Dutch Shepherd Forum

I got Jasper about three years ago .At the time I had two Shelties , and was looking for a large dog that was capable of running longer distances without getting fatigued , as I was training for my first half ironman and was running farther than usual . My town is somewhat encompassed where a ghetto is no futher than three miles away no matter where you go .I carry a stun gun , but an ounce of prevention always being more than a pound of cure , I wanted a dog .Besides , it gets kinda boring out there ! My friends breed and show dogs and we had recently started a UKC club where I met Elisa .She brought her dog ISHI and another dog with her to the meeting one night .I saw them both that night , and thought they were gorgeous , since I had never even heard of a Dutchy .Jasper was going home with my friends for the daughter to use in search and rescue , so I didn't think anymore about it .
Several months later at the local AKC show , I was discussing possibly getting a greyhound when my friends asked me if I wanted Jasper .I had been the "lost person " at several of the search team training sessions , and he was one of the few who always found me , so I said yes . The daughter is a show handler and just didn't have the time to put into him as far as searching goes .They brought him over one night while I was still on my way home . Having a key, they let themselves in and let him off leash , where he ran head to head into my late cat Romeo . Romeo is a name given to him cuz he used to be the neighborhood tom , not because he was a lover ! Romeo balled up on Jas's head , and chased him down the hall into my bed . Jas still has a healthy respect for the feline ilk ! But he now has his very own cat , Grizz . They are inseperable and often sleep together and go on walks around the neighborhood .
I tried the search and rescue thing but I just didn't have the time to devote to it either ,with work , a teenage son about to graduate and all of my training , but Jasper still enjoys going out into the woods on trail runs and he has done several demonstrations at the scout ranch where we run , about basic dog care , training etc. While he was a bit of a disappointment in the whole attack/police dog thing , he makes an excellent dog to take around children , as I never have to worry about him biting them , because he LOVES kids . He will go out of his way to get a child to pet him , but he always minds his manners .He does;however still do a great job of watching out for his people .He watches other people on our runs and keeps watching them until they leave , but he never goes crazy and just barks and lunges . He minds so well that when people ask "Will he bite me ?" I reply , "Only if I tell him to ! " .Sometimes what you keep quiet is just as fie rce as what you state .LOL . One day we were walking and the only other person in the park was a big guy that didn't look too cheerful . That was the only time I have ever seen Jas hackle up and growl . I figured that if he didn't like him , I didn't even want to meet him , so we turned around and went back the other way . Another time , the neighbor kids (his favorite )were playing in the yard when a strange man tried to get the kids to come over to his car . They said Jas hit the fence and was trying to climb over it , making the most horrible noises they ever heard ! So , I feel like , if I ever needed him to lay down his life for me he would .
I look at all of the pictures of others on this forum , and all the training and things they are doing and I kinda feel like I am not using him to his full potential , but I think he is happy being my side kick and I am just as happy ,and PROUD to have him there !

Jasper was a bit of the hyper clown of the family. His sire and dam both working K9's, (Kwinny x Rico Willemsen) Jasper was slow to grow out of his juvenile antics. The wild child found some good exposure with Ellisa, and later his SAR family, and it was just great to hear that he found you after that. He truly needs those long runs with you, and I am happy to hear that he matured into a dog that will most likely have your back. I am very surprised and proud that he even managed to warn a little girl not to give in to a stranger who wanted to pick her up. No clue how he knew, but I learned a long time ago to trust my dog(s) They know so much more about us than we do about them. You GO Jasper. You may have saved a life already.

He is STILL the hyper child ! If I don't keep him excercised , he chews things .Couches , table legs , memory foam ....and it doesn't matter if it is 102 outside , he wants to go for a ride in the car . I have to refrain because ASPCA tends to frown on dogs in hot cars .HAHA . But even if it fried his brain , he would go .I sometimes call him my 'Idiot Savant " or "Rain Man " because he is extremely smart but sometimes lacks focus .But he is getting better as he ages . I figure by the time he turns 10 , I might be able to outrun him .
And whether it was the whole "falling in the drain " thing or what , but he still doesn't like thunderstorms or rain .

jasperswoman wrote: And whether it was the whole "falling in the drain " thing or what , but he still doesn't like thunderstorms or rain .

Now there is a story!
He was just 4 weeks old and all the pups were playing around the kennel, while I was cleaning. Jasper was fascinated by the filling drains that ran alongside the kennel building, under a grate. At the end of the drain was a cap, that would always catch al the hair and stop the drain up. So I would have to pry the cap off in order to let the dirty water flow out. It is nasty weather but Jas was happily playing close to me, fascinated by the little pond that the drain had created. I turn my back and hear a splash. I sure sounded like a tiny pup had fallen into the drain, but I cannot see him. He is not accounted for, and now I was just sure that he did not only fall in, but got sucked out through the pipe (that he would still have fit through) into the septic system. In my mind, I was about to call 911 to get the fire department to fish my pup out of the deep doo that he would be in. I called him frantically. No Jasper. He could not have gotten out of the area, that is fenced, but while all the siblings were accounted for, he was not. I ran inside to get my husband, telling him what happened. I truly could not believe it, but he was gone.
Just about to call 911, I heard something 'upstream' in the sloping drain, and there he was. He did fall in allright, but went upstream under the grate where I could not spot him and sat tight. Literally. I have never hugged a nasty pup as enthusiastically as Jasper that day. Since that day, he has gone by the name of "Glooch" for me and my husband. The sound he made when he fell in the drain.
Don't you think it is karma that he should go to live with a tri athlete?

Well , he still likes to investigate the drainage ditches that run along side our neighborhood , but he will only go into water up to his knees . The one time he did go into a slight drain that was up to his chest , instead of trying to swim , he just leaped and leaped like a deer until he got clear .He doesn't like to be out in the rain either . We have been on runs where the rain started after we had left , and I am telling you now that it was a footrace back to the car . He also either gets under the bed , or in it if I am there , when it thunders . maybe it reminds him of the noise in the pipe !
I have ran with him in 5 k races , and I would like to do a duathlon (run /bike/run)with him sometime , but I doubt he would be up for a tri !!! There is a half marathon this weekend . I am sure he WOULD do it and COULD do it , but 13 miles is a little far for me to make him run . Plus they don't allow dogs ! I think it is because the human ego being fragile as it is , they couldn't handle being beaten by a dog . HAHA .
And he is also a talker . He forms real words at times . One night , he wanted to go for a walk but I was busy doing something . He was doing his begging whine , as if to say please ? But after about three minutes of this , I told him to hush , we weren't going . To which he said ," F**K You !" ......I was shocked to say the least ! It couldn't have been clearer if a person said it to me , but of course he looked soooo innocent . LOL

F you? Really? Where did he learn such language! I am shocked (and totally amused)
You see dogs on America's funniest sometimes, that can 'talk'. You might harbor a 100,000. dollar winner there!
I am wondering though, if Dutch Shepherds are not supposed to talk/curse in Dutch instead?

He probably learned it from my teenage son and his friends , or the German shepherd down the alley !And I really would like a new video recorder because he does such weird things , but his cat Grizz , is the money maker .Jasper likes to nibble on him to keep him clean , and they play chase together in the back yard . Jas could already be calling me bad names if he is speaking Dutch , because I wouldn't have a clue . Now when he makes weird noises , I am going to be paranoid .LOL