adopted from a rescue group-can be ideal for people who want a dog with fewer needs. Mature dogs tend to be calmer; some are already house-trained and know some basic obedience.

• HEALTH

Some breeds may be prone to hereditary diseases or conditions. Many breeds can be screened for certain conditions, such as hip or eye problems; this certification should be available to you when you go to look at a puppy. Being educated about the health considerations of your chosen breed can help you to avoid or alleviate future problems.

• PET INSURANCE

Being a responsible owner means considering your dog's lifelong health care needs, whether for preventive care or for unexpected accidents, injuries and illnesses that could happen at any time, however well you look after your dog. It is sensible to consider planning for these.

START YOUR SEARCH

Have you made a checklist of the characteristics you're looking for?You may also consider visiting an All-Breed Dog Show. This will give you an opportunity to view firsthand virtually every breed recognized by the American Kennel Club. In addition to seeing a variety of dogs, you will have a chance to talk with dedicated breeders, people concerned with the welfare and advancement of their chosen breed. You can learn a lot from these knowledgeable and dedicated folks, who can also lead you to breeders of the particular breed in the area. Go to the AKC's Event Search to find an upcoming event in your area.

The following selection quizzes may give you an idea of what breed is suited for your needs, if you do not already have one in mind: 

 http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/services/public/findabreed/

http://www.akc.org/find-a-match/#slide1

http://www.animalplanet.com/breed-selector/dog-breeds.html

http://www.woofipedia.com/discover/breed-selector

GOOD LUCK!!!! 

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Thank you to:
 www.akc.org
www.pedigree.com
     For source information   

Upcoming Event Links

Upcoming Event Links 

Between work schedules, family commitments and day to day life it can be difficult finding the time to plan out events; whether for yourself, the kids or the entire family including our four legged kids.

We will be posting links to upcoming family and pet events, shows, expos and other worth while activities in and around our regional area.  Furthermore, links will be provided to event search engines that can be used for your specific area.

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http://uscasiegershow.info/ - May 2015 in Illinois


http://www.houstonpetexpo.com/- Houston Pet Expo coming June 2015! 


http://www.lonestarstateclassic.com/ - Dallas, Texas Dog show July 2015

https://www.facebook.com/2014NASS - 2015 North American WUSV Sieger Show presented by the WDA in Fairfax County, Va on October 2-4, 2015

http://texasdogclubukc.com/up-coming-shows/ - TEXAS DOG CLUB ------is UKC club that host conformation shows throughout Texas

http://www.bringfido.com/event/state/texas/ - Mark your calendars! There are 18 upcoming events in Texas.


http://www.onofrio.com/execpgm/fndindex - Various dog shows around the country  

 

http://www.germanshepherddog.com/events-new/ - United Schutzhund Clubs of America events page 

http://www.germanshepherddog.com/region-events/?cy=2015&cm=04&re=sc - USCA South Central Region Events

ENJOY!!!

HOW TO STACK A GSD

HOW TO STACK A GSD

First are some following questions that many have asked and then we will go over how to stack your own dog.

What Does the term " Stack " Mean ?

A Stack is the NATURAL stance of the GSD.  It is the stance that the Gsd must be put into in the show ring.  You may see your dog stack narually a lot as this is normal for them.  Stacking is just the term used to describe the dogs stance.

Do all dogs stack ?

Yes all dogs do stack but the German Shepherd is the ONLY dog that stack's in this way.  Most other breeds have both rear legs positioned in the same way but with the Shepherd we put both rear legs in different positions.

How important is a correct stack ?

It is very important to position the dog correctly as it will show the viewer the dogs structure.  It can portray many different things such as ...  

•  Length to Height ratio
• Depth of chest
• Turn of stifle
• Croup and back angulation
• length of neck and many other things

Below is a picture of a Fairly well stacked dog.

This dog was stacked by a 7 year old girl who had NEVER stacked a dog before.  ANYONE CAN DO IT.

 

Notice how much you can tell about this dog's structure.  You can see her angulation as well as many of the other things that we stated.  Can you see why it is important to see a dog in this natural stance?  You can tell a lot from this and see just how close the dog compares to standard.

Below are some detailed instructions of the EASIEST way to stack your GSD.   Although it is nice to train a dog to walk right into a stack on command this is not always the easiest thing to do.  Sometimes this way will prove to be quicker and the is a good way for the average person to learn as well as for the beginner show dog.  

