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Does anyone know of any reputable/ethical Black + tan, black + red, or bicolour German Shepherd breeders in central IL near Pekin/Peoria? The colour would preferably be Black + tan, but I'm open to the other standard colours.

Looking for well bred, health tested, temperament tested, puppies who may do good in things like obedience, companionship, and potential service work.

My little guy loves walks in nice weather, but we have to leave him behind when it is too snowy or the hike is too long for his old man knees. I’d love to find a way to carry him that lets him experience the world still and is comfortable for both of us. Just carrying him normally gets uncomfortable after a while. We’ve tried a few of the popular carriers, but he’s too little for them. Anyone have luck finding a hands-free carrier for a tiny dog?

I just got my dog a week ago and she won’t stop attacking me. When will she stop or learn to stop? or training her.

I will eventually be getting a German Shepherd or Belgian Malinois pup, I’ve only just started looking into breeders since I’m finally at a point in life where I can properly care for the dog. I know color shouldn’t matter, but I’m looking to get a black pup. That’s just my preference. I plan on doing advanced obedience, agility, barn hunt, maybe IGP and dock diving depending on the dog. I’ll be working with a professional trainer asap.

If I do go with a German Shepherd, does anyone have any working line recommendations? Belgian Malinois recs also welcome. I’m in Kentucky.

I want to avoid the awful sloped back that I’ve noticed in lots of GSDs advertised as being show dogs/AKC registered. AKC doesn’t matter to me in this case. Just working lines, health testing, and ethical practices.

I've had my boy since pup. He 3.5 years old and has always been well treated but almost every night of the last 3 years he will start crying in his sleep. It's a kind of whimper and distressed sounding noise that he never makes during the day, like he's terrified of something happening in his dream.

I always speak to him gently – are you OK? it's ok. Stuff like that and he stops crying immediately.

Does anyone else's dog do this? Is there anything I can do to help him?

Hello!

I am a first time dog owner, and my boy (neutered male) is an all white husky German shepherd mix (probably). I got him from a rescue, and he will allegedly be six [edit: years old] next month. I have had him since October, so about five months now and things have been going pretty well, we have good days and bad days.

Today was a bad day, and I just wanted to talk about it and maybe ask for some advice? I was feeling super low energy today and no matter what I did Apollo (my dog) would not settle. We go for an hour long walk in the morning, then he gets a ten minute walk around lunch time and an hour at the dog park in the afternoon then we just went on a thirty minute walk/run/training sesh to see if he would chill to no avail. Still up in my face asking to play. I am not sure what to do, so I put him in his crate, which I never really do because I feel bad about crating him; throughout the day he has full run of my apartment. He has also gotten more vocal, beginning to sort of bark at dogs to get them to play with him and bark at me when he wants to play; which I do not like. He is also getting more daring about stealing food off the table and in general more… bratty?

Any thoughts would be so appreciated!!! I am not sure what to do to help him.

We got a dog in November 2023. I was the one who went to the breeder to get him. He was 2 months old at that time. He slept on my lap on the journey back home from the breeder. Ever since then, he always cuddles up at my feet. He doesn't lie or sleep near other people. Always me. When I am not home, he sleeps in his bed.

Once in Jan 2025, he became sick(upset stomach) and he was scared. I was in the office and he went and cuddled at my partner's feet.

I broke up with my partner in June 2025. He didn't want to give me the dog. He kept the dog with him. Does my dog still remember me ? I want him to forget me as there is just no chance in hell that my ex partner will ever allow me to see him.

Sometimes I feel I ruined my dog's life just by bringing him home. I feel he would have fared a lot better if someone else had adopted him