German Shepherds

Depends on who you buy from. A good breeder will produce solid, sound dogs. They are very loyal to their person or family, usually aloof toward strangers. They shed - a lot, so proper grooming is required at least weekly. My boy has a pretty good off switch, but still requires a decent amount of exercise.
 
They will also reflect the one they admire as master/mistress. Good natured Shep comes from a good natured human companion.
 
Just like with any dog it is very individual and can not be easily summarized in a few sentences describing the whole breed. It will also greatly depend on how you handle the dog. I would even say that no matter what dog you have, the way you handle the dog is the key factor.
 
pes said:
Just like with any dog it is very individual and can not be easily summarized in a few sentences describing the whole breed. It will also greatly depend on how you handle the dog. I would even say that no matter what dog you have, the way you handle the dog is the key factor.
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You have outliers, but for the most part each breed has its own distinct traits.
 
German shepherds are awesome if you are the right to own them, They need more than sex. I had one with me on summer vacation last year and they are amazing. My largest concern is their health, I follow shepherd groups on social media, and it is tragic to see so many young dogs die or become invalids because of severe health problems. It is not only the wobbly hindpart, they seem very exposed to allergies, cancer and many other awful things. So I have given up the dream of getting my on some day. Ihave realized that even if the kind of dogs I own now are no sexual superheros, they are a vet's worst nightmare: They never get sick.
 
ikanon said:
German shepherds are awesome if you are the right to own them, They need more than sex. I had one with me on summer vacation last year and they are amazing. My largest concern is their health, I follow shepherd groups on social media, and it is tragic to see so many young dogs die or become invalids because of severe health problems. It is not only the wobbly hindpart, they seem very exposed to allergies, cancer and many other awful things. So I have given up the dream of getting my on some day. Ihave realized that even if the kind of dogs I own now are no sexual superheros, they are a vet's worst nightmare: They never get sick.
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Uh...it depends on where you're getting the dog from. If you're going to buy from someone who just puts two dogs together, then yeah...you're going to have issues.

German Shepherds aren't even in the top ten list of breeds who have issues with hip dysplasia (based on OFA statistics). They're not even in the top twenty. Degenerative Myelopathy (DM), is something that the breed is predisposed to - but by and large it's something that mainly effects dogs that are older (7 and up). If something similar is happening in a young dog, chances are it's something else. There is a test for it, but it is not 100% fool-proof though more research is being done and funded to hopefully have a better screening tool in the near future.

And I'm not saying that well-bred dogs don't come with issues. These are animals, and at the end of the day you can only control so much. No animal is hypoallergenic, no animal is free of any potential for health concerns. And anyone who is telling you otherwise is lying. But you better your odds when buying from someone who does health testing (and no, not just a basic vet exam), who can trace the pedigrees of their dogs back generations. Who can tell you what the great-great-grandsire was like, etc.

Cancer, or more specifically hemangiosarcoma, is something that is becoming more...I don't want to say common, but something that is starting to show up, in many breeds - not just GSDs. I know Golden's were having issues with that a lot a few years ago...not sure if it's something that is still popping up now or not. And who knows what that is from? Is it from the chemicals people use on their lawns? Bad drinking water? Pollutants in the air? The food? To say it's something that is breed-specific or what not, you can't...the studies haven't been done yet.
 
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dobelove88 said:
And I'm not saying that well-bred dogs don't come with issues.
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My concern is that the well-bred dogs are also affected with many healht issue at a high rate. It is not only the backyard-bred dogs. "Nero von Sowieso" seems just as affected as "Fido" from the redneck's backyard.
 
ikanon said:
My concern is that the well-bred dogs are also affected with many healht issue at a high rate. It is not only the backyard-bred dogs. "Nero von Sowieso" seems just as affected as "Fido" from the redneck's backyard.
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I'd like to see your research. Just sounds like you're saying all these dogs have health issues and are dying from them at alarming rates...when that isn't the case.
 
dobelove88 said:
I'd like to see your research. Just sounds like you're saying all these dogs have health issues and are dying from them at alarming rates...when that isn't the case.
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That may be so, but I think I will hang on to Russian quality dogs
 
I have seen German Shepherds that were very laid back. They are very protective of their families and they do not like strangers, and yet I have met a GS that could care less who walked through the front door. Those dogs have very distinct personalities. If you buy from a breeder who keeps their dogs inside then it is a good chance that they have even-tempered dogs. If the breeder keeps his dogs outside then it is a good sign that the dog's bloodline is energetic and needs lots of exercises.
 
