German Shephard- Family Dog??!

I think I may be late in answering, but just wanted to share that as an only child, my best friend was my German Sheppard, he was the best dog ever!!! and even though he was extremely gentle, no one could get close to me without him jumping in between us. He pretty much trained himself and loved playing with any kid willing to throw him a ball, yet his presence was protection enough because he looked so fierce but he wasn't an aggressive animal at all. In my book, there's no better dog than a German Sheppard.

My husband begged for one but I said no way because I would be doing the bulk of the work. They shed a lot, need a lot of attention & training, too overprotective for my liking. We ended up getting a golden doodle. Best decision ever. No shedding, super cute so not intimidating to people, no drooling, doesn't bark much. He's 75 pounds, never chewed anything, best temperament, great family dog. If we get a 2nd dog we will get the same breed or even a mini golden doodle. Good luck.

We got a lab/shepherd mix at xmas time. He is super! he has the friendly sweetness of a lab but the smarts of a shepherd. This dog is the PERFECT family dog. We are so happy we went with this mix breed choice. We will be about 40-50 lbs, so not too big either.

When considering different breeds of dogs, you have to remember what their original purpose was. There are big dogs, small dogs & medium dogs, but size does not denote temperament, or activity.

German Shepherds were bred to herd all day, & can have large demands on your time. They are known as a breed for having separation anxiety, and are generally not considered a good breed for first-time dog owners.

Labs & Retrievers are much more forgiving in the temperament, but as sporting dogs they were bred to be out in the field all day, & tend to not mature until they are at least 5 (kinda like having a toddler, but in dog form). Expect to spend a lot of time in keeping them active.

If you really like a larger breed, but are looking for something that is not as active, consider a working breed (such as Rottweiler, Great Dane, Newfoundland) or a sighthound breed (Greyhound, Rhodesian Ridgeback).

As far as your comment about whether a dog will scare people, it is my experience that people who are fearful of dogs will be fearful of all dogs, & those who aren't won't really care what is on the other end of your leash. Regardless of the dog you get, make sure to take the time to properly socialize & obedience train it. Make sure that you are a responsible owner when walking out in public, & take opportunities to educate people about your breed of dog.

Think about your family & what type of dog would work best for you. Then research a few breeds & contact breeders to meet their dogs & see if that breed would work well for your family. There are many options, from getting a puppy through a breeder, to getting a young adult or older dog through breed rescue. Good luck! T. :)

Umm.. well, we have one. She'll be 12 next month. We got her when our youngest was almost 3, and the oldest was almost 6. They all grew up together. :)

Like any dog, you have to train them. And like any dog, it is best if you find one whose personality fits with your ability and personalities. Some GSDs can be extremely dominant and it takes a strong person who understands (and can carry out) the alpha position to train them and manage them well. Others are not like that.

Also, they aren't necessarily any larger than the size you say you are ok with (labs/retrievers). They are not *supposed* to be bred to the size of 100 lb dogs. It's not the recognized AKC standard to do that. Females should more typically be around 65-75 lbs. Ours is just under 60 lbs. We made sure to search for a smaller line.

Inside the house isn't an issue regarding size. She is very quiet (unless there is a reason to alert us to something.. sometimes cats in the trees across the way, but more often it's UPS, or FedEx or the trash truck *stealing* our garbage/recycling).

They require regular exercise, and you are likely to have problems if you don't give him/her that. They are intelligent and will get bored if you don't exercise them and provide them with activity that stimulates them mentally. We like to hide things (toys/treats) and have ours go find them hidden in the house. It's good mental stimulation.

As far as neighbors being fearful? Not been a problem for us at all. The only problem we have ever had related to perceptions of her due to her breed was when we were in the construction phase building our home. We had to rent temporarily, and many places just will not lease to pet owners. And if they do, they won't lease to owners of pets over 25 lbs. And if they do, they exclude GSDs, Rottweilers, Pits, Dobermans and other dogs perceived to be dangerous. We were lucky and found a privately owned situation with owners who loved GSDs in particular.

