# Do you think anyone will give me a chance?



## Hillary Hamilton (Jan 6, 2009)

I'm about to turn 16 yrs old and I am interested in a top schutzhund prospect. I'm just looking for a someone to give me a chance to own a really nice dog (as my mom will pay for none of it!! lol.) I'm training at a club with my dog (I have a rottie that is too handler dependent) and was wondering if you think anyone would consider doing a co-ownership with me with a male pup from 8 weeks to 4 months until I could buy them out from them. That way they wouldn't have to feed him and I could buy him out from them if I really liked him...? Just curious!! Thanks for reading this!! ](*,) 

Hillaryhttp://www.synthasite.com/user


----------



## brad robert (Nov 26, 2008)

If you are training schutzhund at 16 already and you show interest and are a regular at your club and show a true desire to stick it out im sure one of your club members who breeds a litter would be happy to house a pup with you to watch it mature and guide its training I think this would be the best way also if there where any issues they are close to help you.

Most off all stick with it and keep training that rott if anything it will make you a better trainer.


----------



## Mike Scheiber (Feb 17, 2008)

Egon Vollrath RIP used to give his competition dog's if suitable to kids when he retired them.
Sorry dos you no good but it happens


----------



## mike suttle (Feb 19, 2008)

if you lived near me and were in my training group I would give you a puppy for sure as long you were committed to showing up at training and you showed the interest in working the dog.
I am sure someone in your club will help you get a nice puppy suitable for the work. Good luck.
It is ironic that you live in Aiken SC, home of the guy who sells million dollar GSDs (Harrison K-9) and you are looking for a free working dog. 
I hope you find a nice puppy to work, it is great to have young folks interested in the sport.


----------



## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

Age is NO indicator of responsible action...just do it!


----------



## Chris Michalek (Feb 13, 2008)

if you want a top schH prospect why do you want a Rottie? In general they are not a great choice for first timers. I started with a Rott and you'd be hard pressed to find another one like mine and I still ended up getting a Malinois because I've decided I want to do this dog stuff at a competitive level.


----------



## Hillary Hamilton (Jan 6, 2009)

Well, the club members either have shepherds or just one rottweiler. I really just love the breed of rottweiler, I don't think I could own a shepherd (liable to change but for no no...).


----------



## kristin tresidder (Oct 23, 2008)

what happened to this dog?



Hillary Hamilton said:


> Ok, I've been offered a really nice female pup to have with an excellent pedigree for free...


----------



## mike suttle (Feb 19, 2008)

Hillary Hamilton said:


> Well, the club members either have shepherds or just one rottweiler. I really just love the breed of rottweiler, I don't think I could own a shepherd (liable to change but for no no...).


* if you are looking for a quality working dog, never limit yourself to just one breed, no matter if it is free or if you are paying for it
*if you are looking for a top level sport dog then for sure you need to be open to breeds other than Rottweilers
*if you "just love" the breed, you still have your current Rottweiler to "just love", now get a dog to work and I'll bet soon you will also love a GSD, Mali, or Dutchie:razz: 
* you have a better chance of getting a free GSD or malinois puppy that works well for SchH, than paying $3000 for a Rottweiler puppy that works well.........true story.


----------



## Chris Michalek (Feb 13, 2008)

Hillary Hamilton said:


> Well, the club members either have shepherds or just one rottweiler. I really just love the breed of rottweiler, I don't think I could own a shepherd (liable to change but for no no...).


I've had Rotties for 15 years. My malinois my first shepherd and I instantly took a liking to them more than the rotts. I think rotts are a better house dog/pet and I love the natural intimidation factor for but a working dog, any type of shepherd beats a rott. I have a decent Rottie too but there are just some things he can't do as well as the shepherds I've seen.

Honestly, if I were you, I'd figure out how to get a nice pup from Mike Suttle. I was going to get one from him but was offered a very nice Mali locally so I went that route. I still regret the decision every now and again but I love the Mal. So far he's been so much fun to train. Training the rott was more like smashing my head into the wall. The mal has learned things in just a couple of weeks vs months on the Rott.


