03-06-2009, 03:09 PM
Those electric invisible fences are crap. The dog has to wear a collar that is big and obnoxious all the time and shocking an animal to train it is downright cruel.
Sin's idea of the runner type line is a good one. I've used it to thether horses on competition and it gives them plenty of running room without getting tangled up.
You can put 'stoppers' on each end to keep the animal away from trees so they don't wrap themselves around it thus tangling themselves up making the run useless.
If you're home all day, then you have even less to worry about. Walk the dog. Train the dog. GSD's train easily and if you have a well bred one and one that enjoys learning and pleasing you, it will be easy to do.
I wouldn't suggest a fenced in yard if your sole purpose is to leave the dog unattended in the yard all day. Dogs that are left alone are bored and will dig holes or find ways to escape to break the boredom.
Get the dog. Be it's friend, walk it often. Get it trained properly. If you have 'cop connections' up where you are maybe you can get one of the K9 unit cops to train it for you.
That pit I told the story about where my boyfriend's niece bit his ear and he didn't flinch or hurt her(on 24 awhile back), well he was K9 trained. He knew a cop in the K9 unit in Detroit and had the dog trained and then purposely fail the final exam so they don't take the dog on as an officer and he got the dog back.
If not, maybe I can call the school where I had my current pits trained and ask the owner if he knows of dog schools up there. My trainer is one of the best Schutzund (< spelling?) trainers in the country and he trains for K9 as well.
Having a fenced in yard is not a requirement for good dog keeping and ownership.
Keep in mind this is a working breed and he's going to need 'something to do' all the time. That's your job with any working breed.
If you're looking for a dog for companion only then I would suggest a smaller breed that does not need as much exercise. If you want companionship and protection, the GSD is better suited.
Make sure you get him from a good breeder and have his hips checked and certified. If you can get a Belgian shepherd it's a better dog over the GSD for the hip dysplasia issues.
Sin's idea of the runner type line is a good one. I've used it to thether horses on competition and it gives them plenty of running room without getting tangled up.
You can put 'stoppers' on each end to keep the animal away from trees so they don't wrap themselves around it thus tangling themselves up making the run useless.
If you're home all day, then you have even less to worry about. Walk the dog. Train the dog. GSD's train easily and if you have a well bred one and one that enjoys learning and pleasing you, it will be easy to do.
I wouldn't suggest a fenced in yard if your sole purpose is to leave the dog unattended in the yard all day. Dogs that are left alone are bored and will dig holes or find ways to escape to break the boredom.
Get the dog. Be it's friend, walk it often. Get it trained properly. If you have 'cop connections' up where you are maybe you can get one of the K9 unit cops to train it for you.
That pit I told the story about where my boyfriend's niece bit his ear and he didn't flinch or hurt her(on 24 awhile back), well he was K9 trained. He knew a cop in the K9 unit in Detroit and had the dog trained and then purposely fail the final exam so they don't take the dog on as an officer and he got the dog back.
If not, maybe I can call the school where I had my current pits trained and ask the owner if he knows of dog schools up there. My trainer is one of the best Schutzund (< spelling?) trainers in the country and he trains for K9 as well.
Having a fenced in yard is not a requirement for good dog keeping and ownership.
Keep in mind this is a working breed and he's going to need 'something to do' all the time. That's your job with any working breed.
If you're looking for a dog for companion only then I would suggest a smaller breed that does not need as much exercise. If you want companionship and protection, the GSD is better suited.
Make sure you get him from a good breeder and have his hips checked and certified. If you can get a Belgian shepherd it's a better dog over the GSD for the hip dysplasia issues.