Posted: 2/4/2014 6:57:21 AM EDT
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The time is drawing close. The wife and I are discussing getting another German Shepherd. She needs to get to know the peculiarities of the breed a little better first. And more importantly, we need to have our home ready for the invasion. I'm looking at an all-black male right now but am probably going to pass on it because I'm not convinced we're ready to add it to our home. There is now way on Earth I'm getting another one without a really top-notch kennel setup. A dog like that just can't be cooped up in the house all day while I'm at work. A secure kennel is essential. And there are times when a dog like that needs it's own private happy place. When we're home it'll have the run of our property. At night it'll be in the house with us, where it belongs and can do it's job. So I'm asking for pictures or suggestions from GD on what works for you. We'd like to incorporate it into the yard so it doesn't look like a gigantic eyesore, is easy to keep clean, and provides shelter. There's nothing more miserable than a dog kennel that the dog hates to be in. So post your pics and give your insights. I'm a year or two out from getting the dog so time is not a pressing matter. |
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I'm about to be looking into this for my shepherd. What I'm thinking:
- I want her to be able to see things. She loves just spectating. She doesn't care much about traffic, but when she gets bored I want her mind to be able to soak things in. Odds are that I will have a "perch" for her somewhere so she can climb up and watch things going on in the neighborhood. - Dog theft is a thing. I want to have it somewhat secure and hidden away from roads. This is a tricky balance while also trying to let her see things. - Keeping her separate from the other dog. I don't want them establishing a hierarchy without me around. Dog aggression with toys, for example, can come from one dog always taking a toy from the other. Even if the dog is passive about it with that particular dog. Additionally, it'll keep them from playing (roughly) with each other, and risking injury while I'm not there. When they play roughly, they also roll around a lot, and since I do want them to come indoors when I get home from work I don't want them to be filthy. - Room to roam, but secure from her being able to escape. She won't jump out of a fence or dig out from a fence on her own. But if a deer comes around, she can easily jump a 4 foot fence. I could train her to jump a 6 footer. I haven't done so on purpose... but I plan on having a small enough place for her that I can afford the size fence she'll need to stay inside it. - Weather/sun protection - she'll have a doghouse or a shady/dry area at the bare minimum. She's slept outside when it was 18 degrees F and she's comfortable in that (I was sleeping next to her). But I will be giving her something soft and warm. The house we're currently looking at has an old stable that would be a perfect option to turn into a kennel. - As a mechanical engineer, I've already got industrial solutions that will be necessary to keep her water from freezing and being replaced when I'm away. - For going to the bathroom, I'll be training her to use one area of the kennel for that. Hopefully I'll install a sand area or something where she can pee/poop exclusively. She already has the instinct that she walks as far away as possible from where she likes to be before she uses the bathroom, so that's good. - I'd like to make some way that she can have games in there with her... but I've got to figure that out a bit more... - Surveillance - I'm hoping to use this when I go on weekend trips. I'd like to be able to still communicate with her via microphone and watch her by camera and have a treat dispenser of some kind that I can activate with my phone. Um... I think that's really all I've thought about at the moment... 
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Quoted:
I'm about to be looking into this for my shepherd. What I'm thinking: - I want her to be able to see things. She loves just spectating. She doesn't care much about traffic, but when she gets bored I want her mind to be able to soak things in. Odds are that I will have a "perch" for her somewhere so she can climb up and watch things going on in the neighborhood. - Dog theft is a thing. I want to have it somewhat secure and hidden away from roads. This is a tricky balance while also trying to let her see things. - Keeping her separate from the other dog. I don't want them establishing a hierarchy without me around. Dog aggression with toys, for example, can come from one dog always taking a toy from the other. Even if the dog is passive about it with that particular dog. Additionally, it'll keep them from playing (roughly) with each other, and risking injury while I'm not there. When they play roughly, they also roll around a lot, and since I do want them to come indoors when I get home from work I don't want them to be filthy. - Room to roam, but secure from her being able to escape. She won't jump out of a fence or dig out from a fence on her own. But if a deer comes around, she can easily jump a 4 foot fence. I could train her to jump a 6 footer. I haven't done so on purpose... but I plan on having a small enough place for her that I can afford the size fence she'll need to stay inside it. - Weather/sun protection - she'll have a doghouse or a shady/dry area at the bare minimum. She's slept outside when it was 18 degrees F and she's comfortable in that (I was sleeping next to her). But I will be giving her something soft and warm. The house we're currently looking at has an old stable that would be a perfect option to turn into a kennel. - As a mechanical engineer, I've already got industrial solutions that will be necessary to keep her water from freezing and being replaced when I'm away. - For going to the bathroom, I'll be training her to use one area of the kennel for that. Hopefully I'll install a sand area or something where she can pee/poop exclusively. She already has the instinct that she walks as far away as possible from where she likes to be before she uses the bathroom, so that's good. - I'd like to make some way that she can have games in there with her... but I've got to figure that out a bit more... - Surveillance - I'm hoping to use this when I go on weekend trips. I'd like to be able to still communicate with her via microphone and watch her by camera and have a treat dispenser of some kind that I can activate with my phone. Um... I think that's really all I've thought about at the moment... Get a DropCam. It won't dispense treats but you can hear and can talk back through the camera though the sound is not very high quality. Sorry, no suggestion on the treat dispenser. |
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Quoted:
I find it a bit disturbing that the only description of the potential GSD you were considering was the color of the coat. I hope coat color isn't your main criteria for dog selection This Mine is like one of those rap guy's GF's
bro do you even temperament |
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Quoted:
my goldens have always stayed in my home when I am not there My GSD has had run of the house since he was about 8 months old - 5 years later, and he hasn't destroyed anything yet... One of the main reasons I wanted him was to watch the house while we are away... Of course, he has been known to relax a little now and then: 
Here he was, at 8 months: 
Overall, he's done a great job - no complaints here... - georgestrings |
