[storyist]

I've decided it's only smart to downsize my dog breed at my age and thought some of the people who want help choosing a breed would be interested in my process.

It's difficult for me because I have some deep canine prejudices that eliminate a high percentage of breeds: No hair longer than a Rottie or Akita; not yappy; nothing brachycephalic. Looking at every breed in the size range and trying several choose-your-breed sites, I came in the end to two very different breeds, Shiba Inu and German Pinscher, and there are very different pros and cons to each.

IMO Shibas are about the cutest canines on earth. The problem is the rest of the world agrees. The breeders listed on the national club website, etc., all have wait lists that work out to about 10 years right now. Smaller breeders raise maybe a litter every couple of years, and these small dogs have litters of 1 to 4 puppies. The last price I was quoted was over $5,000.

So I gave up. No Shiba cutie for me.

German Pinschers are a relatively rare breed and not so popular, so it seemed finding a puppy would actually be possible, if not easy. (Will the demand for puppies decrease next year as Covid winds down?) So after several months and several non-productive contacts with different breeders, I found a breeder I liked who seemed to like me and my situation. I even had my first-ever Zoom experience with her, and we discussed my getting a puppy from her planned fall litter.

That call was barely history when people who had reserved a show prospect male from her current litter called and backed out, and the breeder asked if I'd like him on a pet contract. (Evidently GP people are getting into wanting extreme rear angulation like Rottie and Dobie people, and this puppy doesn't have it.) Yikes! I'm not ready for a puppy so soon - he's already 8 weeks. Yikes! he's a thousand miles away, what do I do with my Rottie girls while I fly to get him? Yikes! If I say no, will that fall litter go as planned and will there be a male puppy for me in it (it's going to be AI with a European sire and the last such breeding resulted in one puppy).

I hope posting this doesn't jinx things. Gibbs should arrive in Colorado 5/25. His breeder is coming with him so he can travel under the seat in the cabin. He will have cropped ears since he was a show prospect, and I will admit I hate the procedure but like the look. Don't ask me what I'd have chosen with a reserved-from-birth pet puppy because I don't know.

 

[LeoRose]

Congrats on the new puppy!

If you need ear posting advice, hop on the DobermanTalk forum. There is lots of info there, as well as helpful people.

 

[storyist]

If you need ear posting advice, hop on the DobermanTalk forum. There is lots of info there, as well as helpful people.

Thanks. I'll check that out. I've already watched videos and found 7 different methods so far. Oh, and a site selling a kit for $129 that promises not one dog this kit was used for had ears that failed to stand - except of course the ones where the owner didn't do it right.

There's a family here in Colorado that's had Kerry Blues for 30 years and now has a couple of GPs. The daughter said she'd be glad to help.

Supposedly Gibbs has a medium crop, not the really tall, narrow Doberman-type show crop. You do see medium in the GP show ring, but then you also see at least some natural ears and even tails, as they do a lot of importing from Europe. I hope Gibbs' are really medium. I like that best and it seems they'd stand easier, but right now, it's done, and I get what he has.

I have a snippet of video, and he looks very moderate in attitude. He's following the breeder along her driveway, and he's following, not latching onto pant legs and being dragged (my first Rottie), and not in between the human's feet to where he's almost tripping her (my darling Schara), and not insisting on being ahead (my current Rotties).

This is the first puppy I've gotten without meeting it in person first. Well, not exactly. Both my Akitas were show prospects that didn't work out and were offered to me as pets at older ages - 12 weeks for one and 16 for the other. Maybe that's a good omen. They were great dogs. With Rotties, though, I got to see the Volhard PAT test on all but one and to choose from the litter on every one. I'm excited and anxious all at the same time.

 

[Canyx]

Congrats!!! What a way to have a puppy fall into your lap. I hope you post tons of photos when Gibbs arrives!

Unrelated, but I'd love to know more reputable rottie breeders. All that's on my list is Deerwood and they are still a dream breed for me.

 

[storyist]

I don't really know for sure. Since I've known for some time if I got another puppy it would be an old lady's dog*, and I don't show in conformation or hang around the breed ring, I'm not up on what's going on in Colorado. The breeders of each of my dogs are no longer doing it for one reason or another. A friend I talked to at the last trial has a nice-looking guy 6 months old she got from Teresa Bradley who is also in Washington State. I don't know Teresa but know of her because like me she's really into carting, is on the national carting committee and has been at the carting tests I've done at 2 national shows here in Colorado.

* I'm not sure many people would consider a German Pinscher an "old lady's dog," but I'm an old broad, and he's going to be my dog, so that makes Gibbs an old lady's dog.

LeoRose - I already looked at the Doberman forum and found out what an ear pocket is. I'd seen references in my posting research but no explanation of what the heck they were talking about, and there was a thread that has that as the subject!

 

[DaySleepers]

A local guy I've bought aquarium supplies from has a GP - she's a real charmer from what I've seen! I hope everything goes smoothly getting him to you and settling him in. Sounds like an awesome opportunity, honestly. How long do you think it'll take for someone to ask if he's one of your Rottie's puppies though (assuming he's black and tan that is)?

 

[storyist]

How long do you think it'll take for someone to ask if he's one of your Rottie's puppies though (assuming he's black and tan that is)?

Since his ears are cropped, it's more likely they'll ask me what am I doing with a Doberman. In fact even full grown, my guess is people will think he's a small Doberman.

Yes, he is black and tan. When the breeder asked about my color preference from the later litter, I told her red but that I wasn't going to fuss over color and miss a puppy that would be perfect for me. To my surprise the breeder told me her applicants prefer black and tan 9 to 1! When she offered Gibbs, she started out, "I know he's the wrong color, but...." People must really put color high on their criteria list in breeds where there's a choice.

