So, I’ve been a fan of German Shepherds for a while-just in the way they look. I know very little about the breed as far as behavior, temperament, and requirements. I have two young children- a 7yr old and a 4yr old- and we also have an older dog who is a boxer mix. He’s about 13.
Anyway, after my last dog died last September, I’ve been pondering whether I want another one. I’d like to be able to take a dog for Jeep rides as I go offroading a lot, and also on hikes in the mountains without a leash. Of course that means he needs to be able to obey commands. I’m pretty ignorant on how to train a dog.
So my question is, does anyone here have experience with that? Tips and advice? The puppy we’re looking at right now is 8 weeks old, but we are also looking at other ages. Pretty set on a German Shepherd though as far as breed goes.
dont have a Shepherd now, but the last two I had were both pure white purebred, and they were two of the best dogs I ever had, hands down. I never had them trained, I never needed to–they listened very well from the start. I know I got lucky there. The last one thought he was a lapdog…and he was big for a shepherd. I did not have kids back then so cannot offer any thoughts there.
One word: shelter. You can get a dog that doesn’t need house breaking and whose personality has been evaluated. If you do chose a breeder, visit the facility. Please don’t go to a “pet store.” Too many of them rely on inhumane puppy mills, even if the dog has AKC papers. In fact, those papers only have value if you planto breed or show or for bragging rights. Pure bred shepherds are often very prone to hip displasia due to too much inbreeding, leading to a shortened and painful life for your dog. Another option is a breed specific rescue group. These are like shelters but run by folks who are big fans of a specific brred and can tell you everything you need to know about the breed you’re looking for.
I’ve had two German Shepherds over the years. One was a standard and the other was a white purebred. I had them both trained when I got them. They were both fantastic with the kids. The white one was around when my two girls were born and growing up. A+ for protecting the kids. Back then you could go out without the dog being on a leash. She was great. Only once did I take her out for a walk and when I headed home she didn’t want to go. The neighbors had a good laugh when they saw me coming down the street with the dog draped over my shoulder. Man, she was heavy. The standard never gave me a bit of trouble. I got them both from people who got them as pups and didn’t realise how big they would get. Great dogs in my opinion.
Lab guy myself. We are also kicking the tires for replacement dogs. Shelter/ pound / rescue seems like a good choice. Can’t do the puppy thing again.
I think all dogs need training. It makes them happier, and they hate it when you are pissed at them. There are "how to raise a puppy you can live with"classes in most communities.
Shepherds need maintenance of their coats. i like labs because they don’t really. Just keep them clean.
Beautiful dogs, Shepherds. Back in the 50’s when I was a kid they had a fairly tough time because a lot of folks were afraid of them, as the police used to use them more aggressively than they seem to now for crowd control.
My dad used to come home with them a lot after they had washed out of Air Force guard dog training. We kept a couple but found other homes for the rest of them. When I was little, my mom never worried when I was outside playing as long as one of our Shepherds was with me. They kept me out of trouble.
My daughter has adopted three in the past few years. She got them from organizations and individuals who were training them to be working dogs, but the dogs didn’t have the proper personality for the job (too friendly, too playful, etc.). I would suggest that route to give a good dog a second chance.
She’s trained them beautifully; three massive dogs that heed her every word. And also heed any threat to her without a word.
Well, here she is. Meet Scarlet! We picked her up at the local shelter today after about a three hour wait. We were fourth or fifth in line to visit Scarlet and her litter mates. She was the last one to be adopted and they went fast. She’s two months old and a German Shepherd mix, unknown what the mix part is. Had some dominance issues with the older dog tonight, but I think they’ve got it figured out and have settled in nicely.
