New Puppy German Sheperd Lab Cross

michdee

Hi all, we're thinking of getting a puppy in the next wk or so, we have our eye on a german sheperd lab mix. We have recently had to put down our westie due to health problems, and before that we had a lab, so we are use to having dogs.
However this time getting the puppy we also have a 4 yr old v active child We hope to have the dog outside as we have a v large garden but I'm sure it will be in too at times. My husband works during the day and I'm at home so there is always somebody around. However, what are the main things we should or need to focus on or get ready for getting this pup?
What is the best to bring the pup home in? We have a saloon car, previously I would of had the lab in the boot of a hatchback with the cover off, so not an option this time. But want to start as I mean to go on, so get things in order now and continue confidently.
I have been talking to our local training centre also and they offer private class for 4 wks on basic obedience training, so I'm going try that out with the dog and get our 4 yr old involved as much as possible. They recommend straight away really for that, as its private there won't be other dogs around other than their own.
So any advice would be very much appreciated. Thanks v much

njs030

michdee wrote: »

We hope to have the dog outside as we have a v large garden but I'm sure it will be in too at times.

It's far too cold to leave a puppy outside for any length of time in winter. Really if you're not interested in keeping him inside then wait until the summer before getting a dog when they have time to grow up and be an adult with proper fur before the cold sets in.

michdee

I should of said of course we'll keep it in in the cold weather. The pups have being reared outside so are use to the weather but for sleeping we will of course make sure its kept nice and warm, it prob will be kept in the utility room at night time

muddypaws

If the pups are being reared outside, and you have a child, I would look elsewhere. (I would look elsewhere even without a child in the house) You need a pup that is being well socialised, which means being bred and reared in a family home, getting used to all the sights and sounds inside. With regards to transport in the car, a soft crate on the back seat, or proper harness and seat belt adapter.

sillysmiles

I think if you are getting a pup you are depriving yourself and the pup of a lot of bonding and training opportunities by leaving it outside. I would prepare a pup proof area in the kitchen with a bed and in a play pen so that everyone can bond. And so that you can teach an active 4 yr what is appropriate play with a pup and how to leave the dog alone.

When it is fully grown you are going to have a large RB x dog. Now is the time for everyone, child and dog, to learn manners and respect.

How old is the pup? What's it's background?

michdee

muddypaws wrote: »

If the pups are being reared outside, and you have a child, I would look elsewhere. (I would look elsewhere even without a child in the house) You need a pup that is being well socialised, which means being bred and reared in a family home, getting used to all the sights and sounds inside. With regards to transport in the car, a soft crate on the back seat, or proper harness and seat belt adapter.

I never thought of that, I suppose when we were growing up dogs were always reared outside so never cost me a thought.

Sillysmiles I suppose that is actually an idea, would a playpen be big enough do you think? It is important to me that they and all of us do bond. My utility is als open into the kitchen so could set up a play pen there and he could see and hear everything that is going on in the place.

As he gets bigger then he could be moved out, but we also hope to have an area set up fenced off outside so that he can get use to that so when or if we're away he is secure there and feels secure

sillysmiles

We got our fully grown lab about two years ago. He lives full time in the house and goes out when we go out. The best thing for any do imo is to be with their family. A dog doesb't give a shi**e how big your garden is, unless you are out there with them.
So to me, I would start him/her inside and learn to train and house train inside.

You are going to need to have good training on him (sit, stay, wait, leave) before the teenage phase kicks in.

Now is the time to start reading about how to house train as well. Do some reading around the forum as there are a few current pup questions.

DBB

If it's a pet dog you're after op, then getting one that's been reared outside is more likely to lead to behavioural and temperament problems op. Fair enough if the pups are brought inside for a few hours each day... It's better than nothing. But do check.
Also, it's been hinted at about, a German Shepherd cross is legally required to wear a muzzle and be on-lead (lead max. 2m in length), and controlled by a person over 16, when in a public place. It's just another thing to consider.

michdee

Thanks for that, I have house trained a dog before, as our westie was a house dog. I suppose I just assumed as a big dog it would be out and we'd do everything outside with him there, but I do like the idea of having a secure area for him inside and coming and doing what we are doing and in and out as we go too. Like you say the bonding would be better for all involved. We will be training from the word go so we will be consistent with that.
Thanks for all the help

michdee

DBB wrote: »

If it's a pet dog you're after op, then getting one that's been reared outside is more likely to lead to behavioural and temperament problems op. Fair enough if the pups are brought inside for a few hours each day... It's better than nothing. But do check.
Also, it's been hinted at about, a German Shepherd cross is legally required to wear a muzzle and be on-lead (lead max. 2m in length), and controlled by a person over 16, when in a public place. It's just another thing to consider.

