Getting experience owning dogs before getting one - any tips?

[AJarOfFlies]

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Hello all!

I have never owned a dog before - I had a phobia of them for a long time which spontaneously disappeared. I am now completely fine around dogs of all breeds and sizes! This has obviously led me to think about getting one. I would like to get a German Shepherd, but I understand that they are not the first choice for a new owner. Therefore, I want to get lots of experience with dogs before I actually get one!

Unfortunately I don't have any friends nearby who own dogs and so asking them might not be ideal.

Does anyone have any tips?

 

[JoanneF]

Do you have any rescue centres near you? They often need volunteers, and you never know, you might just meet your perfect match. Everybody wins!

 

[AJarOfFlies]

Do you have any rescue centres near you? They often need volunteers, and you never know, you might just meet your perfect match. Everybody wins!

Not near me, but I will have one near me when I move in September - could definitely be a good idea! How long do people usually volunteer at these sort of things per day?

 

[JoanneF]

I'm honestly not sure, but I'd imagine if you say you can do certain days and times, they will find something to fit.

There is another thing - I suggest this to a lot of people in your situation.

For the next month, act like you have an adult dog. Get up an hour earlier than normal, take an hour long walk. Do the same in the evening after work - and come straight home from work; no shopping, gym, socialising. Do this every day, without fail, regardless of the weather.

Be aware of the season, and remind yourself every morning that for several months of the year you will be doing this in the cold and dark.

Also put away what you think a dog will cost for food, insurance, vet bill excesses, toys etc, then add 10% because we always underestimate these things.

That will give you a good insight into some of the commitment you will need to make.

Don't think about what a dog will bring to your family, think about what your family can offer to a dog.

 

[Hemlock]

Do you like to research by reading or watching? There is a lot of dud advice out there, and trainers vary wildly in competence and experience, but a good start would be to look at Emma Judson's Canine Consultant site, and I'm sure other Board members can recommend good sources of information. We also have a pinned thread on Recommended Reading.

Helping out at a Rescue can be rather a mixed bag (I did it for years, with more than one organisation) because while the volunteer helpers are loving caring people, they are often not all that experienced with dogs. For instance, dogs may be exercised either by being turned out in a paddock, or walked on extending leads because nobody has the time/knowledge to teach dogs to walk nicely on a normal lead. There may be a lot of hugging, which dogs often don't like, especially in a Rescue situation. And I have seen far too many helpers encouraging dogs to jump up! I'm not saying all Rescues are like this, but they can be, and it would be easy for you to learn "wrong" instead of "right".

 

[JoanneF]

I agree about Emma, she is excellent. Also, I like Kikopup on YouTube. Zack George seems popular but I find him just a bit too over the top.

And please steer clear of Cesar Milan (Dog Whisperer) and Graeme Hall (Dogs Behaving Badly). They are NOT sources we would recommend.

 

[JudyN]

Have a look on social media for dog walking groups, message one and ask if you could tag along on a walk. Then you can ask people about their dogs and badger them for information. Most people would welcome this if they know that you are trying to learn how to be a good dog owner.

 

[AJarOfFlies]

I'm honestly not sure, but I'd imagine if you say you can do certain days and times, they will find something to fit.

There is another thing - I suggest this to a lot of people in your situation.

For the next month, act like you have an adult dog. Get up an hour earlier than normal, take an hour long walk. Do the same in the evening after work - and come straight home from work; no shopping, gym, socialising. Do this every day, without fail, regardless of the weather.

Be aware of the season, and remind yourself every morning that for several months of the year you will be doing this in the cold and dark.

Also put away what you think a dog will cost for food, insurance, vet bill excesses, toys etc, then add 10% because we always underestimate these things.

That will give you a good insight into some of the commitment you will need to make.

Don't think about what a dog will bring to your family, think about what your family can offer to a dog.

This is a REALLY fantastic idea. I had never thought of doing this! Fortunately I have a very active lifestyle as is, but I will add more on to compensate because there will be parts of my exercise that aren't suitable for a dog I think.

Is there a good way to calculate how much it will cost to own a German Shepherd?

 

[AJarOfFlies]

Do you like to research by reading or watching? There is a lot of dud advice out there, and trainers vary wildly in competence and experience, but a good start would be to look at Emma Judson's Canine Consultant site, and I'm sure other Board members can recommend good sources of information. We also have a pinned thread on Recommended Reading.

Helping out at a Rescue can be rather a mixed bag (I did it for years, with more than one organisation) because while the volunteer helpers are loving caring people, they are often not all that experienced with dogs. For instance, dogs may be exercised either by being turned out in a paddock, or walked on extending leads because nobody has the time/knowledge to teach dogs to walk nicely on a normal lead. There may be a lot of hugging, which dogs often don't like, especially in a Rescue situation. And I have seen far too many helpers encouraging dogs to jump up! I'm not saying all Rescues are like this, but they can be, and it would be easy for you to learn "wrong" instead of "right".

I will look at those resources for sure - I'm trying to avoid the really "pop" ones on TV and the like and go for solid, evidence backed advice. It's not easy given how trivial it is to start a website!

Good point about the rescue, perhaps there are ones that train their volunteers that I could find. I don't know of any where I live, but I'll be moving to University in three months anyways so that's something that might be possible there.

 

[JoanneF]

Is there a good way to calculate how much it will cost to own a German Shepherd?

Thats really hard.

For example, you could probably live really cheaply if you tried hard, but for convenience or choice you might pay more for ready made or better quality products.

I'd start with food. That's a necessity. Work out how much you would have to pay for a decent quality food for a normal weight dog (www.allaboutdogfood.co.uk should help).

Then, call some insurance companies and ask about insurance for a GSD as a puppy, a 6 year old, a 10 year old for comparisons.

Speak to a vet. Ask what the most common problems they see for GSDs, how often they present, and what they typically charge.

Other things like clothing and toys are less important.

But if cost is a serious concern, remember smaller dogs usually cost less, so think carefully about exactly why you are drawn to a GSD and see whether you could find that elsewhere.

 

[arealhuman]

Volunteering - I'm sure wherever you go will welcome whatever you can offer. I did just that and start volunteering with my local RSPCA shelter tomorrow for one day a week!

The time commitment is a good thing to understand, as well as how it will fit with your other commitments (e.g. work). To be a responsible dog owner, you will have to take your dog out in all sorts of weathers, and be prepared for your planned walk to be longer than you expected! You won't be able to say "I can't be bothered tonight, I'm tired", your dog needs the exercise and stimulation of getting out and about, as well as for toileting purposes.

Sorry, I don't mean to sound like a dictator, I'm a novice dog owner myself, but it's important to understand as best you can, a potential dog's needs before they're in your life. That you're asking questions and open to advice is the best start you can make.

 

[CoCo2014]

Many years ago a lady was in just your position, she loved the GSDs we had(all 11 of them),but was frightened of other GSDs. I bred a litter & she visited them regularly & fell in love with one of the bitch puppies. She even attended our GSD training club & trained one of our dogs to gain confidence around other GSDs. I gave her the puppy as a gift & she became a GSD addict. The bond between her & her dog was lovely to watch develop. She was her first family dog & because I was extremely careful in choosing the bloodlines to breed from, the mother had a solid temperament & character & the puppies were handled from birth & mixed with our other dogs to learn dog to dog skills, she was the perfect family pet