Not sure what else you want to know, except that they are known as German Shedders for a reason. :P

OH, and we LOVE her! LOVE LOVE LOVE. Will never choose another breed. Once she crosses the rainbow bridge, I'm not sure we'll be up for the commitment of another any time soon. But if so, it's be another GSD. Or maybe a pair, so they will always have company if being pet sit or boarded? Ours is a member of the family, but traveling with her doesn't work so well for us (we visit family and they don't allow pets in the house). So we hire a sitter for her. She is extremely bonded to her pack (us) and misses us. It's not separation anxiety... she is fine being left alone. It's just she misses us and gets depressed. Having two might help alleviate that.
--ETA
Just read Angela's response.
Ours is like that, too. She wants to be where we are. She loves being outside, but only if we are there. She will go outside to do her business, but comes right back in, or lies on the porch. She doesn't roam or *prefer* to be outside. (Well, the few times a year we get cold weather she rather enjoys lying outside on the porch, the rest of the time--which is most of the time--she prefers inside with the a/c and no gnats.) Not having a large yard isn't a deal breaker. As long as you still provide exercise. Long walks and some time off-leash to run full out are good. That's the only yard issue I'd see. Ours loves frisbees and tennis balls. Throw them, and she runs to retrieve and go again. Over and over. You can't replicate that on a leash or a sidewalk.
Our GSD has never been randomly aggressive. She even gave up her bed to my nephew with Down's Syndrome and went somewhere else to lie down. She loves and worries over small children. The only person she was ever aggressive toward (and justifiable) was a worker I had in my home who gave her a bad vibe and tried to approach her (and by default my 5 year old daughter) so she growled and barked at him and sat on my feet right in front of my daughter, and a plumber who crossed the living room towards me without my ok. (He'd been going in/out to his work truck from the hallway with no issues until he varied from this and was coming across the room towards the kitchen where he hadn't previously been invited.) She jumped up between us and barked at him. He stopped. I told her it was ok and went over to the guy, and she was happy and friendly again. Every worker who has ever come into my home it's a similar story. As long as they stay where they are expected, she observes from a distance (in between them and me, usually) and is pleasant. Not necessarily allowing them to pet her, but not being rude, either. She follows my lead (as most GSDs will do, follow the lead of their alpha). If a guest is brought into our home, she meets them, observes them and typically responds in kind to how my husband and I regard them. If we give them a hug, they are golden. :)

We have had our GS (female) for 11 years. She is amazing with our family and with anyone who visits. We live on a farm, but she doesn't want to play outside. She only wants to be with her pack (us). If we are outside then she will go outside, but even then she stays right next to us. She will go outside alone to do her business, but then she wants right back in. She would be fine in a tiny yard, but I think that is just her personality. It probably wouldn't apply to most of her breed. She has always been exceptionally calm. She is extremely attached to all of us and hates it when we aren't all together. She will go from room to room checking on each of us, and if someone is away from the house (which is often the case), then she will also stop by the door to look outside checking to see if the person has returned. When we are all home and in the same room she is much more relaxed and will sleep at someone's feet. She is a wonderful family pet! We will likely always have German Shepherds for pets.

German Sharherds are working dogs so it is going to take a lot of effort and work on your part. That's not realistic that you just don't feel like getting him out for exercise. A puppy with special breeding doesn't make since as you know nothing about training.

My German Shepard had been in four previous homes in two years before we adopted her from the shelter. All she needed was love and training. She's on the fairly small side (about 75 pounds) and loves my 9 pound mutt and my 3 kitties.

I would avoid a little puppy with your lack of experience. Plan on training and a ton of exercise (really!!!). That aside mine is so loyal and a great gal!

