CollieMan
Experienced Member
We've been looking for potential 'new addition' candidates for a wee while now. The hardest part has been finding a dog that has just the right temperament to suit both us and Ellie.
We want a dog that loves training, of course, though will be more suited towards obedience than agility. We also wanted a dog that is good with other dogs, as there are several other dogs in our area, and not all of them have great manners.
We wanted a slightly more mature dog with a well-rounded and confident temperament, that Ellie could use as an example. (Wishful thinking perhaps!)
Of course, it also had to have the energy and enthusiasm to love our long walks each day.It also had to be a rescue dog, as opposed to buying a new puppy. We just can't justify buying a new pup when there are so many dogs needing a home.
Well, we think we've finally found him. We've agreed, in principle, to taking him on, subject to meeting and seeing how the two dogs get on. He sounds like a real gem of a dog, and the current owner is making all the right moves to give me confidence that she's doing it for the right reasons, and looking for the right people.
He's great with other dogs, and has no history of aggression. Absolutely loves country walks, particularly places with water. Has a reliable recall and walks great off-leash. Not a problem barker, or a chewer. He's had basic training, but nothing over and above that. He's used to children and is fine with them.
He is a German Shepherd of four years of age, which, while not perfect for training, is still plenty young enough to work with. He does pull on the leash apparently, but that can be worked out easily enough. He also "might" have some small S/A issues. Though, he apparently tolerates being left alone, he's just not overly keen on it. His current owner is like me and works from home all day. He is also KC Registered with a verifiable lineage.
And here he is!
I couldn't resist those markings and that eager face. If you asked me to paint my idea of a perfect looking GSD, that would be extremely close to the dog I painted.
Apparently, he's just a very placid and well-rounded boy. Of course, there are no guarantees that he will remain so in a new environment with a new dog, but that is true no matter where you get the dog from, and we can still change our mind if they clearly react badly to each other when we meet. We will never compromise Ellie's well-being. She is our biggest concern, first and foremost.
We won't be meeting until after March 14 now, as Jan's Mum is coming to visit on Sunday, for a week, but I'll keep you posted on how things progress. As she has incurable cancer and is a little frail, I don't want to risk having a large dog jumping up at her in excitement.
We want a dog that loves training, of course, though will be more suited towards obedience than agility. We also wanted a dog that is good with other dogs, as there are several other dogs in our area, and not all of them have great manners.
We wanted a slightly more mature dog with a well-rounded and confident temperament, that Ellie could use as an example. (Wishful thinking perhaps!)
Of course, it also had to have the energy and enthusiasm to love our long walks each day.It also had to be a rescue dog, as opposed to buying a new puppy. We just can't justify buying a new pup when there are so many dogs needing a home.
Well, we think we've finally found him. We've agreed, in principle, to taking him on, subject to meeting and seeing how the two dogs get on. He sounds like a real gem of a dog, and the current owner is making all the right moves to give me confidence that she's doing it for the right reasons, and looking for the right people.
He's great with other dogs, and has no history of aggression. Absolutely loves country walks, particularly places with water. Has a reliable recall and walks great off-leash. Not a problem barker, or a chewer. He's had basic training, but nothing over and above that. He's used to children and is fine with them.
He is a German Shepherd of four years of age, which, while not perfect for training, is still plenty young enough to work with. He does pull on the leash apparently, but that can be worked out easily enough. He also "might" have some small S/A issues. Though, he apparently tolerates being left alone, he's just not overly keen on it. His current owner is like me and works from home all day. He is also KC Registered with a verifiable lineage.
And here he is!
I couldn't resist those markings and that eager face. If you asked me to paint my idea of a perfect looking GSD, that would be extremely close to the dog I painted.
Apparently, he's just a very placid and well-rounded boy. Of course, there are no guarantees that he will remain so in a new environment with a new dog, but that is true no matter where you get the dog from, and we can still change our mind if they clearly react badly to each other when we meet. We will never compromise Ellie's well-being. She is our biggest concern, first and foremost.
We won't be meeting until after March 14 now, as Jan's Mum is coming to visit on Sunday, for a week, but I'll keep you posted on how things progress. As she has incurable cancer and is a little frail, I don't want to risk having a large dog jumping up at her in excitement.