I have a GSD/Rottweiler mix. I would never forgive somebody if they gave me such a handful of a dog without checking with me first. I love Max to pieces - but he is extremely rambunctious and needs TONS of exercise. He's not one of those dogs you can just forget about and have a day for yourself. He's not a pet - he's a lifestyle!

As a matter of fact, I'm sick as crap today and I was trying to spend the day in bed. Instead I spent the morning driving around town in the freezing rain trying to catch Max. He got loose this morning when I was letting Jake out.

Also - he's huge. He eats a LOT. And of course his poops are big.

As for getting your dog from the "backyard breeder" - I doubt they bred their dog on purpose. Nobody with half a brain interested in making $ would breed mutts (other than the designer mutts everybody's paying big bucks for). If the dogs aren't taken from the newspaper ad then the people will put them in the shelter. So what's the difference between taking the puppy now and taking it after it goes to the shelter?