Just like people dogs come in all different personalities. It will be the same within a breed. Looking at German Shephards you may get one that is dominant and can be on the aggressive side. Or you can get one that is loyal and mellow. You actually can tell a lot about the personality of a dog when you meet them as a puppy. Spend plenty of time with the dog before you decide. Then make sure to do a series of training classes. You can also get them on the bigger side or on the smaller side. My grandfather used to raise German Shephards. They had some most wonderful dogs that my mom still talks about.

I had a shepherd when I was young and he was very friendly and calm. They are imposing if in protective mode and very strong. Early training is essential. I had a lab as well, and I found him less behaved, like jumping on people, even though sweet and loving. Goldens need attention when they are young because for the first couple of years they are very energetic and puppy like and can be high maintenance. All were good dogs, but big dogs, and do need consistent and early training. If you have a small home and yard, I would, as someone else mentioned, get a smaller dog. Big dogs need a lot of room and space to run. Also factor in your kids are still young and will not be able to go out and walk big dogs for quite a while until they can handle their size and strength.

I grew up with a GS as a family dog. Extremely loyal dogs and will protect your family! I even thought about getting one for our own family, but I didn't. My reasoning was that my experience with one growing up was how protective he was of us kids. My own kids get pretty roughhousey and roughhouse outside with neighbor kids. I felt that it would be extremely stressful for a dog to not know when to "protect" and when not to. It might also lead to a situation where my dog hurt someone because it didn't know the difference between playing around and real danger.

I may get a GS again after the kids leave home and it is just hubby and I. I do think they are an awesome breed!

Good luck!

Our GSD girl is about to turn five this year. We adore her! She is super with kids. Very sweet personality. I never thought we'd get such a big dog, but the opportunity came our way when she was a puppy. I did a lot of research and found this breed is rated highly for families.

Downside: People tend to be afraid of them, even if they're super friendly. They also shed like crazy. Need daily walks.

Upside: Great family dog, very loyal. Ours doesn't run off; sticks right with us. Everyone who gets to know her loves her. Extremely smart.

Definitely work with a rescue group or breeder who can place the right dog with your family. This is true with any breed. We were initially ready to adopt our dog's brother, but were told he was the right temperament to become a police dog, not a family dog.

I have never had a German shepherd before but I do have a golden retriever. I really don't see how a lab or golden is any bigger than GS my golden is a little over 100lbs. He is really smart, sweet, loves people, just a really well behaved dog. And he is beautiful too. He does shed a lot though, my car and the floor always seems to have dog hair and he eats a lot, his medicine costs more, and he has lots of energy. None of those things are his fault but it is something to consider. We really love him. We have always spent lots of time with him, take him with us wherever dogs can go, walk him. I think if you socialize him/her with lots of people and other dogs and put a lot of time into them whichever breed you pick will turn out great. We also got him fixed and that really helps with calming them down.

It's not fair to a big dog to keep him in a small house/yard.

My dad has had shepherds for a number of years now, usually two at a time. He has a very large property and they are able to run free on it. Even so, they require a ton of interaction, especially one male and one female he had - lots and lots of frisbee and ball playing. I've found the smarter they are, the more attention they require.

They are beautiful animals, very loyal and intelligent, and my son loves them. However, not sure if they're right for a small house/small yard. And you never really know what type of personality you'll get (true of any dog, I suppose). One of his females could be quite jealous.

They also have a variety of health issues. He's had to put down two due to hip dysplasia (sp?)and his most recent had to be put down at only five years old because of hip issues aggravated by a tick bite. I haven't even told my son that yet - he is going to be so upset to hear his summertime buddy has passed. Ugh.

My dad does have an Alsatian currently. She is very sweet-tempered and healthy and doesn't seem to require quite the activity level as the regular shepherds do - you might want to look into that variety of German Shepherd if your husband has his heart set on one. But I tend to agree with other posters here - it might not be the greatest breed for a first dog.

