Hello. This is my first post. I lost my 10 year old GSD October 27. Ty, had been with me since his 8th week, back in 1995. He was a $75 dog whom I purchased out of the paper. I really had no idea of what to look for in a pup. Back then I had never thought of behavior or genetics, I just wanted a dog. He was one of three pups this old man had for sale, outside of a small Missouri town named Windsor.Ty was the best looking of the three, but was not the one who came to me or even showed any interest. I seemed drawn to him just by his markings. We left the old man's place in my old Ford van driving towards home. I still remember him getting car sick with that first ride. Once we got back to my apartment it wasn't long before he started to warm up to me. I couldn't think of a good name at first so I just called him "Dog". I started working with him right away, taking him to work, I was roofing houses at the time, and he gradually got better in the truck and really loved to go places. We were together every day! At work he stayed on a tie out or inside the back of my old Bronco II. He grew like a weed those first few months! His front paws were about 3" across within 6 months. He was black and tan with silver in his temples that eventually faded. Before long I had to move to another place as I was in violation of my lease.We moved across town to a duplex and I built him a large dog house, he didn't like my new girlfriend and she didn't like him! She was the only person that I didn't trust his instinct! Bad mistake. Not long after our moving I was watching a movie with Tommie Lee Jones portraying Ty Cobb, I was not a big baseball fan but that name seemed to stick. He was "Dog" no longer but Ty. I continued basic obediance training on my own using,and I hate to say it, "jerk and yank"' techniques. He was so strong I eventually purchased a prong collar to curb his forging ahead of me while heeling. We were making good progress by the end of 8 months. Wll that winter was especially hard and I wasn't making any money and I found myself looking for another place to live. Thankfully, Mom took us in.She was having a tough time from breast cancer and recently seperated from my step dad and she needed money to pay the bills. I tried to help but as usual we kept butting heads. Ty on the other hand was having a great time at the new place. She had a small farm outside of Spring Hill Ks. where she raised sheep, a couple of horses,chickens and an occaisional bottle calf or two. Ty had the run of the place with a chocolate lab named "Bo" and a mix terrier named "Oddy". I started leaving him here during the day and before long he started getting in trouble! He loved to retrieve, and can you imagine his joy when he found his first white egg? He used to bring me an egg, unbroken, putting the damn thing in my hand and looking up at me as if to start the game of fetch. At first I thought this was cute and before long he found out how yummy these new toys were if he broke them open! The next thing I know Ty is in the chicken coop daily gobbling up all the eggs! Mom was not so happy about the whole situation. Before long he has decided to forget about the eggs and go after the birds. That's when the shit hit the fan! Mom sold the eggs and butchered the birds, she warned me to correct this right away but I was to stupid to listen. One night Ty crept into the coop and slaughterd every bird he could. Taht morning I went out to feed the animals and I found him, bloody faced and fat as hell gnawing on the carcass of one of my mothers prize roosters. I hoped I could just hide the bird and go to work but when I went inside the coop I stood there for a minute not believing that one dog could kill so many chickens but I knew that Bo and Odd had no part in this.Overall I'd say he got at least 50 and alot of eggs were smashed as well. Mom raised holy hell when I told her what had happened, she never forgave me or the dog. Before long, every day I would come home and she would be nearly berserk about the dog. First he started running the calves and then switched to the horses. That was the final straw. Mom's horse Danny, had survived cancer and she was nuts about Ty running him around the pasture.So inevitably she "suggested" I have him neutered or she was going to kill him when I was at work.So I took him to the vet and had him cut. I was so sad when I went to pick him up, he was still partially sedated and kept licking his wound and looked dazed. After this things seemed to calm down around the house but I noticed that he was defenitlly changed. Bo, an 8 year old would push him around during feeding time and those damn chickens would steal his food if I wasn't there to protect his dish. Mom still never liked him though. We had a big male GSD when I was a kid and my dad was still around, mom always said it was my dad's dog but I thought he was hers. They used to fight alot and smash stuff in the house when they argued. One of my earliest memories is of that dog, "Jack", coming between my father and me and my brother, when we were hiding before getting whipped by my old man. Jack tore a hunk out of my dad's arm before he got to us and gave the old man something to think about I'm sure! Anyway, Ty and I continued to work on obediance and agility because by now he was starting to come around and I had heard of this group of guys who trained around town using GSD and other German dogs exclusively. I had to be apart of this! So I contacted the head honcho via the internet, this was pretty new 10 plus years ago, and he told me to come out to where they train. We showed up that morning and I watched, fascinated, by the dogs and what they were doing. Before long Mr. Don