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The doghouse

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Original poster

Aggressive German Shepherds

71 replies

anon135 · 22/05/2018 20:09

Just need a rant really.

I own a golden retriever and he's the most placid dog, very friendly with all other dogs. He's normally off lead and heels very well. Obviously when there are other dogs on leads i am responsible and don't let him approach them in case the owner doesn't want him to.

I don't know why, but i find the majority of GSDs we come into contact with are quite aggressive and want to intimidate my dog when they go past. I have one woman in particular with a GSD that we have passed twice in 2 days. Each time her dog has been off lead and will chase my dog snarling, while mine backs off as much as possible feeling scared. Both times the woman feebly shouts at her dog, while not doing much about it and then apologises afterwards. She obviously knows her dog is aggressive, so why have him off the lead around other dogs! I find it so irresponsible. If she doesn't want to discipline him then she could at least muzzle him and eliminate the potential for damage.

Maybe i am generalising, but in my experience i find the majority of GSD owners to have very poor control over their dogs. They are a dominant breed and require an experienced handler, and i find most people fail at owning these dogs. They are not exactly chosen by the police for their submissive, passive nature!

I just wish people would do a bit more research on temperament before choosing a breed. The very reason i chose a golden retriever is that he was my first dog and i wanted a passive, friendly breed that i could control. I feel that most people get GSDs because they 'look cool' and are a status dog, as opposed to acknowledging the personality of one.

Sorry if i've offended any good GSD owners, i'm sure there must be some good ones somewhere! I just needed to get it off my chest.

OP posts:

Greyhorses · 24/05/2018 08:32

Wolfie mine would probably love yours too!

They are very overfriendly as in they dive in to play with other dogs in the most over enthusiastic manner possible and usually terrify dog and owner in the process...hence why they tend to just play with eachother now!

basquiatfan · 24/05/2018 09:23

Very much agree with being over friendly and over enthusiastic. I have an extremely friendly and sociable GSD who loves to play with other dogs. Apart from a few people who understand her I have to keep away from other dogs because their owners become hysterical if she goes near them.

TopBitchoftheWitches · 24/05/2018 09:34

I have a 10 yr old German shepherd. I know her behaviour. I therefore do not let her off lead to approach other dogs. This doesn't stop idiot other owners (of various breeds) allowing their dog to approach her on lead. This situation is usually ok but sometimes not.

Her purpose in her mind is to protect me and my children. Which is nice

She is an amazing, intelligent dog who is soft as shite with her family, has never even growled at a person.

Very, very clever dogs which is why they are used by various services.

RedDwarves · 24/05/2018 09:40

I've never had a bad experience with a GSD, but a Newfoundland killed one of my dogs several years ago, and my best friend had one which ripped out the throat of their other dog and nearly decapitated him, so I will never, ever trust one as long as I live.

But people never seem to mention them when "vicious" dogs are mentioned.

Equally, I have had a JRT who could be snappy. They are notorious. I've had several negative experiences with dachshunds and corgis too. I respect that they're all individuals, but I don't like them, honestly.

OneWouldHopeSo · 24/05/2018 10:13

Isn't the issue that German Shepherds have a very short socialisation period and therefore need to have breeders/owners knowing what they are doing?

FoxesAreFabulous · 24/05/2018 10:31

OP I think you are in danger of demonising a breed that people are already wary of, as some GSD owners on here have confirmed. I love the breed and have found the majority I have met to be bright, loyal and friendly. I do think though that there are owners who have bitten off more than they can chew with this breed and don't manage them well - there is a family with young children who live near us, their Shepherd boy is fabulous with the kids but the owners let him run up to people in the park and jump up at them. I know the dog and know he is being friendly but I still don't appreciate it when I get muddy paws on my clothes - and for people who don't know him or are scared of big dogs, it must be terrifying.
I do agree that smaller dogs can be snappier than big ones - our mini poodle boy is scared of certain breeds of bigger dogs, despite never having had any problems with them, and we certainly do not think it's ok for him to bark and snarl at other dogs, just because he is small and can't do much harm. We spend a lot of time and effort working on this as frankly, it's embarrassing!! The dogs that seem to set him off are GSDs, staffies and staff crosses, husky-type dogs and bulldogs - it's particularly mortifying for us with staffies as we've fostered a few and love bull breeds, although clearly our furry little git doesn't

Wolfiefan · 24/05/2018 10:33

@Greyhorses. They sound great. Just what Wolfiepup likes best. Playtime.
I have to say "steady" as she approaches new dogs. Her first impulse is to bounce in. Which is rude and scary for dogs that don't know her.

JaimeLannister · 24/05/2018 10:45

The very reason i chose a golden retriever is that he was my first dog and i wanted a passive, friendly breed that i could control. I feel that most people get GSDs because they 'look cool' and are a status dog, as opposed to acknowledging the personality of one.

