Thinking about getting your first German Shepherd Dog? Awesome! But here are a few little things you might want to know before bringing home your new pup.
With so much information readily available on the internet and through various breed publications, I’ll just focus on telling you a few little tidbits that I’ve learned about these amazing dogs over the last forty five years.
German Shepherds are the second most popular breed in America. Originating from Germany in 1899, they were initially bred to herd and guard sheep. The popularity of the breed continued to grow and today they are used for military and police work, as well as serving as a fantastic family pet.
When Spring is in the air, the days are longer, the daffodils are blooming and the robins are singing, the German Shepherds are shedding!
So much so, that many German Shepherd owners refer to them as “German Shedders.”
Yep. They shed. Some worse than others. German Shedders have a dense outer coat and a thick undercoat. Which is great for keeping them warm in cold weather but can be a pain if you have white carpet like me.
They need a job. You will have to keep them active and focused on projects like training or playing games. It doesn’t have to be much, even just a few minutes a day several times a day will usually keep them occupied. They are a working breed and weren’t meant to sit in an apartment all day, staring out the window. That’s what Shih Tzus are for.
They are extremely loyal to their owners. They bond quickly with their human family and will usually grieve considerably if removed from the home. That’s why they are not used so much for service dogs anymore. Remember back in the day when you would see German Shepherds faithfully leading their vision-impaired owners, with the safety handle on their harness? Now Labradors and Golden Retrievers are typically used instead of Shepherds. Shepherds were bonding too closely with their training families, (families that raise the pups for up to a year before they are turned over to the service training facilities to begin their careers as guide dogs) and not adjusting well with their new owners.
It’s a well-known fact that German Shepherds are protective. They’re not trying to be mean. But they will let you know that you are being watched and evaluated as you approach their family. I have worked with five different trainers with my current Shepherd “Kiser” and all five said the same thing: “he has some protection in him”, meaning he won’t hesitate to protect me from harm. But he’s not stupid about it. In fact he has gotten high marks from all his trainers regarding his friendly personality. Just don’t mess with him or his family and all will be fine!
Obedience training is without question the most important thing you can do for your puppy. With the protective nature of this breed you will need to have control and authority over him. For his safety as well as others. Dogs that have been properly obedience trained, preferably with a skilled professional trainer experienced with the breed, will have more confidence in you as the owner and “leader of the pack”. Having control of your Shepherd when you have company over to your house, when you’re walking your dog down the street or going to the vet is imperative. Before you buy or adopt your first pup, research your community and find a dog trainer experienced with German Shepherds. Not all trainers know how to interact with these intelligent, brave and energetic pups.
I’ve personally owned five German Shepherds over the course of my lifetime. Each one had their own unique personalities. At age 10 my dad got me my first pup. I named her Lady Ginger Chumbly. Pure white and probably the most protective one I’ve had so far. She was my childhood playmate for eleven years. The mailman was scared to death of her. Next came Smoky, black with a splash of white on her chest. There must’ve been an “oops” moment in the kennel at some point for her to have white markings because Shepherds don’t typically have white in their color scheme. Best dog ever. She was “neutral” to everybody, including other dogs. She didn’t care who you were or what you wanted, just throw the dang ball. My third dog Justice was my “designer” dog. She was show quality but very nervous. I didn’t do any training with her hardly at all and it showed. But she loved her family and I still miss her. My current two Shepherds are my black and tan male Kiser and my black and silver female Lanier. Kiser is the super smart, well trained, protective dog that everybody wants. Lanier, not so much. But she didn’t get the training that she deserved because as a young puppy she was attacked by a stranger’s German Shepherd, who broke her leg in two places and broke her tail. She spent her entire first summer locked in a crate mending broken bones. Five thousand dollars later, her leg grew back crooked, ending her chances of being any kind of agility or field trial dog. The stranger’s German Shepherd who attacked her was the classic example of why you must spend time obedience training your dog with a professional dog trainer. But Lanier is an absolute love bug who worships her family, and that’s all I can ask of her.
So do your research, learn as much as you can about the breed before you bring one into your household. Remember, they are working dogs who were bred to protect and herd their family so they are exceptionally smart, energetic, strong and driven. As long as you work with them and not against them you will have an amazing dog who will love you and live to be by your side always.
For Trying Out Loud 