Hi E.,

I don't have a dog, my husband put that on his list of deal breakers long long long ago. But I had a professor in my grad program that used to shelter former police dogs once they retired from the Detroit Police Department. She would have up to 8 at time and took very good care of them during their elderly years. She absolutely loved the breed and spoke often about how loyal and smart they are. If you start with a puppy, it's like anything else, nature and nurture. In my opinion if you nurture properly, the dog may grow up to be an excellent addition to your family. Has your DH said why he feels so strongly about this breed? I guess I would close with this::you can't research this enough, talk to vets, talk to breeders, talk to owners like you've done with this. Ultimately, this will be a family decision because he/she will be a family dog. :-) S.

We have had german shepherds in the past and presently have one. They are very loving, protective dogs. They will want to be with you because you are part of the pack - so plan on plenty of attention. As for people being scared - I've had tons of people approach me and want to pet my dogs, so they must not be that scary. Do make sure you get one from a reputable breeder - as with any dog, a dog from a puppy mill can come with lots of physical and mental baggage.

Well they are big. My friend has one. She has a large house, but small rooms. The dog is big. Even though trained, she can reach counters, etc.

Exercise would be my big concern. It's not fair to have one if you're not going to put considerable time into exercising them. They need a lot of regular exercise. My friend spends $25 a day for doggie daycare when she's too busy to take hers out for significant walks.

If she gets loose (they have a fence) she does freak out people on the street.

She has a nuzzle - I'm not sure why (she's very gentle). I would think she'd be very strong for kids to walk.

My friend's dog is lovely and gentle and very protective of the kids.

I have owned two German Shepherds and a Shepherd/Akita cross. GSDs are my favorite dogs. They are smart and great with kids and just good family dogs. Ours have been wonderful, funny, sweet, loyal, beautiful dogs and I would get another GSD in a heartbeat.

That said, maybe a GSD is not the right choice for your family. They need space, lots of exercise and plenty of mental stimulation. If those are not things you can provide then getting a Shepherd is probably not a great idea. A bored Shepherd, who is not getting enough attention/exercise etc. can become a nightmare. They are working dogs and they don't always do well with not having a "job".

German shepherds can be about the same size as a lab or golden retriever.
I've known a few German shepherds and they were big friendly dogs - totally lovable!
If your small house is a concern - just don't get a big dog - you don't want a large animal cramped for space.
Maybe you can find a miniature German shepherd.

our neighbors and my younger's best friend had a big shepherd when they were little fellows growing up together. enzo was very, very protective of his family, which is overall a good thing, it just meant that II had to be careful when approaching him. he accepted my kids as 'his' without much fuss at all.
yeah, they're big and imposing, and people who are nervous about dogs will be a little eeky around them. that's okay, though, right? i mean, you're not getting a dog to make other people happy, and it's not really the end of the world if you walk a dog around the neighborhood on a leash and people are respectful of him. 'imposing' is in the eye of the beholder. as someone who IS leery about other people's big dogs, i'm no more likely to be wary around a shepherd than i am a lab or a retriever. it's more about the training and attitude of the owner than the breed. i've known an awful lot of obnoxious labs. people seem to think that a 'family-friendly' breed doesn't require training or discipline.
if you're already thinking about a dog as big as a lab, i'd say make your husband happy and get a shepherd.
better yet, go the pound and find just the right fellow for your family and rescue him.
khairete
S.

This is a working dog - it's not a sit-around-and-get-patted type of dog. A friend of mine who is a dog trainer for assistance animals always wanted a GS, and even she found that after a year or so, the adult dog needed to be in a different situation. The dog is now doing police work and has blossomed. Your 6 year old will not be able to walk this dog, and you will have all the work (unless your husband is planning to work part time and exercise/train it).

I would worry less about what other people say. People have their prejudices about dog breeds, and that, by itself, is not a reason to avoid dogs like GS, dobermans, pit bulls, etc. But your home doesn't sound suited to this type of breed.