One of the biggest dogs I've taken. don't have him completely out but this is him all put away <3 and look at those balls. Had fun with this gshep today actually hehe
 

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Something I haven't seen mentioned here is that GSD tend to be very very anxious dogs, at least in my area. And in my area they also seem to be prone to allergies and skin issues.
 
BeastMelon said:
Something I haven't seen mentioned here is that GSD tend to be very very anxious dogs, at least in my area. And in my area they also seem to be prone to allergies and skin issues.
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All has to do with who's breeding them. I'm sure they're mostly just from people who put two dogs together without any concern for whether or not they should have.
 
BeastMelon said:
Something I haven't seen mentioned here is that GSD tend to be very very anxious dogs, at least in my area. And in my area they also seem to be prone to allergies and skin issues.
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Yea it true gsd tend to have allergies and it's almost guaranteed that a pure breed will have hip displasia but that is no reason to love them any less. All dogs are prone to one thing or another. They are still lovely and beautiful.
 
pupwhoshaggedme said:
Yea it true gsd tend to have allergies and it's almost guaranteed that a pure breed will have hip displasia but that is no reason to love them any less. All dogs are prone to one thing or another. They are still lovely and beautiful.
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*sigh*

Again...completely depends on where the dog comes from. GSDs are actually #40 on the OFA's list of dogs with HD. And I haven't heard of too many with allergies either.
 
I have a German Shepard and he has been an amazing companion. We have a close bond and connection so he is very protective of me, but he is also friendly with other people.
I have had him since a pup so we know each other and I have always spent a lot of time with him. He loves excercise, games and is a vigorous lover ...smile.
Beautiful breed
 
TheWatcher1999 said:
Does anyone own German Shepherds? What's their temperament and characteristics? Asking for a female friend.
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I’m raising a long haired GSD puppy, she’s 7 months old. Absolutely fantastic with enough exercise and socializing. Any dog is a lot of work and Shepherds are probably more work than most but they make an amazing companion
 
TheSeeker said:
I’m raising a long haired GSD puppy, she’s 7 months old. Absolutely fantastic with enough exercise and socializing. Any dog is a lot of work and Shepherds are probably more work than most but they make an amazing companion
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I've worked with dozens of shepherds and The Seeker is right they can be a lot of work but as long as you know that you will have the time to put in to training them then they make wonderful dogs. I bond to almost every shepherd I meet and I can easily say that no shepherd is the same a shepherd has a million and one ways to be and it's just learning who they are and their personality and working their personality into your own. I've always loved shepherds but recently, after having many experiences with them, they have quickly scaled to the top of my list for favorite doggos
 
GSDs are absolutely not for someone with little experience raising dogs. Everybody else has already said what I wanted to say already so I'll just stop here, but I truly believe that. These energetic herding dogs need work and mental stimulation and without it can become quite nasty in some cases.

I was actually bitten by a poorly bred and socialized one once that i was retraining; still my favorite breed though.
 
ikanon said:
German shepherds are awesome if you are the right to own them, They need more than sex. I had one with me on summer vacation last year and they are amazing. My largest concern is their health, I follow shepherd groups on social media, and it is tragic to see so many young dogs die or become invalids because of severe health problems. It is not only the wobbly hindpart, they seem very exposed to allergies, cancer and many other awful things. So I have given up the dream of getting my on some day. Ihave realized that even if the kind of dogs I own now are no sexual superheros, they are a vet's worst nightmare: They never get sick.
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may I ask what breed you currently have?
 
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