German Shepherds

[TxDog]

Are German Shepherds naturally an aggresive breed? We just moved into a large house and I would like to adopt one. They have a shelter right by my house that is an all German Shepherd shelter. I have never been around one before so curious to know more about them before adopting.

[DiggityDogs]

I wouldn't call them aggressive, however they are protective and are a little more quick to bite than some other breeds- hence their use as police dogs. I have a good bit of experience with them from my K9 days- my dog was not a GSD but my supervisor's was, also I have several clients with them and my cousin just purchased two beautiful dogs from Leerburg/Fliescherheim lines. They are a high drive dog that needs a LOT of training, but can be excellent family pets. The most common problem I see with GSD's is hyperactivity- probably due in large part to the owner's inability to provide adequate exercise, but also due to the fact that the breed has been ruined since becoming popular in america. I'm excited to see that my cousin went with the kennel he did because he got one german import and one with two german import parents, although he did spend $8000 for the pair. There is also a major concern with these guys as far as displaysia in hips AND elbows, eye problems and also heart problems. They have their health issues just like any other breed, but not necissarily worse. They can tend to be snappy, but if you take the time to really train and ex. properly, you'll be fine. I highly reccommend (if you're looking to rescue) Camp Wolfgang in Ennis, TX. A client of mine recently adopted a BEAUTIFUL longhaired GSD there. They have over 150 dogs to choose from, all german shepherd or GSD mix rescues. www.campwolfgang.org

[33MTA3]

And be prepared to spend a lot of time cleaning doggie hair tumbleweeds.....they literally breed whan you have GSDs!!!

[StarWhisper]

Are German Shepherds naturally an aggresive breed? We just moved into a large house and I would like to adopt one. They have a shelter right by my house that is an all German Shepherd shelter. I have never been around one before so curious to know more about them before adopting.

Are GSD's naturally aggressive?

There is a big difference between protection and aggression.

The GSD should be a confident dog with a well balanced temper capable of showing courage, combactive instict, and hardness only if necessary.

A confident dog need not be aggressive, but it will show it is capable of handling a situation if provoked.

Think of the sport of Schutzhund.

Schutzhund means "Protection Dog" and this sport consists of three phases: Obedience, Tracking, and Protection.

It was originally developed specifically for the GSD as a way to assess a dog working abilities.

Only the most sound and stable dogs are capable of working in a field where protection is required because the dog is required to be under total control of the owner/handler at all times.

This is a very high energy breed, some GSDs requires hours of intense exercise daily. GSDs will find ways to amuse themselves if you don't provide them with outlets for their energy.

A bored GSD will not think twice about digging up your lawn or tearing up your furniture. If you tend to be a "couch potato" this is not the breed for you

GSD's are "to do dogs" They need to do things they need to be with someone who wants to do things with them.

Remember this breed was bred for herding.

Not a low energy type of job. These are dogs that need things to do: they need to have proper amounts of work, sport, play, ect.. in other words exercise (and plenty of it) to meet their mental and physical needs.

The GSD requires training. Fail to train them and show them what it takes to be a good dog in your eyes, you will lose their respect all together. An untrained GSD is an accident waiting to happen. They need limits and boundries.

A GSD will have no problems with trying to take charge and become alpha of the pack if you show that you are not worthy or capable of leading.

Socialization is important, you need to expose a GSD to a ton of people and a ton of situations.

GSDs shed big time. Does dog hair bother you at all? Those of us in the breed affectionately refer to them as German Shedders.

With that being said in my opinion no breed can touch the GSD. They will make you question why any other breed was created but only if you can see to the breeds needs and meet them.

Be very honest when deciding if this breed is right for you. Be very judgemental of yourself, the breed itself, and your lifestyle. Not every person is right for every breed.

Choose one only if you fully understand and can commit yourself to this glorious breed, and only if you really have the time and are willing to dedicate that time it takes to have a well adjusted GSD. Research, visit shows, read books, talk to other GSD people, learn all you can. Find out if a GSD really suits you.

Good luck in your search on the breed.

[BloodhoundGirl]

I don't think Gereman Shepherds aare aggressive they can be protective and the don't get along with all dogs, though. Other than that, they're great dogs and are really smart.

[fillyone]

I don't think Gereman Shepherds aare aggressive they can be protective and the don't get along with all dogs, though. Other than that, they're great dogs and are really smart.
In general a properly socialized GSD will get along with other dogs. Just as with any breed. Any breed can have dogs that don't get along with other dogs.
My goofy 2 year old for example gets along with any dog.

