The monks at New Skete produce GSDs that are as good as anything in Europe...provided you want to spend a few years on a waiting list and have a couple thou$and to $pend on a dog...
...I got to spend a day with them last winter ;-)
Posted on 11/02/2009 11:19:23 AM PST by solosmoke
But I have a problem with pit bulls. And it has more to do with the two-legged creatures holding their leashes (if there is a leash).Because of their sheer numbers—estimates show that there are anywhere from 5 million to 10 million pit-bull-type dogs in the U.S. today, out of about 61 million total dogs—pits have become the dog du jour for a lot of people, not just gangbangers and wannabe thugs who use a pit as proxy for toughness. About 20 percent of dogs in ASPCA shelters are pit mixes.
I've seen those who adopt these dogs for all the wrong reasons. The fearful might get a pit because they want a great guard dog. (Pits make lousy guard dogs. A well-bred pit is just too human-friendly to protect your property.) Some get a pit because Rachael Ray has one and they want to rescue a dog. (Why didn't you take up cooking instead of getting a dog that you know nothing about?) And the trendiest pet owners spend thousands of dollars for a "blue" pit because the dogs are rare. (No, they aren't, and you just got swindled by an unethical breeder who contributed to the overpopulation problem.) But pets aren't purses, and people who jump into pit-bull ownership without the requisite training and education can often do more harm than good. That's why when I see a pit off-leash and I'm walking Turk, my 20-pound schnoodle, I'm scared.
Let's face it: pit bulls are public enemy No. 1. That's quite a comedown for a pup once considered "America's dog." But in talking with pit-bull experts, it's clear that some current owners are too easy to spook, are too ill-informed, and have unrealistic expectations of what pit bulls can do.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsweek.com ...
I agree about the GSD being damaged goods. They got too popular and were bred too extreme. That is why I choose to stick with imports. I feel that American breeders are trying to improve the quality now, but it will take a long time to get where they should be. I can see this happening with a lot of breeds, and it seems breeders have created two separate types for some breeds. The field labs/show labs are very different. Some prefer the show bred dogs because field bred are more wiry and energetic. Spaniels are another one that comes to mind. Border Collies are especially different.
As for the pom/sheltie mix, I think that would be interesting to see. My best friend had poms when we were growing up, and for the most part they were very nice, extremely cute, and smart (nice except for the stud they had over that decided to bite my thumbnail off one day). My neighbors had a sheltie I would sometimes care for when they went on trips. He was an obsessive spinner and barker, but so sweet I couldn’t help but like him.
You might find this of interest
RDO Woof
The monks at New Skete produce GSDs that are as good as anything in Europe...provided you want to spend a few years on a waiting list and have a couple thou$and to $pend on a dog...
...I got to spend a day with them last winter ;-)
Some people wait their entire lives for the right dog. I certainly wouldn’t have any qualms about waiting lists. I think a great breeder should not have to advertise and should actually have homes lined up for the pups when the breeding is announced. I would love to have another GSD. Those in the picture look like wonderful dogs!
OK, now I’m way jealous!
What else do you want us to give up to make you feel better?
What size of pistol do you carry so i can be sure I don’t get one larger...just so you can feel confident in being around me.
What is the HP of your car, so I will make sure mine does not growl louder and blow your doors off...so you can feel happy around me.
What is the size of your husband’s unit, so I can go to a surgeon to have mine reduced...so you don’t feel quite as unfulfilled.
Or, better, yet, accept that you are a control freak and you are never going to get your way, then crawl out from under your rock and live life the way God meant...minding your own business and leave me and my pit, and my guns, and my vehicle, and my unit alone.
Thanks for the ping. This is a super article. The reporter is a breath of fresh air who has done his research.
Guess I shouldn't show you this picture, then...
Grrrrr! ;)
>I would love to have another GSD. Those in the picture look like wonderful dogs!<
Another incredible resource, if you don’t mind waiting lists is the last German Shepherd only guide dog organization in the country. Fidelco sometimes has dogs that, for whatever reason, do not go on to guide someone. The puppy raiser gets first shot, but a friend of mine got a dog from them some years back, and what an incredible dog he was.
Hey, if nothing else, you can always give them a donation (c;
And you didn’t sneak that pup out under your coat (LOL)?
Somehow, I think our Good Lord would not look too kindly on stealing from monks...:)
My Pit / Red Heeler mix is a lap dog.
Are you being sarcastic? Read the article! It’s really well-done, and not what you think from the title.
I've a new friend that thinks she's a lap pig...
The pig looks a bit heavier than my pup!
I saw your pix earlier of Sam with the pigs and he is a great spokesman for pits.
Do you mean Sam has to share Dad with a PIG??? That poor dog!
Yes, I was being sarcastic.
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