GSDs - soft or scary? Discussions

I run puppy walks with the training club I go to and the amount of people who come to me with they're fear of the GSD is unbelievable.

As with all breeds I think its the trainer not the breed. They're such a fantastic breed but if with the wrong owner seems all hell can break lose with them. Ive found people get spooked by that large vocal expression they can have. Even though its just a happy bark people seem to find it intimidating. Too many people seem to get scared by barking dogs, do you guys find this too? I suppose also they're size. I think because they're used for demonstartion purposes and with the police I think people forget all dogs have those choppers and all can do damage if they intend to.

I love the breed even though several have attacked my dogs. I dont blame the breed, I blame the owner. I've also been attacked by a BC but still owned one after the attack because again they're a fantastic breed some are just in the wrong hands. My cavalier was always being attacked by JRT's constantly and now I own a JRT x myself lol.

So definitly big softies How can such a loving loyal dog not be

Couldn't agree more with that statement!!!

I have had 3 in my life and they have all been gorgeous. The first one was a boisterous dog who i thought was great but the neighbours didn't like him because he was in your face (not in a bad way though)
The last on heidi was really friendly but was bowled over by a group of dobermans when she was young so she permanently turned on other dogs after that. With Humans she was great and completely fixated on toys, throw a toy and she was your forever friend!
Sapphire gets a lot of different reactions. She is black and long haired and there are those that cross the road or dive back into the shop doorway if we walk past as they come out and one child did scream as she walked past him which she found quite amusing. On the other hand she is very pretty and lots of people just come up and start stroking her. I do encourage children to do it if they first ask us and their parents (because i have seen a lot of parents get funny about it) as i want them to know its not the look of the dog to be wary of its the body language. I have made a point to some people that if they actually looked at her ears pricked and tail wagging you will see she is friendly.
She doesn't have a bad bone in her body.
It is always the owner not the breed. GSD's are intelligent and will test you often but if you keep on top of them and know how to handle them they can be the most amazing family pet.

For me, the gsd is the one dog I am NOT scared of lol!!!

I remember when we went to buy Cassie many years ago, we approached this big farm, nobody about, and then all of a sudden, out came 6 big gsd's who came right up to us for a good old sniff and seemed to show us the right way into the farm. Neither me or hubby were at all phased by them, and yet if that had been 6 jr's we both would have legged it out of there!!! No, I have never met one gsd that has ever scared me, not even an aggressive one, coz if you leave them alone, they will do likewise, until they pluck up the courage to come over to you to investigate you!

Yes they're very gobby dogs, they can walk all over you if you let them, but a well trained friend like this would give their life for you, that's a fact!;-)

Am I biased???? Nah!

GSD's can be soft and scary!

I have loved them since I can remember, my parents had a beautiful gsd named Tara who had a fab temperament, and she had a big effect on my life even though I was too young to barely remember her.

I used to say it depends on the owners and still do to an extent. But I guess that was me being naive as I have a nervous aggressive shep and aggression is certainly not something I would encourage. He was nervy since picking him up at 10 wks. I always said I wanted my first from a pup so I could bring it up my way. But I have learnt alot since having Zephyr and am coming a long way with him, his behaviour is really improving He's a wonderful family dog, has a lot to offer, but is aggressive towards strangers and dogs he doesn't know. I still take him anywhere with me mostly on a normal lead and collar, sometimes head collar. I am just careful to not get to close to other dogs or children as I don't want to take any risks.

I absolutely think colour makes a huge difference. My boy gets alot of attention and something I always watch for is people or children approaching to touch him without warning (which really grinds my gears!!).

I think both depending on the indivual dog in question.

I must admit though that although I like this dog when they are with other people, I very much doubt that I would ever choose to own one, with the dogs that I grew up with, and the experience of GSD's and certain breedings and certian a breeder they're not at the top of my list, which is a shame as they are lovely dogs, but I have a scar on my back from a unstable GSD bitch that we owned who wouldn't allow on walks the group to split up, I was four and running ahead, next thing the dog went to grab my t-shirt or something and one her canine teeth went straight through some skin on my back, I have a scar where it went in, and where it came out, I also had a unstable by breeding male GSD, who again didn't like the family to be apart, we also lived near the park, and he was very over protective, no-one could approach us without him trying to attack them, including other children, he had gone through a double glazing patio door after deciding apparently that someone was too close, he had the RSPCA out a few times after trying to jump out of a first floor window, at one point breaking the window and trying to climb out of it, his back legs were still inside, his front legs were making thier way down the front of the house. I was also around six and in the back garden with my Deerhound and Jobé decided that the dog wasn't allowed near me and went for him, luckily the Deerhound could protect himself, and I was able to climb up a ladder and be able to be picked off the wall by someone else, need I go on. There was also a rescue GSD here who broke my heart not being able to keep him, as he was amazing but not in all respects.

