I had a variety of different dogs, some mixed breeds. I had lost my Steig a St.Bernard mix and really wasn't looking for another just yet. My DH was buying out a snowmobile dealer and I thought he was joking when he asked if I wanted a German Shepherd pup. I knew the funds were next to none so I just said sure, figuring he wouldn't have the money to buy me a pup. Well he came home with a huge load of snowmobile parts and a little black long coated GSD pup. That was my first. He was every bit as smart as my Steig which is saying a lot because that boy was scary smart.

LOL, I guess DH thought since he was starting a new endeavor, you needed one too!

Max is my first GSD - came with the husband. Husband's gone, but I still have Max

We had a wide variety of dogs when I was growing up and I was always drawn to the species. We had a GSD mix when I was a teenager. Bear was an "outside" dog but..... I spent SO much time with him. As an adult I went to talk with a person about getting into SAR and went to their kennel which was full of GSD's. I was drawn to two in particular but the "striped" female (the way she was blowing coat she reminded my of a brindle). The beautiful sable I fell in love with was Bax. Bax ended up being the mother of Tika, grandmother of Chimo (but Tika is not Chimo's Mom she is actually younger than Chimo by 2 years) and great grandmother to KC and Rayne. Bax was one of two dogs I never owned but I loved as deeply as if she was my own. KC had MANY of the same qualities I loved in Bax and she also most resembled her great grandma which I feel is part of why I loved her so deeply.

We too had a variety of dogs growing up, all of who were fabulous in their unique own ways.

GSDs have always inspired and interested me. I love training and I was keenly interested in SchH so I figured I might be a good match for a GS.

Working with a GSD is crazy different from the other dogs we've had - there is no way, no how, that I think I could ever now own a different breed (I do have a soft spot for Newfies and GRs though)!

The level of intensity in training and keen desire and constant willingness to work is nothing short of amazing to me. The ability to work hard, play hard, yet also just hang out and be lovey and goofy is exactly what I desire in a dog. I think a GSDs fits this bill perfectly

My first GSD was only my second dog experience. I had a lab first and had a chance to adopt a GSD that was 18months old. He was beautiful. What a handful for a non-experienced owner of the breed. I thought he would drive me out of my mind. I was ready to kill the next person who ever said to me, "it's a german shepherd thing." As we grew together in our relationship, I discovered that I had a working boy who LOVED to work, LOVED to be with us, LOVED to talk to us and challenge our attention span. His was always much longer than ours. Through learning with him and about him, we got more involved in GSD rescue, worked with quite a few in our surrounding area and had our own small rescue for a couple of years.

Now we have one senior girl who is approximately 9 years old, Sara. She was a return after four years in her adoptive family. She got old and a little crippled up so we got the phone call to come get her back.

We have Reeses, who is a brindle shepherd/pit mix girl, 4 years old next month.

Our new addition is a 5 month old female GSD who is quickly becoming the light of my life. Angel. She's been with us for a month. She is beautiful, smart and anxious to learn and please. Quick to learn everything except; stay out of the garbage, drop the socks, don't chew rocks they'll break your teeth and stick in your gut. She loves her crate that we've only had for 2 weeks. She's got a beautiful off leash heel. Nose straight up at the tips of my fingers, but she hates a leash.

I'd love to post photos but don't know how yet.

Roy Rogers and his dog, Bullet.

I actually don't remember, but I have loved the breed forever. It probably was the look that initially drew me to them and then all of the stories I read. Most of my early GSD books were very old and discussed the history differently than the books written in this day and age.

We had a few dogs for a short period of time when I was growing up. Outside dogs since my mom hated dogs. We had a couple of labs and a malamute mix. I got a mix from the humane society when I was 19 after my husband (well, boyfriend back then) rescued a really tiny (he didn't stay that way) mix. After that I got my sister a Dobe. My mom fell in love with him and that opened up the path for me getting my first GSD a couple of years later. I now have 5 and there is no other breed in my eyes.

my dad had gsd's growing up and had a gsd when he was in the army in germany. My first dog as a kid was a collie mix, queenie. (we always had loads of animals around to)..

