Breed Advice

[Goldens4ever]

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Hi

Im asking on behalf of my mom ( who doesn't do the internet)

Before Christmas she lost her freddie who was a beautiful Golden retriever crossed flat coat retriever and shes been thinking of what dog to get next and shes always loved German shepherds but its her neighbor that is making her doubt on if she should get a German shepherd or not.

Her neighbor next door to her is fine with dogs he loved freddie but he hates barking and a few doors down there is a Border collie who never stops barks all the time and he has complained a few times about the barking and the collies owners have ended up with a fine and there only just working on it.

Shes has spoken with German shepherd owners and seeked advice from the breed club and i asked on a German shepherd forum for her and shes been told the same that there a vocal breed and maybe not the best choice with a neighbor who will complain , even with training there still a vocal breed who will bark to alert you to every sound and sight as there a very protective and alert dog.

I wanted to see what your opinions on this are and if anyone has experience on the breed here if you agree with the advice?

The breed club reccomended she sticks with retrievers as there quieter compared to a German Shepherd

 

[Goldens4ever]

I should point out my mom also said that surely its a matter of finding a really good breeder and one whoses dogs dont bark excessively and then doing good socialization with the pup from the start to try and help him not be nervous of anything and training and discouraging any exessive barking and training a Thank you que like she did with freddie?

Is this correct , would the above be a Good start in have a more quiet German shepherd?

I have to say all the ones ive met have been very wary or nervous dogs and they seem very highly strung and Gobby.

 

[JoanneF]

A lot of behaviour is inherited, and a lot is achieved through training.

So if your mum can find a breeder who genuinely breeds from calm, chilled, quiet parents she might be able to achieve what she wants by giving herself a good place to start from, and using training to reinforce it.

 

[Goldens4ever]

A lot of behaviour is inherited, and a lot is achieved through training.

So if your mum can find a breeder who genuinely breeds from calm, chilled, quiet parents she might be able to achieve what she wants by giving herself a good place to start from, and using training to reinforce it.

Thank you, i wonder why people call German shepherds highly strung and a lot have told her they are naturally nervous dogs and every shepherd ive know has been really gobby which i know will annoy her neighbor if she ended up with a very barky dog.

I know mom could not handle a highly strung or reactive dog. and i dont think dhe should chance it with the issue of the neighbour. I feel she should stick to retrievers

 

[Hemlock]

We all have different experiences, and my impression from the GSDs I've met is that they are very gobby and reactive, so your Mum's neighbour would probably have a nervous breakdown if the collie and her GSD spent all day and half the night having barking matches. Also modern GSDs have a stack of health problems so finding the right breeder is really important.

Retrievers are much easier, though still need training and can still be vocal, though nothing like GSDs. Good luck with your search.

 

[Goldens4ever]

We all have different experiences, and my impression from the GSDs I've met is that they are very gobby and reactive, so your Mum's neighbour would probably have a nervous breakdown if the collie and her GSD spent all day and half the night having barking matches. Also modern GSDs have a stack of health problems.

Retrievers are much easier, though still need training and can still be vocal, though nothing like GSDs. Good luck with your search.

Thanks Hemlock , thats my impression of the breed too. Her Freddie was a golden cross flat coat and he only barked when someone was at the door or if he saw a cat in the garden or if mom was too slow letting him out , other than that he never barked and her neighbour was fine with that. Before Freddie she had a Golden retriever who was the same excerpt he never barked at the door.

I just feel a GSD will be to much for her but also how likley is it that she will even find a breeder who matches what she wants , calm , chilled, quiet and no frog legs as mom calls them.

She has no interest in showlines due to the issue with there legs. I just dont think its very likley at all to find all that she will have more luck sticking to retrievers to find what she wants

 

[Goldens4ever]

Thought I'd update here for those who took the time to reply , mom is getting a pure flat coat retriever instead shes decided that it would be best to stick with retrievers and has never had a pure flat coat before.

 

[JoanneF]

Does your mother know they are very likely to die at a young age due to cancer?

 

[Goldens4ever]

Yes she does , she lost her second Golden to cancer at 7.

 

[JoanneF]

What I meant was that flat coated retrievers are at particular risk.

 

[Goldens4ever]

Yes shes read they are high risk for cancer