Thanks, I did know that about the dogs. We are lucky though we live in the country and have our own land so there is plenty of private land to have him run around with us. But def when out in public I would definitely make sure he is under control and have a muzzle with us

DBB

michdee wrote: »

Thanks, I did know that about the dogs. We are lucky though we live in the country and have our own land so there is plenty of private land to have him run around with us. But def when out in public I would definitely make sure he is under control and have a muzzle with us

I wasn't trying to get on your case about having to muzzle him . It's just a thing that really puts some people off having a restricted dog! Great that you have the space to give him lots of exercise, but also be aware that if you plan to bring him places with you as an adult dog, you need to bring him to busy places as a pup! I live in a very rural area, and have a pup who for the first few months, I brought her into town almost every day to meet and greet people and strange dogs, see traffic, and generally get used to a more hectic environment than she'll encounter here. You don't want your new lad to have a sheltered childhood

michdee

that's a good point. Once we get him injections I'll hope to be taking him to the local park for a walk, well its actually a huge big house and gardens, and always plenty of ppl around. But I also like the idea of the town aspect, so could bring him on the school run and then do a walk in town!
Can anybody recommend their pet carrier for me, something that's not unreal hard to use, I rem with our lab she never got use to getting in and out of the car properly so I nearly ended up having to pick her up as an adult and put her in, def a mistake I wont be making this time! Altho with the classes I intend on bringing him to, all that seems to be covered in them.

ganmo

michdee wrote: »

Thanks, I did know that about the dogs. We are lucky though we live in the country and have our own land so there is plenty of private land to have him run around with us. But def when out in public I would definitely make sure he is under control and have a muzzle with us

the law is that it has to be on the dog when in public not in your hand

also as you say you live in the countryside you should note

(2) If a dog worries livestock, the owner or any other person in charge of the dog shall be guilty of an offence unless it is established that at the material time the dog worried the livestock for the purpose of removing trespassing livestock and that having regard to all the circumstances the action was reasonable and necessary.
http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1986/act/32/enacted/en/print#sec9

michdee

Thanks ganmo yes that's definitely true, we have animals ourselves so I am aware of that law, thanks v much though

dubjay

we have 2 large dogs who have been reared inside,spoiled i would say but they have the best temperament and very trustworthy. as silly smiles said train from the inside. i found the Julius harness and seat belt clip ideal for transporting any dog.

dubjay

the harness can be used for walks and control and stay on them while the seat belt clip is inserted in the belt buckle so it really takes 2 seconds to belt them up

michdee

dubjay wrote: »

the harness can be used for walks and control and stay on them while the seat belt clip is inserted in the belt buckle so it really takes 2 seconds to belt them up

Ideal, I was in the local pet shop today and she recommended that clip alright.
I'll def look at that harness to esp when can be used for walking also. Ideal, thanks very much.
I think when we originally thought of big dogs esp inside we thought of unruly big dogs tearing up the place, but I'm adamant this is not going to be the case and he's going to be as much as the family as any of us

ShaShaBear

Teeny tiny dogs can do just as much damage inside as big dogs!
Puppies will chew and cause untold destruction, torment, heartbreak and soul-torture until you train it out of them, regardless of how big a breed they are. But from all I've heard on here, I would 100000000000% avoid any GSD pup that has been reared outside. Behaviour issues galore!

AryaStark

michdee wrote: »

Ideal, I was in the local pet shop today and she recommended that clip alright.
I'll def look at that harness to esp when can be used for walking also. Ideal, thanks very much.
I think when we originally thought of big dogs esp inside we thought of unruly big dogs tearing up the place, but I'm adamant this is not going to be the case and he's going to be as much as the family as any of us

I have a Husky and she has always been an inside dog. Once she is exercised she would never make any mess. Not exercised she may annoy me by running around and jumping on the couch etc but she would never chew anything that is not hers and never wrecked anything in the house.
I think once you exercise your dog and give it plenty of attention you won't have to worry about him messing up the house.

DBB

AryaStark wrote: »

I have a Husky and she has always been an inside dog. Once she is exercised she would never make any mess. Not exercised she may annoy me by running around and jumping on the couch etc but she would never chew anything that is not hers and never wrecked anything in the house.
I think once you exercise your dog and give it plenty of attention you won't have to worry about him messing up the house.

