I'm not planning on getting another dog anytime soon, but I saw a beautiful white Shepherd and it got me thinking. I know each dog is different but there are some generalities we can make, anyone have any experience? My first Lab and his puppyhood and early teenage hooligans were nothing like I've experienced before. My other dogs have all been smallish mixes and really, really tame. Then along came Mr. Whirlwind Also what are they like as adult companions as compared to Labs?
Hehe, I'm with Jen, I don't know first-hand, except how cute they are with their floppy ears. I did meet one last summer, who was 8 months old, and I was a bit disappointed, because at that age, he looked and acted very much like the adults he was with. Whereas an 8-month Lab still looks very puppyish, and certainly acts it! That's a survey of one, though, so hardly indicative of the breed as a whole
Oh, I saw a GSD a couple of weeks ago that made me very sad. It was late at night and I was driving down a quiet road, no-one else in sight. This huge guy walking his dog looked panicked as I approached, and then I found out why, as this monster started barking and lunging towards the car. The dog was clearly scared of the vehicle and acting out because of it. The owner could barely hold on, this dog was so big and determined. He obviously only walked the dog times and places he thought he wouldn't come across anyone. I felt so sorry for them both. Not that this has anything to do with GSDs in general, it just reminded me of them. Most of the GSDs I've ever met have been a bit aloof, but calm and steady.
Paul and I rescued a GSD many years ago , he was a year old at the time and had been ill treated . Despite his awful beginnings , he became the most loyal of dogs, kind and gentle , steady too . One thing to bear in mind is the hairs ! if you think Labs shedding is bad , double it ! But I wouldn't hesitate having another one x
There was a GSD in Jess's puppy class that was like this - he was only about 6-8 months but already quite big and the barking and lunging was really full-on. The class trainer handled it really well, including by giving the rest of us in the class a little briefing and explaining that it was fear rather than aggression. She said that this was very common with GSDs - that they're scaredy-cats in a big dog body. Of course, she may just have been trying to make his owners feel better, but whether it's confirmation bias or not, I have subsequently seen quite a few "scaredy cat" GSDs!
They are such good looking dogs, especially as puppies, I've never had one myself but have known a few vicariously so to speak. They strike me as both very easy and very difficult at the same time. I think they are very devoted and attached to their owners/handlers which makes them easy to train in a way, but I think too that that if their training goes wrong it goes horribly wrong, if they are misunderstood. Over the years I've watched a man walk along a busy main road with a GSD off lead to get his paper etc, he's on the second one now, he waits on the grass outside the filling station, with eyes only for his owner. Interestingly, he won't do this for the man's wife, she has to have him on a lead. I think they are one person dogs.
Yes there was a GSD with the people on the pitch next to us when we were camping. I never actually saw it (they were in a caravan) but I heard it - a lot . The lady stopped to talk to me one day and she said her husband had to walk it at 4.30/5.00 in the morning as it couldn't be trusted around other dogs/people. I thought that was sad. She said if anything happened to her husband, she didn't know what she would do as she couldn't manage it. The man chatted another day and described the 12 year old GSD as his baby. We noticed that the whole week we were there and we were coming and going all the time with our two labs, they didn't go anywhere at all. There was a GSD puppy on my puppy course. Full of energy and very bouncy - lovely dog. The owner had the same job as me - trying to stop our puppies pulling us around whilst the other people had little dogs that were doing what they were supposed to do .
No two dogs are a lihe same as no two breeds are the same. In my experience GSDs are fun to train as they are quick learners and responded really well to positive reinforcement training. I've never come across a fearful GSD - if a dog is fearful we should look at it's upbringing, parentage and life events/handling and not condemn the breed as 'fearful'. I'm sure no one call a police dog 'fearful' but they are most commonly a GSD. I would love a GSD in the family but would never consider one from the in vogue sloping back version - straight back every day.
Yes - if this was a response to my post, perhaps I didn't phrase it very well. I agree that breed is not determinative of all aspects of a dog's character - but equally, some characteristics/traits are more pronounced in some breeds than others. We are on the labrador forum, after all! I have no idea whether the dog trainer I mentioned was correct in saying that GSDs are often reactive as pups, but it does seem possible that a very intelligent, observant and alert breed might also have a tendency to reactivity? That's not the same thing as fearful, but perhaps hyper-aware? But certainly, I could be guilty of selective observation on this topic - my husband loves GSDs, grew up with them and thinks they are the perfect dog. I'm less keen, but really don't have much experience of them.
We have a white GSD at training - he must be about 7 months old now. He learns very quickly and went from a scaredy puppy at 14 weeks to a bold, curious puppy at 15 weeks. He is now confident and playful - and has just found his voice. He is totally adorable! Having Coco - GSDxLab, I would indeed love a full GSD (straight back, obviously) if one ever pops up (I am listed with our police force for failed/retired "big" dogs - ie GSD or Lab - but I don't hold out much hope)
My Prince was a long haired GSD. They are the most adorable fluffy teddy bears with big floppy ears that seem to have a life of their own as pups but grow into huge grizzly bears (my vets nickname for him) who moult and need a good deal of grooming. I do remember that he became a little stroppy as a teenager, once barring me from going through a door, quite worrying when he was much taller than me when stood on his hind legs, but he got a good telling off and never ever did it again. Oh yes, and they can be very gobby! They are very loyal dogs but in some cases not the healthiest. I lost Prince at just 7yrs old when he lost the use of his back end due to CDRM.
Many adult GSDs I've met have been nervous and reactive as adults. Not all, but enough to mean I definitely wouldn't ever consider getting one. Fearfulness is definitely something that can be an inherited characteristic. It's not all nurture. https://bmcgenomics.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12864-016-2936-3
My mother loved GSDs, so that was what we had when I was growing up (and she continued with them after I became a Lab person ). They were all incredibly smart and quick learners, very loyal, excellent with children (though they were trained to be), and a bit anxious by nature. One in particular struggled with rain and storms. As kateincornwall said, Lab shedding seems light in comparison. I would absolutely have one, though not to be an indoor dog; the ones we had all came inside briefly each day but were miserable if they had to be inside very long--they need to be working constantly.
I really find them handsome but have known too many nervous ones - and even if not overly nervous, they herd/patrol by nature and that always on duty personality isn't my thing. But then my Rotties' temperaments would be described as "nearly comatose" by most GSD people. I don't know anything about the difference color makes in health or temperament (if any - may be not linked at all) but I've had more favourable impressions of the white GSDs. Actually are they even GSDs if white or something else? A breed or type of the breed which you see here is the "Altdeutscher Schäferhund" - which seems to pretty much be code for "long-haired, squared (no sloped hips) massive GSD". Again, I know nothing about GSD - this Altdeutscher variety could be controversial for all that I know, but man, are they gorgeous and seem more chilled out than the short hair variety.
There are masses of white Shepherd's in Wellington, and all the ones I've come across with Xena have been lovely and friendly. But count me as another person who's met too many nervous/reactive GSDs to ever have a positive impression of them. A lot of people seem to get them as starter dogs, and they're absolutely not a starter dog. I'm sure the dog's natural guarding instinct combined with the owner's ignorance contributes to the behaviour problems. I also couldn't cope with the barking, it would drive me up the bend.
I remember as a child GSDs (or Alsatians as they were known then, in the 70s) had fearsome reputations, and I was pretty scared of them. There was a pup in my puppy class who was a bit barky (and pulled quite a bit). My colleague has one, she grew up with GSDs and loves them, wouldn't choose another breed. As a tiny pup he was quite lairy but he's calmed a lot now, he's about 9 months. I saw a prog on TV some time ago which reported that they needed lots of activity, are very bright, need to use their brains and shed LOADS!
From my experience of observation, not based on any scientific knowledge, over the years, I completely agree.
Hmm may not be the right breed for me, I like calm and steady, and aloof (with strangers/other dogs) would easier than the opposite for me, but nervousness/reactivity, and barking, not so much.
