Malakai The Great
Founding Member
- Joined
- Sep 7, 2025
- Messages
- 20
Hey pack,
One of the things I love most about life is how many different journeys we all take with our shepherds. Some of us are in the thick of raising pups, others are years into competing, and some are just enjoying life with a loyal companion by our side.
When I look back at my own journey, one of the best choices I made was prioritizing structured engagement early. I didn’t just let my dog “grow up”. I made sure from 8 weeks on, he was learning to look to me for fun, for guidance, for confidence. It wasn’t always pretty (lots of clumsy moments on both our parts
), but it paid off big when we hit those tricky adolescent months.
So I’m curious... what’s the single best decision you’ve made so far in raising or training your GSD?
One of the things I love most about life is how many different journeys we all take with our shepherds. Some of us are in the thick of raising pups, others are years into competing, and some are just enjoying life with a loyal companion by our side.
When I look back at my own journey, one of the best choices I made was prioritizing structured engagement early. I didn’t just let my dog “grow up”. I made sure from 8 weeks on, he was learning to look to me for fun, for guidance, for confidence. It wasn’t always pretty (lots of clumsy moments on both our parts
), but it paid off big when we hit those tricky adolescent months.So I’m curious... what’s the single best decision you’ve made so far in raising or training your GSD?
- Was it joining a club?
- Investing in the right crate or equipment?
- Setting boundaries early?
- Or maybe a simple habit like daily walks, mental games, or road trips together?