I am sixty years old and have always wanted a german shepherd.?

Question

I am female and small. also live in a flat. i have read shepherds ok in flats. I' m very active so my dog would have lots of exercise. I wonder if my height would be a detriment - though i am an assertive(but kind) person.

Answer 1

I have a german shepherd. They are wonderful dogs and make great companions. They are very smart and can be stubborn at times, but you can fix that behavior with good training and a stern voice. They are full of energy (or at least mine is) and will need to run on a daily basis or else they may drive you nuts:) I think you should go for it and enjoy they love they have to give. Here's a picture of my shepherd Faith:
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u208/arobyn83/101_0173.jpg

Answer 2

I am also a petite person. 5'0". :) German shepherds are good dogs and respond to training very well. I know a couple of people who own German Shepherds and the dogs are really sweet and unaware of how big they are. If you get one as a puppy and are willing to go through the training process, whether professional or by you, you should have no problems as a well trained dog will obey your commands. Even if you rescue an adult dog, they are very smart and will catch on to the training. I know I have seen German Shepherds at animal shelters that used to be Police k-9 Unit dogs. You might try to see if you can adopt one of those at your local shelter or rescue. I hope that helps.

Answer 3

Go for it! I had a German Shepard in the past. If properly trained you should have no problem. My kids would take him for walks. They are very smart dogs and really easy to train. Leash training is very important so it does not want to drag you on a walk. If you can find a trainer that gives group classes, costs less, that will teach you how to train the basics, heel, stay, down and come, that would be great.
I was 61 when I took on an APBT puppy and she is four now. Just a plug for the Pit but she is the most lovable dog I have ever had and in 65 years I have had a few.

Answer 4

I may have just the german shepherd that would suit you - he has had $1,500 in obedience training at Havelberg Dog Academy and is trained to heel, sit and go down on command. He was the pick of the litter, he is CKC registered, unfixed, Black & Tan, born July 24, 2006. Tonka (Built Like A Mac Truck) is almost 1 year old, and is the son of Grandview's Teddy Bear. I have bile duct cancer and am unable to keep him. Tonka was purchased at 10 weeks old for $2,000 from his breeder. He is an amazing dog. Hips were xrayed and are normal. He is up to date on all vaccinations and receives monthly heartworm prevention. Tonka is absolutely gorgeous, will be a nice size when fully grown, and is a total sweetheart. Sale price firm at $1,800. [e-mail]

Answer 5

I'm all of five three and had no problems training any of my shepherds even when I was 11 years old. Might want to adopt an adult from a rescue if you can find one that's suitable to you. That way you'll know its personality beforehand. My last one was such a sweetie. Used to let the cat (declawed when I adopted it) slap him around, then he'd roll the cat over with his nose to get teh cat to do it again.

Answer 6

As long as you are healthy, no reason why not. I have a female friend in her 60's who has a large German Shepherd. They do fine. Train him early when he's small and you'll do great together. They are wonderful dogs to train.

Answer 7

You say you are active but I worry that at 60, you may do better with an older german shepard, perhaps 8 or 9. As to the other issues, I don't see them being any issues at all. And older german shepard should be pretty calm and placid. Look for a reputable rescue near you or try www.petfinder.org

Answer 8

I am 77 yrs old and 2 mos ago adopted a 1 yr old chocolate lab. I've had a dog most of my life, but not for the past 3 yrs during which I had a knee replaced. She is a handful, but we are coming to terms. I am the alpha female in the house, she is learning to accept this. Your height should not be a problem. Go for it.

Answer 9

I am also 60 years old and a retired Vet Tech and i wouldn't hesitate to get a German Shepard. Any dog can be hard to handle if they don't know what is expected of them. You train a dog and it doesn't matter how big the dog is, he/she will respect you and you won't have any problem, just a lot of love. Good luck to you and your new dog!!

Answer 10

i think you should look into adopting a roughly a three or four year old. that way it is likely they have had training and are out of the crazy puppy stage so you don't have to worry so much about your size. further training wouldn't hurt. as long as you feel you can control the dog, you probably can. also an adult dog that is out of the active puppy stage will adjust far better to apartment living and will also likely already be house trained.