Hi there,

I am seriously thinking about getting a Dutch shepherd in a few years and have a question. (Fyi my dog history is that I have two older jrt rescue dogs and have had them for about 5 years).

These dogs attracted me because of their high energy, intelligence and temperament. I am not currently involved in any sports (schutzhund, mondioring, etc.) but wouldn't mind doing that one day. I mainly want a companion dog to do obedience, go hiking, and yell at people when they come to close to the house. Would a working dog be out of the question for a green handler like me or should I get an FCI papered dog that is tamer from a showline dutch breeder?

The reason I hesitate when thinking about getting a more docile dog is all the posts about how show breeders are ruining breeds and how working dogs are closer to what the animal is meant to be. Which way should I go and what steps can I take over the next three years to prepare myself for a working breed dog?

Thanks for your advice.

Joshua,

Dutchies are great dogs!!!

I would say that as long as you can keep them occupied and give them the exercise and mental stimulation they need, then you will be alright.

JRT's are not the easiest dogs to keep either.

I would do some deep research and make sure you obtain your Dutchie from a reputable breeder. There is a guy in Oklahoma that I have heard good things about.

There's a ton of threads on Dutchie's and Mal's on this forum, search around. Dutchie's and Mal's can be very similar, or wildly different, depending on the lines. But the general information on those threads is pretty good.

Let me be more specific. I know that I want a Dutchie. I just want some advice on how to train myself so that I will be able to handle the working nature of the Dutchie. I have time to prepare before getting a pup and want to make sure I am up to the task in a few years. Any advice on how to go from green to confident will help a lot.

Thanks

I would say that you need to be ready for a high energy, smart and willing to please dog that needs you to exercise and do something with them daily.

Read up on the articles Ed has available regarding

Your Puppy 8wks to 8months
Basic Obedience
Raising a Working Puppy
Training Your Dog with Markers

And if you can, order the DVD's with these titles as well.

There was a special on TV (I believe it was National Geographic) a while back that was doing a test on comparing dogs (Malinois, Mastiff and Dutch Shepard) to determine how they related to the Wolf and which is the best hunter. To sum it up:

1. The Malinois used great speed in the attack but lacked a crushing bite, relying on speed to knock prey down
2. Mastiff displayed great bite strength but lack the shocking speed of the Malinios so he used his forelegs like a lion to pull prey down and crush him with bite strength
3. The Dutch Shepard is apparently the perfect compromise, very fast, yet a bit bigger than the Malinios and possessing a strong bite. So they are able to use speed to knock prey down but also the strength to be win as well.

Anyway, on a personal note, I have heard nothing but good things about them, especially for those who plan on using them for sport competition.

-Al

 Quote: Al Lewis

There was a special on TV (I believe it was National Geographic) a while back that was doing a test on comparing dogs (Malinois, Mastiff and Dutch Shepard) to determine how they related to the Wolf and which is the best hunter. To sum it up:

1. The Malinois used great speed in the attack but lacked a crushing bite, relying on speed to knock prey down
2. Mastiff displayed great bite strength but lack the shocking speed of the Malinios so he used his forelegs like a lion to pull prey down and crush him with bite strength
3. The Dutch Shepard is apparently the perfect compromise, very fast, yet a bit bigger than the Malinios and possessing a strong bite. So they are able to use speed to knock prey down but also the strength to be win as well.

Anyway, on a personal note, I have heard nothing but good things about them, especially for those who plan on using them for sport competition.

-Al

Al, if this was the special, LOL, I think they were off with the weight of the Dutchie.

33 seconds lists the weight (or the incorrect weight), I think the DS would be lighter.

The takedown of the Dutchie is awesome on this vid.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZm037jPNgc

The programme on National geographic wasn't that accurate

They compared 4 dogs of different breeds and making the assumption that the chosen dog represents the breed.

Huge mistake

I know o mals that have a full bite but not a crushing one and i know of mals that are tiny but that have a bite to break bones like toothpicks ( ok i'm exagerating but i don't like taking that little in on the suit the pressure is such that even with extra bandages it leaves marks)

Greetings

Johan

+1

Joshua,

I've had GSD's all my life and adore them. I became interested in Dutchies a couple of years ago and I LOVE them! My little female Dutchie had to be euthanized last december due to a health problem. But I am getting a new pup this summer.
Having a dutchie is kind of like having a German Shepherd on redbull, speed, and with springs. At 3 months my female jumped over a 4' chain link fence, with plenty of room to spare. This was unintended(at least on my part), because normally you wouldn't want a pup to be jumping like that. But anyway you definitely need to give them appropriate exercise and my pup was the most aggressive chewer I've ever had. She would go through any normal puppy chew like it was butter. Be prepared to crate train if you want to have a house to come home to, and get Ed's DVD's. Especially pack structure (since you have 2 JRT's), and Your Puppy 8weeks to 8mos.
And Basic Obedience to start. They are very informative. Good luck with your dog if you get a dutchie.
I feel like I lost my left arm since losing my pup. She was 11 mos old when I said goodbye and it broke my heart. But she was in pain and still so cheerfull. She wagged her tail, actually her entire body. She was a joy, and I miss her terribly but I am looking forward to having another Dutchie in my life.

Molly