Hi, i was wondering if German Shepherds are good Family dogs ? I was thinking about getting one .
2007-05-12 17:36:38 · 21 answers · asked by Colleen W 1 in Pets ➔ Dogs
They are awesome family dogs, need a lot of socializing and a good leader.
Think about room, they need a lot, if you cannot provide adequate exercise and room I would look at a smaller bred.
2007-05-12 17:41:50 · answer #1 · answered by scalloper 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
They are wonderful as a family dog. I raise them and I can't think of a better dog to for a family to have. My father raised them when I was young and I had forgotten how wonderful they were until getting one as an adult. I often rescue and foster other dogs, but I only breed the shepherds. My daughter is older now and out of the house, so I have some that weren't raised around kids, but there is something about a shepherd and a child - there's a bond. I have a big male, about 110 lbs and he wasn't raised with children, but he loves just the sound of them, and he is so gentle with them. One of the ladies down the road has grandchildren that visit and sometimes they come down to my house to play with all the dogs. When they do my big male walks them back to their house and makes sure they get home okay. All of my dogs are good around children, but he is especially good. They are so big that sometimes a child will get knocked down (if they're real young), but he is so careful around the children even when they come to a dead stop in front of him he is careful not to knock into the kids. Don't let the horror stories scare you, find someone that breeds german shepherds for health and temperament and you'll never have a better family dog.
BTW - I don't own a shepherd or any dog for that matter that doesn't allow me to reach in their mouth and take treats out of it - that is how much I trust my dogs. I refuse to take my dogs to a groomer or vet that muzzles it based on some irrational prejudice.
2007-05-13 00:56:29 · answer #2 · answered by alis_n_1derland 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
We had a German Shepherd and he was an amazing dog. That said, you should research any breed that you are interested in and go out and speak with breeders. They will talk with you about your family situation and the lifestyle that you have and help you to determine if a German Shepherd is the dog for you.
Good luck with your search!
2007-05-13 00:46:03 · answer #3 · answered by kismetsguardian 2 · 4⤊ 0⤋
They can be, just like any other dog.
They have to be socialized early, and they may not do so well with little children because they can be kind of nippy. But if they're raised with children from the start, they'd probably be okay.
They're very loyal and good guard dogs. They also need a lot of exercise and room.
2007-05-13 00:45:18 · answer #4 · answered by TR. 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
GSDs are GREAT family pets. The issue is that YOU must be a responsible pet owner. I own a GSD, yet he has a serious stubborn streak. He tests our boundaries on a daily basis. Having a working dog is a day to day work trial.
These are very protective dogs, but you have to prove your worth, so put for the effort and you will be rewarded. Don't punish your GSD by slapping or hitting, but by love and training.
2007-05-13 00:48:07 · answer #5 · answered by Venus__27 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
They are fantastic family dogs provided you are prepared to properly train and control them. They have high prey drives so you need to realize that you need to watch them carefully. I grew up with 2 german shephers, Tiko & Bullet, and they would tolerate anything from me, but if I had friends over, the dogs watched them like a hawk making sure I was ok. If my brother and his friends played rough with each other, the dogs would get protective of my brother and my parents would have to put them away in fear that the friends would get hurt. Your family would never be in danger, but if you aren't prepared to deal with a strong and protective breed, don't get one.
2007-05-13 00:50:08 · answer #6 · answered by Shanna 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yup they can be.. Make sure you do you research and buy one from a quality breeder.. You want one from hips certified most definitely. And make sure you buy from a breeder who wants to make sure that the right puppy gets into the right home.. That way you don't end up with a dog with too much drive, for the family setting.
2007-05-13 00:47:51 · answer #7 · answered by DP 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
i have a german shepherd and she is extremely loyal and very smart they r very great family dogs and also protective of their family
2007-05-13 02:33:52 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
They are GREAT family dogs. They are VERY protective of children, they do not bite(but there are occasions where this is incorrect), they are guard dogs.
A few negitive thing;
They are VERY strong
They eat tissues(I know, weird)
Mine has fear agression, I am uncertain about all of them.
All in all, they are quite good pets, mine's name is Gretta
2007-05-16 20:38:41 · answer #9 · answered by Crazygirl ♥ aka GT 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes,They are awesome family dogs, need a lot of socializing and a good leader.
2007-05-13 01:19:42 · answer #10 · answered by t_dedios 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