German Shepherds have been used as working dogs for hundreds of years, and in the modern era, they are popular family dogs, but that doesn’t mean this breed doesn’t come out with behavioural niggles to figure out.
So, let’s take a closer look at this dog’s temperament.
There is so much more to the German Shepherd’s personality than being a good work dog. Here are some of the best traits of this beautiful breed:
These intelligent dogs need an adequate amount of mental stimulation to keep them agreeable. Otherwise, they can become bored or anxious. Daily training sessions alongside games with interactive dog toys and walks will keep them occupied and happy.
German Shepherds were originally bred as herding dogs to protect cattle from wolves. This instinct is strong in this breed today and is why, if properly trained, it makes them such good police dogs.
They thrive on hard work and, with the right obedience training, make perfect guard dogs.
This protective instinct can be troublesome if not cultivated properly, so be sure to socialise with German Shepherd puppies early on to avoid their loyalty coming off as aggressive.
They can become anxious if they are separated from their owner for too long. This can display itself as barking or chewing up furniture. Allowing time for daily play and interaction with your German Shepherd dog should be enough to keep them from becoming distressed.
German Shepherds have a long history of working alongside humans and today are used as working dogs in a variety of industries. This herding dog can be used as a military dog or alongside the police and can even be used as a guide dog for the visually impaired or in dog sports.
They will treat play time as work and approach it with the same energy and enthusiasm. They will do their best to please you and will take to training well, provided you are consistent and big on positive reinforcement. Their hardworking nature will give you a well-behaved dog.
If you’re considering getting a German Shepherd, you’ve just gained a beautiful and loyal companion. But will they get along with the rest of the family?
Your German Shepherd dog will require socialisation early on in their life to counterbalance their protective instincts and ensure they have a healthy relationship with other dogs.
If you’re introducing a German Shepherd puppy to a home with another dog, this will help them learn to behave successfully as an adult dog.
It’s fear that’s most likely to make a German Shepherd aggressive. With this in mind, while German Shepherd dogs can be untrusting of other animals, getting them used to them early on will make them more relaxed around other pets.
A German Shepherd makes a good family dog and can get on brilliantly with kids – provided that they both understand each other.
Make sure you’re always there to watch over their play if you are children are young or new to dogs, and teach them how to handle dogs correctly.
Unfortunately, due to a combination of traits like high intelligence and protectiveness, as well as potentially inheriting bad behaviour from their parents, the German Shepherd dog breed can be prone to neurotic behaviour.
A responsible breeder will know to breed for characteristics that favour an agreeable and ideal German Shepherd temperament.
Luckily, due to their trainability, with the right socialisation and dedicated training, any problem behaviours can be coached out of them.
The German shepherd is ranked among the top 10 dogs most likely to suffer from separation anxiety and, if left alone for too long, are likely to display destructive behaviour as an outlet for their nervous tension.
Most German Shepherds are unusually vocal dogs. Not only are they prone to barking, but they also whimper, whine and howl, especially if they’re not trained and socialised.
Many German Shepherds require a good deal of daily exercise to satisfy their high demand for physical and mental stimulation.
An adult German Shepherd will need around 60-90 minutes of daily exercise. This could either be walking, jogging, or taking part in some sort of dog sport.
While they come with a list of potential behavioural issues to stay on top of, German Shepherds are one of the most popular dog breeds, and this shows us that with the right training, they can make excellent, loyal pets.
If you think training your dog might be too difficult, you can always hire the services of a dog trainer who will be an expert in correcting any problem behaviours.
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