----------



## Emilio Rodriguez (Jan 16, 2009)

Hillary, If you love rottweilers stick to them. You may have the tools to deal with a good one where others don't. It's obvious that you're showing maturity beyond your years. I wish I would've started with dogs when I was your age or earlier. It would've kept me out of so much silly stuff. If you were closer I'd co own a bitch with you. I'm planning to base a breeding program on my dog.


----------



## Anne Vaini (Mar 15, 2007)

Chris Michalek said:


> I've had Rotties for 15 years. My malinois my first shepherd and I instantly took a liking to them more than the rotts. I think rotts are a better house dog/pet and I love the natural intimidation factor for but a working dog, any type of shepherd beats a rott. I have a decent Rottie too but there are just some things he can't do as well as the shepherds I've seen.
> 
> Honestly, if I were you, I'd figure out how to get a nice pup from Mike Suttle. I was going to get one from him but was offered a very nice Mali locally so I went that route. I still regret the decision every now and again but I love the Mal. So far he's been so much fun to train. Training the rott was more like smashing my head into the wall. The mal has learned things in just a couple of weeks vs months on the Rott.


I second that. I worked with a pup from Mike Suttle for a little more than a month. Super little dog. When I have time for a Mal, you know who I'll be getting it from!


----------



## Jerry Lyda (Apr 4, 2006)

Hillary, what did Bill tell you about your Rottie? If he says the rottie won't do the work, then he won't. Bill knows dogs. I know you are young and your heart is in the right place. Wheather someone will give you a chance, I don't know. If you could find someone that don't have the time to put into a working dog then maybe they would.


----------



## xxxxxxxxKarina Scuckyte (Oct 27, 2008)

I'm in a very similar situation now. 

I'm 16 years old, I want to have a working dog for sport. My first dog Dryžius is a great friend and property guard, we did something in obedience, passed BH, but we can't go further. Well, on the other hand I didn't heard about a Caucasian or something like it who would be so obedient. The problem is that I live in Lithuania. We have only a few dog sports enthuasiasts in all country (and even most of them work with showline GSD's). Only 1 kennel, which breeds working dogs and they don't plan any puppies (they have only one bitch). I train my dog for 3 years now, 2 of them with our present trainer. I just don't know what to do. My parents don't give me money for training or anything else, only for the food, but I still managed to participate in competitions of basic obedience all over the country and get every training tool I needed. They don't give me money for the puppy, but they let me have it if I get it on my own. I don't think that someone would be interested to give a perspective puppy to some girl which lives in another country. I want to be a dog trainer and to have the license for it I have to train two my own dogs. 

I would love to work in a working dog kennel for the summer as a kennel assistant or something like that. I worked as a volunteer in a pet shelter for 1,5 years cleaning the kennels, walking and training the dogs. This job is now usual for me. I really want to have experience with working dogs, see how different and great they can be. I just don't know how to find a kennel which would be interested in it.


----------



## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

I wish both of you the best of luck with your quest. Don't give up, and don't listen to the know it alls in life. I am sure with enough time you will find something.


----------



## Emilio Rodriguez (Jan 16, 2009)

Karina, how do you speak English so well?


----------



## xxxxxxxxKarina Scuckyte (Oct 27, 2008)

Emilio Rodriguez said:


> Karina, how do you speak English so well?


I had a great English teacher at school, read books in English. Most of them about dogs, because we don't have any good books about them in lithuanian. Some in russian and that's it. Then I discovered forums, where I found many useful information.


----------



## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

If I may offer a slightly different opinion, if you like Rotts, get a Rott. Your first "real" dog doesn't necessarily need to be the best of the best of the best. Sometimes the dogs that you struggle with a bit can teach you more and make you appreciate the really nice dogs later on than the perfect starter dog that does everything like its supposed to without a second thought. Over half the battle of Schutzhund is learning what YOU as the handler are supposed to do in both trialing and in training. Learning the heeling patterns and how to lay a track and all that, things that are independent of the ability of your dog. 