[vonissk]

I don't consider a GSD any more aggressive than any other dog and not as agressive as some--especially the smaller breeds, if they are socialized right and they are bred above all for temperament. My 6 1/2 yr old female, sadie, loves the sleeve. But it is a sport and a game to her. My boy doesn't know about it yet but I think he will see it the same way. Both of my furkids have superb temperaments and high confidence levals; they see everyone who comes to the house as coming to visit them, not me. LOL I don't matter, I just pay the bills. LOL They have their certain "jobs" they do and are definately not couch potatoes. I have had this breed for almost 25 years now and would never have another one. Minta

[workndog]

I agree with Vonissk. I have never met an aggressive GSD that was not "made" aggressive. My girl does not have a mean bone in her body, however she comes from a long line of sport dogs....

I think people confuse prey drive for aggression in the GSD. If a GSD takes down a cat does that make it aggressive? or just highly driven? There is a difference.

Poorly bred GSD's do have a tendency to be aggressive, however a well bred GSD is a very sound and stable dog. You could fire a gun behind my girl without having her bat an eye, do the same to a poorly bred GSD and you'll get an arm ripped off.

[Jynx]

I have had GSD's "forever" *vbg*.. Star has given an excellent description of GSD's.

One thing tho, there ARE some couch potatoes out there , as with any breed. But the majority of them are not.

They are very smart problem solving dogs, and DO need a strong handler or they will tend to walk all over you. :)

I had 1 people aggressive gsd's over the years, a dog that had been locked up for the first 6 months of his life, and then teased by a neighborhood paper boy. He never forgot, as is true of most gsd's, they do not forget.

I highly recommend rescueing an older dog, what you see is what you get for the most part. Most rescues are really good about evaluating their dogs and matching them to your lifestyle.

Good luck, I will always have gsd's in my household

[BloodhoundGirl]

In general a properly socialized GSD will get along with other dogs. Just as with any breed. Any breed can have dogs that don't get along with other dogs.
My goofy 2 year old for example gets along with any dog.
ITrue, with proper socialisation, they probably can be good with mpst other dogs. But there aare exceptions to this rule.

[fillyone]

ITrue, with proper socialisation, they probably can be good with mpst other dogs. But there aare exceptions to this rule.
As there are with any breed.
The only dog bite I've ever had was from a Brittany Spaniel. (Ran out and bit my leg as I rode by on my bike as a kid)
The dog that attacked Dante was an Airedale.
The worst dog fight I've ever seen was a Golden and a Lab.

Every dog has the potential to be dog agressive. German Shepherds as a general rule are not dog agressive.

[BloodhoundGirl]

As there are with any breed.
The only dog bite I've ever had was from a Brittany Spaniel. (Ran out and bit my leg as I rode by on my bike as a kid)
The dog that attacked Dante was an Airedale.
The worst dog fight I've ever seen was a Golden and a Lab.

Every dog has the potential to be dog agressive. German Shepherds as a general rule are not dog agressive.

I really am glad you have only been bitten one time. I was bitten by a rottweiler three times and she was supposedly good with kids. So, ouch, I'm a kid. So, that's the only time I'm the only time I've been bitten that I remember.

[RoachWhisperer]

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The Roach Whisperer.

[StarWhisper]

RoachWhisperer...

What does your post have to do with GSDs?

Hijacking a thread with something totally off topic is very rude...

The polite thing to do would be to start a new thread about the subject you would like to discuss.

Please back to GSD's.

[TxDog]

I will be adopting a GS puppy in the next week or so. He is going to be a very large GS from the looks of his parents. This is my first large breed dog. I will be taking him to training at Petsmart like we did with our MinPin. Any tips on raising him so we have NO problems with him thinking he is the alpha once he gets big.

[BloodhoundGirl]

I would try flipping your puppy over on its back so there is no confusion with your dog. Worked for Liberty. Good luck to you.

[StarWhisper]

I would try flipping your puppy over on its back so there is no confusion with your dog. Worked for Liberty. Good luck to you.

This is one of the worst things you can do with any dog. Forcing a dog onto its back is a measure only taking in the wild in extreme circumstances and it should be avoided.

I hate when people say "Flip your pup because thats what happens in the wild" no it is not...In the wild a roll is done voluntarily, the subordinate animal chooses to roll itself and expose its belly and throat (most vulnerable areas) when the roll is forced by another animal it generally means a serious fight is about to happen.

You may be able to roll your puppy now but if you use that as your means of establishing dominance in the future a problem will arise when your dog decides to challenge you.

Some people still feel the alpha roll is useful...I choose not to use the alpha roll and I do NOT recommend it. There are better ways to establish dominance, there are also safer ways to establish dominance..if you do choose to roll your dog to do so expecting to get bit.