What about someone like me who had both breeds and intend to own both again in the future?

turtletime · 24/05/2018 11:30

I have the most gentle GSD who has never displayed a hint of aggressiveness, his manners are often complimented in fact. Actually, I think other "family friendly" breeds get away with a lot more as their behaviours are often dismissed as them being "boisterous" or "excited". Also, I think it's a self-fulfilling prophecy, some owners assume my dog is aggressive so start pulling their dog away and I can see how that could lead to things ramping up.

turtletime · 24/05/2018 11:33

Also, my dog gets barked at a fair amount (my boy will just look at them blankly, no reaction whatsoever) and we simply get told "my dog has a problem with GSD's"

turtletime · 24/05/2018 11:43

"They are a dominant breed"/"a passive, friendly breed"- you know that's nonsense, right?

mustbemad17 · 24/05/2018 13:17

Thank you to everyone who owns a GSD on a whim cos they like the 'status' - might take the heat off us staffie owners for a while 🤔

LimeJellyHead · 27/05/2018 18:17

Our 2 year old GSD is as soft as butter. She lets our little terrier boss her around something chronic but she does it with such a good nature. She really doesn't care. He's top dog and she gets it and is respectful of the little pipsqueak. She is very gentle with all other dogs she meets. But GSDs can be excitable and quite loud, shouty dogs and because their bark sounds so formidable, it can be scary to people. I feel sad when our GSD does all that shouting and gets such dreadful looks. She's just happy but it sounds like she is cross or something. I can see that but she is just noisy. She quite literally would not hurt a fly. I say this a life-long terrier owner. They are the ones to watch... feisty little things that they are

LimeJellyHead · 27/05/2018 18:19

PS I definitely did not get a GSD as a status dog. I got her because she has three legs after being mistreated by her previous owner, was in a rescue in Malta and had zero chance of ever finding a home.

LimeJellyHead · 27/05/2018 18:20

My big softie

Wolfiefan · 27/05/2018 18:21

Bless that girl!

Chocolatedeficitdisorder · 27/05/2018 18:31

I adopted a rescue GSD girl a few years ago. She was 11.5yrs old and had belonged to an elderly couple who couldn't keep her. I had her for 14 months but she developed CDRM which resulted in her being PTS. She had a good life with us and we enjoyed having her.

But...it wasn't always an easy ride. She loved people and bonded to my family very, very quickly. She had to be near one of us all at all times and was soft and friendly with visitors. There were absolutely no issues with her 'people skills'.

Her dog skills were very different unfortunately. She may have been old, but she was very large and very strong and at the first sight of another dog she would pull violently and bark at it. If she was offlead (we live rurally and can walk in quiet areas) and we came across another dog she would rush at it madly and do...nothing. It appears that it was all hot air and bluster and designed to frighten any approaching 'wolves'.

Despite knowing that she was perfectly harmless, I was very aware that she looked and behaved in a very threatening manner. We found some very quiet places for her to have her walks offlead, and her mobility decreased pretty rapidly anyway so it wasn't an issue for too long.

It was a lovely experience having her here, she was a very affectionate big bear of a girl, but if I was to have another I would put a great deal of work into socialising a GSD pup. They're big dogs to handle if you're not in control.

I have two collies now - life is much easier as they just pointedly ignore other dogs.

PennyPickle · 27/05/2018 18:55

I don't like judging a dog on breed but i feel like i have to when i see one getting close now.

Aggressive dogs come in all breeds and sizes. I have found the most aggressive dogs to be the smaller breeds. If a dog is aggressive blame the owner. It's not the dogs fault it's owner is a twat!

Robin233 · 27/05/2018 20:01

LimeJellyHead
Bless you - she's a beaut lol

Lougle · 27/05/2018 21:35

Sooo.... What would you do when you see me, with my dog, my GSD X Retriever? Would you cross the road, because he's a GSD, or keep on walking because he's a Retriever? Would his blonde paws, broad nose and floppy ears make him less threatening to you? Or would his tan shoulders and black back remind you of his true GSD roots?

He does like to mark his place about 5 paces in front of me, tediously, and sheepishly returns behind me whenever I stop, but he waits marvellously with endless patience if I'm standing still. He is loyal to a fault and wants to be with his family wherever they are.

His biggest flaw is that he barks for the ice-cream van although the ice-cream lady does give us his very own 50p cone when we buy our ice-creams, which he's always very grateful for, so it reinforces his behaviour .

PurpleTango · 27/05/2018 22:09

Most people seem to be very defensive of their rude dogs. Nothing to do with them of course! Their cop out is that Their dog was "rescued" ... Not a great advert to rescue a dog tbh.

These are the people who are cynical of people who train service dogs. There we go. It takes all sorts.

Give me a trained, sociable dog any day. If your dog is aggressive around other dogs the least you can do is keep it leashed. That's generic OP not aimed at you. I'm totally fed up with trying to train puppies when other dog owners can't control their dogs. This is becoming an increasing problem. There is nothing funny or cute with another dog sticking it's nose in a puppy nose who is in training to pass people and other dogs, despite the "Dog in training" yellow coat.

These owners are the reason why it takes so long to train service dogs.

It's great they have rehomed a reactive dog. But don't make it my problem!

I can't count the times I have had to cease training whilst waiting for owners to come and collect their dogs who have no recall! 😡 The immediate response always seems to be... "Sorry! He is a rescue dog".

That don't impress me much!

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