I mentioned this before, but the dog is important of course, but just make sure you can fully provide for a top of the line performance dog when you go off to college in a few years or whatever your post high school plans are. I've got a vet school friend who has a really nice but very spirited performance bred Tennessee Walking horse, but since she and her fiance can only ride it about once a month because of school, he just hasn't been the same. He can almost be unmanageable because he's just not getting worked enough. Someone needs to throw him in the round pen where he's boarded and just work his butt on the lunge line every day. Dogs get neurotic if they don't get worked. My Mals must be worked every day, even just for 5-10 minutes in giving their silly brains something to do, or they drive me crazy.

I'm not saying don't get a nice dog and God knows we need more young people in the sport, but you do have to be realistic with time constraints and all that as you get closer to graduation. I say this because I remember being a teenager with different hobbies that had to take a back seat to other stuff once college rolled around. And a dog is not exactly like a guitar that you can put in the corner or the half completed scrapbook that you haven't gotten around to finishing. Sorry to be the wet blanket, but one of the big things with maturity is being able to objectively look at your circumstances before giving into what you want. Best of luck in your decision!


----------



## Anne Vaini (Mar 15, 2007)

I do have to say I love you guys.  I was 16 when I decided on dog training. It took me 7 years to get a good dog. What I learned inbetween from rescue/shelter dogs was invaluable.

Reading and learning is great, but nothing is better than WATCHING and learning.

Hang in there and good luck!


----------



## xxxxxxxxKarina Scuckyte (Oct 27, 2008)

Anne Vaini said:


> Reading and learning is great, but nothing is better than WATCHING and learning.


Sure, but you have to have what and who to watch. 


I thought about college years. I want to learn in a veterinary academy. I talked with people who graduated there or are learning there now. I will have time for a working dog. I even already know where I will be training there (the academy is in another city) and etc.


----------



## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

Karina Scuckyte said:


> I thought about college years. I want to learn in a veterinary academy. I talked with people who graduated there or are learning there now. I will have time for a working dog. I even already know where I will be training there (the academy is in another city) and etc.


Honestly, don't count on it. I'm in my second year of vet school right now (it's a 4 year program after 4 years of undergrad in the States, though I did a 3 year masters in biology in between) and I definitely do NOT have time to do any formal training with what is available in town. The summation of my ability to train is as follows...I get to take like one or two agility 6 week classes a year if I'm lucky, I do 1-2 therapy dog visits a month plus I teach the therapy dog certification class, and I try to get to most of the once a month Dog Scout meetings. That's literally just about all I can handle. If our former Schutzhund club in town was still active, I could *maybe* squeeze in one day a week training or every other week, which honestly isn't even close to ideal and I'd have to cut other stuff out. If I tried to train with an out of town club (like Bob Scott's, which is about 1.5 hours away), I could make it like once a month or so max, which isn't fair to the club to be like "oh, here I am now! Train me!" 

Right now, I do informal training with my dogs just working on obedience, focus, retrieve work, etc. Stuff that I can work on for like 5-10 minutes at a time. Anything more than that, I cannot handle it with my schedule. Other dog and horse people I know who used to do eventing before vet school say the same. It's not fun, let me tell you! :sad: The only reason I post on this forum is for study breaks! :lol: Well, mostly...  Maybe to get future clientele. :lol:


----------



## Anne Vaini (Mar 15, 2007)

Karina Scuckyte said:


> Sure, but you have to have what and who to watch.


No. Watch dogs. Stray dogs. Pet dogs. Just watch them. Watch their behavior patterns. How do they act in a group? Alone? With a person? What causes behaviors? What ends behaviors?

Test out the training methods you want to use. Think you know what you are doing? Great! Now train a CAT the same behaviors. That went well? Now train a RODENT the same behaviors.

If you are serious about training, you need to learn to see behaviors, to read animal body language. You'd need to learn about the ways to change behavior and PRACTICE them until YOU are trained.

There is so much you can learn NOW, without an awesome dog and without a training club.


----------



## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

Speaking of which, how's that ratty doing, Anne? I also discovered something yesterday...if you have to give oral antibiotics that are bitter to a rat, mixing it with apple sauce or apple butter works great!


----------



## Emilio Rodriguez (Jan 16, 2009)

Karina Scuckyte said:


> Sure, but you have to have what and who to watch.


Katrina, chitai to shto mozhesh naiti y ne obroshai vnemaniye na durakov


----------



## Anne Vaini (Mar 15, 2007)

Maren Bell Jones said:


> Speaking of which, how's that ratty doing, Anne? I also discovered something yesterday...if you have to give oral antibiotics that are bitter to a rat, mixing it with apple sauce or apple butter works great!


She has recovered from her nervousness after escaping (finally). And she has retained the behavior of clawing at the side of the cage to get food very nicely. I think I can shape it into something. :lol:

Antibiotics for your momma rat?

Ok, Ok... we'll take it to PM :lol:


----------



## Hillary Hamilton (Jan 6, 2009)

The pup I had been offered did not have the drive and was very skittish.


----------



## mike suttle (Feb 19, 2008)

Karina Scuckyte said:


> I'm in a very similar situation now.
> 
> I'm 16 years old, I want to have a working dog for sport. My first dog Dryžius is a great friend and property guard, we did something in obedience, passed BH, but we can't go further. Well, on the other hand I didn't heard about a Caucasian or something like it who would be so obedient. The problem is that I live in Lithuania. We have only a few dog sports enthuasiasts in all country (and even most of them work with showline GSD's). Only 1 kennel, which breeds working dogs and they don't plan any puppies (they have only one bitch). I train my dog for 3 years now, 2 of them with our present trainer. I just don't know what to do. My parents don't give me money for training or anything else, only for the food, but I still managed to participate in competitions of basic obedience all over the country and get every training tool I needed. They don't give me money for the puppy, but they let me have it if I get it on my own. I don't think that someone would be interested to give a perspective puppy to some girl which lives in another country. I want to be a dog trainer and to have the license for it I have to train two my own dogs.
> 
> I would love to work in a working dog kennel for the summer as a kennel assistant or something like that. I worked as a volunteer in a pet shelter for 1,5 years cleaning the kennels, walking and training the dogs. This job is now usual for me. I really want to have experience with working dogs, see how different and great they can be. I just don't know how to find a kennel which would be interested in it.


get yourself a work visa and come to the USA to clean my kennel!!:grin: I would be happy to hire you for the summer.


----------



## Anne Vaini (Mar 15, 2007)

mike suttle said:


> get yourself a work visa and come to the USA to clean my kennel!!:grin: I would be happy to hire you for the summer.


Woah! Mike, I want to come clean your kennel! :lol:


----------



## xxxxxxxxKarina Scuckyte (Oct 27, 2008)

mike suttle said:


> get yourself a work visa and come to the USA to clean my kennel!!:grin: I would be happy to hire you for the summer.


I would love it!!! Now we don't even need a visa to travel to the USA, so there aren't any problems at all.



Emilio Rodriguez said:


> Katrina, chitai to shto mozhesh naiti y ne obroshai vnemaniye na durakov


Spasibo. Ja delaju vse, chto mogu.



Anne Vaini said:


> No. Watch dogs. Stray dogs. Pet dogs. Just watch them. Watch their behavior patterns. How do they act in a group? Alone? With a person? What causes behaviors? What ends behaviors?


