Kelly when I was a teenager I helped my uncle with his PPD guard dogs from the time I was 15 until I was 21. I've had experience with these types of dogs I'm sorry I failed to mention that.


That's my main reason for wanting one. I've wanted one for years but I didn't have my own house and the time to do it. I think I want a DDR. After all I've spent a ton of time looking at them. The only issue I have is finding a good breeder in my area. If a breeder is out of my area I feel I shouldn't buy from them. If I can't go see the parents in person why bother.

I still want to go see how these malinois pup's are. I like that breed too. I think some mals are very very good dogs and if trained right would meet my purpose.

I'm thinking a green dog would cost too much coin. The most I'm willing to spend on a dog period is $1200. That's for the dog. I have $900 set aside for gear vet and partial food supply right now. Paychecks help too

Somebody who spent 6 years helping train PPDs probably knows all there is to know how to select a good prospect.

Somebody who raised pups from 3 weeks of age probably knows all about new puppy supplies.

Why are you asking for advice then?

this board needs a chatroom!!

I'm going to bed night all

Ana because i don't know everything. I was a helper. My skill set is about 3 to 4 years rusty. I'm trying to get back what I had and THEN some. I'm wanting help because I'm only 31 and people on this board have had dogs longer than I have.

Oops, John my clock is ahead of yours and I still have to take my dog/s out before I go to bed (in, oh about another hour and I'm up about 6 hours after that).
Forget early bedtimes or late risings if you get any of the breeds your thinking about.

I don't have an nth degree of experience of many people on this board, but I just want to throw in my two cents. When we adopted Jethro and Skipper, Jethro was 4 months and Skipper was 10 years. Jethro was the golden pup, they had no doubt he would be adopted. Skipper had been in the shelter a month and was not even listed because no one was interested in a senior dog.

Let's see, Jethro cost 6x what Skipper cost, and guess who is the handful? I would never, in a million years, imagined the pleasure I get from having Skipper in my life. He is a terror-ier when needed, and a quiet gentleman sleeping in the corner otherwise. I haven't begun to train him for everything he is capable of, but I keep trying to catch up.

With Jethro the only down time is when he is put away in his crate after a workout. And that is time limited, knowing his is going to have to be taken out and worked again in a few hours. He does not sleep quietly around the house, he requires constant supervision. Like I said, he is a handful. Not without his charms, but a handful all the same. Sometimes I do get pretty tired.

 Quote: john caven

Mara I've handled pups before I do know what I'm doing. I just wanted to advance my own skill set.


Example:

I had a 3 week old German shorthair puppy in a 25 acre field with knee high grass which is above his head. The dog would get about 10 feet a head of me look back for an OK and I would JUMP UP wave my arms forward in sorta rapid motion while having a party for him in a puppy voice saying keep going go keep going. Eventually that pup who's my dads dog after 3 to 4 days of doing that was about 300 yards out. I've taught sit/stay/come and whoa with that dog.

For the whoa command you need a table and a rope with a D ring that's behind the dog with you out front.

I never said you hadn't handled pups before - just giving you the difference between a pup and a teenager And why many people looking for a known set of qualities prefer a teenage dog.

I'm really not trying to downplay what you've done, but there is a lot more to training dogs than sit, stay and whoa. And a huge different between working with a hunting breed and the highest energy herding breed you can find.

I'm not sure where training "whoa" comes in with this. But anyways, you don't need that for teaching whoa. It's one way, but I'm guessing if you tried it with a Mal puppy they'd just chew the rope up or try like mad to get to you. It's just going to build frustration and drive.

Whoa is the Stand Out of Motion in Schutzhund.
Marker training works awesome.