A week and a half ago my wife and I were given a 6 year old GSD female of presumably good lines. Today, I took her to the Vet for a UTI. The X-ray showed a possible gall stone. He gave her a thorough exam and said except for the infection she was in excellent health. I know you folks have a much different concept of "good dog" than I do. I admire anyone who can intelligently debate how best to bring out desirable traits while suppressing the faults and formulate a mating. I do not have the knowledge or experience to do this but I hope to at some time. I have always had dogs that I taught good manners and a few task to make my life easier. I am simply a conscientious dog owner who spent the time to try to improve my skills with dogs. I've watched many DVDs, Ed's and others, read some books and search websites for information. My wife and I share a passion for these dogs.

I understand why someone would want us to to take a retiree, our first GSD was such a dog and a fine companion. What I don't understand is why someone would give away a dog like this and then tell us he could arrange a breeding between her and a schutzhund III. Why wouldn't he simply keep her and breed her himself. I can't find her on pedigree database but I did find some of her siblings-at least one patrol dog and one breeder dog.

It has occurred to me that he gave her to us just so she could go to the Vet. Perhaps he is giving us an entry into a world he knows we long to be in. It could be that he just wants the best for her. He has known us over a year and I know his dog was recently titled and is up for a breed survey. The female we got from him is untitled, he tried her in police work but did not feel she was suited for this. Is there any ulterior motive a breeder could have for us to have this litter?

He gave you the dog right? No strings attatched? You like the dog? The dog is healthy right? If the answer is yes to all these questions, enjoy your new dog, if you don't like the dog give it back.

I'll tell you one more thing, if i gave somebody a dog and they posted this i wouldn't speak to them ever again, talk about making somebody look bad! I mean seriously, you think he gave you the dog over a vet visit? Welcome to the dog world, your gonna do good, LOL

The dog in my signature pic was given to me Mark. People tend to focus on the bad stories of breeders and don't realise how many good people are involved in dogs and how often they really are interested in doing whats good for those dogs and helping people that will be good owners.

 Quote: MARK W SMITH

I understand why someone would want us to to take a retiree, our first GSD was such a dog and a fine companion. What I don't understand is why someone would give away a dog like this and then tell us he could arrange a breeding between her and a schutzhund III. Why wouldn't he simply keep her and breed her himself. I can't find her on pedigree database but I did find some of her siblings-at least one patrol dog and one breeder dog.

The female we got from him is untitled, he tried her in police work but did not feel she was suited for this. Is there any ulterior motive a breeder could have for us to have this litter?

Is the original owner encouraging you to breed her?

It seems unlikely that if she was suitable for breeding that he would have given her to you. Seems more likely that she's not suitable for breeding, and that he wanted to find a good home for her...

It's possible she's not what the breeder is looking for in a brood bitch, but that doesn't mean there's necessarily anything wrong with her. Maybe he has her sibling; he certainly wouldn't need her then, would he?

Maybe he just wanted to give her to you because he's in over his head with dogs and wanted a good home for her and cared about that more than money.

Highly unlikely, IMO, that he even knew about the gall stone, and if it were me who gave someone a perfectly good dog just to bring a nice person and a nice dog together...yep. I'd be pretty p'd off to read about it on the board like I did something shady.

Do you have any reason at all to suspect there's anything untoward going on here???

Maybe I'm in the minority though....I let 3 great puppies go to excellent homes w/out being paid on them up front....some of us DO care more about the dogs' longterm wellbeing than money.

Take your FREE dog and enjoy her!

I got a great little dog at a fraction of what he was worth because his breeder felt he didn't have the time to spend with him and wanted the dog to go to a home where he'd be treated well and be able to work.

Good breeders who care about their dogs tend to do that sort of thing every so often.

Mark,

I think all the answers you have gotten thus far are speculation. And so I'll speculate too, then suggest a course of action.

I know nothing of the breeder, so take my speculation with more than a grain of salt. I couldn't tell, are you implying that this female is being retired from his breeding program? If so, it could be because he has another female to take her place and he doesn't want to spend any more time or money on her, but does care enough to see that she goes to a good home. If he thinks he can breed better litters from his other female(s), he may be perfectly happy to to help you breed her to help get you started in breeding.

Again, all the above was speculation.

Now here is my suggested course of action: ask him. Ask him why he was willing to give the dog away for free. You've got nothing to lose, just ask.

 Quote:

were given a 6 year old GSD female of presumably good lines

gift horse....mouth etc


I got Roxie because the breeders wanted to take their program in another direction and one of them got caught in the real estate bubble. you got a uberhund for free, most people end up with pound puppies or byb pos's. be grateful, most people never get the chance to experience dogs like these

He could of sold a 6 year old titled girl to someone looking for one litter to start a breeding program for more then the vet visit.

I don't nec. think gall stones when a dog has a UTI. Matter of fact I have never thought that.

Talk to him. That is if he is still talking to you, because people being people I'm sure a couple of people have sent him the link to this thread already.

Breeders often put the dog over monetary gain or even breaking even when placing a dog.

Especially an older female that has already paid their way so to speak.

Hi Mark

In a post about her earlier, you talk about how much you like and trust the person that gave her to you. Here is a quote

 Quote:

Until we got her she was owned, trained and well cared for by a schutzhund competitor/breeder and a dog groomer. He had plans of breeding her and produced a litter of two. I'm not sure exactly why he didn't put her in his program or campaign her. He did try her at police work and found her lacking. I know this fellow well enough to know his decision was based on what was best for the breed (and his reputation which he is hard at establishing). If this is a reject, we don't mind. She is one of the finest dogs I've ever seen and I spent some time around Dutch EOD dogs. I never handled them, only admired them. He says she is very well bred, he just didn't have time to work her. Her mother is Ginta ZPS and her father is Iltis vom Wildsau. I'm not proficient at reading these pedigrees but the dog looks good.I must admit she's a handful, but so was Sasha.

George gave her to us because he liked the way we cared for Sasha and wanted that for Nomie. Sasha is a breast cancer survivor and unless the weather is really bad we walk daily. Not always that far, but almost every day. He and I discussed her care and he offered good advice for over a year prior to giving us Nomie. If every person who brought a puppy into this world did it with the care and concern that he does there would little need for shelters and a lot of good dogs. Every responsible breeder has my respect, this one has my friendship.

I'm sure he could have found many people anxious to have her and we are honored to have his trust that we will work her a bit(no titles-that's real work) love her and I hate to say spoil her just a little. It's amazing that a strong dog such as this can be so sensitive and loving. A very happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. We have much to be thankful for. Mark W. Smith

Try to remember all that you said there and don't concentrate on the fact that she has stones. Enjoy her like you promised and love her completely.