Growing up shepherd

This is Chance.  You may recognize and remember him as Pongo, a six month old shepherd pup I had last fall. He was adopted by some very serious dog people, folks that devote a lot of their own time and energy to their dogs. 


Chance started in obedience classes right away and has already earned his Canine Good Citizen award.  They also have a standard poodle who just received a tracking title.  Chance has started on tracking as well, and on agility work, as shown here, learning the weave poles.


A lot of the problems people have with dogs is not having a dog that is matched to what they really need, as opposed to what they think they want.  A high energy dog with a serious drive to work is poorly suited to live in a home where the most activity is a casual 20 minute stroll around the neighborhood on a nice day.  There certainly are dogs to match a couch potato lifestyle, but not many of them are German Shepherds, and none of them are young German Shepherds. 


What we see all too often are people drawn to the German Shepherd look, the image, and the heroic myth, who are unprepared for the reality.  The dog who may drag you from a burning building one day may chew up your sofa the next, and for pretty much the same reason--it was something to do that needed doing.  Shepherds are smart, but that is an advantage only if you take advantage of it and give the dog something to do, something that is both mentally and physically stimulating.


The other problem is people who can't look at themselves honestly.  All too often people see themselves as they were 15-20 years ago and think that they are still the same or that they will be again.  That's the same self-delusion that keeps the fitness industry alive and accounts for all the treadmills and other exercise equipment being sold on Craigslist and at yard sales.  Hey, I understand delusional thinking, I'm in this group myself. 


Not everyone can do everything that Chance's adopters are doing with their dog, but everyone who adopts any dog needs to do something and everyone that adopts a shepherd needs to be prepared to do something more.  I've said it before, they are high maintenance, pain-in-the-ass dogs.  They are wonderful in the right hands, but most people should have something else.