I've got a very big German Shepherd living in the house, and another GSD pup who's going to be a bruiser. Honestly? They're so chilled out you'd hardly know they were here. Once you have them behaving politely around the house, it's a pleasure to have them, regardless of their size

michdee

Brilliant I love reading all these great reports on them inside. I have talked my husband around about having it in with us
I love the idea of it being part of the family, and if we are as determined with the training and exercising I do believe it should be fine. Thanks to everybody who has replied. We are going to see our little pup to be tomorrow so should find out more info on it then.

Choc Chip

Aw, that's lovely michdee! I've a plus-one on having big dogs inside: My big one (GSDish) has a bed in each room we spend much time in (or a couch, ahem...) and she's happy lying in her own spot watching everything. It took a while to persuade her it was the best place to be while we were having dinner (esp steak ) but the work is worth it and it's so easy now - she's settled in her own place when we're cooking, eating or visitors are over. I'm far more likely to trip over the little one who's liable to follow me around in case I do something interesting.

Just a warning: I have had visitors get a fright when they've been sitting having a cup of tea and then after ten to twenty mins notice the big black dog lying quietly in the corner watching them.

michdee

Choc Chip wrote: »

Just a warning: I have had visitors get a fright when they've been sitting having a cup of tea and then after ten to twenty mins notice the big black dog lying quietly in the corner watching them.

If I can get it to this stage I will be a very happy person :rolleyes:
I loved having the house dog and felt so secure knowing if anybody came around he would bark, so really the idea of being able to put the work in and have this one inside too, even though big is great. I must see if I can put up a pic of the little cutie

michdee

This is one we hope to get

njs030

michdee wrote: »

This is one we hope to get

Awww....adorable! When is he coming home?

Gsforever

German shepherds are very clever. Pup will need classes and constant reinforcement. They learn really fast both good and bad habits. Try not to leave outside too long german shepherd pups get bored and into mischief easily.enjoy it should be a great family pet- ours is!

michdee

notjustsweet wrote: »

Awww....adorable! When is he coming home?

We are going to see tomorrow and if happy in the next wk or two he'll come home. He's only going to be 8 wks next wk. So in the next wk or two def.
He'll end up being spoiled
Just out of interest, and I know everybody has their own preference on it but what food do you guys find the best for feeding? I will find out the food the lady has it on already and continue with that one for a while but just to keep an eye open for after that?
I normally like to try and go for the most meat in nuts option, but what do you find best for yours? They are expensive I know but I like to try and get one that's good but doesnt cost you an arm and a leg

Gsforever

My dog food is nuts only. Better than meat tins. As it is a pup they say keep them on pup food until 16 months - if you can. This is a big dog who needs lots of good nutrition. I get my nuts in the vets but it is expensive. Check with your vet to get cheaper brand. Also don't forget microchip I think that is the law now as well as dog tags.

Gsforever

BTW you can start teaching from 8 weeks on use the food and reward when he sits. Don't spend longer than 5 min as he is so small. A little teaching from the start.

DBB

I'll differ from the above. I wouldn't keep a pup on puppy food beyond 6 months. Big breeds go through a major growth spurt from 2-6 months, but then the rate slows down and the youngster no longer needs the oomph the puppy food gives them. If you keep pumping puppy food into them, you may run into trouble with the rate of growth.
The vital, vital thing to get into big breed pups is calcium, my own German Shepherd pup gets at least one raw chicken wing a day... at 8 weeks I started her on just the wing tips. Once she was a little bigger (10ish weeks) I started battering the full chicken wing with a mallet so that the bone was broken into small pieces... I'd hold it at first and let her chew it. Now, at 17 weeks, she's easily chewing the full thing unadulterated.
Another thing to remember with pups between 2-6 months is to feed them til they can eat no more at each meal (4 meals a day at 8 weeks, scale it down over month to 3, then 2.... my pup at 17 weeks still needs 4 meals a day as she's growing like the clappers... a small dog would probably be on 3 meals a day by now). Growth requires a serious, flabbergasting amount of food, I'd say my pup is on about 4 times the amount my adult GSD is on per day! I'm always gobsmacked by what she can put away, and there isn't a pick of spare weight on her.
She's fed on Taste of the Wild Puppy (grain free, high meat) which I get on www.zooplus.ie (you get a few quid off if you buy 2 bags at a time, and free delivery). When the bag she's on now is finished, I'll be putting her onto the adult food I have for my adult GSD.. pup will be close enough to 6 months by then. I also give her a lot of raw meat, eggs, tinned fish, some boiled vegetables.
To answer your initial question, get the breeder to give you enough of his current food to tide you over and allow you to merge her over 5-10 days onto your new brand.
So exciting! He is gorgeous too! I'm a real sucker for a dog with a black mask

michdee

DBB would you not be afraid giving them raw meat. Very interesting on the puppy food 're growth I'll be sure to keep in mind.
I would of given tins of fish alright and cooked meat but not raw, might try that. They would get veg too but not raw, will try that too. All once over the 6 mths ?

