GSD Discrimination? Discussions

To any of you who are owned by GSDs. Does anyone find that people give you a wide berth in the street with their eyes fixed intently on your dog?

Everyone used to squeal in delight at him when he was smaller, hes the same size as Ruby (Goldie) now but he's still very much a baby and I find it really sad that people just dont want to fuss him anymore :-(

Having never had a GSD before, is this normal behaviour and should I expect it more as he gets bigger? Its such a shame, he only wants to say hello to people and some still do stop and stroke him, but hardly anyone anymore. Poor Diesel is more likely to get a look of horror than a stroke, and tbh its not going to help his socialisation is it? :?

Walking past the school yesterday and passed a woman, I was thrilled when she said hello to Diesel and told him he was gorgeous! She then went on to tell me she had a GSD herself at home. So that explained it!

I'd love to hear others experiences!

xx

ive owned, fostered and trained quite a few GSD's.
never had a problem.
either get the same interested compliments anyone else gets, or peeps minding their own business.

I have a 9 week old who everyone is fussing but I have been warned by several other GSD owners to be aware of public perception and that people will cross over or quickly put their dogs back on lead when they see me coming once Keira is fully grown :-( :-(

I think its more that people associate them with guard dogs and police dogs so think that they are all viscious, such a shame as they are so beautiful! I am told its not quite as bad with long haired but we'll see :?

Hope more people start to pet your beautiful boy he sounds lovely x

I have had some people being nervous and/or afraid of my GSDs, but tbh that doesn't really worry me.

I do a lot of walking in remote places on my own, and live in a rural/remote spot in Scotland and so quite like the fact that many people are wary of my sheps ;-)

You will most likely find that the people that are wary are non-dog types anyway.

I'd be straight over to ask if I could have a smooch with him. I love em. I have a pointer.

Pinkgunner's GSD is a Kazeti too

I think we need new pics of both Kazeti pups please

Up until I got Daisy I would have agreed totally. But I have discovered that blonde-faced fluffies are exempt from the Police Dog Syndrome.
Previously I have owned short-haired black and tans, and not had any trouble at all keeping people at a distance.

I had it a lot with my last GSD - being darker coloured, I think she looked more "intimidating" to people (she was a big softy with people, just not so great with dogs) and we got lots of crossing the road, changing direction, etc.
I don't get it so much with Casper, infact lots of people don't even realise he's a German Shepherd as he's longhaired and white (infact, I think being more ginger than white throws people off too - sorry, "champagne" ). People tend to revert back to the running away, probably twice as fast, when I take him out with Kiki though. The presence of a Rottie cross seems to make the big softy bear turn into a vicious wolf or something too

I think people associate them with police dogs & guard dogs, I love GSD's, sadly Tilly doesn't because of this one that we see who has pinned her down & thrown her in the bushes. The bloke says he's only playing & he does to everyone & yet he has his calm lab on a lead. So we do turn around & go in the opposite direction if we see him & I try to meet others to get her over her fear so she can see they are not all like that!

We used to have a GSD which, like you say, most people avoided with the exception of a nice old lady whose bungalow we used to pass everyday. She used to come out to give him a fuss - "I had one of these during the war" she told me.

Then we got him a friend - a Rottie.
She still came out nearly everyday to see us and fuss them both.
Then one day she asked "and what's this one?".
So I told her, "she's a Rottweiler."
"Ooooh" she said. "Just wait til I tell my son I've been stroking a Rottweiler!".

She never came out so see us after that! Funny eh?!!!

I've experienced it to various degrees over the years when I had GSD's. Folk snatching their dogs up in their arms and sending me filthy looks because I "dared" to have such a man eating hellhound off lead My dogs were not even showing the slightest bit of interest in them or their dogs. Have even had idiots telling me that I was putting my children at risk...ignorance

I had more issue with a couple who had 2 little Yorkie boys who used to terrorise everything that moved when I walked my dogs on the beach. These pint sized terrors were locally known as "the Kray Twins" My "hellhounds" gave those wee beggars a wide berth!

Catherine

But people sometimes react to Dexter that way - and he's a yellow Labrador.

So I don't think it's because you have a GSD. It's just that some people, and children, are wary of large dogs.

No - trust me - you get a different sort of reception when you storm up the road with a couple of these..



re the snatching little dogs up thing - when my son (big bloke, death metal tshirt, hair down to bum) saw them do that, he`d effortlessly snatch up the GSD and say `There, there, I won`t let the little *&*^ get you poppet`.

thats never happened to me....

OK, firstly your dogs are GORGEOUS.



But also - honestly, I've had extreme reactions to Dexter just because he is a big, tall Lab.

Only today a girl started crying because we were walking behind them, and we've had people cross the road to avoid us.

Where I think GSDs *are* treated differently is off leash in the park - I bet if one of your handsome GSDs starts running up to someone the person is far more scared than if a Lab or Golden Retriever or spaniel does the same thing?

Yes, that is why I implore all new posters with GSD to ensure that they socialise them correctly in the right places so dogs do not learn that their presence can influence others!

I have a short haired sable GSD and since owning a GSD I have found the world is divided into pro and anti GSDs in general.

It is understandable when you see that the majority of GSDs many people are exposed to are those portrayed on TV as police dogs, guard dogs etc.

lol wasnt planning on commenting here until I seen this - I have done this with Loui once - it was all the dirty looks and the snatching then when it yapped, I just had to! Probably not very nice but really what do people expect....it was something like 'this way Lou, we stay away from the nasty noisy dogs' Thing is I wouldnt mind if they just admitted their own wasnt great instead of throwing us dirty looks! (just cos he's big :-( )

I'd be going out of my way to ask if I could meet them.

That's just brilliant

Thanks for all your interesting replies

Nice to see I'm not being a bit paranoid then!

TabithaJ - I do have a Goldie and a Bernese too but seriously, I have not had the reactions to either of them like I get with Diesel. And I want people to fuss him, if we are walking towards someone in the street and they look at him as we pass, I slow down and smile at them in the hope they'll want to stroke him ( I must look like a right dork!) I actually just stop short of saying 'Hi, for the love of god, pleeeease give my dog a fuss!

SB - Ive done away with the long line now, I only need the ball to control him now xx

Here is a latest pic of my adorable little boy

Or maybe not..............:?