Buying a German Shephard / Alsatian ???

Question

I've always fancied having a pet dog myself, with strong penchant for German Shepherd (OR Alsatian as they're often called).

Up until recently, I never had a chance owing one mainly due to being not quite in a sort of job where the wages would've allowed me to afford one, however, now I'm in a stable job with decent salary & hence am looking further into it, rather seriously.

Firstly, I wonder if there's any "difference" in German Shepherd & Alsatian. My understanding is that German Shepherd had been called "Alsatian" after the World War II following the bitterness with German.

Secondly, I rather prefer "dog" myself, but what're people's opinion on "bit.ches" ???

Thirdly, what sort of age should I buy. I rather prefer someone recently born. How much could it possibly cost to firstly buy them & the cost towards regularly looking after one ???

More importantly, where exactly could I buy one ??? I live in Leicestershire myself & once went to the RSPCA but couldn’t see any dog that could possibly tickle my fancy but was told that newborn dog often gets taken by the local Constabulary.

Can anyone around possibly point me in the right direction about the place I could possibly visit or the website that deals with it or anything that I should bear in mind BEFORE & WHILE owing a German Shepherd myself ???

Answer 1

research the breed...you can go to sites like champ dog..breeders often put up their own breed profile..alot more reliable. Speak to people with shepherds...look for breeders on the net and ask advice if it is suitable for you. In regards to male or female..if you are male and you want the dog to bond to you..get a female..and vice versa. Shepherds are smart and protective..research the lines..is it a guarding line working line or show line.. a show line may be better for a first shepherd as they are more laid back....altho check the temperaments of both parents as a lot of show dogs are bred for looks rather than personality...working shepherd are tough..they are constantly on the gpo, and guarding are potentially aggressive....the dogs should be hip and elbow scored and the sire haemophilia tested.

Best to get a pup...bout 8 weeks....if your in england the price can be £400 upwards for a pedigree...depending on their lines....

there not alot of diference between dogs and bit.ches..except the dogs guard more.
your understanding of alsation is correct.

BTW Lisa W has no idea what she is saying about alsations..they are not a cross breed....get your facts right love!

Answer 2

I'm under the impresssion that German Shepherd have long coat while the Alsatian have shorter coat. My friend has two - male and female and one is a "blue". I've had dogs all my life as well but my Alsatian wasn't pure bred. These dogs however are very loyal and if trained properly can be the perfect dog. However grooming is time consuming as they are so large. How do you feel about grooming your dog every day?? They also eat large amounts compared to a smaller dog and this can be very costly. Also pure bred dogs are always more prone to disease etc. than mongerls because the fact they are pure bred. It would be best to do some research on the breed before buying - use the net or library for this - and when buying get from a registered owner if you are buying a pure breed. Most charity run organisations will only have mongrels available but you do get the odd pure bred dog. However buying from a charity and saving a dog costs a lot less - for example usually about £50 as opposed to £300 and above!!! and if your dog is a cross/mongrel you will find they are generally healthier. I've had mostly bitches and prefer these but trained properly again a male dog, especially Alsatian or G.S. will remain loyal and trustworthy. Good Luck with your quest.

Answer 3

If you are wanting a pup, get a pup 8 weeks or older. The breeder's in the UK have more West German show line dogs. Our American show lines are a little more refined than the German show, and are a little more angulated in the rear. Look here and you will get an idea of the different lines. http://www.justshepherds.com/colors.htm If you scroll to the bottom of the page you will be able to click on some different line types. There is no difference between Shepherd and Alsatian. You can get long coats with an Alsatian and with a Shepherd. The coat gene is recessive in the breed. Most of my contacts are here in the US, but I can contact some breeder's in Germany. Now a dog vs. a *****, is all up to you. Cost also depends on the lines of the dog, and the OFA's, ect on the parents. My cost's are usually between $500 and $1200 depending on the breeding. If I am shipping a pup, my cost is a minimum of $800 ,plus shipping, crate and health certificate for travel. Also ask breeders about a guarantee that they are giving out. We give a 2 year hip and elbow guarantee.