Shipman, called me over to talk and wanted to take a look at Ty. I remember him asking me if I thought my dog could do this sort of work and I earnestly replied yes! He asked me to place him on leash and in the heel position. He then stood about 6 feet away and pulled a small red handkerchief out of his pocket and "popped" it in front of us. Ty took a step back. That was it. End of session. He then told me that Ty wasn't suited for this type of work and wanted to know where I got him and how much I paid for him. I told him and I still remember his exact words as, "You bought a Volkswagen when you should of saved up for a Porsche", motioning to the other dogs.Of course being a hot headed 24 year old I wasn't about to let this guy push me off! I told him what I thought of him and his bullshit! Not knowing that I was standing there with about 5 Kansas police officers! He went on to tell me about some temperment and genetic stuff that I didn't understand at the time. I was at that time a big believer in environement over hereditary influence. I remember arguing about this with him telling him he was a Nazi and that even Einstein was a failure until he got laid! Well they ran me off and I was forced to relent. I continued training though going to AKC classes instead finally graduating Companion Dog cert. and content to know that my dog was one of the best in his class. Years pass however and my interest in Schutzhund did as well. We continued to move around and I started building houses around town faithfully taking Ty where ever I went. Ten years and about 5 or 6 places passed and I found myself here in Overland Park Ks. This is were it ended. Ty had been doing well and I found myself on a new fitness quest. I had gained about 40 lbs. over the years and I was determined to lose it. I joined a gym and was going religously 5-6 days a week 2 years of this and running the local trail with Ty and I had slimmed down to about 185. He loved to run! Every night before i went to the gym he and I would run the Indian Creek trail 2 miles or so. Before he died I even took a job at a local fitness company assembeling fitness equipment, treadmills home-gyms, etc. I was finally out of the rough end business., but Ty wasn't going with me anymore staying at home in a nice picket fenced back yard. Then I started coming home and I would see him in the front yard relaxing under our maple tree in front. His ears perked up the instant he saw me and I would get mad and scold him for being out front. The back yard is fenced with cedar pickets about 6feet high. The gate had a picket busted off which I neglected to fix. This space was about 8 inches across. He was jumping over at this point and I was blind to the fact and unconcerned that he he could get hurt doing this. Much like the chicken coop at mom's I didn't fix the problem before it got out of hand. I came home one day and checked the back yard not seeing him out front the gate was out of view from my vantage point and I didn't see him. I called the dog catcher and went to the gym for about an hour. When I came home my neighbor was standing by my truck and I went over to see what he was doing. He started to tell me something bad had happened with the dog, I thought maybe he had bit him since he has been a jerk since I moved here. That's when I noticed a black trash bag on the gate and he said that the dog had hung himself... I ran to my big boy tearing the bag off and seeing his head stuckand his tounge out... his eyes were clouded over and I just broke down trying to get him unstuck my neighbor just stood there I think he had been watching him struggle but was afraid to help him for fear of being bitten.Ty was still somewhat warm but had no pulse... I tried a little CPR but knew it was to late. I laid there with him and cried and then I took him and buried him. It still hurts. I think of him often I'm crying right now.I took the next day off and went to the town I got him from and tried to find from memory the old man's place. Nobody knew of him I drove all day finally ending up back home alone. Everyone around me told me to wait before I got another dog... I waited 2 more days. I purchased my 2nd dog LeeRoy Brown that weekend. I found him in Jefferson City Mo. He cost a bundle I broke the bank but I didn't care I couldn't go on without my friend. LeeRoy is out of Trold Caeser and the bitch was from Jogi Vom Canisphere we have started Schutzhund training at another club. He has the temperment! Did first protection work Sunday I was so proud he barked and lunged as soon as agitator menaced! He was growling watching the other dogs go through their protection work! I miss you Ty farewell bigboy!

Oh, Jamey, what an awful way to lose your friend. I've lost two oldsters in the last month myself so my heart goes out to you.

Jamey, the sire of your dog is owned by one of the club members here. Cesar had some big time out issues (he wouldn't <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> when his owner bought him, but with our TD/helper, Steve Pettit, Cesar has come back with a vengance. Your pup has a lot to live up to.
Now for a little constructive critisizm. You seem to have made more than your share of mistakes with your first dog. Learn from them! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Wow, what a story! You've led an interesting life... Sorry to hear about your loss of Ty <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />. Good luck with the new puppy <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> There's a lot of good information here to help you raise him well.

Becky, sorry to hear of your losses as well <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />