New here Introducing Yondu

[FlusteredChic]

Hi all,

Happy to be joining!

This is Yondu, he is a 4 and a bit year old working line GSD in the UK.

Yondu has severe epilepsy which presents challenges both in terms of managing his health, med side effects and does present behaviourally occasionally, he's a bit like ADHD in dog form.

He is highly trained and has perfect recall/any command response..... 98% of the time..... We can never be 100% complacent with him relying on his training though because if he's having early/low level seizure activity all bets are off.

Still, I'm autistic and he instinctively brings me to the floor and lies on me during meltdowns - to the point of looking trained for service which he hasn't been at all. We are just each others ESA's

He's instinctively guarded me when a stranger approached on a dark stairwell... By this I mean barking his big boy bark while hiding behind my legs.... Which he has also done to a particularly noisy leaf blowing in the wind. Fierce.

I grew up with GSDs and have a BSc in Animal Behaviour and Welfare from a Russel group university. Yondu is my first owned dog which I wouldn't necessarily advise others to follow suit as first dog breed. I just had a disproportionate level of confidence (ego? ) because of my training and familiarity with the breed plus remote working/active lifestyle and definitely still had a few moments in the early days of "I've bitten off more than I can chew here" - Would do it all again in a heartbeat.

Look at how handsome!! He is perfect and an incredible irreplaceable soul.

 

[SavageVictoria]

He is beautiful!!

 

[Andre]

Hi FlusteredChic, Yondu is a handsome boy. It's great to have you both with us. Welcome!

 

[MalikethGSD]

Welcome in! Yondu sounds like a very special boy!

 

[Lizwells]

Hi Flustered Chic and Yondu. I think we all have those moments when we feel like we bit off more than we can chew. These dogs see rules as obstacles and challenges and find ways to get around them. They’re too smart for their own good. It sounds like you you guys found each other for a reason and that is to take care of each other. And you know, those damn leaves shouldn’t act so suspicious

 

[Malakai The Great]

Welcome Yondu sounds like an absolute character, and a really special one at that. Managing epilepsy on top of everything else is no small task, and it’s clear you know exactly where training ends and real-life management begins.

The way you describe your bond honestly says more than any credentials ever could. That kind of instinctive mutual regulation isn’t something you teach, it’s something that happens when two nervous systems learn each other over time. ESA jokes aside, that’s a real partnership.

Also, the “big boy bark from behind the legs” got a laugh. Fierce and discerning is a classic shepherd combo.

 

[Monsignor]

Hi all,

Happy to be joining!

This is Yondu, he is a 4 and a bit year old working line GSD in the UK.

Yondu has severe epilepsy which presents challenges both in terms of managing his health, med side effects and does present behaviourally occasionally, he's a bit like ADHD in dog form.

He is highly trained and has perfect recall/any command response..... 98% of the time..... We can never be 100% complacent with him relying on his training though because if he's having early/low level seizure activity all bets are off.

Still, I'm autistic and he instinctively brings me to the floor and lies on me during meltdowns - to the point of looking trained for service which he hasn't been at all. We are just each others ESA's

He's instinctively guarded me when a stranger approached on a dark stairwell... By this I mean barking his big boy bark while hiding behind my legs.... Which he has also done to a particularly noisy leaf blowing in the wind. Fierce.

I grew up with GSDs and have a BSc in Animal Behaviour and Welfare from a Russel group university. Yondu is my first owned dog which I wouldn't necessarily advise others to follow suit as first dog breed. I just had a disproportionate level of confidence (ego? ) because of my training and familiarity with the breed plus remote working/active lifestyle and definitely still had a few moments in the early days of "I've bitten off more than I can chew here" - Would do it all again in a heartbeat.

Look at how handsome!! He is perfect and an incredible irreplaceable soul.

Love the picture of him with the cat