Husky or Shepherd: Which is best for me (New question...see last post)

ORIGINAL: glenmar

Wait!  YOU have prick ears and a wild look??  [][][]  Sorry, couldn't resist that one!

I didn't have the impression that you were going to base a decision on looks, but just wanted to be sure.  I applaud you for all the research you are doing and for THINKING ahead.  Do consider what you'll be doing 5 or 10 or 15 years from now and the possibility of having a family.  That's going to be a factor in not only WHAT you bring home, but how you train and socialize as well.

Breed standard for a gsd is 65-90 pounds I believe, so you should be ok there, especially if you are "shopping" rescues and getting a dog that's already full grown.

 
I was embarassed to admit it...but here is me in the morning:
 
[linkhttp://web.ics.purdue.edu/~rleemhui/1.jpg]http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~rleemhui/1.jpg[/link]

I have been super careful with the newest one "Tanner", but he has eaten shoes, chewed on our new deck, the X-mas lights have suffered, thank God they were unplugged, blankets shredded, solar lights taken apart, DH PS2 controller demolished......argh, like you said, it's a never ending story.

It takes a boat load of patience...............

Maybe tomorrow I will start with Huskies

My Siberians are going through their 2nd chewing stage I guess. 

Over the past 2 weeks:
tv controller (3rd or 4th one)
pillow
woolen cap,  a really nice one
flashlight (got it before they got to the batteries)
Glade plug in (luckily empty) And NOT plugged in!
dish towel
several peices of mail, luckily unimportant stuff!
a pair of shoes (both chewed up, they enjoyed each having their own)
And there was something else that was kind of important, but I can't remember what it was...

They are quick when they want to get at something and they do seem to know that they shouldn't do it in front of me!  Little buggers.

LOL!!  I'm pretty scarey in the mornings myself!

Does the chewing tend to lessen once they pass adolesence?

Yes and no.  Depends on the dog really.  My older dogs, no issues at all.  Thunder is a bit over two and last week decided that one of my gloves was just too good to ignore.  And UP isnt UP with gsds since they can reach darned near everything.  Putting my gloves on top of the fridge where they are safe would mean ME forgetting them most days......Theo will be two in July and he still eats everything he can get his teeth on...not the furniture, but man, the poor blankets just get torn to shreds.

PurdueRy, do you plan on living in an apartment?

If so, I will say "no"on the Husky, period.

ORIGINAL: snownose

PurdueRy, do you plan on living in an apartment?

If so, I will so "no"on the Husky, period.

 
Most likely to start out with yes. Then maybe a condo. However, I have ruled out the husky in my mind as well. I don't think I can provide him with the active environment he needs as often as he would need it.

Does the chewing tend to lessen once they pass adolesence?

 
I want to say it lessens.  But if they get bored and no one is looking.  Stuff goes missing....or you find it right away.  First time one of my older dogs ate a sofa (new, and not cheap), I had  a earnest state of shock.  I mean he made a huge hole, and it wasn't  a very long time he was alone.  He hadn't chewed a thing for mos.... Can laugh about it now.  That dog did stop doing that I want to say, by 2 years he was done..  However if you left him alone during the day with a lovely big dog cushion in his crate, it would be  a lovely nest like thing with a big husky bird in the middle of it.  At night he would never do that.  Guess that would be boredom. Went through a couple cushions before I figured it out. 

I can relate because I was in the same boat about 1 1/2 years ago. Moving out of dorms and in w/ DH to a NYC apt, we both wanted a dog but haven't had a dog since childhood, also wanted a wolfish looking dog. And after 10+ dogs later, we found the perfect dog in every way. I'd say Petfinder.com is really your friend. There are tons of Husky/Shep mix everywhere looking for home. I'd go w/ older dogs who've been w/ foster family for a while if you're not a dog expert 'cause they'll tell you all about the dogs. Stanley's foster mom was right on about everything & Stanley was six when we got him, we think that was perfect. When dealing w/ a rescue, emphasize that you're willing to meet the exercise level. We had a hard time w/ rescues outside of the city b/c as soon as they heard the word "apartment" they'd turn us right down for anything but toy breeds, which we didn't want. I really don't think where you live has much to do w/ dog's exercise level. DH runs and skates w/ Stanley and he spends tons of time in the dog run. I say he gets more exercise than most dogs who have a backyard. So in other words: don't despair and keep looking! It's a tough process but oh so worth it at the end!