That's what I'm doing now. Learning. I watch my fosters, homeless animals at the shelter, pets in our training group. How do they act, why do they act like that, what can be changed and how. I train dogs of my friends and fosters, deal with all the main problems (mostly dog agression and fears). I am learning what I can. Every foster which comes from my house knows basic obedience and is house broken. I worked with many interesting homeless animals. Some of them were strays, other were left by their owners. It was a great experience, I learned things that I couldn't learn enywhere else. But that organization wants to rehome any animal at any cost, even if it isn't stable or shows agression. They can place a children agressive dog in a family with young children. They can just leave an agressive dog in the street, where they found him if their foster family can't deal with it. That's why I don't work there any more. Only foster animals which really need my help.


----------



## Mike Scheiber (Feb 17, 2008)

Karina Scuckyte said:


> I would love it!!! Now we don't even need a visa to travel to the USA, so there aren't any problems at all.


Not trying to be a buzzkill here but I'm thinking your going to need a Visa to enter the USA So before you pack your bags this may be something you may want to check on.


----------



## Lee H Sternberg (Jan 27, 2008)

Mike Scheiber said:


> Not trying to be a buzzkill here but I'm thinking your going to need a Visa to enter the USA So before you pack your bags this may be something you may want to check on.


There are typically 3 types of visas. They are student, visitor and work visas. Work visas are very hard to get. It took 3 years of applying many times just to get my mother in law a visitor visa.

If a visa is required from her country I can assure you the are not easily obtained.

Immigration worries about people coming in on student or visitor visas and never leaving.

They will not allow her on the airline without proper documents.


----------



## xxxxxxxxKarina Scuckyte (Oct 27, 2008)

I was talking about this: http://vilnius.usembassy.gov/non-immigrant_visas/myths-visa-waiver.html . Sure, I have to check everything.


----------



## Lee H Sternberg (Jan 27, 2008)

Karina Scuckyte said:


> I was talking about this: http://vilnius.usembassy.gov/non-immigrant_visas/myths-visa-waiver.html . Sure, I have to check everything.


Looks interesting Karina. Good luck!:smile:


----------



## Amy Swaby (Jul 16, 2008)

Jeff Oehlsen said:


> I wish both of you the best of luck with your quest. Don't give up, and don't listen to the know it alls in life. I am sure with enough time you will find something.





Maren Bell Jones said:


> If I may offer a slightly different opinion, if you like Rotts, get a Rott. Your first "real" dog doesn't necessarily need to be the best of the best of the best.


This it's not like there aren't plenty of rotts with the titles. No they may not be as good in comparison to the top gsd or mal but I they can get the titles yeah? I don;t train dogs for it to be what is easiet" i train because I enjoy it. I KNOW a mal or gsd wouldn;t suit my lifestyle. Gorgeous dogs but i have tried other breeds and something about that smooshy rottie face just does it for me. we currently have 7 and i connect with them more far more than my border collie whatsit or any other dogs I have ever had.

I wouldn't mind working with other breeds, it would be a pleasure, I just don;t want to be the one having to pay to feed it LOL.



mike suttle said:


> get yourself a work visa and come to the USA to clean my kennel!!:grin: I would be happy to hire you for the summer.


Lol I'm jealous I would love to come see your dogs.


----------



## Hillary Hamilton (Jan 6, 2009)

YAY!!!! I found a nice kennel to get a dog in May!!!!! It's a rottie of course!!! lol :mrgreen:


----------



## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

You have mis-spelled drule I don't know how many times. Rottweilers DROOL. : )


----------



## Nick Kurkov (Feb 15, 2009)

Hello I am 22, I think that if you keep on looking you will find something. We got a really really nice german shepherd for like 200 bucks. i dont know if we got ripped off but he shows alot of interest to bite work and when the decoy approches him he does not back off. In my obedience classes in Cascade K9 with michael in Seattle WA there I found another guy who bought his for like the same price. His dog looks so beautiful. and when buying them they say that they are from police parants. But both dont have papers. My sisters GSD has the exact same story. I dont know. But there are three cases so far in one class with the exact same story. I dont know do Police really do that? If anyone can answer that I would love to know. Like their "unwanted" puppys. But all these dogs are for sure purebred and gorgeous. The only problem I can think of is papers. So if you really want all the recognition and fame, I guess you can look for a "good working dog" but that is usually expensive. But if you just want a good dog and equire the skills that will really help you in the future then I would just buy a cheaper one and especially if you find one like mine. I dont regret anything about it. I love it like crazy. he is so awesome. And also like someone said earlier it is sometimes good to train a normal average dog that way if you ever want to help someone else and be a pro you will have all the necessary skill.


