Your thoughts on German shepherds?

Question

Hello there, so I am a 14 year old that is totally in love with German shepehreds, I am looking to get a puppy one, my mother says this is fine, but what are your thoughts on them?

I have recently started my research on them, my mom is taking me to barnes and nobles tonight to get some books on them, and then I'm going on the internet and printing off some infromation.

Answer 1

VERY smart dogs.

And also very "attractive" looking.

Answer 2

White coats were made a disqualification in the German Shepherd Dog Club of Germany breed standard in 1933 after the breed club came under the control of the German Nazi party that took over all aspects of German society in February 1933 when Hitler declared a state of emergency. The German breed standard remained unchanged as German breeders repopulated the breed in the years after the conclusion of WWII. Has nothing to do with medical issues at all! The White Shepherd breed was officially recognized by the United Kennel Club on April 14, 1999.

Answer 3

heyy im fourteen too!! i just got my german shepherd a little less than a year ago. We bought her from the local shelter, and she is a great dog! i luv her very very much. She is loving and smart and beautiful. She also listens very well and is gentle and caring towards my family. She is a wonderful dog. WE bought Heidi when she was maybe 1 and a half years old. she was very very skinny and sick when we rescued her. also, she was afraid of humans, sticks, and thunderstorms. WE worked with her for a very long time, and she is slowly beginning to trust people again. Of course, she has always trusted my imediate family (mother father sister me mom mom and pop pop) but she has never let anyone else near the house. on walks she used to always bark at people and no one cood come up and pet her. We took her to training classes and she is getting better. It will take a long time for her to be totally cured (infact she may never get over her previous abuse and will always be cautiuus of other people). As for sticks, she still flinches whenever i pick one up, but it's not relaly a proeblem because none of us have any use for them anywayz. Lastly, Hedi is still petrified of thunderstorms. I've heard it's very common in shepherds, and no one knows y. she will shake and quiver and hide in the corner for hours before and after the storm. She gets jumpy and nervous and sick to her stomahc. My mother brought her to the vet ad they gave us pills that make her sleep through the storm. im not trying to tell u this to scare u away from them, because i always have been and always will be a huge fan of the breed. They are magnificent dogs and i highly recommend them. I'm just telling u to be cautious and buy from a good breeder (or, if u want to take the extra time and effort, from a shelter). take ur time and pick out a dog u no u will love for the rest of there life. good luk. Im sure u will find a wonderful companion and best friend in ur shepherd<33

Answer 4

Beware of a dog that is described as "high drive", such a dog will have far too much energy for a first-timer. Very important that you find a good breeder that knows the breed backwards and forwards. Gorgeous dogs, highly intelligent, personally I love them, but you HAVE to get good lines. Like any popular breed, they've been a bit overbred, and that leads to problems sometimes. In this breed, fear and aggression are possible in bad lines. Beware of "protection trained" dogs, you HAVE to know what you are doing with such a dog, or it's like living with a loaded gun on the coffee table. Meet the parents, see the whole litter, get a pup that's been raised underfoot with the family. Make sure the breeder has a lifetime guarantee to take his/her dogs back if there's a problem.

Answer 5

German Shepherds are great dogs if you can find a good one. The problem with German Shepherds is that they are so popular that the vast majority in the United States are temperamentally and physically junk, and can be potentially dangerous. Handling one of these dogs requires a lot of strong leadership on the part of the owner.

If you are seriously considering buying your first German Shepherd I would recommend that you speak with Ed Frawley from Leerburg Kennels in Wisconsin. He has a website and I'm sure you'll find it on Yahoo Search. He is both an expert on German Shepherds and dog training, and he will give you better advice than anyone that I know.

Good luck in your search and be very careful before you buy.

Answer 6

German shepherds are my fav breed as well. they are very smart, loyal, protective and can be clowns. the best thing is to get a breed book. adopting a pup or dog from the shelter is what i recomend, if ur not going to a good breeder.

petfinder.com there are many homeless shepherds here...pups to some may not be full blooded...but u get to save a life. and shelter dogs are not "bad dogs".

akc.org will help in telling u how to pick a breeder and a puppy.

either way seeking a trainer is always a good idea. even though shepherds are very easy to train.

good luck!

Answer 7

German Shepherds need a lot of exercise and a lot of training. They are great dogs and usually do well with children. Make sure you take your new puppy to a training class at your local pet store. If the puppy will be yours, then you need to do the training, not your parents, or else he will not listen to you. GSDs are very smart dogs who are easily trained, but they are easily bored too and will get into trouble. You need to have the free time to take him on daily walks for at least an hour and play with him often.

