Let it socialize with other dogs The first thing to try to do is to allow it to be around other friendly dogs as often as possible in a controlled environment. But this doesn’t mean you have to give up right away. When you think of the German Shepherd dog breed, you probably think of an aloof, fierce guard dog standing with erect ears and a stalwart stance. As for life expectancy, German shepherds normally live for around 9-13 years. It is important to work with a professional dog trainer to get the results you are seeking. List the missing pet on the Local Facebook Lost Pets Groups. However, if one of your main reasons for choosing a German Shepherd is for guard duty and protection, you may be understandably disappointed to witness your GSD behaving like a never-met-a-stranger Labrador Retriever dog. 1. In fact, while the German Shepherd dog breed was originally developed to guard and herd livestock and, later, to protect and rescue people, today this is the second most popular pet dog choice in the country! This means that if you have not yet chosen your GSD puppy, and your number one goal is to select excellent protection and guard dog for your family, be sure to seek out a breeder that specializes in breeding working GSDs rather than a pet or show GSDs. Training your dog to maximize their natural defense drive is not for amateurs. In summary, there are a variety of reasons why you may be concerned your German Shepherd puppy, adult dog or rescue dog might not defend you and your family. Without proper socialization, a German Shepherd Dog Can Develop Very serious behavior problems like aggressiveness and unfriendly behavior with strangers and other pets. Best Answer The dog's natural instinct is to defend his territory, so they often bark when they detect strangers in familiar locations like their houses and their yard. This is because the GSD has been developed for different human goals: for show and for work. German Shepherd love children if given proper socialization training from an early age – GSD love to … ... German Shepherds can … She would give her life—without hesitation—to protect her caring and trustworthy owner. All this to say, there may be times when all the expert training in the world may not be enough to turn a friendly, sociable, cuddly German Shepherd dog into an aloof, intimidating guard dog. The secret to having a German Shepherd who is safe around non-threatening strangers is teach him or her what friendly people look like. You can help your dog get over his timidness with a combination of approaches. What Is the German Shepherd Defense Drive and How Do You Train For It? But just like not all people are introverted or shy, so too not all German Shepherds are aloof or standoffish. Let’s find out more about that now. Working with a qualified professional protection dog trainer can help you maximize your German Shepherd’s natural love for you as a protection tool. You must contact your local animal control unit and file a FOUND AN ANIMAL report for any dog or cat you find. It also doesn’t necessarily mean your GSD won’t still protect and guard you if a genuine threat emerges. Copyright © 2021 Anything German Shepherd, excellent protection and guard dog for your family, Can You Trust a German Shepherd: Yes and No and Here Is Why, What to Do With German Shepherd While At Work: How to Keep Your GSD Happy When You’re Away. Many GSD owners automatically assume that obedience training and guard dog training are done at the same time. But Schutzhund training will not prepare your GSD to guard and protect you. Here are 15 reasons German Shepherds make terrible family dogs: 1) They Are Hardwired For Work German Shepherd dogs naturally possess a defense drive, as this expert dog trainer explains. If you are going out take him with you so he can interact with new people, see new things and have new experiences. So, you want to make sure there is nothing to worry about with your German Shepherd, as they are sometimes known to be extremely protective. German Shepherds can be friendly to strangers as long as they are taught to be. Training Your GSD to Guard Doesn’t Start with Guard Dog Training, The German Shepherd in Protection Mode: Prey Drive Versus Defense Drive. If you have an adult German Shepherd, it can be trained very fast. An adult German Shepherd will be naturally aloof and guarded around people and animals not known to them, as Vetstreet points out. German Shepherds are just the opposite. As every dog lover knows, Labrador Retrievers are typically famously friendly. German shepherds are very socializing pets and when they get out, reward them with something. Trainers working with Gavel, a German Shepherd police dog trainee, had to let him go from the year and a half-long police training program. You then need to capitalize on that by introducing verbal cues and reinforcing the behavior with tasty treats. It will also mean that it will be easier to manage, it will be better behaved when you have guests around and it will be much less likely to be violent towards someone that is friendly. Even if your German Shepherd is friendly, it will still act as a deterrent. 2. She is protective of those she loves and territorial when it comes to her home, yard. 1. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. If you find a German Shepherd Dog or any other pet and it does not have an identification tag with a phone number, you can: The least people he will see the more aggressive he will become towards strangers. But today there are no less than three different genetic lines for the modern German Shepherd. He was “too friendly.”. Answer: Due to their immensely protective behavior for their loved ones, German Shepherds are not that friendly with the strangers and new people. 3. List the lost pet on the Local Facebook Lost Pets Groups Here. It is against the law to keep any animal that you find. These dogs remain fairly reserved with strangers as they do not trust a new person very easily and thus are not that cordial with them. My German Shepherd only barks at strangers, it doesn’t move close to them it stays far from them and bark and then, it easily becomes friend with the stranger whereby it allows the stranger to touch and pet him, what can I do? Properly trained, however, the GSD’s defense drive will manifest in a particular way based on what the dog trainer has taught your dog to do in the presence of a legitimate, verifiable threat. Today, Gavel has a new job that is a much better fit for his personality and skillset. He welcomes visitors to the governor’s mansion in Queensland, Australia. To make him aggressive keep him away from people. Report your missing pet details at Pet Reunite website here. and he is 6 months old. You can look at the book Training Your German Shepherd on Amazon to get more tips about how you can train your GSD. Once your GSD has learned the basic commands and is comfortable and confident (i.e. If you were thinking of adopting a German Shepherd, you should reconsider. Rather, what your GSD really needs is a training course that focuses on personal protection – protecting you and your family from danger. The first step is obedience training. But in dogs, that defense drive typically extends beyond the dog and to you, their owner, and other members of your family. This is an interesting question and a subject worth touching on here. Proper training, socialization (important for Shepherds), and adequate mental stimulation is also essential for these dogs. Do not try to train him to be stranger-aggressive. German shepherds typically make exceptional guards due to their bravery and confidence, so timidness is way out of character. Call the Local Authority to collect the lost animal. So dont worry and be happy with your dog the way he is. 2. Here, you will need to literally tell your German Shepherd (by the command you issue) that there is a threat. In fact, every living being has some level of defense drive, which is the natural instinct to self-protect in the face of danger. While there are elements of the former involved in the latter, as The Puppy Institute explains, the latter is not possible without the former already being there. The most important fact to remember when selecting a dog breed to protect and guard your family is this: guard dog training doesn’t come first. 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