DBB

Google the raw food diet, or BARF diet. There's also a mega thread on it in this forum, will go find it for you.
Cooked meat is great too.
I've been feeding the fish, meat and bones to pup since the day I got her at 8 weeks

Edited to add: link to megathread... http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=80681796

Choc Chip

I'm sure it was dbb that mentioned something to me about feeding puppies little bits of different foods as they're then more likely to eat/tolerate different foods/flavours/textures when they're older (sorry if it wasn't you dbb!).

Wish someone had done it with my dog- he'll turn his nose up at organs if they're not chopped finely enough for him. 🙄

michdee

So seen pup we're definitely going with him, they are just fab.:D
So he's 8 wks tomorrow so will get him a wk or two, want to have all prepared for him before arrival. Cant wait. Thanks for all the info re everything, it is a great insight to things for me.
He will no doubt break hearts But he will be well looked after and spoilt rotten. Our little one just thought he was fab so can see the cuddles already:rolleyes:

Cherry Blossom

If the pup is being kept outside and not getting much socialization don't wait another two weeks, get him tomorrow.

VonVix

Cherry Blossom wrote: »

If the pup is being kept outside and not getting much socialization don't wait another two weeks, get him tomorrow.

I agree. The 8 week to 14 week period is pretty critical for puppies to experience as much good stuff as possible (meeting different people, men, women, children, young, old, disabled, people with beards, hats, glasses, etc!) especially if you get a German Shepherd-type. And that's not including noises and other outside experiences.

A heck of a lot of people don't realise the impact you have on a puppy in those first few weeks, it can last a lifetime.

My first puppy came from a breeder whose litter was mainly kept outside when they were old enough to walk and not wobble around (he wasn't a 'bad' breeder, but I certainly know better now), my first boy was 8 weeks when we got him, he is a wonderful dog, well rounded, loves people, nothing bothers or scares him really. He's unfortunately a dog I will probably compare every future dog to.

However, we picked up his sibling a month later, at roughly 12 weeks of age. A much more nervous pup he was (keep in mind he was mostly reared outside, in a country environment, he didn't get to experience much compared to my other pup). He is nearly five years old now. He doesn't like strangers much, he avoids having anyone touch him that he doesn't know, he is quite jumpy when it comes to sudden sounds and is scared of random things, like a cardboard box, or if you hold a book or something similar in the kitchen, he is afraid of things being dropped on the floor near him or make a sudden loud sound. My two boys, despite being from the same breeder, couldn't be more different. I put it down to him missing out on those crucial few weeks where he would experience new things and the hustle and bustle of a family home.

michdee

Can anybody give me advice on this food, the man in the shop told me today that red mills have upgraded their food now and it is a very good one. Seems to have a good meat content compared to some of the others?

dubjay

not sure never used it i use orijen. 80% meat 20%fruit/veg.id love to use an Irish brand just my dog has a very gassy sensitive stomach and this food is the only one that he thrives on puts weight on and solid poops  unfortunately it is the dearest but check it out on dog food review. all other food was giving him very soft stools

muddypaws

dubjay wrote: »

not sure never used it i use orijen. 80% meat 20%fruit/veg.id love to use an Irish brand just my dog has a very gassy sensitive stomach and this food is the only one that he thrives on puts weight on and solid poops  unfortunately it is the dearest but check it out on dog food review. all other food was giving him very soft stools

There is a new Irish food called Titan, I don't know much about it, just had ads popping up on my FB timeline. Its says 80/20 as well. It is saying it is an Irish food, but is probably made in the UK, however, as an Irish company, it will employ at least some people here.

dubjay

I will look it up. I tried AATU which is the same 80/20 but it worked out dearer. I get great deals with the same pet shop now but the results are unreal. It's like the dog is been fed steroids muscles and veins popping out also his weight is slowly gaining but I'd love to support Irish. The other dog is on hills metabolic