Looking at getting a German Shepard

[Mad_malk]

I have always wanted a German Shepard since i was a kid. Well theres a breeder in Tampa that is about to have a litter. according to him his not only are they AKC certified but a lot of his pup's become K-9's. Now i want one with good hips and as smart as the breed comes. However i have two kids and it's a home dog. Is there any thing specific i should be looking for when i go to pick a puppy? should i get one that washed out of K-9 school because it wasn't aggressive instead(I only ask because i want one with good hips and that can be trained)? any tips and suggestions from any one with experience training this breed would be greatly appreciated.

[JMTX]

The best predictor of hips is the parents OFA scores. As long as they parents had "good" or better OFA's you should be fine.

[JTShooter]

I wouldn't worry about whether or not your dog will be too aggressive around kids. It's all about how they're raised.

Since you're getting a puppy and it'll be around children as a pup, it should be good to go.

[David Hineline]

I like these. Keep in mind that any dog this large and strong even when mild around your kids if they go into the protective mode and mistake a threat when one is not real, they can hurt another child or another person very severely, they need proper training so they can be called off by the owner no matter what the situation is.

http://www.shilohshepherds.org/

[exdrip]

Best breed of dog on earth. Raise it well, don't let him try to be the boss and you'll have a new best friend as well as the best home defense system you can get

[Mad_malk]

I was raised with dogs(yes almost literally). I just was never allowed to get the dog of my choice. thanks for the info on the AFO score would never had known to look at that. Thanks also for the training links.

[cbr600_kitty]

My German Shepherd, Hannah, is just a big teddy bear . . . great dogs and very smart. It's all in how they're raised and how the kids treat the pup.

[Monkeybomb]

Best indicator of personality is the parents. If both are calm and alert most likely the pups will be somewhere close. there are a few things i will do when i pick out a pup. I set and watch them play. I find one or two that i'm interested in. i take them out individually and play with them. i walk around and have the pup follow me. I look for one that runs right behind you at your heels but doesn't nip. Not to aggressive not too shy. I also try to find one that likes to play ball. Sometimes pups don't really get into it at 8 weeks but if they are it's a good sign. There are a bunch of "tests" and Im sure there are more than a few that know shepherds better than I do. I have Good luck with the dogs I choose. I also will not have a dog that I haven't trained. Just keep in mind Shepherds are boneheads and can't be trusted not to demolish things until they are at least 2 and likely 3 years old. Even with training. I'm about to replace my fourth set of destroyed sprinkler heads tommorow. Thats just this year. My wife forgot and left them in the yard when the sprinkler started and they went around snapping heads off before she could stop them. It's a great game for them. Frustrating for me.

[hemicop]

Monkeybomb is 100%+ right, IMO. Remember too, that this is a herding breed & while "boneheads" they also develop a strong bond with a person, need socialization and by the Breed Standard are approachable yet have a "guarding" personality. The breeder should be able to supply you with a pedigree from both parents of at least 3 generations. Personally if it were me, I'd pass if they weren't of European lineage, especially German.
Assuming they're imported dogs of German lines the breeder should be able to produce the papers. If not,pass on the puppy as you don't know exactly what it is. A german dog will have pink, or white papers. pink indicates both parents were evaluated for breeding suitability. In Germany GSDs must have a working title to be registered. The white papers mean the dogs weren't evaluated. If they weren't, again pass. If so, ask to see the scorebook of the dogs to see how they performed. To insure the dog & papers match up the dog will be tatooed in the right ear or inner thigh with it's registration number which is on the papers. There's a whole lot more to this than space here permits. If all this interests you, pm me & I can get more detailed and answer any question you may have.
I'd avoid GSDs of strict American lines as here in the U.S. there's no guidelines or restrictions on breeding dogs so a person can make up most anything. Of course, if this breeder really does provide working K9s you could always ask for references & speak to those owners directly.

[Mad_malk]

thank you every one for your input and information it's greatly appreciated.

Special thanks to hemicop for the time he's donated to answer my some times stupid questions and helping direct me in the right direction.

Feels almost like i'm shopping for a house.

[Baysidegal]

One of the things to consider with the aggression is if you are going to breed the dog or not. If you have no intentions on breeding the dog and if the dog is going to be around small children get the dog fixed early. The dog will keep more of its "puppy" qualities and will most likely have less health problems. The only experience I really have with a GS is that I got bit by a mix once by accident. OUCH it hurt!

[-Erik-]

Dont worry about the dog around your children. That dog will get attached to those kids and will more then likely not take kind to people putting there hands on them. GSD tend to be very protective of the people in its "pack" or family.

[Jessyca]

Like the others said, look at the OFA ratings. A good indication is also the titles in the bloodline. You should be looking for Schutzhund (BH, SchH 1 - 3) titles in the parents / grandparents. German lines tend (yes, every dog is different) to be healthier (in terms of hips) and have more drive.

If you haven't decided on a breeder, you might want to consider Al Gill (www.gillsgermanshepherds.com) in Ohio. I got a pup from him last year based on a recommendation from someone here on o.com - she is the best dog I've ever had!