So although they are a dog that I admire from a distance I think a lot of trust has gone from the breed for me, because of bad luck and bad breeding, and we know it was bad breeding, as all of Jobé's litter attacked different people too, Jobé himself ran from one end of the field to another to try and bite someone, maybe if I was older when all this happened I would feel differently, but as I was so young the dogs were even more scary for me.

You seem to have had som really bad experiences

If you are ever in Birmingham and want to meet two GSDs who are soft as muck with humans, please let me know and I'll bring my two to say hello

I will with other peoples German Shepherds I am fine, but now they are not a breed that I'd go out and choose to have

I'm not scared of GSDs. I have a lot of them come into work for grooming and never had a bad experience. I am very wary of them when out with my dogs though. Sadly it's been a while since we met one that wasn't dog aggressive. I think a lot of people who buy GSDs don't know how to handle them when they are gobbing off, and their panic makes the barking develop into aggression.

I'm not scared of them in the slightest, quite the opposite actually. To me they are a breed that is very pleasing on the eye and I love many of their characteristics. But, I am cautious when we come across one we have not met and I am with my dogs. There are a couple of Shepherds in my local area with very questionable temperaments (towards other dogs), but luckily their owners are responsible enough and keep them under control on the lead.

I think they are a breed that can either do wonderfully with an experienced handler or terribly with an inexperienced one. Sadly, a lot of people are attracted to the look of them and some of their characteristics (guarding ability, etc.) and then when the dog hits adolesance and is running riot, they have a problem on their hands. At Christmas time, I noticed a local family got a GSD pup, which would put the pup at 9-10 months old now. I saw them again a couple of days ago when I was walking my big two over in some local fields off lead. The Shepherd shot over from quite a distance away and immediately began chasing and nipping at Bo (Slovak) heels...this was not a friendly chase either, because Bo is the Queen of chasing and has never rejected an offer to play. She came and hid next to me while the Shepherd then started on my Lab, which didn't go down too well. Luckily my guys are softies, but had this dog started on any less than tolerant dog, a full blown fight could have easily occurred. The owner didn't seem in the least bit concerned at how his dog was behaving.

On the other hand, there is a bloke in my village with four or five (can't remember exactly) rescue GSD's which all have good natures and are impeccably behaved. It is quite impressive to see one person with 4-5 GSD's having them under such great control...I can't even control one of mine at times.

a person at the dog club i go to previously owned 3 one black one light and a tan and black. All extremely well trained in obedience. Two of them bred and had ten pups. She has kept two of the pups so now owns 3 adult and 2 pup gsds all have wonderful temperaments and all walk well together, she was even puppy sitting one of the pups the other week there so had 3 gsd pups. Amazing to see them like that in the right hands

I was bitten by my dads security dog on my face when i was a child. He was a GSD. never stopped me wanting one tho.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/northlight0/3188164301/

picture of Megan age 4 weeks kennal name Ann of Fife Pol.

My breeder is the same, she has 3 adult gsd's and kept one puppy (my dog's sister) and she does obedience too, its lovely to see so many of them together and so very well trained and most of all, so very friendly!!! When we first arrived to pick up our puppy from her house, we were mobbed by 4 adults and two puppies, but there was no way we were intimidated, we're so used to these dogs, it's just a pity some people don't put in the time needed to make them this way imo.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/northlight0/4780761398
Megan out walking .

I used to be scared of them because as a child the only ones I ever came across were ones people had as guard dogs. But in more recent years my next door neighbour had 2 (sadly they died last year) They were long haired & massive but equally friendly & gorgeous, but you could only stroke them his the owner gave them the go ahead. They were so gentle with Tilly as a puppy & would come into the garden to see her. Same with rotties - I was scared of their size & looks until I actually got to know one!

Thanks everyone for taking part in the thread, it has thrown up a few different experiences and views

My views have changed as I've got older, as a kid I really disliked them as they were always the dogs trying to get you as you walked past the house where they lived. They were generally always in the back yard with a gate with the bottom all chewed away and they could get their heads through to snap and snarl everytime anyone passed by. I don't remember them being walked or seeing them anywhere other than under the gate.
I actually rather like them these days especially the long coated ones although it's not a dog I would ever consider owning but that's simply because I only do short coated breeds these days.

Nice to know your opinion has changed for the better over the years Trouble You should try a nice longcoated at some point, they don't shed as much as you might think ;-)

I totally agree ....having worked at a boarding kennels with majority of boarders being GSD's that were nervous/aggressive and yet their owners thought it ok that they were like that because the breed should be aggressive shouldn't it?!!! Had no intention of getting the the bottom of why the dogs are like they are ... why should they though .... after all GSD's are meant to be like that ...

C'mon surely you've all read about the temperaments in the breed standard

What really pee'd me off was that 90% intended to breed with them

On the other side of the coin have owned GSD's and also had bad experiences with other ppls GSD's ..... I can see many different takes on why some people are fearful of shepherds and its such a shame that they are all tarred with the same brush regardless of their temperaments ....