My concern is a puppy who will work with me, and the sports I love are the ones that require a high level of dog/handler cooperation. What I don't want is shy or independent. I knew a Shiba would be a challenge, but the cute factor had me willing to give it a go. From my research and talking to breeders, this guy will be a lot easier than a Shiba but more of a challenge than a Rottie.

 

[DaySleepers]

Oh I'm sure he'll be mistaken for a Doberman but I still remember that time in high school my friend and I were out with her dogs, and we were asked if the Shiba was the puppy of the Norwegian Elkhound, haha. And I was asked if Sam was Frodo's daughter when Frodo was, like, six months. Some people just see a big dog and a little dog with some passing physical similarities and assume one's the other's puppy, it's weird.

I share your attitude about color for sure. I was a bit relieved when Frodo's litter was born and there were no all white dogs, because that's my least favorite Lagotto color (and I can't imagine trying to keep them looking clean when they're such mud-loving dogs), but I would've taken a white puppy if one had been the best fit for us without hesitation. I have my color preferences but temperament fit is so much more important.

 

[storyist]

I share your attitude about color for sure. I was a bit relieved when Frodo's litter was born and there were no all white dogs, because that's my least favorite Lagotto color (and I can't imagine trying to keep them looking clean when they're such mud-loving dogs), but I would've taken a white puppy if one had been the best fit for us without hesitation. I have my color preferences but temperament fit is so much more important.

And I share your feelings about white. In my case both that and my prejudice against long hair come from years with horses. Around the barns, white always looked dirty and long hair always had stuff stuck in it. A white dog would look dirty except right after a bath here at my now horseless place too because I have 7 acres of Colorado prairie - bunch grass with dirt between the bunches, dusty when it's dry and muddy after rain or snow. The Rotties may get dusty between baths but it only takes the shine off; it's not so visible. So I'll leave long hair and white to city dwellers and people with nice green lawns.

 

[LeoRose]

I'm picking up my puppy tomorrow. There were eleven in the litter, six girls and five boys. Well, with two girls already, I knew that the puppy was going to be a boy. I absolutely love phantoms (black and tan pattern), and there was one phantom boy, one sable boy, and three boys that will (probably) be solid blue. My puppy is blue. The phantom wound up being more sensitive to raised voces, and would be miserable at my house.

 

[storyist]

I'm picking up my puppy tomorrow. There were eleven in the litter, six girls and five boys. Well, with two girls already, I knew that the puppy was going to be a boy.

Oh, how exciting. You're doing the same as me. I'd always have a girl if all things were equal, but with two girls in the house, I figure a boy is only wise. Both my girls loved the rescue half-Rottie boy I lost in February 2020. I never heard the expression phantom before, always learning something new.

I think you're wise to avoid the sensitive soul. A friend and I discuss that frequently, how the dog that's a good fit for one person isn't at all for another. My Teagan is a borderline example IMO. She's on the sensitive side for a Rottie. I try to tone it down with her but in truth she sometimes annoys me and I sometimes overwhelm her. I can remember telling one particularly sensitive Rottie rescue, "Stand up and act like a real Rottweiler!"

Do you have any pics of your puppy you can show, or links that show a blue? I'm always curious about what that means in different breeds.

 

[LeoRose]

Blue in Poodles is a medium to dark grey. This is a random Google images grab. Google Image Result for https://i.pinimg.com/originals/d8/52/4b/d8524b322633206b0758d40bb0b23bac.jpg Silver is a lighter shade of grey. Another random Google images grab. Google Image Result for https://i.pinimg.com/originals/ff/c1/e5/ffc1e5b2dbcf086ab726badc6b282068.jpg Both silver and blue puppies are born black, and start fading, or "clear" as they get older. Usually, by about 8 weeks, a silver puppy will have a noticeably lighter face when clipped than a blue, which in turn will have a slightly lighter face than a black puppy.

I need my dogs to be as bomb-proof as possible, since I have an autistic teenager. He's non-verbal, but that don't mean he's quiet....

I daresay I'll either have scads of puppy pics, or else I'll be too exhausted to even thing about taking any.

 

[storyist]

I daresay I'll either have scads of puppy pics, or else I'll be too exhausted to even thing about taking any.

Well, cell phones make it easier - at least for inundating friends. I knew light gray poodles were silver, but would have called the darker ones just gray. Next time I see one I'll sound more educated, although the poodles I see regularly in training class are black, no doubts there.

I have had the photos of Gibbs that along with a snippet of video and the breeder's assessment, I made the decision from, but they were very large and I didn't have anything on this computer to downsize them. I just installed Gimp so I could do it, which tells you how puppy obsessed I am at the moment. So here they are:

 

[DaySleepers]

Oh, goodness, those paws! He's adorable, can't wait to see how he matures!

 

[storyist]

I hope LeoRose posts somewhere how it's going with her new puppy - when she has time between puppy needs and demands.

 

[LeoRose]

I hope LeoRose posts somewhere how it's going with her new puppy - when she has time between puppy needs and demands.

The vocal range is excellent. The repertoire, however, leaves something to be desired. Translation being "If he would just shut up, I'd appreciate it...."

 

[storyist]

The vocal range is excellent. The repertoire, however, leaves something to be desired. Translation being "If he would just shut up, I'd appreciate it...."

Oh, dear. I always thought in a household where there are other dogs a puppy wouldn't feel too alone and there wouldn't be much of that. Hope he adjusts and gives that up quickly.