The NILIF (nothing in life is free) program is an excellent one to place your GSD on...This program continues for the rest of your dogs life...In short anything the dog wants he must first earn. He wants to be fed..he has to sit first...He wants attention he has to do a twenty second down-stay first...The point is NILIF.

NILIF teaches your dog that you are the source of all good things in life and those things can be shared if the dog simply obeys your requests.

Having a GSD requires an individual to be a worthy leader...being a leader isn't about force and dominance...To get the GSD to listen to you your first step is earning the breeds respect..That will never happen if you are using forceful methods damaging to the dogs psyche.

Being a GSD owner requires you to be Alpha...being Alpha is not about force or dominance. Its about being worthy of leading...The Alpha is very tolerant and patient. S/He is not forceful and overbearing nor does s/he need to display unnecessary aggression.

[Jynx]

star whisper has given some good advice. I have had GSD's my whole life and I'm in my 40's. I will always have GSD's.

Alpha rolling any dog, is NOT a good idea, it's a good way to get your face ripped off.

A GSD does require a good leader, they are very intelligent dogs, loyal to their owners.

TXDogs if I remember correctly were you looking for a dog that would get along with your kids /min pin/ would stay out at nite protecting your property?

If not I apologize, if so, you could be in for some enlightening. GSD's do NOT do well left outside their "families". Don't be surprised if you have a howling dog all nite at your back door. and also don't be surprised if confronted with a negative situation, they turn tail and run. Don't get me wrong, a sound well bred , well trained GSD is not going to walk away, but for the most part, most dogs are all about "self preservation". Their bark can be worse than their bite.

As for Petsmart Training, if your getting a GSD, I highly suggest you find a trainer who has trained herding dogs/gsd's. If they aren't familiar with the breed, your wasting your money.

As for ALPHA, I think it's a word way overused. I have had some pretty hard, high energy GSD's over the years, it's all about respect. IF you form a tight bond with your dog/puppy, IF you respect each other, training is the easiest thing in the world. It's all about the relationship you have with your dog. A good relationship is easy if your fair in correcting and always willing to acknowledge "good" behaviors.

You don't have to alpha roll or correct harshly for a dog to learn, respect and look up to you as a good leader.

GSD's require ALOT of physical as well as mental stimualtion, if they don't get it, well a bored GSD is not something to easily live with. They can be good with kids, they can be good with other dogs, but keep in mind they are herding dogs, and can also be royal pain in the butts at times *vbg*.

Good luck to you.
Diane

[DiggityDogs]

I had not seen that post or I would have definitely been on this before now- I would NEVER roll a dog. Doing handling exercises with a pup by holding him in your lap on his back and rubbing his belly are one thing- Alpha rolling is ineffective and dangerous. The reason is because if you're doing an alpha roll thinking that 'this is what an alpha dog would do to a submissive dog'- you're completely wrong. Submissive dogs OFFER this position and do it voluntarily as a gesture to the alpha dog. The alpha never rolls them- but he makes his point with the subordinate until it submits on its own. I personally would never want a dog that's SO submissive that it rolls everytime I give it a correction- there are better and safer ways to go about gaining your dog's respect.

The term alpha is a bit overused- because people think that if they have an 'alpha' dog that that is what the dog's personality is. The truth is that dominance and submission are completely relative to the other pack members and their statuses. If you are unable to provide appropriate leadership, your dog will step up and take that position. If you fulfill all of his needs and are a good leader, he'll be more submissive. It can change with age, neutering, and a lot of other factors as well.

Edit:
LOL I just read through starwhisperer's post- good advice!

I have a client who has three cane corsos- Italian mastiffs. they're each over 120 pounds, and the breeder told her to alpha roll all of them on a regular basis so that they would see her as the alpha. Ha! You'd never catch ME alpha rolling a 120lb dog and getting in it's face! I'd rather make my point standing where I can defend myself AND my facial features hehe

[StarWhisper]

I don't think its necessarily the word Alpha is overused, rather I think more often than not it is misused...

People with dogs are told they have to be the "alpha". Confusion comes in when the individual assumes that being alpha means they take on a forceful dominanting position...They forget or dont realize that being Alpha is about being a leader. They forget a good leader is confident and more importantly they forget a good leader is fair.

Being alpha isn't about being able to show a dog you are physically stronger than it..because chances are you are not...Its about being able to show a dog that you are worthy of following.. and worthy of respecting.

Respect is not demanded or forced, it can only be earned...

[Jynx]

actually Star I do agree, it's more "misused" and "abused" then "overused".

