German Shepherd · German Shepherds of Australia, Volume One
Lyla, a princess in gumboots
Anyone who brings home a German Shepherd hears the same warnings. They are loud. They are clever. They will follow you from room to room. Lyla's owner listened to every one of them, and still got a surprise.
I had been warned about the barking, whining and constant shadowing. I was prepared for the boundless energy and brains. I wasn't prepared however for the morning ritual of being full-body pinned to the bed by a 30kg slobber monster and having my face thoroughly washed before being fully awake.
The shadow at your feet
The warnings are fair. German Shepherds were bred to work beside people, and most would rather be in the same room as you than anywhere else. The barking is a watchdog doing its job. The shadowing is the same instinct, pointed at the person they love.
What nobody can warn you about is the particular way your own dog shows it. For Lyla, it is the morning: not a polite nudge, but thirty kilos of German Shepherd arriving on the bed and getting straight to work.
Mud, frisbees and one steep hill
Lyla's page goes on, and this is where she earns her title:
Lyla is like a princess in gumboots. She does everything with 100% enthusiasm. Chasing frisbees and tracking are her favourite games and if a bit of water can be included all the better.
Her owner calls her an adventure dog, the kind who splashes through mud and tears around the field. Their proudest day together was finishing the Victorian Adventure Dog run, although it came with a confession. At the top of the first obstacle, a giant steep incline into a mud pit, Lyla's owner let go of the leash to avoid going in face first.
At least I know life will never be boring with Princess Lyla by my side.
Page 63
In the book, Lyla stands with her paws up on the edge of an old steam locomotive, the boiler black behind her and a red valve wheel over her head, ears up and tongue out, looking very pleased with herself. Her title is printed beside her: Slobber Monster.
Every dog in German Shepherds of Australia, Volume One gets a page like hers: a portrait, a title and a few lines from the people who know them best. The book holds more than 200 German Shepherds, and every copy supports German Shepherd Rescue Victoria, the volunteers who take in shepherds that have been surrendered or abandoned. On the facing page is Jesse, one of the dogs they helped. His story is coming soon.