Hi, everyone! Sorry I haven't been around much lately but it's been a busy few weeks and I haven't had a lot of time to spend reading and replying to messages.
As most everyone knows, I've been waiting on a new pup for some time and my name is at the top of the waiting list now. A few weeks ago, however, in a conversation with the breeder with whom I've been working, he tried to talk me into a pup from a sire other than the one I've been waiting on. After researching the parents of the new litter, I decided to stay with our original agreement but have to admit to having lost some confidence in the breeder as it relates to my getting the dog I want from him.
During my research, I ran across the website of an old friend of mine who I hadn't talked to for years and decided to give him a call and ask about the breeder and his dogs. My friend is a national level trial helper (the guy who gets bit in the protection routines) so I knew that he would be in the know and also knew from experience that I could count on his judgement. Basically, I was unimpressed with what I heard but the conversation was fruitful in that his girlfriend had a male pup just like I was looking for...the only problem was that she wasn't planning on selling him. Ultimately, we came to an agreement and she decided to sell me the pup. When we started discussing a good time for me to travel to D.C. to get him, our schedules weren't meshing up so they decided last week a road trip was in order and drove here to deliver him! Seriously...who does that?
They got here late last Wednesday and by Thursday morning, old dog friends I hadn't seen for years were showing up at my house. My friends brought the pup's sire with them so he could work him for me so by Thursday afternoon, my back yard had gone from an empty field to a training field bustling with activity. I'm sure that the neighbors here in quiet, orderly Zionsville were pretty freaked out by the whole thing and were probably wondering why people were speaking German and why the dog kept biting the guy with all of the tattoos.
Anyway, I now have a splendid pup and a real appreciation for the friends I've made over the years in the German Shepherd world. I doubt most breeders would ever have sold this dog and certainly wouldn't have driven 1,200 miles to bring him to me. That the breeder is a vet is a huge bonus...the pup showed up at 10 weeks old healthy, happy, well socialized, up-to-date on everything, essentially crate and house trained and even microchipped!
Don't let the looks fool you; he's a little monster! :biggrin:
(http://keithgrossman.com/pup5.jpg)
Awwww he's a cutie :smitten: Welcome back Ex believe it or not I've missed ya.
Congrats on the new pup! He looks great, but what's up with the ears?
All I want to know is........
Where are the cigars, Dad?
You must be proud.
Woof, Woof!!
Congrats EX!.... :yes:
Don't lie, dad! That face is TOO sweet to belong to a dog up to trouble. :biggrin:
He's absolutely beautiful. :thumbsup:
I'm curious about what size you expect him to eventually be. He's a nice thick pup and his paws are huge.
Congrats!
Thanks, everyone!
The ears will come up on their own, PH, within the next week or two. They mat go back down when he starts teething but will eventually stand on their own.
Don't let him fool you, Sandy; that's how they get away with mischief. Good observation on his bone, btw; I'm very impressed with it. The standard calls for a dog that weighs up to 88 lbs. and I like to be within it but the bone and a big head might make him go a little over. His father and his mother's brother were both at my house last week and were both about the same size. The father weighs about 95 lbs. so I would expect he'll probably be close to that as well.
Good looking pup indeed.
Doesn't he have a name?
His name should be Sweet Baby because that is what he is! :smitten:
Gunther . . . he looks like a Gunther to me! :wink: :smile:
I'm thinking....maybe....Axle. (or Axel) LOL
Looks more like a Duke or a Buddy to me
Quote from: pariann on March 13, 2010, 08:41:05 PM
I'm thinking....maybe....Axle. (or Axel) LOL
LOL! You cheated! Yes, his name is Axel.
I didn't cheat.... :wink: ...I paid attention. LOL
Beautiful pup.