Answer 8

HI!....I see you are starting to do your research on GSD's...that is great! now keep going.......check out akc.org to look at the breed standards and what their temperaments should be....call or email reputable breeders of the different lines: West German, Czech, DDR, Shilo, American to find out what line of GSD will work best for your family. You also might want to look into local breed rescues of GSD's an adopt a GSD...breed rescues are very in-tune to the breed and are more than willing to help you find the right dog.
GSD's are wonderful dogs and deserve your time and commitment...are you willing to spend the next 15 yrs or so in training (obedience, possibly agility, SAR, Schutzhund), socializing, etc. they require a lot of exercise and because of their intelligence the need to be "worked" a bored GSD is a destructive GSD, they are not couch potato's. sometimes GSD's have health issues such as hip dysplasia, allergies etc. are you willing to provide for the dog in case this would happen? I am certainly not trying to dissuade you ! just keep going on your research and learn everything you can about the breed, and what will be expected of you as the owner to raise a healthy, well-rounded dog that is a wonderful member of the family.
I own a 21 month old German bred GSD and he is by far the best dang dog I have ever owned! because of him I fell in love with this breed and for the rest of my life I will always own a GSD.....their intelligence is remarkable, they are wonderful family dogs if well socialized, very easy to train, great with kids. they can be overly attached to one owner (I call mine my velcro-dog...he never leaves my side and follows me everywhere!)
below are some links to get you started...I hope you find the GSD of your dreams!!!!

Answer 9

Lovely dogs and very intelligent. Just make sure you go to a reputable breeder that has dogs with extremely good temperaments and does all the recommended health testing that Shepherds should have as they are prone to some problems that can cost you some huge vet bills and be painful for your dog and your emotions(hip dysplasia is a big one). Also, be sure to have your dog well socialized and obedience trained. Just do a lot of reasearch and read up on them so you can be well informed of all the pros and cons of the breed. Good luck finding the perfect puppy for you.

Answer 10

Please do your research before choosing your puppy! GSD's are a delightful breed if you are able to find a good one. Make sure to buy your pup from a responsible breeder who actually does something with their dogs -- (tracking, schutzhund, herding, agility, etc.) German Shepherds are immensely popular, and because of that, there are a lot of inferior dogs out there with severe physical problems and impossible temperaments. They are a dog that requires a knowledgeable handler and early training, as well as plenty of exercise, both physically and mentally. Many are prone to barking, and some are downright neurotic. They shed, and many insurance companies are denying coverage to people who own one, since a lot of folks are bitten by them every year (although the vast majority of those bites are from poorly-bred dogs with clueless owners.) Be sure to check with your insurance before you get your dog. That being said, a good GSD is a joy to own, and a lovely companion and pet.

- German Shepherds can be wonderful animals. However, their popularity has caused some problems. For example:

- GSD's are prone to hip dysplasia as well as several other health problems. Make sure the breeder of your potential puppy does testing for these problems in any dog he/she uses for breeding purposes.

- I see a lot of GSD's with temperament problems. Many are 'sharp shy' or 'fear aggressive.' Problems like these come across when someone who doesn't know what they are doing breeds a confident dog with a fearful one, or if the dog is handled incorrectly or is inadequately socialized as a puppy. Again, a good breeder can help you select a puppy that has a solid, stable temperament.

- There are several types of GSD's as follows: (there are exceptions and good and bad dogs in each type-- the following are merely generalizations from what I have seen.)

- The "American Show type" is long, lanky, with a sloping back and a lot of rear angulation. Many are very extreme in their conformation, some have soundness problems, and many seem overly fearful and lack confidence.

- The "German Seiger Type" - tend to be blockier with less angulation, but also tend to have a roached back and short neck. Are also becoming more extreme in conformation and temperament.

- the 'working type' - generally a moderate, balanced dog with good angulation and a solid temperament. These are the type of dog you will generally see on police forces and in agility/herding events.


I've pasted a website below for you that is absolutely loaded with information about German Shepherds. Take some time to read the articles and decide for yourself what you believe-- the author (Ed Frawley) is rather opinionated about what makes a good German Shepherd, but he's been breeding and raising quality dogs for decades, so he does know what he's talking about. He is one of the most knowledgeable people about the breed in the country.

http://www.leerburg.com/knl1.htm

Answer 11

They are great. Just remember, a dog, especially a puppy, requires a lot of attention. The more you can teach them when they are young the better. I have had many dogs and, through my job, been around many more and I would say a German Shepherd is one of the top 3 best all around dogs.