# We got a puppy!



## PoukieBear (Sep 27, 2013)

A friend of ours has given us his dog. His youngest child (6 months old) is severely allergic to him, and he can't be kept.

He remembered that we used to have a German Shepherd a while ago before we had to put him to sleep. He lived to a ripe old age of 12 years 

His name was "Lako", but for the life of us, we couldn't remember it, until we associated it with the word "Wako".....which has stuck and that's his name now. lol

He's 18 months old, and well trained. He's still hyper and in puppy mode, so it's an adjustment for us.


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## pinksand (Mar 17, 2010)

Aw, what a cutie! Congrats on the addition to your family. It sounds like a perfect situation and a great new home for him!


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## DeannaD (Feb 19, 2014)

Oh what a cute doggie! Congrats on the new addition!


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## Trimath (Jan 10, 2013)

Michelle,
What a gorgeous boy! I am so pleased for you at getting to be a doggie family again,and for Wako who is a lucky boy to have found a wonderful new home.Congrats.


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## Jonah (Feb 3, 2013)

Congrats Michelle ....Wako is a beautiful boy. My son has a female shepherd about five years old now that is colored the same as yours. I hope you have years of friendship with your new friend...


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## Kathryn (Nov 19, 2011)

:congrats: He's gorgeous! Love the name Wako! :XD:


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## Trippi (Oct 12, 2012)

Michelle, that's one beautiful dog. Congrats.


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## aluz (Jul 24, 2011)

Congrats, German shepherd dogs make great pets, I'm glad you were able to adopt him!


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## PoukieBear (Sep 27, 2013)

Thanks all !

I'm learning that he has a higher than normal prey drive, which to be honest, is scaring the crap out of me.

I've moved my hand tame birds to the basement with the others (It's a finished basement, not dark and dingy and gross) because there is a door to that room that can be firmly closed and he can't get in.

I've already trained him not to go upstairs to the bedrooms, all it took was a few firm "NO's" and he got it. Do you think I've managed to get him to stay at the top of the basement stairs? NOPE! He desperately wants to go down and play with the birds in a not so playful way.


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## eduardo (Jul 24, 2011)

*He is a beautiful dog  So smart too, to figure out where the birds are... I hope things work out with him.*


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Wako is very handsome.

I hope you have good luck training him not to go down the basement stairs. 
It sounds as if you are going to have to be very vigilant in keeping him away from your birds.*


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## Aisliyna (Sep 8, 2013)

I absolutely love GSDs, they are my second favourite breed after Border Collies. He is truly gorgeous. 4 years back I bought a lovely little girl GSD pup from a breeder that was breeding them to sell as security dogs. He assured me she'd make a good family pet regardless but she ended up developing chronic ear infections that could be managed but never cured and they made her crazy and aggressive. We toy'd with the idea of putting her to sleep and ending her misery but someone ended up taking her on and trying to help her. I wonder every day if they succeeded and if she's OK. She was a sweet dog and it wasn't her fault that her ears always hurt. 

I hope your story has a better ending, I hear that when they turn 3 it's like a switch flipping and they become much calmer and easier to train.


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## BirdCrazyJill (Jan 12, 2011)

*aww what a handsome guy!! congrats to your family on your new addition *


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## PoukieBear (Sep 27, 2013)

Thanks all !

Update on puppy behavior.... a *slight* improvement. He will stand at the top of the basement stairs, looking down. I can see that he really wants to go down, but he's stopping himself. (This is when I'm on the main floor with him) 

The problem starts when I go down the stairs. He only wants to go down when someone is down there. Otherwise, he'll stay where he's supposed to be.

So for now, he goes outside when I tend to the birds, that way I don't need to fight with him trying to get him to stay at the top of the stairs.


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## PoukieBear (Sep 27, 2013)

Holy smokes you guys! 
I just had to run to the basement to pack away my sprouting supplies. The dog was inside, I told him to "Stay" at the top of the stairs. 
He stayed where he was as I went down, opened the door, and closed it behind me. I was fully ready to open the door and see him on the other side, thinking he'd sneak down as soon as i was out of sight.

Not so !

I opened the door and he was lying at the top of the stairs waiting. Needless to say, he got TONES of praise and love for that! Let's hope this is the start of a good trend.


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## Kathryn (Nov 19, 2011)

:2thumbs: What a good boy!


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## RiverSong (Aug 2, 2010)

That's awesome!! What a handsome and smart boy!

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## ceduke (Sep 11, 2012)

What a good dog! I hope things keep going so well for you, he's a handsome one!


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## PoukieBear (Sep 27, 2013)

Puppy update:

He no longer feels the urge to come down the basement stairs, he doesn't even try to sneak down anymore! He'll come to a complete stop as I go down, and i can hear him flop on the floor, and he'll be laying there waiting for me to come back.

Upstairs is a different story! LOL. At first he had no interest in going upstairs, and I was really happy about this! Now it's a game to him, to see how far he can slowly slink up the stairs before I notice and correct him.


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## RiverSong (Aug 2, 2010)

Haha! That's adorable!!

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