German Shepard

[cactuslover1992]

Hi everyone

Myself , dp and dd have wanted a dog for a long time . We are moving house in a few months and I will be giving up a few hours a day work so will be home a lot more . We have decided on a long haired German Shepard male pup. I am just wondering if anyone who owns or have owned these breeds could tell me what I am letting myself in for ha ha ! Thankyou 😊

What is it that appeals to you about a German Shephard?

They can be quite hard work, especially if you've never owned a dog before. They need a lot of socialisation as puppies as they're not always very friendly towards strangers to the home. You also want to make sure both parents are healthy and have excellent hip and elbow scores as they're prone to dysplasia and other joint problems.

As a working breed they need a decent amount of exercise as well as mental stimulation everyday. They are prone to separation anxiety so it's worth considering a dog walker or daycare for the days you're not around - a big dog with separation anxiety can do a great deal of damage in a short space of time

All the ones I've met have been very attached to their owners and families but aloof with strangers (at best) and nervous at worst. There have been a few threads on here from novice owners who have struggled with theirs so it may be worth having a search and seeing if you can find them.

I'm not at all intending to put you off, but struggling with a big dog is a lot harder (and potentially a lot more dangerous) in comparison to a small dog. You'll need do be prepared to put loads of work in over the first few years, in my experience, or they can easily get bored and act out.

I have had 6 now, rescues and the odd one from a puppy and they have all been hard to an extent

They are loyal, loving and affectionate in my experience but I do think they need someone with a fair bit of experience in training dogs. They are needy, a little bit neurotic at times and live for their people. As a result they don’t tend to like being left alone and if they are they can find their own entertainment which often isn’t what you want! Personally I don’t leave mine for more than 4 hours or they start to become bored.

Exercise wise mine need about 2 hours a day. I don’t throw balls due to joints but I do give them toys and things at home to keep them busy.

The main issues I’ve had are around socialisation. Typically they don’t want to be everyone’s best friend and that’s just them, although I have had one or two super friendly ones generally they are quite aloof and can easily become reactive from bad experiences. Males also can go through a funny stage at maturity in which they can become dominant and a bit reactive and it’s important to train through this bit.
They will also ‘protect’ you from strangers or other dogs if they think you need it so it’s important to teach them from day 1 which behaviour you expect.
I take mine to training every week without fail, even the older ones not just puppies. I think it’s very important to keep on top of it.

They are generally a vocal breed and do bark a fair bit. They also shed ALOT. All year round. Mine have never been mud monsters though thankfully. I brush a long coat once a week and that keeps on top of it.

Mine have all been brilliant with children but most of them are quite herdy and will chase cats and small animals if they get the chance. They also have a tendency to loose it if the small child goes out of sight on a walk as they need to get it back to the group ASAP!

They are prone to many health issues. I wouldn’t touch one that’s not hip and elbow scored at the very least. I would also want DNA testing for CDRM as that’s an awful preventative disease. Epilepsy is common in some lines too so do your research.
Other things they are prone to are food allergies and skin allergies so I would suggest a good insurance policy.

Generally though they are lovely family
dogs but just not for the faint hearted. As long as you understand you are not getting a Labrador or a retriever temperament and you can’t expect it to behave like one then you should be okay. I’ve met so many aggressive and reactive ones that people have not had a clue what they are taking on, it’s generally genetic so check the lines and parents out very very carefully. If the bitch looks nervous in any way run in the furthest away direction you can!!!

Personally I’ve moved onto an easier breed but I still have one GSD who is lovely but is harder than all of the rest of my dogs put together!!

I think they are lovely but not the easiest breed, especially for an inexperienced owner and a big dog to have around younger dc. They are also prone to health issues, especially around their pelvis and back legs.
A vet friend of mine says dealing with them can be hard as they don’t always show the signs before they behave aggressively, she says they can go from relaxed and happy to full on in an instant whereas other breeds are easy to read.
Beautiful dogs though, especially the long haired ones

They are very badly bred now, nothing like the original dog.
Not in temperament nor health nor looks/confirmation.
Almost all of the ones I’ve met have been very anxious/neurotic and aggressive dogs.

A GSD is not really your "starter dog" tbh, you need to be able to get into their heads. Temperament can vary from totally aloof, to velcro dog, bossy, sensible and strong willed to needy, crazy and more fragile than fine crystal
All can be put down to typical shepherd traits.

I would also advise against a GSD unless there is to be someone at home with the dog as much as possible all the time ....they can spring into separation related behaviours as soon as look at them

They need to be socialised within an inch of their lives and then will probably still end up with "ishooooos".

We are in the process of adopting one...after having already had two and swearing not to have anymore because your heart will be broken into pieces when they die.

This one has separation issues, and OH MY GOD the supervision from this dog...I have not had a pee alone since October. :o He is having a fabulous lockdown with his people never going anywhere at all.
He laid on the sofa and stayed there while I went to the kitchen (two rooms away) to make a cup of tea the other week....I texted the entire family to celebrate and let them know how brave he had been

and the fluff...it's everywhere, all the time, FOREVER, on your clothes, in your food, under all your furniture, in your mouth, EVERYWHERE FOREVER

hah... @Leonberger I forgot about the children

our first one used to supervise the children constantly because yaknow... I was obviously a total incompetent. He once dragged dd out of the water when she was snorkelling. He tried to repeat this behaviour with complete strangers, and had to be kept on the lead as he disapproved of their disregard for safety.
He laid down and howled and howled once when they hid from him in a field full of haybales.
And once after the school holidays filled with long family beach walks, dh and I were with him at the beach and he had forgotten the children were at school and was scanning the horizon for little people to round up.
He would also lie against the sitting room door so that no one could leave without him knowing, once they were bigger and scattered about the house he would settle in the hall or on the landing so he would still know all the things.

The other one was not bothered about them, he was a one woman dog!

@LaurieSchafferIsAllBitterNow my current (and probably final!) GSD is a screamer. Screams if the children go out of sight which is great if your somewhere public and people look at you like you own a rabid beast

At home she’s lovely but bossy. She’s also not great with strange dogs running up to her and will tell them off very firmly.

I really don’t think they are a good choice for someone as a first dog, they do need strong consistent handling and someone with lots of time for training and stimulation or you just end up with a massive 10-12 year problem

A GSD is not really your "starter dog" tbh, you need to be able to get into their heads.

This in spades. I grew up with one and now have a lab/shepherd cross. I can identify all the shepherd traits in her - highly strung, very needy, mega intelligent (which equates to requiring lots of mental stimulation and games), prey focused (if she catches a whiff of a rabbit, deer etc she's off and nothing will stop her - unlike a pure Labrador which would screech to a halt as soon as you said 'biscuit?'.

Walks with her are quite stressful because of this - constantly watching her and horizon-scanning if she's off lead. And, as the pp said, trying to get into her head. I'd say she's been harder work than all the labs we've had put together.

I see dogs when they have problems and are hard to live with.

In the last two years I have seen 13 GSD.

9 of them showed aggression to dogs and 11 of them showed aggression to humans.

6 of them also had extreme separation anxiety and noise phobias.

Dont think this will not happen to you because it was not the owners fault (they were amazing owners who had had to change their whole lifestyle for the dogs) but down to very poor breeding and pain in the dog again caused by poor breeding.

The owners by the time I see them are at their wits end and have spent hundreds of pounds and hours of their time trying to train and help their dogs.

The health and behavioural issues are real.

Two dogs I would never recommend to a "normal" family are GSD and Malionois (although for different reasons)

We have owned and fostered German Shepherds and I can only agree with everything that has been said by others. Ours have always rounded up our children ( the clue is in the name --- Shepherd!) They are extremely intelligent and very loyal. Need lots of exercise and brushing every day. Invest in a good hoover!!! You need to be the boss from day one. They are not the easiest dog for novice dog owners, but if you do the work, go to training classes and and are consistent with the boundaries you set, you will reap the rewards . Mind you I am biased because I love the breed.

When I say "normal family" I am not meaning GSD owners are not normal

I mean dog orientated experienced homes versus home that has a dog in it.

I am not a normal family!

I am not normal

I must admit we’ve switched from GSD now.

Too hard to find a good breeder. Temperaments have declined.
People are breeding serious working dogs for families rather than confident pets.
The vast majority are weak nerved and past off as ‘protective’ when in reality they are nervous wrecks.
Health problems have also become a massive issue.

I spent a long time finding my last puppy. Checked all of the tests and temperaments of lots of related dogs. My lovely girl is so sweet and non aggressive but the compromise has been a level of neurotic excitable behaviour that is hard to keep on top of and has sort of sealed the deal for me.

People are breeding serious working dogs for families rather than confident pets
I disagree.
I knew of a lady who had worked with security dogs all her life, including breeding for that sector and she had lost all patience with GSD, said they no longer had the correct temperament for working (weak nerves) had largely been replaced with Malinois/Dutch

The vast majority are weak nerved and past off as ‘protective’ when in reality they are nervous wrecks.
Health problems have also become a massive issue
This, 100%
I’ve encountered hardly any GSDs who haven’t been nervous aggressive wrecks.

From what I have heard, GSD have become notorious for poor temperaments and weak nerves, though TBF there is a GSD near us who has a pretty stable temperament.. But OMG the conformation: why anyone would breed a dog into that shape I do not understand.