Golden retrievers are wonderful dogs but they are also big, and can easily drag a 6 year old down the street! If you don't want a big GS in your house, you don't want a big golden retriever or lab either. And you will be vacuuming a LOT if you get any kind of long-haired breed.

May I suggest that you go down to your local humane society? Find one that has a good history on the dogs they care for and put up for adoption. (We filled out a 6 page application for ours - makes you think about all the issues you need to consider!) Let them help you find a dog that matches your home, yard, life style and so on - not just in terms of breed, but in terms of the individual dog's personality. And DO consider a mixed breed - maybe you can find one with some shepherd in it to make your husband happy, and maybe you can find one that's smaller and to your taste. And you'll be rescuing a dog, even a young one, which is a real feel-good experience. Go down, visit with some dogs, talk to the volunteers, and don't decide on a specific dog on that day. Go home, think it through, and then go back to get the dog you want.

I can only give you golden retriever experience. I have a 3 yr old male-- and he is the sweetest, kindest, most people-pleasing dog I have ever owned. And I have had dogs in my life since I was a baby.

If you do get a German shepherd, or any dog, make sure you get him into puppy class and then obedience class right away. You want him socialized with other dogs and people and to teach him that you are alpha, from the start.

Hi there,
Just to clarify I've never personally owned a purebred German Shepherd but I've had a half breed and a lot of my friends have them. They are wonderful dogs! But a lot of themoney do require "special training" which is either extremely time consuming for the owner or can get very costly (or both) They have an intimidating look to them plus they are top dog for the K9 units so I think people see that trained aggression (with the cop dogs) and it tends to make them fearful of the breed. My uncle had one when worked the k9 unit and I loved that thing so much growing up. They are very smart but require lots of patience, time, and attention when younger and they tend to be a bit over protective so socializing is 100% key. But once you have it down you can teach them anything. Most dogs are like that though. Golden retrievers thpugh, they are absolutely amazing as well. They know exactly when to be aggressive and when to be loving and cuddly...and they are a mid size dog so they should do pretty good in smaller quarters as long as they get their excercise. I hope this helps. Good luck and congrats when you get the new addition

Well, a lab doesn't have long hair like the retriever would but they're about the same size overall...not a significant amount of size difference to me.

We have a small house and a huge chocolate lab. We got him from a shelter when he was 7 months. He's 2 now and is still quite a handful. He has tons of energy. He's very sweet and loving which is his saving grace. I didn't know what I was getting in to. If I did, we never would have gotten him. I had always heard that labs were America's favorite breed, and great family dogs, but I had no idea that they eat absolutely everything, and they don't outgrow that. He has to be supervised 100% of the time or he's into something. So, give it a lot of thought.

If you want the size but more of a couch potato, lovey dovey family dog, look into the Chinook breed. They might be harder to get because they are rare, but there seem to be more breeders these days. Wonderful dogs, amazing with kids, and have german shepherd in their lineage. They have a similar look in a way, but definitely friendly looking than shepherds. Ours was very happy just hanging with the family and doing what we do. If we went hiking or out walking, she was happy to go with us. If we stayed in the house for days, again, happy to be with us. A large lap dog really.

I have had many dogs, including a German shepherd. If you do decide to get a GS, I recommend a female as she may be less aggressive. Also you could consider a rescue dog which you would be able to select based on personality. That's important around kids. You want a gentle dog that is not aggressive to others or to people (kids).
I have a rescue now that is the most gentle creature, a real joy. Also I would suggest training the dog formally. Bid dogs, including goldens, are a real handful and pain if not trained.
Personally I prefer smaller dogs now....so much easier to handle.! Rat terriers are gentle with kids but protective too. Good luck

No. You do not purposely put your family in harms way. These dogs can randomly be aggressive. So if you want a "family" dog, you get a calmer, friendlier, child safe dog. That's not to say a small dog can't bite but it is less risk. JMO. Good luck.