# The Shepherd Gang



## MaDeuce (Jan 7, 2014)

Well, I guess I'm sticking around for a while, so I thought I'm going to introduce our pack to you. 

Right now we've got tons of snow and it's bitter cold, so I thought I'd post some picture from the summer time 


















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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Great pictures, your Shepherds are beautiful. 

You must be longing for those beach days to return quickly. 

Thanks for sharing pictures with us.


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## Heart O'Gold (Jul 31, 2012)

What gorgeous dogs! Thanks for sharing your pics! Reminding us that one day it will be warm again!


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## Miaya's mom (Oct 27, 2011)

Beautiful dogs, stay warm


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## Melfice (Aug 4, 2012)

Wow I always liked this breed a lot, and what a pack you have indeed 

Thanks for sharing the pictures


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## CharlieBear80 (Oct 13, 2013)

Your dogs are beautiful, and I especially love the sable coats! Where are they from? I have 2 GSDs currently, lost one a few years back to DM.


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## Artnlibsmom (May 8, 2013)

What a lovely family!


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## goldensrbest (Dec 20, 2007)

Welcome, nice bunch of good looking dogs, I sent you a pm ,this morning.


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## NewfieMom (Sep 8, 2013)

Lovely dogs. Where are they swimming...a lake or some Sound? It doesn't look like the ocean! I'd have to go look at a map (which I probably now will do since I can't stand not knowing where things are) to have any idea where Watertown, New York is!

NewfieMom


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## NewfieMom (Sep 8, 2013)

*Lake Ontario?*

Is it Lake Ontario?

NewfieMom


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## HolDaisy (Jan 10, 2012)

Beautiful photos, and what a lovely gang of shepherds! We have an 8yr old gsd called Eddie, and he's such a lovely boy. Have always had them, they're such a fantastic breed. We're on the lookout right now for a youngster


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## Thalie (Jan 20, 2008)

You have a beautiful crew! German Shepherds are the dogs of my childhood and young adulthood; I'd love to have one of my own one day but my husband .. mmm, not so much. 

Who is who on this pic ?


MaDeuce said:


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## maizy's mom (Nov 21, 2012)

Your family is beautiful!!!!!


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## MaDeuce (Jan 7, 2014)

CharlieBear80 said:


> Your dogs are beautiful, and I especially love the sable coats! Where are they from? I have 2 GSDs currently, lost one a few years back to DM.


I am so sorry about that. It is hard to lose them to something like DM. I've recently lost my foster to Seizures and might lose one of my girls to Perianal Fistula. It's not easy to deal with diseases like that. 

Except for the Mal, two are from Germany, one from Austria. I'm from Germany and followed my husband to the US.
The Mal we got over here from a Soldier who dealth with female to female aggression between her Pit and Mal. She feared that the Pit eventually ended up in a Shelter if she rehomed her, so we got the Mal. 

The Senior (sable male) is out of my families Kennel, the black and tan female is out of the Sattelberg kennel and the other sable girl is out of the Kassler Kreuz kennel.


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## MaDeuce (Jan 7, 2014)

NewfieMom said:


> Is it Lake Ontario?
> 
> NewfieMom


Yes Ma'am, it's Lake Ontario.


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## MaDeuce (Jan 7, 2014)

Thalie said:


> You have a beautiful crew! German Shepherds are the dogs of my childhood and young adulthood; I'd love to have one of my own one day but my husband .. mmm, not so much.
> 
> Who is who on this pic ?


Here you go :wavey:

Indra









MaDeuce









Nala









Yukon


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## KathyL (Jul 6, 2011)

Hi! They are beautiful and you do have a pack! That sunset picture just makes you yearn for warmer days. I know you guys have had an awful winter, Wisconsin hasn't been much to brag about either this year.


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## MaDeuce (Jan 7, 2014)

Yeah, but we are not the only ones that got it that bad. The temperatures were insane, the Icestorm kept the dogs locked up in the house because it was just too dangerous for them to be worked or exercised, than we had some thawing and the next day the Lake Effect Snow hit us hard. We have over 4 feet of snow which in the end is not too bad. 

On Sunday it's supposed to be in the 50's and I hope it won't cause flooding... that would take the icing off the cake.. LOL


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## GoldenMum (Mar 15, 2010)

Gorgeous dogs, my parents are off Lake Ontario also, in the Rochester area. Makes for lots of snow!


