A golden retriever, Pomeranian or a German Shepherd?

Question

My g/f and I are thinking about getting our own place. Most likely a small house or something to start out in later on in the future. She wants a Pomeranian for sure and Im ok with that since it will be her dog, however I want a dog for myself thats loyal, loving but also tough enough to scare away intruders like a watch dog and one that trains and listens well. I know a Pomeranian has no defence toward a full grown man. So, it comes down to a Golden Retriever or a German Shepherd. Which one should I get? Mind you the Pomeranian and the other dog will be living together so they have to be able to get along.

Answer 1

golden retrievers have a very friendly nature, thus making them excellent guard dogs for the blind. although this is seen as a positive in most people's eyes, for a person who wants a guard dog such as yourself, a german shepherd is ideal. they are known to be loyal, easy to train as well as strong and brave. they too have a friendly nature but are more aggressive than a golden retriever. intense is training is required for it to be kept with another, smaller pet

Answer 2

Go to the pound or the animal shelter and spend 2-3 visits getting to know the dogs there.
A good test for a puppy that is to be a house dog is to play with the puppies and put your hand on their backs. Just that, put your hand on the backs. The one that simply stands still and accepts it, doesn't make a big deal of it, has the best temperment.
Most any medium-sized dog will get a long witha pomeranian if they are put together within their first year of life.
A lot of "mutts" have less health problems than purebred German Shepherds and Golden Retrievers, can be equally if not more loyal, and need a home desperately.
But if you must get a golden or a shepherd, contact a group that places Guide dog puppies that didn't make the cut.

Answer 3

Golden Retrievers are very sweat, loyal and are easy to train. On the other hand, They sometimes are so sweat, they won't really scare anybody away. But they will worn you when somebody rings the doorbell, or when someone aproaches the house. German Shepheards happen to be my next favorite dog (goldens being my favorite). These are more likely to be a watch sort of a dog. They are sweat, protective, and can get aggressive, but with good training as a pup, they make wonderful dogs. However, you have to take into consideration, that these dogs are very energetic. You can't have them as soley indoor dogs, which you walk once a day, like a pomeranian. ( A golden retriever can get away with this, but it's not best.) German Shepherds need excersice. Letting them outside for a romp is good, but you need the space. Or, just make the commitment to take it out to the park once a day for a really good jog, and a play. (shepherds are loyal, protective, aggressive at times, energetic, sweat, and therefore, I would highly suggest this one.)

Answer 4

Golden Retrievers get along with everybody. The Pom would run the show. But they are loyal loving dogs and make wonderful pets.

If you are looking for a more intimidating dog, the German Shepherd is probably a better watch dog, but it needs to be properly trained and if it is sharing the house with another dog, probably needs to be a pup so it can grow up with the other dog. They are supremely intelligent but very, very protective so training is imperative if you want to be able to have family and friends in the house safely with the dog. But they are loving and loyal to their families and tend to tolerate children pretty well.

Answer 5

I would say this really depends on your personal experience handling dogs. Depending on the lines of a German Shepherd, they can have a really high drive and advanced training is needed. This is not a breed for just anyone and if you consider this breed, please be sure to find a good reputable breeder (actually, you should find reputable breeders for both breeds you end up with). A good breeder will help select the "right" puppy for you, based on your experience and what you are looking for in a dog (i.e. dog sports you wish to get into).

Goldens are really great family dogs, too and I imagine the sheer size of this breed can also be a deterrent.

As for protecting your home, even the smallest, yappy dogs are actually really good at deterring people who might want to break into your home. Criminals don't want you to be alerted to their presence and will usually pass on a home with a dog to seek out one that doesn't have one. So a pom won't "protect" you, but you will still know if something is up and they are perfectly capable of deterring criminal activity in your home.

Answer 6

Ahhh, I would start out with the pomeranian pup first... I don`t think I would get another dog, poms are sooo fragile when they first come home. Wait until the pom is at least 12 weeks old before introducing another clumsy puppy. My pom puppy broke his leg a month ago, ( his bones are the size of chicken bones), it`s just that they are soooo fragile when they are little, and they demand a lot of attention. But I would choose the Golden as the second dog.Golden`s are a more submissive dog, lol, poms can be soooo bossy and pushy.

