AboutLabman Expertise housebreaking, feeding, training, grooming
PLEASE DON'T SEND ME MEDICAL OR BREEDING QUESTIONS. An internet forum is not the appropriate place for them. Even if I could tell what was wrong from a handful of symptoms, you would still need to get the medications from your local vet.
Breeding should be left to those not needing to ask simple, basic questions. Books have been written about it. Rather than ask me a question, start reading. Those unwilling to do the work it takes to produce quality puppies should spay/neuter their pets at 6 months. I will not answer questions that sound like a poorly prepared breeder.
Experience
Past/Present clients I have been around the net a long time answering questions including the general dog area of All Experts. I recently discovered a lack of good experts under many specific breeds. I don't have as extensive experience with the GSD as Labs, but still can give good answers to most questions.
I try to base my answers on carefully proven methods confirmed by my own experience. Much of what I know about dogs, I have learned raising a puppy every year since 1991 for a large dog guide school. I am familiar with several similar programs. Nobody is in a better position to know dogs, need ones with long, active life, and share what they know, than the service dog schools. In addition I have done extensive reading. My answers have much more to back them than the limited experience any one dog owner can have.
Expert: Labman Date: 7/4/2008 Subject: 2yr. old male GSD in shelter
Question Hello, I have a question regarding a GSD I found in a shelter near my home. The poor guy is in bad shape; HW positive, severely malnourished, and facing possible tail amputation. The conditions of the shelter he is in are deplorable. I want to adopt this pup badly, but the woman at the shelter said that he kills cats. I have several cats so I obviously did not take him home. This was yesterday and I have been up all night worrying about the poor guy. I want to get him out of there. Do you know if it's possible to work with an adult German Shepherd and teach them not to hurt cats? If it's possible, then I will do it. He is such a sweet guy. Thank you so much!
Answer It may or may not be possible. I am not the one to be able to help.
I am afraid you should let him go and look for another dog. The sad thing is, we can't save them all. If you adopt him, some other dog will die instead. One of the best sources for dogs with a predictable personality is the rescue dogs. These are dogs that lost their home, but were taken into a foster home to be retrained as necessary and placed in the right home for them. You may find a rescue near you starting at http://www.akc.org/breeds/rescue.cfm The rescues charge a fee to help cover their expenses, but is much less than the price of a puppy plus all its medical expenses the first year.