I just want to add that within any breed that you pick, you need to find a dog with the right personality for you. If you find an experienced breeder, she should be able to pick the right pup for you (judging by their personality when they are puppies). It's really important, just as important as selecting the right breed! If you do pick a German Shep, look out for a mellower guy, actually possibly a female... A dominant pup who runs to you first slamming against his mates is cute, but signs are there already that he is not for the first time owner.
My dad owned Geraman Sheps his all life, one of the things I love about them is that their posturing is so elaborate and they are very talkative - they are actually quite predictable I think...
I wouldn't call them velcro dogs. They do seem to pick one, but they follow you quietly, always keeping an eye on you as if trying to study you... My Spaniel, on another hand, is a kind of a velcro dog that likes to rub against my legs like a cat and he is always touchy-feely... It's just a different type of affection that they show.
It's a good idea to spend some time with a breed before selecting one. I want to own a German Shep one day, but I am not ready for that kind of dog yet.

Hi guys,
 
I am back...I know...I am sorry too.
 
I looked into other breeds just to research and diversify my search. The ones that still interest me are the Australian Shepherd, GSD, Shetland Sheepdog, and American Eskimo(I don't think they would like to run much though).
 
What are your feelings on these dogs in an apartment and their temperments.
 
Also, I am curious. I don't think a purebread australian shepherd has a tail. However, I have seen pictures on the internet where they do. Is this because they are a mix of aussie and somethign else?
 
Thanks as always!

Aussies are VERY active for an apartment. You will spend a lot of time keeping your dog occupied. Shelties can be very barky. I've heard of breeders who debarked their entire packs. Eskies... can be amazing dogs. You'll want to be very careful about a breeder, though, because (at least where I'm from) poorly bred Eskies tend to be NASTY dogs. Not always, but it isn't uncommon at all. 

I'd recommend continuing to research shelties and eskies. I really don't think you'll enjoy living with an Aussie in an apartment, holding a full time job, and maintaining your sanity. Shelties can be barky, yes, but there's a BIG variety- and honestly? Consider sheltie rescue, or go with a breeder who doesn't debark and whose dogs are all calm and quiet when you visit (and visit repeatedly. ) As for eskies? While they're not as athletic as Aussies, they're definately up to a fair amount of activity- we know a number that do agility and other competitive things, and the standards are a really wonderful size for apartment living and still being active.

I think you are going to have a rotten time finding an apartment that will allow you to have a GSD. Renting from private individuals rather than management companies may HELP, but even so- they've just got too much of a reputation.

Good for you for doing your research- I hope you continue to enjoy doing so. I think your next step should be to visit a dog show and meet some dogs.

ORIGINAL: Pwca

I'd recommend continuing to research shelties and eskies. I really don't think you'll enjoy living with an Aussie in an apartment, holding a full time job, and maintaining your sanity. Shelties can be barky, yes, but there's a BIG variety- and honestly? Consider sheltie rescue, or go with a breeder who doesn't debark and whose dogs are all calm and quiet when you visit (and visit repeatedly. ) As for eskies? While they're not as athletic as Aussies, they're definately up to a fair amount of activity- we know a number that do agility and other competitive things, and the standards are a really wonderful size for apartment living and still being active.

I think you are going to have a rotten time finding an apartment that will allow you to have a GSD. Renting from private individuals rather than management companies may HELP, but even so- they've just got too much of a reputation.

Good for you for doing your research- I hope you continue to enjoy doing so. I think your next step should be to visit a dog show and meet some dogs.

When I quickly did some research on apartments there were quite a few that allowed up to 80 lbs dogs. The restriction list usually included pitbulls, rotties and Akitas...I think there may have been one that had GSD's on the list. But that's not really a concern because I wouldn't buy until I knew for sure which apartment I would move into and their exact rules. Thanks for the info about the Eskie. Good to hear that they might be a good dog to look into. Are they commonly in shelters?
 
Edit: And by the way...research is always quite fun for me.
 
Is there a way for this forum to work with firefox? It doesn't let me reply when using it.

I use Firefox and it works fine for me- check your updates?

I see a fair number of Eskies and eskie mixes in the shelters here. I think there is a national rescue group, too, that's pretty active.

One thing to keep in mind about apartments is that while you MAY stay in one for years at a time, but you may not- and if the rental market gets tight, it'll help to have more apartments to choose from. This shouldn't necessarily dissuade you from getting a GSD, but it takes very serious consideration. Dogs live a long time- the chances of you living in the same apartment building or complex for 12-15 years right out of college are really, really low.