We will be posting pictures with the detailed instructions of how to stack your dog as well.  We will post them as soon as possible.

STEPS TO STACKING THE GSD

Step 1 - POSITIONING THE DOGS FRONT

    First you will place the dog directly in front of you.  You will GENTLY place your open hand under the chest.  Place hand DIRECTLY behind the front legs firmly but gently.  With your other hand hold under the neck at the collar or wherever it gives you the easiest way to support your dog.   GENTLY lift dog's front half off the ground.  You only have to lift them off the ground a few inches.  This will make the dog's front legs drop evenly onto the ground.  Gently lower dog to the ground and their front legs should be in the correct position.  MINOR corrections may be necessary see step 2.

Step 2 - FIXING MINOR FAULTS OF THE FRONT LEGS

  If correction to the front legs is needed follow this step.  If correction is not needed you may proceed to next step.   To correct minor positioning you may grasp the dogs forearm and lift of the ground.  Wherever you place the paw back onto the ground is where the dog should keep it.  We do this because you can almost use the dogs paw as a pointer and put it exactly where you want it.  We grasp the forearm because it is hard for the dog to reposition their feet when you have a hold of their forearm.  This is also the easiest way for a child to position the dog IF dog is too heavy for them to lift.  A child can easily position the front end in this manor by doing one leg at a time.  NOTE:  MAKE SURE DOG IS DIRECTLY OVER THEIR LEGS.  WE WANT STRAIGHT LEGS UNDER THE BODY AND A DOGS CHEST WELL OVER THEIR FRONT LEGS.

Step 3 - POSITIONING THE REAR LEG CLOSEST TO YOU

In this step you will take the REAR leg that is closest to you and grasp it by the hock.  Gently lift and slide it either forward or backwards.  Positioning this leg depends upon where the dog had it when you started this step.  You want this foot positioned DIRECTLY below the hip bone.  You can feel your dog's hip bone at the end of the back and beginning of the croup.  If you position this foot to far forward it will make the dog appear uncomfortable as well as making it look as if the dog stands on its hock rather than foot.  THIS IS NOT A NATURAL POSITON FOR THE DOG.  If foot is to far back you will not give the viewer a true picture of the dog's angulation.  In the GSD's stack we can get a good idea of that dog's movement.  This depicts the natural motion of the dogs gait and is the NATURAL stance of the dog.  POSITIONING IS VERY IMPORTANT.  A well structured dog can look bad with bad positioning.

Step 4 - POSITIONING REAR LEG FACING CAMERA

You want to grasp the rear leg at the hock.  GENTLY slide leg back till the hock is at a STRAIGHT 90% angle.  This leg is VERY important that it is in the correct position.  To far back and it will exaggerate the angulations of the dog as well as be uncomfortable.  To far forward and dog will not be able to hold its balance and dog will be uncomfortable.  This leg show's you the TRUE position of the dog.  It will depict where the foot is at the last moment that it is on the ground while in motion.  It will show the dog's TRUE structure IF positioning is correct.

Step 5 - FINAL REPOSTIONING

Check to make sure that dog is still in the stance that you have put him in.  If you have done it correctly the dog will not tend to move as this is comfortable as well as natural for them.  Of course with the beginner dog they do not know what you are doing or what you expect from them so it may take a few times to make them understand what you want.  Also the stubborn or young dog can prove a challenge.  Again there is the chance that if you are also a beginner the dog is not stacked correctly and is not comforatable and is moving because of that.  It is not always the dog's fault.  Once you are happy with the positioning place your hand under the back of the dog's jaw at the point where there neck meets the jaw.  You may even pull the collar up to right behind the ears as well as grasp the collar under the jaw and that will give you control of the dog.  Next you will pull gently forward to make them stand over their front legs correctly.  Also raise the head in the natural alert position.  It may help to have someone stand in front of them with a favorite toy.  This will get their attention and they will allow you to do almost anything.  

Step 6 - FINAL STEP

QUICK TAKE A PICTURE BEFORE THEY MOVE!!!

Repeat as needed.  Do not get frustrated as this will take some time for you as well as your dog to understand.  PERSEVERANCE IS THE KEY. 

Thank You to http://www.patchworkshepherds.com/  for the article