Answer 7

I loved my last German Shepherd, she was a great deterrent to strangers and well-behaved (after a lot of work and training). However, my German Shepherd before that bit three people and was just too aggressive for a normal home life. He was bred for Schutzhund and had too high of a prey drive. Even the Schutzhund trainer said he would not do well in Schutzhund because of the way he was, and to give him away. (We ended up giving him to the police, because they wanted him for a drug dog).

There're so many types of German Shepherds out there, that you have to be careful what you get. If you are very familiar with training and raising dogs, you can probably handle almost any type of GSD (just don't go for the Schutzhund kind), but if you're just starting out and have trained one or two dogs before (at the most), you would need to be extremely careful what you get. If a GSD is not raised correctly or has bad genetics, you can end up with a lawsuit and a dog that you have to put down. The GSD is a risky way to go for a new dog owner.

They are very smart dogs, but most will need a firm, consistent hand when they are being trained.

If you decide to go with a GSD, you will want to go to an AKC breeder who has raised GSDs for many years and have them help you pick a puppy (either from their litter or some one else's litter or from the pound [not recommended with a first time GSD]). It's probably going to be expensive to get a good puppy, but it's the safest way.

As far as Golden Retrievers go, they are so friendly and so sweet, that you may get one that's not going to care if a robber comes in and steals your TV. They are not really a guard dog, though they can be. But, they are lots of fun, smart, easy to train and not likely to bite friends of yours if not raised exactly right or are not exactly the pick of the litter.

So, if you're a first or second time dog owner who's not too familiar with raising dogs, I would suggest a Golden Retriever. Even though you risk getting one that might not keep your house exactly safe, or keep people from mugging you on the street, you will have a fun, easy to train companion that you can take anywhere.

If you're more experienced, or really feel strongly towards a dog that can guard your house, go for a GSD, but get lots of help in picking a puppy and raising it. Be prepared to shell out big dollars for this dog. However, a GSD is a great pet when raised correctly, so it might be worth it to you. :) I love GSDs, but I know very well that you need caution when getting one.

Good luck with that!

***** Also wanted to mention that if you get a well bred dog whose parents have the proper health clearances, you won't likely get a puppy with hip dysplasia or eye problems (both exist in Goldens and GSDs). Good breeders provide guarantees on the contract that their puppies won't get hip dysplasia or eye problems. That's what you want to look for.

The certifications that the parents should have are OFA Good or OFA Excellent (for hips in GSDs and Goldens) and CERF (for eyes in Goldens).

Answer 8

well it does not so muh depend on breed, as the it does depend on the indivicual dog. generally speaking, goldens are known to be much more relaxed and accepting than gsd. they are also just an easier dog in my opinion. but that doesnt mean ever golden will be great and ever gsd will be difficult. which dog do you plan to get first? i would suggest getting a female pom and getting her spayed before getting your dog, and get a male of whatever you want. then whenever you find a puppy/dog you like just see if the pom and dog get along. if you plan on going to a breeder, make sure it is a good one, both goldens and gsd are prone to many diseases and cancers, which bad breeders dont screen for. but if you dont want to spend a lot of money, then i would suggest the shelter. i know gsd are there all the time and tend to not get rexcued as quickly.

why dont you forgo getting the pom and just get a golden and a gsd?

**** just wanted to mention that goldens are just as likely to have health problems as a gsd. so really dont let that make the decision for you. but do realize that with either dog, you will more than likely have expensive vet bills and a broken heart in the end

Answer 9

Golden Retrievers are very friendly dogs and loyal.
Pomeranians are cute but yippers.

Answer 10

Personally, I think a German Shepherd, if trained properly they make great pets! However, whichever you decide you must NOT train your dog to attack, or show un-provoked aggression towards a person. Trust me, if someone is trying to harm you or your girlfriend he'll know what to do!