Is it stereotype if it's true?
German Shepards
- Thread starter mehuk
- Start date
Is it stereotype if it's true?
Funnily enough, I can't find my glasses...
It's adding an additional child, one that's a pain to look after and will always stay at the level of a child, at least children learn to poo in the toilet and don't bark every time a plane flies overhead...
However I do know of one family with a Shepherd and it's sort of OK safety wise, but if your wife isn't keen then I would imagine this would quickly turn into a point of friction.
Not least that Shepherds shed pillowcases full of sticky hair every day so your house is going to look and smell like a sty in no time, so she is very likely to get pee'd off with a house that she feel isn't hers any more.
Get a cat, no smell, women like them, they don't need walking when it rains and they don't slobber all over your windows.
However I do know of one family with a Shepherd and it's sort of OK safety wise, but if your wife isn't keen then I would imagine this would quickly turn into a point of friction.
Not least that Shepherds shed pillowcases full of sticky hair every day so your house is going to look and smell like a sty in no time, so she is very likely to get pee'd off with a house that she feel isn't hers any more.
Get a cat, no smell, women like them, they don't need walking when it rains and they don't slobber all over your windows.
I've known some of these dogs to be the most soppy dogs on the planet 
My gran used to have a bitch, and she would come to the door wagging her tail, give us the once over sniff, let us mess around with her a lot. Great dog.
I find they are very calm and patient dogs when trained properly.
My gran used to have a bitch, and she would come to the door wagging her tail, give us the once over sniff, let us mess around with her a lot. Great dog. I find they are very calm and patient dogs when trained properly.
Soldato
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- 20 Jun 2010
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Speaking from experience?
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My parents kept German Shepherds for years and I grew up with either one or two around. Like all dogs, the way they are treated and live has a big impact on how they are. My dogs would not be nasty even when accidentally standing on a paw or tail or when visitors' children prodded them! As a child a couple of times I played dead and the dog I had at the time would bark and try to drag me back to the house to alert my parents. So for me they can be fantastic pets!
Having said all that, we still kept our dogs outside of the house (they had large heated kennels though) and when I was very young I was not left unsupervised with a dog as even a reliable dog could accidentally knock over a small child.
I would always be wary of getting a large dog from a rescue centre and especially if children are around. I would also factor in how much space and time you have. I would love to get another German Shepherd but don't have enough garden or time for giving them plenty of exercise and attention and this is important as larger dogs do seem to get bored more than small ones.
Having said all that, we still kept our dogs outside of the house (they had large heated kennels though
) and when I was very young I was not left unsupervised with a dog as even a reliable dog could accidentally knock over a small child. I would always be wary of getting a large dog from a rescue centre and especially if children are around. I would also factor in how much space and time you have. I would love to get another German Shepherd but don't have enough garden or time for giving them plenty of exercise and attention and this is important as larger dogs do seem to get bored more than small ones.
As my post said, I know a family with one, they even have a cleaner to get rid of the hair everywhere. Although my wife had lots of them before I met her.
Brushes don't work, a dog will still roll around and shed hair that way, or scratch and fill the air with floaters. It also does nothing for the smell or having to put up with the mad barking at everything it thinks it can hear outside.
Nice dogs for someone with a hell of a lot of time to spend, but a lot of downsides I think.
Brilliant dogs, absolutely brilliant dogs. I'm sure, as with every breed, there is a tiny percentage that can be nasty but i've never come across one and my family used to be a 'halfway house' for German Sheps who had been given up when i was a kid and never had a problem.
My sister has a 6 month old pup living with her and her 2 twin children aged 2 and not a problem, if anything he is scared of them even though he's taller than them already.
Probably the most loyal and intelligent breed of dog out there, hence why they are used by the forces and police.
As mentioned they can often suffer from bad hips from around 8yrs onwards but it only slows them down in my experiences. The vets said they are in no pain which is the main thing.
So - YES GET ONE THEY R00LZ.
My sister has a 6 month old pup living with her and her 2 twin children aged 2 and not a problem, if anything he is scared of them even though he's taller than them already.
Probably the most loyal and intelligent breed of dog out there, hence why they are used by the forces and police.
As mentioned they can often suffer from bad hips from around 8yrs onwards but it only slows them down in my experiences. The vets said they are in no pain which is the main thing.
So - YES GET ONE THEY R00LZ.
I forgot, this one I know of actually bit a person known to the family, she's tried to bite me but only as a play bite, I think she's a bit sensitive about people moving too near her head.
I don't see that as anything to worry about the breed, as she's really just a mardy dog who doesn't get enough attention. It was just a bit unusual because dogs that are known to be aggressive are often OK with me and I'm not really a dog person, and the person she bit actually saw her every day.
