German Shepherd: Training Insights & Behavior Traits

German Shepherds are slow to mature. In some cases, reaching full maturity can take up to 4 years before you see the personality of a mature dog kick in. Meanwhile, you might have to contend with a puppy’s brain, housed in a full grown powerful dog. The wait is worth it!

It is for that reason, we recommend that you practice some good management of your German Shepherd puppy from an early age on to reduce any property damage, while they mature and develop.

Don’t leave your puppy confined for long hours. Not only will they not like it, but they need to have their intellect challenged on a daily basis, so make sure you provide the right kind of entertainment for them. Ideally, they need to be mentally stimulated and busy or they will find something to occupy their brain that could result in the damage of your precious possessions.

The first impression of a good German Shepherd dog is that of a strong, agile, well-muscled animal, alert and full of life. It is well balanced, with harmonious development of the forequarter and hindquarter. The dog is longer than tall, deep-bodied, and presents an outline of smooth curves rather than angles. It looks substantial and not spindly, giving the impression, both at rest and in motion, of muscular fitness and nimbleness without any look of clumsiness or soft living. The ideal dog is stamped with a look of quality and nobility - difficult to define, but unmistakable when present. Secondary sex characteristics are strongly marked, and every animal gives a definite impression of masculinity or femininity, according to its sex.

There are many reasons why German Shepherds stand in the front rank of canine royalty, but breed experts say their dogs’ most important attribute is character: loyalty, courage, confidence, the ability to learn and retain commands for an amazing number of specialized jobs, and the willingness to put their life on the line in defense of loved ones. Well-bred German Shepherds of proper training and socialization will be gentle family pets and steadfast guardians eternally devoted to their human flock.

The American Kennel Club Standard says the German Shepherd "has a distinct personality marked by direct and fearless, but not hostile, expression, self-confidence, and a certain aloofness that does not lend itself to immediate and indiscriminate friendships. The dog must be approachable, quietly standing its ground and showing confidence and willingness to meet overtures without itself making them.

That's a great description of an ideal German Shepherd.

Unfortunately, it's very difficult to find an ideal German Shepherd today. Nowadays, this breed is all over the map in temperament. Lines that are bred for protection, work, and the sport of schutzhund tend to be "hard-tempered" and businesslike. Show lines personalities range from mild and mellow, to hyperactive and skittish, to downright dumb and dopey. And many German Shepherds bred by backyard breeders have risky temperaments and suffer from a host of health problems.

Energy levels vary from vigorous to laid-back, but all German Shepherds, to maintain their athletic shape, need brisk walking every day and all-out running in a safe, enclosed area as often as possible.

Mental exercise (advanced obedience classes, agility classes, schutzhund, tracking, herding) is even more important for German Shepherds. This is a smart, thinking breed (at least the good ones are!) and his intelligence is often wasted in a home that simply wants a casual pet.

Finally, early and ongoing socialization is a must to develop a stable, confident temperament.

One of the most capable and trainable breeds in all of dogdom, here are some things for you to consider:

Legal Liabilities

German Shepherds may be targeted for "banning" in certain areas, or refusal of homeowner insurance policies. In this day and age, the legal liabilities of owning any breed that looks intimidating and has a history as a guard dog should be considered. People are quicker to sue if such a dog does anything even remotely questionable.

Wide Range of Temperaments

German Shepherds are so very different from each other, and different breeders produce very different temperaments. If you want a family companion, you do not want high-energy working lines, and if you want a dog for protection work, you do not want show lines. With German Shepherds more than any other breeds, you must carefully research your lines or you will end up with a dog who isn't at all what you were looking for. Unfortunately, many German Shepherds are badly bred by unknowledgeable people. The result is that obedience instructors and behavioral consultants see lots of German Shepherds with neurotic behaviors, especially aggression, skittishness, and extreme fearfulness. Again, you need to carefully research your lines.

Most German Shepherds have protective instincts toward strangers. They need extensive exposure to friendly people so they learn to recognize the normal behaviors of "good guys." Then they can recognize the difference when someone really does act abnormally.

Potential Animal Aggression

Most German Shepherds, when introduced at a young age, are very good with other dogs and cats in their own family. But many German Shepherds are dominant toward other dogs of the same sex, which can result in aggression if the other dog feels the same way. Some German Shepherds develop predatory behavior toward cats.

