I appreciate the advice from everyone. Thank you. I have owned GSDs before and I think I would be OK with a hard dog. My last dog was a bit soft, so I really had to be careful on corrections and high on praises. I can give a stern correction if it is needed. Should I start a new post on hardness and forgiveness? I have a few more questions. And if so, would it be appropriate to post it under Working German Shepherds?

I would, titled Hard and soft dogs. It'll be seen better in a new post, plus it really is a new topic. You should get some good replys back about this. This board is full of knowledgable trainers. I'm intrested myself in what others have to say. Hey Chris if you ever head down towards Airborne school look me up, I'm a black hat.

Curtis, here's one of the considerations: Do you *tend* to give soft or hard corrections? ( not if you *have* to, but how you *usually* do )
Answering that question alone will often answer the question of what type of dog best fits you regarding the "hard" vs. "soft" question.

Good point Will. I would rather not have to give a hard correction, but I can give one if an action requires it. I guess I would be better off with the "middle of the line" dog. I just about started a new post, but I don't know how to start it off. I have questions but I am trying to figure out how to word them. Maybe I should just do more reading on the subject and try to answer the questions from that.

Thanks for your help.

you go the route i did.

choose a breeder not considering schh or anything like that. find a schh club in your area and then discover you really like the sport and also about that time you find out that your dog is not suited for the sport. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

so you dicide to use this dog to get you basics down and then get a "real" working dog

In my above post I refered to curtis as Chris, No I wasn't drunk, LOL. I glanced at his name and thought it said Chris, I just noticed Curtis is the name.

That's OK, Chris. I wasn't for sure if you were talking to me or not. Where is Airborne School? I am sure it is a long ways from where I am at right now, Korea! Airborne school!! That sounds pretty HHHOOOOAAAHHH! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Now all we need to do is to get Chris to get that spiffy Ranger tab or Special Forces tab along with those good looking jump wings. ( he's probably pass those courses with flying colors, but each of those would mean a nice *long* chunk of additional active duty time...ouch )

It's funny, but I've met tons of Military guys who turn to dog training as a hobby. But the MWD handlers spend so much time dog training as part of their job that you don't see them doing dog sports as often. Just a weird observation.....

I agree with the second part of your post, Will. I have not met any in my last 7 years in the military that worked dogs in Schutzhund, KNPV, ect. I knew of two that worked and trained coon hunting dogs, but none along the same lines that they train at their job. I guess they get burned out. It would be tough to juggle two dogs, one at work and one at home.

I know we're getting off subject here, so I will make sure this is my last one, don't want to get off subject here. LOL, Ed needs to make a tribute forum for us, LOL "Military Veteran dog enthusiast" LOL! As you military guys know the military can take the most beautiful places in the world and totally *$#% it up. Prime example, the US Marine Corps Mountain and cold weather Warfare training center in Bridgeport, CA. OMG that place is in the sierra National Forest which is the most beautiful place to ever take an out door vacation. Even if your not into outdoors this place will make you never go home. The waterfalls, with fishing, and postcard looking troutstreams, and you can rent awesome logcabins for next to nothing. The view as you move up in the elevation is AWESOME!! However, after spending a month there, freezing in ambush spots, and humping with over 100lbs of gear (that you aren't allowed to use) I would never step foot there AGAIN!!!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />. That place is just horrendous to me now. The same for so many other places. I said that to say, I'm sure they were enthusiast, or very intrested in dog training before they went in, then the military got a hold of them, and after dragging around ammo cans on leashes, LOL <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> (literally) I can only imagine what other stupid stuff they have had to endure persueing this dream, they're shot. They drained all the "I want to be the best dog handler in the world" life out of them. Military guys, you know that is right. I mean, I never had to drag around ammo cans, and pet them and lord knows what else just to learn, sometimes we get a little to basic in the military and it borders very closely to "stupidism" <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />


<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />DISCLAIMER <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

I love the military, I am a 10yr, 2 war veteran, but we military guys deal with alot of crap just to do what we love. So that is not bashing, or saying the militay is bad, to poke a little fun with fellow comrades I have exposed a little of the negative, but there are tons of positives.
<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />END DISCLAIMER <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />