German Shepherds are devoted, loyal, hardworking dogs. They make excellent members of a family and can be trained as personal protection dogs.
If you’re thinking about adding a German Shepherd to your family, it’s important to know about this dedicated breed. If you’re not prepared, inviting this k9 into your life might be more than you can handle.
To ensure that doesn’t happen, here’s a breakdown of everything you need to know about German Shepherds.
They Have High Intelligence
German Shepherds are incredibly intelligent dogs. They can learn any command, trick, or behavior you desire to teach them. If sent to obedience school or protection dog training, they’ll return to you fully capable of obeying your every command and protecting your family as if their life depends upon it.
Trained German Shepherds are sensitive to routine and will know when you go to work when you come home when you take them for a walk and the time for dinner.
They’ll also be able to recognize friend from foe, and differentiate between random strangers passing by and those who might have more sinister reasons for being in the area.
Due to their intelligence, they need to be trained, taught, and worked. They come from a working breed and love to please. German Shepherds need a job to do. Without a role, they could get bored, and they’ll do what any bored dog does – get into trouble.
Training ensures that your dog will use their intelligence for something productive and constructive. Training is an absolute must for these smart K9s, so be sure you have a plan in place before you bring one home.
They Are High Energy
German Shepherds come from a working breed and, as a result, they need and love to work. They are often used as military dogs, police dogs, service dogs, and personal protection dogs. Each of these roles creates a space for them to use their incredible intelligence and high energy for something productive.
In the military, German Shepherds are used routinely to aid on patrol, sniff out bombs, and serve as protection for a unit. As a police dog, German Shepherds are taught to protect their handlers, take down a criminal, and sniff out drugs.
Service dogs are constantly on the watch and in use for their owners, no matter whether they are at home or out. In a personal protection role, they are trained to defend their owner and their family from any attackers. They will not only guard and defend, but will go on the attack if necessary.
As you can see:
These dogs thrive in high-intensity work environments and need to have a job. While you may not be training your German Shepherd to sniff out bombs or take down criminals, you will need to provide lots of activity.
This includes going on frequent walks, playing fetch, teaching them tricks for fun, putting them through agility courses, and ensuring they get plenty of exercise.
They Need Metal Stimulation
As mentioned above, German Shepherds are highly intelligent. Due to this fantastic trait, they also need plenty of mental stimulation. This comes in the form of regular training to obey commands you want them to learn, obedience classes, advanced classes, and plenty of jobs to do at home.
German Shepherds shouldn’t be left alone for too many hours during the day or left to their own devices while you are home. These dogs should not be ignored unless you want your dog to get into trouble for lack of something to do.
They Naturally Guard
The history of German Shepherds portray them natural guard dogs given their territorial nature and loyalty toward their “pack.” This is a useful trait that must be trained to be productive, or it could lead to aggressive behavior towards strangers and other dogs.
With proper socialization and training, these dogs are capable of going with you into public places for an enjoyable walk without any mishaps. Good behavior needs to be trained into your German Shepherd, and this includes training them on how to be a good guard dog.
Your dog won’t automatically know when and how to bark, how to deal with strangers who look different than the family you’re used to, or even how to defend you if they aren’t trained.
They are Loving
These dogs are a wonderful family breed due to their loyal, loving nature. While they will be aloof in public, when they’re home with their family, they will be lovable and playful around you and your children.
German Shepherds enjoy family bonding time when they feel safe and loved, and they’ll enjoy the extra attention and pats. They will always be nearby, no matter what you’re doing, because they love you just that much.
They’re Ideal for Experienced Dog Owners
Because German Shepherds need so much training and consistency, they require an owner who has a level of experience that matches their needs. First-time dog owners often don’t realize that their new K9 family member requires much more attention than they bargained for.
Seasoned dog owners, however, should have the knowledge base and experience to train a German Shepherd and incorporate it into the family as a productive and valued member.
If:
You’re set on a German Shepherd as your first dog, be sure to read up on each of the items mentioned in this article.
Set your dog up for success by enrolling them in obedience school and training courses right away. Learn from the instructor how you can continue their education at home, so they continue to be stimulated.
German Shepherds: A Fantastic Breed
German Shepherds are a wonderful, intelligent, hardworking breed that is highly intelligent and loves to work. It’s important that you give them a job to do and provide plenty of mental stimulation.
These dogs need to work and want to please, making them delightful to train. They are capable of nearly any task they are asked to perform and are incredibly loving around adults and children alike.
While they may not be ideal for first-time dog owners, with enough training, they can be excellent pets. Does a German Shepherd sound like the ideal K9 for your family?