----------



## Chris Michalek (Feb 13, 2008)

problem is, Hillary wants a Rottweiler and a "normal average" rottweiler is going to suck. So many health issues and then there is the issues of lack of basic prey drive. I saw a guy starve his rott for a couple of day and then drag a roast around and the ****er still wouldn't chase it. LOL

You got really lucky finding a working dog like that but most of the time you can't get away with a dog that was found out of an ad in the paper for a "small rehoming fee"


----------



## brad robert (Nov 26, 2008)

As above the rotts drives are low, prey is very hard to find in the last couple of years i have only seen a couple with series prey/play for a toy like shep/mal and that is from ALOT of dogs.

But they seem to have bundles of animal aggression which is a pain in the ass and another thing you dont want to deal with.

If the old rott was really a herder/drover he sure is gone they are in my mind no doubt more of mastiff which i believe they are classed as then a herder/drover and they act that way mine gets tired just thinking about work.


----------



## Erynn Lucas (Dec 10, 2008)

LB's Rott was high SchH 2 at the SW regionals. Plus, he pulled a 97 or something in protection.


----------



## Chris Michalek (Feb 13, 2008)

Erynn Lucas said:


> LB's Rott was high SchH 2 at the SW regionals. Plus, he pulled a 97 or something in protection.



Of course there are a few rotties that have the drives. I know you saw a couple at the club Erynn but those are exceptional Rotts and Laubmeier's Bronko who has the best pedigree doesn't match up with a good GSD or even my little rottie. The point is, luck seems to be a bigger factor than pedigree. On top of that most rotts are too big to do the workl effectively.


----------



## Jerry Lyda (Apr 4, 2006)

Hillary, hold the phone. Travis Sharp's dog Reba just came into season. He's planning on breeding her to Ichilles my son's dog. You can see both of them in a short video on the video challenge thing we did. Or you can come over to Augusta and see both of them work. Travis may work something out for you. These pups will be very high drive. With Bills help you should be able to handle a hand full, no kiddin.

Ichilles Pedigree:
http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/gsd/pedigree/481179.html

reba's Pedigree:
http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/gsd/pedigree/495437.html


----------



## Courtney Guthrie (Oct 30, 2007)

Hilary, I'd think about Jerry's offer seriously. I mean that is a GREAT breeding and starting with an "OFF" breed isn't always the best. 

I was younger when I started Schutzhund with my Am. Staff/APBT. She was what breed I wanted, however, I NOW have a GSD because Red has health problems and all sorts of other things going on. I waited and got a great deal on a GSD from someone in my club as I showed up every training session and put my all into a dog that was going nowhere in the competition world. I am glad that I got my GSD as he is 'perfect" for competing. 

What I'm saying is that I personally have been there and been too pigheaded to realize that people told me to wait and get an easier breed first because off breeds are hard to train and hard to find good ones. In one hand I wish I would've waited but in the other I learned a LOT from Red. Now, my club says that since I was ABLE to train Red to a SchH1(she has the training to compete but she has severe leg issues now and can't) then I'll be able to train ALMOST any breed to a SchH1. 

My life would've been a lot easier had I chose to wait for a GSD but in the end, I learned a lot with my little dog that can't even compete. Just be aware that you may end up with a puppy that won't make it to competition no matter how hard you train and accept your dog for what they end up being. Mine ended up a pet. 

Courtney


----------