The farmer that lived next door got his wife a gsd puppy that she didn't want and kept locked in a chicken coop, well I cried and pleaded until my father got me that dawg:)) Lobo, he was around 5 months when I got him and not the greatest example of the breed but my first gsd nonetheless.

2nd one my sister brought home a coatie who was HW positive, got him thru that, by then we had a lab and another gsd mix my dog as well..

When I moved out on my own, of course the first thing I did was get a gsd, Jake, then Kodi, they both passed away within a year of each other at 13 and 9 respectively, by then I had Sami & Dodge as well, and my female aussie.

Sami passed away 2 years ago this month, Dodge 1 year ago this month..Now have Masi (who saved my sanity, couldn't live without a gsd!) and the 2 comic relief aussies, Jynx & Jag.:)))

If I lived in a colder climate I would probably have Saint Bernards. We had them growing up and I just loved those dogs. My parents bred them way back in the 60's and 70's.

Shepherds were actually my second choice but I wouldn't trade them for the world now!

I think initially it was the look of the GSD that drew me to them. After doing research, I became more drawn to them for less superficial reasons. Their intelligence, loyalty, multipurpose abilities, and working potential. I love active, smart dogs that I can do things with.

Some day, I hope to actually own one. Not just admire them from afar.

I saw a White German Shepherd when I was a kid and fell in love. Never had a dog growing up, never had one while I was married. Got my first one, Kaspar, 6 years ago and fell in love with him and the breed and the rest is history!

I had just lost my collie and couldn't stand the thought of another but was so lost without my friend. I found a german shepherd that I wanted but there were concerns if he would work in our house with two other dogs so when I got to the shelter I was pointed towards this yahoo puppy chasing cats all over the building and having a ball! And there ya go...my first German Shepherd.

Had them growing up As soon as I moved from home I got MY first GSD. Then another, and another, and another.. I really need to stop!

I grew up with Old English Sheep Dogs and Golden Retrievers but always loved GSDs. When I was 25 I bought a house and was finnally able to have a dog of my own. There was a small breeder in the town that I worked in, I would say a cross w/ a BYB and a reputable one. She was getting titles on her stud dogs but nothing but OFAs on the females. At the time I didn't know much and was impressed with that.

I bought a puppy and ended up taking his mother as well. She had a difficult birth and wasn't going to be bred anymore. I loved them both so much. Titan was the smartest dog I had ever owned, I could teach him anything. He did however had loads of issues, HD, DM, anxiety issues.

I don't have a GSD now but I foster them often to get my fix. Here's a photo of Titan & Shilo.

I worked for my girlfriend who bred shepherds and did Schutzhund as well. She too was a cross between a BYB and a reputable breeder. Only her stud dog was titled and not her females. Both of Czar's parents were titled as they were both imports. It was love at first sight and I have never looked back.... and never will.

I'm certain it is because my father said no after I saw Rin Tin Tin.
I had many mixes before I brought home my first. There have been so many dogs in my life and those who made a very big and special impact.

When I was in college I knew I wanted a dog and I decided that I wanted a gsd x husky because of how they looked. I don't think I had ever really known any nice gsds, just ones in the neighborhood who tried to eat me through the fence!

After college I lived in a big house in Western Mass and we got this little weekly paper that listed the dogs at the animal shelter. Every week I looked for a gsd x husky puppy. One week, when I was feeling very down after the sudden death of a co-worker and friend, I saw a gsd x husky puppy in the listings. I rushed over there right away, asked to meet "Petunia" and it was love at first sight.

It was apparent pretty quickly that she didn't have any husky in her but she had plenty of gsd. She was 100% attitude, full of confidence, energy, intelligent and had intense alligator like tendencies. My kind of dog for sure. That was my Massie and I was smitten with the breed. Unfortunately she had just about every health problem that gsds are prone to (bilateral HD, intestinal issues, pannus, etc. ,etc.) but she lived to be almost 12 and I couldn't have asked for a better companion in life.

The reason I don't have one now is because I decided to downsize. That's how I ended up with my Rafi, the malaroo. He's smaller so I can pick him up but he has 10 times as much energy as a gsd.

