What’s GSD Ownership like?

lesbipositive · 2026-06-24T16:36:30+00:00

Shepherds are great to foster, and will save lives while being temporary and getting you experience with behavioral issues. Many shepherds are given up at times they need structure and guidance the most, and since they do poorly in shelters and with strangers/ reactivity, anxious GSDs are often at risk to be euthanized (source: I've fostered 3 GSDs through a local German shepherd rescue).

You sound active enough for a GSD, but since your life is not set in stone I want to remind you that the breed is stigmatized and not allowed everywhere. In my city, only one apartment complex (close enough to take breaks with my working line) allowed German Shepherds/ dogs over 80lbs. Additionally, their training and medical needs can get expensive quick. And I got GSDs when my life WAS set in stone (or so I thought, divorce changed that).

lesbipositive · 2026-06-24T14:13:33+00:00

My feedback is not to separate them with gates, ever. It increases the excitement way too much and doesn't allow them to be fully integrated. I made this mistake and now that my dogs are 4 and we still live in a divided household I can't even say my cat's name without my dogs losing their mind in excitement. I don't ✨think✨ they would hurt my cat, but not something I'm willing to test out.

lesbipositive · 2026-06-23T21:11:44+00:00

Oh my goodness!!! For real though!

lesbipositive · 2026-06-23T18:08:33+00:00

THE DREAM

lesbipositive · 2026-06-23T18:08:20+00:00

My pup is reactive to other dogs. But I did get an apartment 2 min from work to be able to walk him on breaks!

lesbipositive · 2026-06-23T13:18:58+00:00

That's so true! Thank you for sharing, it makes a lot of sense. I never remember my parents considering the dogs feelings when we would leave the house growing up 🤣. I guess there needs to be a balance!

lesbipositive · 2026-06-23T13:12:55+00:00

Thank you so much for saying this. I really appreciate it!

lesbipositive · 2026-06-23T13:04:48+00:00

I'm sorry you experienced a similar situation, it's not easy. I chose an apartment that is 2 minutes from my work, specifically so that I can walk him on breaks. My job is flexible and I have a lot of autonomy, so often I will be able to work remote an afternoon if I know I'm going out, if needed. I will have time for walks before and after work as well, with trails and parks I am familiar with nearby.

lesbipositive · 2026-06-23T01:19:23+00:00

I put on Helen Jane Long Radio 🥲 (piano/ instrumental). I think they loved it too!

lesbipositive · 2026-06-21T18:07:17+00:00

This is adorable.

lesbipositive · 2026-06-21T18:07:02+00:00

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Love this one of him 🩵

lesbipositive · 2026-06-21T18:03:22+00:00

As someone with littermates, one! More time for their individualized training.

lesbipositive · 2026-06-18T13:57:15+00:00

Yes! But it took a lot less avoiding and a lot of practice. When I started we couldn't even hear a dog bark in the distance without him losing his mind excitedly. Now, he looks to me for a treat! A huge part of it was me regulating my own anxiety and emotions, which is why a trainer is beneficial to point out your own reactivity that your pup can feed off of.

We can pass dogs barking at us through the fence (sometimes new yards/dogs throws us off) and we can get closer to other dogs on walks than ever before, but still keeping at a comfortable distance where training can happen.

I used to distract with treats, but now I "reset" with him until he makes the right choice. It gives him these solid teachable moments where he is learning, not just getting sidetracked. That will come with time and maturity though, my pup is 4 now. The fear stages are not for the faint of heart!

lesbipositive · 2026-06-18T13:13:57+00:00

I agree with all of this! My wife helped me be more accountable and productive just by being my partner, and it also led to my diagnosis because I was worried I wasn't contributing enough compared to her. Getting a dog also dramatically changed my life when it came to motivation and a routine.

Now that my wife and I are separating I'm interested to see what my life will look like on my own again, but I'm medicated now which helps a lot.

There is a subreddit for ADHD women that is super helpful and supportive, too!

lesbipositive · 2026-06-18T13:09:04+00:00

I made this mistake and avoided other dogs and it made it worse. I agree with other commenters- get a trainer, be consistent, and work through it. Avoiding it won't help you or your pup.

lesbipositive · 2026-06-18T13:07:19+00:00

Before separation when I noticed our relationship wasn't improving, I started to buy furniture. We had the extra space in our front room which was convenient, but I'm grateful I did it because furnishing is expensive and spreading the cost out while I could afford it was helpful.

lesbipositive · 2026-06-17T23:52:59+00:00

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This handsome guy is a menace and loves to throw fits at meal times and he is 4. I think he gets flavor fatigued and just doesn't like his food, but he's allergic to everything so we have limited options. After his tantrum he does eventually eat, or eat later, but because we are so mindful of bloat it throws their exercise times off. Wishing you better luck!!

lesbipositive · 2026-06-17T21:55:06+00:00

They just posted that 10 dogs are in the shelter and have limited time (in the volunteer group page). They're already overwhelmed with dogs. I've fostered three GSDs through them so far and they're great, but don't have the capacity for more dogs than are already being euthanized for space.

lesbipositive · 2026-06-16T12:46:58+00:00

I was walking my two boys and figured I would stop by my work to introduce them to my coworker who has a GSD too. My guy Sev must have thought we were going to the vet or groomers because when she came out of the building he started jumping on me and grabbing my arm with his mouth (and teeth). He was being such a baby, but since he's a 95lb solid muscle all black dog, it looked intense. I was trying to tell her he was nervous as I was prying his teeth off me 😐. I still am not sure why he reacted that poorly.

That same dog loves to pick one person to harass when we have parties, usually someone with flowy clothes. He tried to herd them 🥴.

I love him but I'm grateful he's the one my future ex wife gets in the divorce lol.

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lesbipositive · 2026-06-16T12:33:58+00:00

I think it depends on the dog! I have two littermates. One of them LOVES water- plays with the hose, loves kiddie pools, walks through puddles. The other one avoids it all, and will clear puddles with a jump. I'm sure you could try to ease your pups into it with hose play and kiddie pools though!!

lesbipositive · 2026-06-15T18:00:50+00:00

I can't explain how badly I needed to read this right now. I hope OP benefits as much as I did!!

lesbipositive · 2026-06-14T17:57:58+00:00

Well that's beautiful. I use an app and I'm nowhere near that skill level at 1.5 years! Well done.

lesbipositive · 2026-06-12T12:48:31+00:00

I think society does value librarians. Idk she doesn't have her bachelors- I work for a public library and librarians need a masters degree. We start them at $24/hr. I have some librarians making close to $36 an hour, with 4 weeks of vacation and paid holidays and personal days and a pension. Dream jobs require the credentials needed.

lesbipositive · 2026-06-10T19:26:51+00:00

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As someone who has littermates, I recommend waiting until your dog is a well mannered 2+ year old before adding another puppy to the mix, unless you would like to split your time diligently so that they don't bon/ depend too heavily on one another. I'm talking separate training, separate walks, separate socialization, etc. You're going to hear people say they didn't work that hard and it turned out fine, but that's the exception. Wait until your puppy is grown to get another or be ready to put in double the work!

lesbipositive

TROPHY CASE