Bear von Shiraz – CGC & BH
Osa von Arrowwood
Dave reached out to Wes about getting a German Shepherd puppy after admiring the relationship one of his friends had with his German Shepherds. Since Dave had never owned a Shepherd, much less a working line one, Wes helped Dave find Bear, a stunning long-haired show-line German Shepherd. Dave said “I learned real quick they didn’t come like this out of the box. I didn’t know anything about dogs until I met Wes. I thought a trained dog is one that didn’t go to the bathroom in the house!”
Dave brought Bear home and focused on bonding and crate training, then started puppy class with Wes two weeks later. Both Bear and Dave proved to be excellent students, a great team, and fast learners. Fast forward a year and a half and Bear has become a great addition to Dave’s family. Bear loves the kids and goes everywhere with Dave who takes him to work, kids ballgames, and even on vacations! He is Dave’s shadow and best buddy with his laid-back temperament and eager to please disposition. Bear and Dave are currently working towards their BH and seeing how far Bear will go in Schutzhund. So far Bear is adapting well to the change of pace from his pet obedience classes and enjoying the work.
Dave came out to observe some of the competitive sport dog classes and was very intrigued with the capabilities of the German Shepherd breed. After talking with Wes about pursuing the sport of Schutzhund Dave adopted a beautiful sable from one of Wes’s litters and named her Osa (which is the female version of Bear in Spanish), who he calls “a wonderful firecracker”. Osa is full of energy and truly enjoys working. Dave is looking forward to learning more about training and the sport of Schutzhund as he and Osa work towards their BH and IGP titles.
In Dave’s words …
“I learned real quick why Wes wouldn’t let me have one of his breedings at first and I am forever grateful for that. I am very intrigued with working dogs and what you can get out of them. I am eager to learn and grow with Osa and the sport.”
“It fascinated me to see what you could get out of the dog under the right direction. I knew nothing about dogs, especially German Shepherds, two years ago. It has been a hell of a ride so far and I look forward to seeing what the future holds. I have learned to appreciate the dog and always do right by the dog. I hold my self responsible and accountable for trying to teach and help my dog excel. I have met some wonderful people along the way and truly enjoy the help everybody has offered me.”