I always admired GSD, the first dog book I bought was "German Shepherd" of Alfred Hacker, but mainly for the trining section, I confess.

Back then when I had no permission to own dogs and used to buy dog magazines to help with my fix I, without knowing, wassearching for the most trainable dog because I alway knew that training was my passion, since the day I trained the stray dog of my street...

MY first, really mine, dog was a Border Collie, because I was already interested in working breeds, I did SAR and TV with that dog. But all those years since I get involved in the dog world I started to attend SchH seminars and met the working line GSDs and began to consider the breed, as all the show lines I had met in the past were not what I was looking for. Then I raised a GSD/Belgian cross for SAR that is a real joy to work with, even today when I see her at her current handler home, she remebers me absolutely. When I left Santiago and this dog stayed working in SAR I began the search of my own dog. I wanted to do SchH for good this time and looked for a working line GSD. The search was not easy and ended up importing one from Argentina... Diabla, che.

I still consider other breeds, I dream with importing a Holland Shepherd, breed I met in France, and I know that some day I will own a Malinois, but I also know that I doubt my home will not have a WGSD unless for some lethal illness I can't keep any dog at all.

Getting my first GSD, was baically a compromise. The gal I was with at the time wanted a collie, and I wanted a dobe. Since 1984, I've had at least one GSD ever since.

To add a bit, being involved with the GSD has provided me with great opportunities. I met my wife at a SchH club, and helped her with her GSD. I have the chance to travel all over the world based on my involvement with the GSD, and share/exchange a bit of knowledge with folks.

My mother says I basically went to the dogs in 1984, and I suppose she right:)

Al Govednik

Like Lisa Clark, Ive just loved the breed for what seems like forever. I cant recall one certain thing that drew me to them. None of my family member had a GSD.
I used watch a TV show years ago (70's) called Run,Joe,Run about a GSD that was an army dog( I think) and something happened and this dog was on the run(hence the name). Joe's owner/handler was trying to find him and everytime he saw Joe, Joe would run away. I cant recall why. Does anyone else remember this show??
I worked for a dog officer for several years and became good friends with her sister in law who had a nice male sable GSD named Duke. That furthered my interest in the GSD breed. There were a few what appeared to be purebred GSD's come thru the dog officers place. I would help the dog officer by spending time with the strays and helping with their training so they would have a better chance of someone adopting them. I also worked in her dog grooming shop and we had several customers that brought in their GSD for grooming.
I was not very cautious around GSD's back then which could have gotten me bitten. One instance was when I went on a stray dog call. A lady has a GSD on a huge chain that got wrapped around her picnic table in her back yard. When my friend and I got to the house there was a GSD and an older pit bull pup with him. The pittie was loose and she was very friendly, greeted us with a full body wiggle and kisses. Anyway, the GSD was barking at us and he was a rather large dog. Since he was a GSD and I loved the breed, getting bitten was not on my mind. I went over and untangled his chain and we got him in the car and took the dogs back to the pound. They knew whose dogs they were so the got in contact with the person who owned them. Turns out the GSD was the guard dog for this guys classic car business and supposedly a dog that most people were afraid of he was considered vicious. Im just glad that he didnt bite me or attack me. Maybe because I didnt show fear?? I dont know.
My mother would not let me have a GSD because she heard that they turn on their owners. I could not make her understand that they really didnt. There was a female GSD that was imported from Germany, she was 9 months old, spayed and the people were giving her away free. Her owners said that she got too big for them and I really wanted her. I knew this dog and the people since they brought her in for grooming a few times. My mother would not let me have her no matter how hard I tried to convince her that GSD were not as bad as she had heard. No luck. This dog did end up going to another customer of ours so I still got to see her when they brought the dogs in for grooming but not the same as if she were mine.
My mom has seen the light now,years later. Her and my dad, who is not an animal person, like my male, Baron. They have not met my female, Numa yet. I think my mom now knows that since my two GSD's havent eaten me in all these years, they are not the mean dogs people led her to believe they were.
Now that I have two GSD that I own I hope to never be without atleast one , ever. Although its really hard not to have more than one. LOL!! They sure are addicting!!