Answer 4

As you say that this will be your first German Shepherd I suggest you go for a b1tch puppy, I have owned both sexes over 30 odd years and while I have adored all of them (and I am an experienced GSD owner, ex army kennel maid/dog handler) I have found that males can be very dominant and if you are unsure of yourself then it's not a good combination as they will take full advantage of it! Bitches can also try to dominate but take to human control a lot easier, I'm sure other folk will dispute what I am saying but this is how I see it! Having said all that I have got a 6 month old white one and she is a b1tch in every sense of the word though if you could see her at the moment you would say I was talking rubbish!......... I've got my work cut out with this one!
GSD's on the whole are good family dogs if trained properly and they do need constant training and stimulation so that they do not get bored, I never leave my dogs on their own for more than 4 hours at a time, do not let them have too much strenuous exercise in the first 12 months as it can cause problems to joints and growing bones this includes not letting them up on furniture (jumping down) going up and down stairs and things like this, they are a very loyal breed to their family and while they accept visitors to the home they can be stand offish towards them.
I absolutely adore this breed and have kept them since I came out of the army a very scary 32 years ago!..............ouch!!!
They cost on average anything between £300-£800 to buy from a breeder my pup cost me £550, I fully intended to rescue one this time but when they knew I was experienced I was inundated with phone calls, they are not always the easiest to re-home due to the loyalty to one family/person thing so if you decide to go along this road please tell rescue home your EXACT way of life ie.How many hours you work, is it just you at home etc, etc.
Lastly after much rambling German Shepherd/Alsatian, the exact same breed and nothing to do with coat length.
Good luck and enjoy.

Answer 5

I'm going to tell you what I know about German Shephard/Alsatian by the way are two names for the same breed. They make good guard dogs, easily trainable but surprisingly have a delicate constitution. The hind quarters should slope down slightly and tail thick and well feathered. Anytime you are investing in a dog its always better to get it from a reliable kennel. You can check with the kennel club and they will probably be able to give you the names of some reliable breeders. I prefer ***** but in this breed gender doesn't matter much.

Answer 6

Ive had German shepherds - male and female and they were great companions, if you can get a pup as then it'll grow up with you and any family members, they are very loving, intelligent and protective dogs and you'll have a friend for life... The only difference i have noticed between a Male & Female is that the females tend to be a little more excitable at times.
There is a down side to shephards though and that is their hind legs tend to go sometimes when they get older, and if your gonna get one dont let it stand on its hind legs too long looking over fences and stuff and make sure you give it fish oil in its meals... Good Luck .
Ps, Lots of long walks also required and if they get wet make sure you dry them off properly.

Answer 7

hi, yes there is a difference between a German shepherd and an Alsatian. a GSD is a PEDIGREE dog and an Alsatian is a MIXED breed dog, i.e GSD and boarder collie. it does my head in when people say that they are the same, especially when you know your breed of dog, having had them all your life.

i currently have a female GSD and she is 16 yrs old. i have had German shepherds all of my life, they are very loyal and intelligent. but you MUST have the time for them otherwise they will get board and destructive, this can lead to aggression, they need something to stimulate their minds, such as agility classes if they are not working. they love to work.

males tend to be more protective, however some females are also protective, we have found that it tends to be the males that are more protective, especially if they are not castrated. it would be best to buy one as a puppy, that way you will bond better and know each other inside out.

don't forget that GSD are renown for hip and stomach problems, my German shepherd have died to cancer and arthritis at about the age of 9-11. vets bills are expensive but that is with any animal. due to the amount of exercise they do after working at a vet, the most common type of animal that we say was in fact a GSD.

hope this helps, you can email me if you need any more advice
Lisa or visit the website. www.germanshepherdrescue.co.uk i think thats it, if not type it in on google

Answer 8

Please consider adopting one from an animal shelter or rescue organization. German Shepherds are a lot more common than most people realize because a lot of times, they are more work that most people bargained for. However, they are great dogs.

I would actually consider adopting one that is an adult. Puppies are a lot more expensive and harder to care for...potty breaks all through the night, multiple sets of vaccinations, spay/neuter, etc. Puppies chew things when they are teething. They manage to get into everything. Most often with adult dogs, they are better about being housetrained and what you see is what you get, temperament-wise.

As far as male vs. female dogs are concerned, I have no preference really as I'd have either one spayed or neutered to prevent adding to an already overpopulated pet population, plus it helps with a lot of behavioral problems and prevents a lot of cancers and illnesses.

Good luck in your search!

Answer 9

well firstly beautiful dogs. you are best off to get a pup as they then they will know you and you have to be careful these dogs if treated wrong (ie rescueed) they can be dangerous. not much difference between a dog or a lady dogs what ever you do make sure you get the dog castrated. you are looking at bout £500 for a dog and bout £550 for a female. look in the freesads and local ads but be prepared to travel a little way as like you said about the police. good luck

Answer 10

only get a large dog like this if you have time for one i have a rottweiler who has to be wallked for 4 hours a day and a dog like this should not be left on their own all day.

i would go for a dog rather than a bi tch i had 2 german shepards and the bi tch can turn when she is in heat

try going to google and type in epupz as you can pick up some loverly pups on their at a good price. for a pup you are looking to spend at least £300 for one hope this info helps and good luck with your new puppy!