First let me say hello to everyone and wish a happy holidays to all! I have been lurking on the board for a while and have gotten some great ideas and had a lot of questions answered. Our puppy will be ready to come home Jan.12th and we are driving 17 hours to get him! I am so excited I had to share this with all the dog people who "get it" While I'm not a first time dog owner, this will be the first time I will be doing more serious training with our GSD. We lost our GSD Scout to twisted stomach at age of 6 and have missed having a dog in the family. I have ordered several of Leerburg DVDs and equipment and have taken notes at each viewing. Once we are settled at home and have adjusted to new surroundings, I will begin some easy, basic training. I am going to see what kind of drive this pup has before I decide what direction I want to take him - PPD or schutzhund or maybe well-trained family dog Just wanted to say thank you for everyone who responds to newbie questions and I'm sure I will be posting again when our puppy comes home!

Congrats Katherine.
Enjoy having a puppy around. Sounds like the pup is going to have a great start.
Merry Christmas

Thank you Carol! We can't wait! As soon as I can I will post pictures.

where did you decide to get your puppy and why? Good luck and enjoy. Can't wait for pics. and updates. Why not have the puppy flown in as that is a long roadtrip for a puppy. I am thinking about driving to pick mine up in Feb. but is only about 9 hours and plan to split it.

Mitch,
We are getting our pup from West Virginia because we wanted another GSD and the breeder we orginially got Scout from was no longer breeding. Scout came from German working lines. He was actually a high drive dog and there were times we had our hands full. At the time we got him I have to admit ignorance on a lot of the things I have learned from this site. We did the best with what we knew at the time and Scout was a huge part of our family. The boys asked for another shepherd and our first breeder did not feel comfortable recommending another Florida breeder. He said he couldn't vouch for temperment and that was a big concern with us. I have learned a lot from this site about drive and the different training options so I want to do better with this pup than I did with Scout.
We are driving because I wanted to see the pups in person and see the parents. I am willing to walk away if this is not the best situation and the breeder is aware. I have been in constant contact with the breeder who has sent references and pictures and has been very forthright in her answers to all my questions. I feel comfortable with her and just want to see with my own eyes what I have been hearing about in e-mails. We are also planning to break the trip up so the drive won't be hard on any of us.
Now that I have been learning from the DVDs and from everyone here, I would like to see what direction I will be able to take this pup. The closest shutzhund club for me is about an hour to hour and a half away so I haven;'t been able to talk to anyone about mentoring me in training - as I said, I'm new at this but am willing to learn and ready to listen. Thanks for the good wishes.

Good luck with your new pup, and drive safely.Long drive to pick up a pup but I understand the reasons.What breeder may I ask ?


http://s141.photobucket.com/albums/r77/cadogancna/

Katherine, congrats and best wishes for your new pup and family relationship!

We all learn from each dog. Each dog is a blessing. I'm sure you will have a great opportunity to bond on your road trip!!

Beth

Oh this is is so exciting. There is nothing like new GSD puppy breath!!! Please post pictures when you get back.

I just got my pup a couple of weeks ago...I can totally relate to your excitement! I'm still excited, and I have him! Keep us posted. If you're anything like me, you'll be asking lots even though you think you know a lot!! A pup goes to show what you don't know!

Its kind of like having kids - you read a lot, ask lots of questions and hope for the best when you bring him home for the first time! Putting all the knowledge into practice and then not being afraid to ask questions when you are unsure is a totally different thing. I will keep everyone posted after we bring him home. Meanwhile, I'll probably go back to reading everyone elses' posts and hope that when its my turn to ask a question I'll get the same kind of positive and helpful response.