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## MaDeuce (Jan 7, 2014)

Oh yeah. The last two winters have been rather mild, so it was only a matter of time. haha. 

Hubby is going away for a month tomorrow, so let's hope the worst is over.


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## Thalie (Jan 20, 2008)

I am partial to the black and tan ones but Nala is catching my eyes. How do you find the Mal compared to the GSDs ? I have never known one close but what I've read about them is more energy, higher-strung in a smaller package. Do you find this true ?


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## MaDeuce (Jan 7, 2014)

Thalie said:


> I am partial to the black and tan ones but Nala is catching my eyes. How do you find the Mal compared to the GSDs ? I have never known one close but what I've read about them is more energy, higher-strung in a smaller package. Do you find this true ?



Yeah, Nala is an eye catcher. She has a beautiful confirmation, coat and coloring. Out of all my dogs, she is the best. Even better than the Mal. 

Mals are a bit of a contradiction. They are tough little dogs but they are also very sensitive. They learn lightning fast, are fast and very agile. They have lots of drive, judge and react much faster and don't think. 

People say they can't settle very well, I have learned that is not true. It really depends on how well they are bred. There are Mals that are much higher strung than mine but I'm glad I got a good Mal. She can settle very well. 

What I noticed is that they want to be in the middle of everything. They quite literally have a God Complex. They do not like to share and you have to implement rules and keep them. She can be at the end of the couch and if one of the Shepherds wants some coddle time, she will protest because in her opinion, I am hers. So she sort of resource guards me. But it's moderate resource guarding.
There are things where you have to put your foot down and can't let them get away with things. 
In the beginning it was rather bad and she flat out charged the GSD's. 

I got her when she was about a year old and she was torn up pretty good from a Pit Bull. It was said that the Pit Bull started it but I am not so sure about that anymore, seeing what a little bitch she can be. Both bitches grew up together and one day it just snapped. 
She still had the drainage in when she came here and her punctures were deep. 









There is one big difference. Every Mal I have met so far wants to be with you. They want constant physical contact and are basically lap dogs. Where as the GSD is much more aloof. 
They are far more social than a lot of people give them credit for. They are always portrayed as those bada$$ dogs but once you really get to know the Malinois you are in for a surprise. 

Mals hear and see everything. If you think a GSD is alert, take that and multiply it by 20. That's also what makes them judge faster. They are far more territorial than a GSD. 
They are mouthier than a GSD which is why they are called Maligators. I know mine will mouth when she gets excited. All you hear is the teeth clapping together. The best thing to do is to give her something she can carry around. 

They have a need to be entertained. They need to be worked, active and challenged. Personally, I am not sure if my Mal is as good in Area Search as my Shepherds are. She is great on rubble, but Area Search...she's not so thrilled with that. She loves Cadaver and to be on rubble though. 

Give her something to bite and she's happy. 

Overall, she's a phenomenal dog but my sable girl is definitely the better dog.


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## Thalie (Jan 20, 2008)

Thank you for your insight in the Maligators vs the GSDs. 

While I am sorry MaDeuce got into such a serious tiff with her "sister", she has found a great household with you. Sometimes things go bad between two good dogs. I keep a close eye on my three girls and make sure that nobody gets over-riled; they can play all they want but when I feel it it time to cool off, I step in.

We never had the privilege of having a well bred GSD since the four I grew up with when I lived with my parents were private rescues so they each came with a little baggage. Out of them, two were of stable temperament, overall good health, and died of old age at our place, one had to be rehomed due to over-assertiveness over children, and one was very poorly bred and malnourished as a puppy but ended up being a good family dog once you got over all her growling and grumbling- she never bit or was serious in her warnings but tried her best to impress. They were kept as pets, not working dogs.

Mals will never be for me, I think, too much nerve into a powerful and fast bundle. As much as I like the goofiness and all-around in your face attitude of our retrievers, I sometimes miss the calm alertness and aloofness of the GSD. However, since we are not actively working our dogs (which look to me more like a GSD should) and I do not like what a lot of conformation breeders have done in the US (both conformation and temperament wise), I don't think we will ever end up with one (that is if I ever could convinced my husband that they can be great family dogs).


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