Hey everyone,
My service dog Flo passed away unexpectedly. I was considering to retire him a year earlier and was waiting to discuss this with my trainer during our yearly check up, but then it all went differently.
It has been 6 weeks since his passing and it has become clear I need another service dog. Flo was a long coated german shepherd, and when we started, it was no issue to use shepherds as service animals. Since a few years the organization I work with decided shepherds are not suitable for service work which I was prepared for initially. During Flo’s last check-up I discussed a golden retriever as my next service dog after Flo would retire. But we still had a few years, at least that’s what I thought.
Right now I’m researching the breed (golden retriever) a bit further and have found a good breeder who also works with my service dog organization. They have good experiences with them, so I think I’ll be good.
It’s just… Although I encountered some issues with Flo due to his breed and a golden might be more convenient, I just… am in love with shepherds. I am so scared I am not able to bond with the my new service dog as I have been with Flo.
I have called with the breeder of Flo (who is also befriended with one the founders of my service dog school) and she told me she completely disagrees with their new policies. (For context she is more than a breeder, also a dog behaviorist and has trained service dogs before) She recommended me to switch to another organization who still works with herding breeds. The only issue is that I’m not familiar with them and they are as far as I’m aware not part of the ADI/ADEu.
I am… kind of lost. I choose to work with a school who specializes in owner training and bonding with the puppy from the start has worked so well with me. But I am so afraid a golden won’t fit me as well as a shepherd has.
I think I just needed to get this off my chest. But I also wonder if there’re people here who both have had shepherds and goldens and how this works for them. Specifically in service work.