I don't see that as anything to worry about the breed, as she's really just a mardy dog who doesn't get enough attention. It was just a bit unusual because dogs that are known to be aggressive are often OK with me and I'm not really a dog person, and the person she bit actually saw her every day.
We're puppy waiting right now. Not a German Shepherd, a Shiba Inu.
Originally I always wanted a Shepherd, either German or Belgian, but they are a little too big and have the "guard" instinct. Also there are small children in the family and I didn't want them to be intimidated when they come to visit.
I am quite surprised by the amount of people that label Sheps as nasty dogs in this thread. While they are guard dogs by instinct, I've never come across one that did anything more than bark.
Growing up I used to see a lot of German Shepherds around and now its rare to see one anywhere. All I see now are Staff's everywhere, all seem to have chav owners who think its great to be "walked" by their dogs.
Originally I always wanted a Shepherd, either German or Belgian, but they are a little too big and have the "guard" instinct. Also there are small children in the family and I didn't want them to be intimidated when they come to visit.
I am quite surprised by the amount of people that label Sheps as nasty dogs in this thread. While they are guard dogs by instinct, I've never come across one that did anything more than bark.
Growing up I used to see a lot of German Shepherds around and now its rare to see one anywhere. All I see now are Staff's everywhere, all seem to have chav owners who think its great to be "walked" by their dogs.
GSDs are brilliant dogs BUT they need to be well trained from an early age - as does the owner. They need to be correctly taught bite strength from day 1 as even in play they can still cause pain without realising it.
They can be very well behaved with kids but their natural guarding instinct can prevail and the kids will be protected from any perceived threat (kids playing and making a noise, parent telling child off etc).
If you are an experienced pastoral dog owner then an older ex-rescue GSD may be a good addition to the family otherwise I'd be very wary and consider a different breed such as an ex racing greyhound.
Exercise: GSD - high energy and stamina, should have at least 5 miles a day walking and playing. Greyhound - high energy, no stamina. 2 x 30 minute walks a day is plenty.
They can be very well behaved with kids but their natural guarding instinct can prevail and the kids will be protected from any perceived threat (kids playing and making a noise, parent telling child off etc).
If you are an experienced pastoral dog owner then an older ex-rescue GSD may be a good addition to the family otherwise I'd be very wary and consider a different breed such as an ex racing greyhound.
Exercise: GSD - high energy and stamina, should have at least 5 miles a day walking and playing. Greyhound - high energy, no stamina. 2 x 30 minute walks a day is plenty.
Soldato
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My brother has a German Shepherd they've had for a good 8 years now, and he has a 6 year old son and a 3 year old daughter, and the dog couldn't be better. She's protective of them with strangers, i.e. she'll stand between them and strangers when they enter the house, and she seems to have infinite patience with them. Quite often we had to stop the kids pulling themselves up using handfuls of the dog's fur while they were learning to walk, the dog wouldn't even flinch.
She's an awesome dog, although she's getting on now for a German Shepherd, that's one of the drawbacks, they don't live as long as other dogs sadly
She's an awesome dog, although she's getting on now for a German Shepherd, that's one of the drawbacks, they don't live as long as other dogs sadly
Absolutely love GSDs. Magnificient dogs, brutish if they need to be but if they're brought up right like most people are saying - they're fine.
I wouldn't trust any dog around a kid though, they're dogs afterall and will always try and find their place in the pack.
I wouldn't trust any dog around a kid though, they're dogs afterall and will always try and find their place in the pack.
YEAH? YOU THINK SO DO YOU?
AND I'M GONNA SET HER ON YOU TOO
Mind made up, getting one
If I have to live in the garage with it, so be it
In all seriousness, it seems that the best route to go is:
1 - Get a puppy so we know the upbringing its had
2 - Training/Classes - im assuming as soon as to get the best out of it.
3 - Insurance - for health problems
Cheers all, great feedback.
Mind made up, getting one
If I have to live in the garage with it, so be it
In all seriousness, it seems that the best route to go is:
1 - Get a puppy so we know the upbringing its had
2 - Training/Classes - im assuming as soon as to get the best out of it.
3 - Insurance - for health problems
Cheers all, great feedback.
Most decent rescues, will assess a dog before it is adopted. Some rescue dogs come from homes that have had children, but due to circumstances the dog has to go to a new home.
http://www.ukgermanshepherdrescue.co.uk/uk german shepherd rescue_002.htm
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Dogs can really surprise you. When I lived with my folks we had a staffie, they are known for being vicious. My cousin came round the house with her baby (about 4 months old) and our staff never left the baby alone...in a good way. The staff lay next the baby all day, when the baby cried the dog came and got us. She was fantastic around kids, very very surprising. Best bit, was my next door neighbour came round, but failed to take his helmet off and the dog went for him...