We always had a GSD when we were growing up.
One in particular the founder and chief trainer for the NZ police dog squad wanted to breed, he about kicked dad in the nuts when we told him she was spayed, it was a requirement in our town to own a dog that they had to be desexed, he said if we had shown her to him when she was a pup he'd have personally written an exemption for her.
She was a smart dog, she used to share her biscuits with my horse and would mother any new born animal no matter what it was. She also got us in trouble because she'd take fruit out of the fruit bowl, bite a piece out and eat it then put the rest back.
We had her chained to her kennel one night when she was 6 months old, the kennel was 4 foot high, 6 foot long and 3 foot wide solid wood. Someone tried syphoning gas out of mums car and the dog dragged that kennel across 20 feet of concrete so she could get out the gate and near the car.
Another night we had a bunch of wannabe tough guys partying on the sidewalk and causing a ruckus, they'd already broken the neighbors fence when dad went out to see what was going on. The neighbor was on his front porch with a golf club telling them where to go and one of these guys was trying to sneak up our drive to come up on his blindside. Dad spotted him, told the dog to get him and let the dog go, there was one bark, one scream and a trail of blood down the drive. The guys scattered and left their beer laying.
She lived to be almost 20 when her hips gave out.
A GOOD GSD is about the best dog you can have, as long as YOU make sure you're the boss.
Dad is now involved in the police dog puppy rearing scheme here, they adopt a puppy and raise it till it is old enough to go into training. The police pay for all the costs and you have to provide a disciplined and caring home for the pup.
They are also part of the breeding scheme where you are given a dog to care for till she is due to be bred, then they are passed on to the breeding center.