I agree with every word said here so far , i am a vet nurse with many years experience , i would say they are very high on the vet list of difficult to handle breeds , they are often nervous , highly strung and anxious which results in aggression.
Even owners who do all the right things with socialisation , training etc often end up with a hard to handle dog.
That said they are often loyal and very protective of their family , despite the anxiety ,we see the odd stoic , gentle soul but sadly they are few and far between, they are a breed that the cons far outweigh the pros.

Our neighbours have one and i agree with all previous posts. The poor thing just never seems relaxed doesn't get on with any other dogs or people. They love the dog dearly but it hasn't been a dog owning experience for the feint hearted.

I've had them for the past 30 years and currently have a 22 month old long coat bitch.

I think they're a fantastic breed, incredibly loyal to their family and highly intelligent, they do need to be well socialised and trained but are quick learners.

Health wise I have lost a couple to cancer over the years and they've lived to between 10 and 16 years, none of them have had joint problems but be prepared to be told hundreds of times while out walking that "they go off their legs", "I was bitten by an alsatian" and "We/my friend used to have a German shepherd, it was bigger than yours"

They can be vocal towards other dogs, mine have all been fine but they've been socialised daily around from an early age, you get out what you put in.

I've also had a collie, Lurcher, Jack Russell and heinz 57 and they were all much harder work than the shepherds and nowhere near as loyal.

I agree with everything above. I grew up with GSDs. Our first died of cancer aged 5, and the other was about 6. The most loyal loving dogs ever to me as a child.
We just got a 5 year old rescue GSD last August. She’s beautiful, loving, and so loyal already....but sheds everywhere, barks louder than I’ve ever heard before, hates other dogs (fear based) and has a skin condition that costs 120 per month in medication. Her back legs are splayed and she will end up needing treatment in future.
She’s very intelligent and loves to play, to sniff for hours on walks etc. My parents have made an effort to see her regularly and she loves them too. My dad rang our doorbell last week...she hurtled towards the door barking like a hellhound. As soon as she saw him through the glass she whirled around, grabbed her tug rope and wagged her tail for him.

They are the best dogs, but you have to know what you’re doing.

We're on our 2nd working line GSD.

Our first one was very aloof and so laid back he was practically horizontal.He adored our tiny mongrel and got on really well with our Rottweiler.He was great with the kids.He sadly developed premature arthritis and died aged 6 suddenly from colonic torsion;a danger with deep chested dogs.He shedded like mad and he was semi longhaired.

Our current GSD is has a extremely high drive,he's needy,neurotic and interested in no one but my DH;he's completely obsessed by him and screams when he walks in the door because he's desperate to get at him.He doesn't get on with the Rottweiler;he tries to dominate him but ironically loves the cat (especially the cat) and the little dog and is very gentle with them.

They need tons of stimulation and I definitely wouldn't recommend one unless someone is home most of the day.

Thankyou all for your comments I really I appreciate every single one . I have now been put off 😂😂😂 I honestly didn't realise how hard work they were ! We are now thinking of a golden retriever 😬 can anyone give me some advise about this breed please . Thankyou

Oh, goldens are lovely. They can be stubborn and a bit ditsy, but I have never known a nasty one. Very, very different from GSDs. There is a show/working split but working ones are not particularly common.

Just check the hip score of the parent dogs. Low (total of about 12 or less) is good.

@cactuslover1992 Goldies are mud monsters. Prepare to replace any carpet with hard floor and any fabric sofas with leather!

PPs please post photos of your GSD, I adore them (after Labradors!)

I much prefer the working lines personally, in temperament and looks.
The ones I’ve met have all been calmer and more ‘level headed’, but that equally could be down to their owners being more experienced/training them better.

I haven’t come across any goldens, of working line or of show line, that were aggressive to dogs or people (the same cannot be said for labradors!) but I do know that resource guarding is a known and severe issue in some lines of golden retriever (and cocker/springer spaniel) so that is something to be aware of.
ASFAIK, it’s more common in the show lines.

I believe they are quite prone to cancer too, but then so are GSDs.

Goldies are lovely dogs as a general rule - absolute muck monsters though and they do shed a lot

Resource guarding is a known issue in some lines BUT saying that I've never once met one that wasn't absolutely lovely. As long as you do your research you should be absolutely fine.

Worth thinking about whether you want a show or working line one too.

When I was about 6, my brother 4 and I went to stay at my Grandparents house in another town. My Uncle and Aunt, their baby and gorgeous retired Police Alsatian were also houseguests. Uncle and Aunt invited to an adults only wedding, so grandparents left in charge of the kids and dog. Dog had other ideas. She wouldn't let anyone near the baby. She was aloof and Polite until anyone tried to touch baby to feed or change him. She then made it clear, very calmly, that this would not be tolerated. Grandad ended up driving to the Wedding venue (no mobis in those days) and bringing them back.