Heavy Shedding

German Shepherds shed only once a year – for 365 days. In other words, they shed constantly. You'll find hair all over your clothing, furniture, and carpeting. Frequent vacuuming will become a way of life. Make sure you're really up for this. Most people have no idea how much hair these dogs can produce. I know – I've lived with them

Keeping a German Shepherd Healthy

From hip and elbow dysplasia to heart disease and cancer, to stomach disorders and skin diseases, German Shepherds are, unfortunately, one of the riskiest breeds in terms of long-term health. The list of serious health problems to which they are susceptible is dismayingly long. Once you have your puppy home, you need to keep him healthy, starting with feeding the best food.

Providing Enough Mental Stimulation

German Shepherds are so intelligent and capable. I hate to see them chosen by owners who just want a dog to hang around the house and yard (instead see our section on Labradors). German Shepherds thrive when you find interesting things for them to do that challenge their minds. Bored German Shepherds, especially when young, can become rambunctious and destructive.

Sibling Rivalry with German Shepherds: A Case Study

If you already have a dog and want to add another, there are some things to consider before doing so.

If possible, match the size of the dogs and look to add the opposite sex. Female dogs traditionally ‘rule the roost’ and adding a neutered male will cause few issues. Adding a neutered male to the family when you already have a similarly-sized neutered male will normally go off without a hitch, providing you treat them equally.

However, matching two females is a good bit harder and we do encounter many situations where we are asked to treat what is commonly referred to as “Sibling Rivalry’’ even if they are not true siblings.

If you encounter such a situation, separate the dogs and call us. Bark Busters is always here to help.

Bess a 12-month old German Shepherd was the apple of her owner’s eyes, whom we will refer to as John and Shirley.

John and Shirley had nursed Bess through a serious illness over many months. They felt that she was a special dog and believed that she was such a gentle soul that would never harm a fly.

One day while John and Shirley were out visiting a friend who worked at a rescue shelter, they spotted an adorable female Bull Terrier puppy named Snowflake. It was an instant attraction and they both fell in love with this cute, white wriggly creature. They just knew in their hearts that Bess would love her too. They felt that she would be a great friend for Bess who John and Shirley felt spent too much time alone while they had to work.

They signed the papers and immediately adopted Snowflake.

Things appeared to be okay in the beginning and both Bess and Snowflake seemed to get along. Bess would tolerate Snowflake jumping on her and biting her face and tail. At night, Snowflake loved to be wherever Bess was and would always curl up nearby or climb into bed near her when she settled down for the night.

Things continued like this for months until one day when Snowflake was about eight- months-old and the two dogs got into a fight. John and Shirley were shocked because they had to drag them apart. Thinking this was just a minor disagreement, they immediately put them together again but to their dismay the same thing occurred.

Soon the two dogs seemed to hate the mere sight of each other and John and Shirley had to have them living in separate parts of the home, each in their own room. This was an impossible situation with dogs and humans on edge all the time.

Bess was still the love of their life and they still held a special place in their heart for her and if anyone had to leave they knew in their hearts it had to be Snowflake. They were conflicted because they had adopted ‘Snowflake’ in good faith. Over time, they were wishing they had never brought her home.

The Reality of the Case

The reality was that this was a miss-match from the start. John and Shirley had made a common mistake of not seeking professional advice before choosing another dog and in believing that if they loved a dog that their other dog would too.

Female dogs generally rule the roost in most households. In our research, we have discovered that if there is an issue with Sibling Rivalry or dog fights in the home, it will usually be the female dog that instigates them in some way.

We advised John and Shirley that this was not going to be an easy fix and we needed their dedication to make it work. They were adamant they wanted to try.

The matching of two or more female dogs can work, but more times than not, it doesn’t and fights and battles to be the “Top Dog” continue to occur.

The better situation would have been to match a neutered male with a spayed female of equal size and energy. However, Shirley and John were determined to making it work by following our training advice to see if they could rectify this issue.

There was also another issue that we uncovered during our training in the Bess and Snowflake case -- it was John and Shirley’s deep affection and sympathy for Bess who had been sick and ailing for a long time. This caused them to deal with her differently. They tended to be firmer with Snowflake than they were with Bess, which had caused an imbalance in the relationship. Therein was one of the root causes of many of the fights.

Once we were able to have John and Shirley put in place some ‘canine communication’ and instilled in them the importance of treating both dogs equally, the fighting stopped and dogs and humans were able to live together again.

Footnote:

The main causes of sibling rivalry (dog fighting with other dogs in the household) is where owners treat dogs differently, where they have a favorite or where one dog has been sick or injured. Once we point that out and people change their approach and then put in place some canine communication, we can usually rectify the problem. It takes dedication and commitment from the dog parents.