And just to clarify, I was mistaken the original OP was not the person who's previously posted saying he was leaving the dog outside at nite, unless he changed his handle *vbg*..

I still stand behind my opinion that Petsmart, Petco, training is definately not the way to go, they have their own training agenda's, and most times are not "true" trainers teaching classes. Find a trainer who's "been there done that", and knows dog behavior.

diane

[DiggityDogs]

I still stand behind my opinion that Petsmart, Petco, training is definately not the way to go, they have their own training agenda's, and most times are not "true" trainers teaching classes. Find a trainer who's "been there done that", and knows dog behavior.
diane

I agree wholeheartedly. I once took a job as a trainer at petsmart and stayed for 2 years as a senior trainer. I got promoted after only 6 months (even though the protocol for my position was 18 months to two years) because I was one of only 2 or 3 trainers in the metroplex (roughly 20 stores) that had any previous experience. My job was to train other trainers there. They (the managers) LITERALLY look over at the registers, ask themselves 'who shows up to work every day?' and then approach that person and say- hey, how would you like a raise? How about becoming a dog trainer? Then they were handed over to me or the area trainer to be taught how to teach lessons. most people can easily teach the obedience commands- those are easy. It's the behavior problems that most of them have little or no experience with, and the majority of them have NO idea about prevention of bad behaviors, either. To top it off, a large number of them like to change the training so it suits their tastes, so the Petsmart program is not quite as uniform as they'd have you believe. I was told my my head trainer when I was a K-9 handler that 'you're not a trainer if you can't fix a behavior problem'. I was thoroughly humiliated at the time because I was having trouble with a particular dog. But I got over it and I now realize that this is mostly true- it's important as a trainer to be able to know your limits and say honestly to the client- 'I'm really not sure what to do here, but I'll do my best to help you find out' or to steer them in the right direction. However, I do also feel that you should not call yourself a trainer unless you are proficient in assisting the average pet dog owner in fixing simple behavior problems. This is where Petsmart and Petco fail. Petco hires primarily from APDT- My problem with this is that they don't allow you to correct your dog. It's all treats and praise. Same with Petsmart- the program actually says you may NOT use the word 'NO', because it's too negative and 'this is a positive reenforcement program'
Give me a break! you can't say NO to your dog? What happened to boundaries and rules??

Also- star, well said. Much better way of putting it, alpha and dominance are often misunderstood terms. Ask a trainer at petsmart- they're taught to tell you that those terms are completely irrelevant to dog training!!

[StarWhisper]

It's all treats and praise. Same with Petsmart- the program actually says you may NOT use the word 'NO', because it's too negative and 'this is a positive reenforcement program'
Give me a break! you can't say NO to your dog? What happened to boundaries and rules??

You can't say the word "NO"? That's absurd. I am very pro positive training but when boundries need to be set they need to be set.

[TxDog]

No I'm not going to leave him outside at night. He will sleep in our room.

Actually there were two GSD in our class with our Min Pin who I have stayed friends with. The training they provided had the same effect on their GSD as it did on my Min Pin. Both are very well behaved. It helped socialize the dogs to both humans & other dogs as well as teach basic commands. Another big thing they taught was positive reinforcement, they preached click method training but I didn't use it with my Min Pin. To do anything he has to follow a command. Sit before his leash goes on, sit before getting food, speaking before getting a treat, etc.

We have had Shiner for less than a year. He went from a very scared unsure dog to a super obeient social dog and I attribute quite a bit of that to the training sessions there and the info they provided.

[luv4gsds]

I know this is an old thread but I have to chime in.

GSD's are not aggresive breed. And they do get along fine with other animals and children. If anybody wants to know more just let me know. I own four did own six but that is another story. Two DDR lines (east german shepherd) and one showline (american) and the other one showline/working line (american and german).

[mom4rudy]

I know this is an old thread but I have to chime in.

GSD's are not aggresive breed. And they do get along fine with other animals and children. If anybody wants to know more just let me know. I own four did own six but that is another story. Two DDR lines (east german shepherd) and one showline (american) and the other one showline/working line (american and german).





I totally agree with the fact the GSD'S are not naturally agressive they are protective over thier families and loved ones. I have been raised with GSD's all my life and NEVER have I had one attack or become agressive with someone who didn't deserve it. I have only had one experience with that, and that was with Cain our white one that we rescued. The man was talking mouthy to me and Cain put himself between me and the man and never lost control, stood his ground and let him know that he best stay at a distance. I have to say I was scared, because nothing like this had ever come up and it was also an eye opener of how loyal and thankful he is that we took him in and gave him what he needed to start living again. The best thing is he never lost control of the situation and just maintained his defensive stance.