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what are german shepards like as pets?

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  • 28-08-2007 8:19pm
    #1
    Remmy
    Registered Users Posts: 2,921 ✭✭✭


    Im drawn to the german shepard for same reason when picking a dog.what are they like as a dog?naturally i would take care for it and plenty exercise but do they fare well as a family pet?


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    #2
    alexdenby6
    Closed Accounts Posts: 97 ✭✭alexdenby6


    it depends on whether it grows up with children and is well socialised and trained. i have one, she is perfect with any child, loves to play, is highly intelligent and trainable and is a great guard dog to boot. be careful to toi let them get too attached with one person, because it can cause problems of the dog thinking anyone coming near that person as a threat to their owner/master. love them and they will love you but they need a firm trainging hand with plenty of incentive to learn and obey.(food)


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    #3
    Gillie
    Registered Users Posts: 3,640 ✭✭✭Gillie


    alexdenby6 wrote:
    it depends on whether it grows up with children and is well socialised and trained. i have one, she is perfect with any child, loves to play, is highly intelligent and trainable and is a great guard dog to boot. be careful to toi let them get too attached with one person, because it can cause problems of the dog thinking anyone coming near that person as a threat to their owner/master. love them and they will love you but they need a firm trainging hand with plenty of incentive to learn and obey.(food)

    What they said!
    I have one. Male. Like you always drawn to one. He's a big softie! But a VERY BIG softie!


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    #4
    Mr. Presentable
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,496 ✭✭✭Mr. Presentable


    Loyal, intelligent, hungry. Always hungry


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    #5
    ~Thalia~
    Closed Accounts Posts: 254 ✭✭~Thalia~


    I have my GSD for the past seven months and they are GREAT as pets. As the other poster said. Make sure to socialise & train them well and you will have a friend for life :)


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    #6
    Ayla
    Registered Users Posts: 1,508 ✭✭✭Ayla


    alexdenby6 wrote:
    be careful to toi let them get too attached with one person, because it can cause problems of the dog thinking anyone coming near that person as a threat to their owner/master.

    Agreed. I've seen first hand how protective a GS can be to someone they're well attached to.

    Lovely dogs (and very intelligent) otherwise.


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    #7
    cold_filter
    Registered Users Posts: 744 ✭✭✭cold_filter


    GSD are fantastic pets, They will need a lot of excercise and usually i strap a dog pack (dog version of a back pack) to him and put 2 tins of dog food in it so he feels like he's working, He gets a 90 min walk/run every day but he's an eating machine. When he sees someone who looks dodgy he gets into defenseive mode but with everyone else he's friendly but at the end of the day he's still a big dog and shouldnt be left unattended with kids or elderly people.


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    #8
    michelleans
    Closed Accounts Posts: 301 ✭✭michelleans


    They are great pets when socialised well from an early age and trained. They are really intelligent and need a job to do and mental stimulation. If you can give them what you need they will give you a million times that back. Mine is a huge softie loves everyone and always wants to play! there is nothing better than playing fetch with my german shepherd :)


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    #9
    fenris
    Registered Users Posts: 3,078 ✭✭✭fenris


    Make sure that they have a "job" to do!
    It is important to keep them mentally engaged, they love to work and show off the fact that they are working. Work can vary from staying in a long down stay, to hunting for treats cunningly hidden in the garden or even just warming toes!

    GSD's do well with good socialisation lots of dogs, places people
    mix it up as dogs do not generalise like humans i.e. if you always train your dog in the back garden don't be surprised when he refuses to sit or perform somewhere else.

    They are a very bright dog, that means that behaviour is learned with very few repititions, so consistency by everyone involved is not just your friend it is vital, some breeds need 30 or 50 repetitions to spot the patern therefore you can get away with being sloppy about not letting fluffy onto the bed, sofa, barrel through the door ahead of you etc. but with dogs like GSDs & collies a change in your behaviour is noted and responded to accordingly - a good thing from a training perspective but not great if you or a partner are sending mixed signals.

    Check into clicker training, it is a very effective and fun method of training you dog without half strangling or screaming you head off at the poor creature. Clicker training is fun, gives the dog an excellent mental workout and builds up a nice repetoire of behaviours for when you want to remind him that nothing in life is free (work for treats etc).


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