Keep in mind that the inheritance of temperament is less predictable than the inheritance of physical traits such as size or shedding. that with German Shepherds more than most other breeds, you must know what you want before you start calling breeders or looking at litters.īecause if you don't know what you want, and what you don't want, and if you don't ask the right questions, you're likely to end up with a German Shepherd that isn't at all what you were looking for – and possibly one who is too much for you to handle. A good number of them are too soft, which can result in timidity or skittishness. These dogs are seldom bred for aggressive dog sports, so they tend to have a milder temperament that fits well into many families. Or, if you want a truly mellow Shepherd, you might consider a longhaired or perhaps a solid white German Shepherd. These breeders might prove their dogs' trainability by participating in non-protection dog sports such as obedience, rally, or agility. Instead, you might look for more of a generalist breeder who focuses on calmness and high trainability. If you're looking for an easygoing family companion, I would avoid both strict show lines and strict working lines. This happens when breeders focus on appearance more than temperament and trainability. I've worked with far too many German Shepherds from show lines who were hyperactive, skittish, spooky, or downright dopey. These dogs are softer-tempered than those from working lines. Other breeders produce show lines that match a detailed standard of conformation for the show ring.

But not so much for the average family companion, unless you were to look carefully for an individual pup in one of those litters who didn't inherit that high-drive temperament. These dogs are ideal for competitive protection-dog sports. Some breeders, you see, produce working lines of German Shepherds with high-drive temperaments – vigorous and intense. Today, the temperament of a German Shepherd often depends largely upon what kind of line he comes from. Different lines have different temperaments Or at least an ideal temperament to be a good family companion. Unfortunately, it can be difficult today to find a German Shepherd with an ideal temperament. There's a good reason my first dogs were German Shepherds! One of the most capable and trainable breeds in all of dogdom, an ideal German Shepherd, when properly raised by a confident owner, can be a magnificent companion.

Certainly you would expect high intelligence, high self-confidence, trainability, and an ability to focus.Īll of those traits are what you get in an ideal German Shepherd. The breed also excels at search and rescue, bomb and drug detection, and guiding the blind. So expect traits such as aloofness toward strangers and protective/territorial instincts. German Shepherds were also developed as military messenger and sentry dogs, and as personal protection and police dogs. So you would expect sheepherding traits such as athleticism, a compulsion to chase things that move, and swift responsiveness to their human shepherd/master. The German Shepherd was developed from various sheepherding dogs. To understand a breed's temperament and behavior, ask, 'What was he developed to do?' Whichever traits help him accomplish his intended work have likely been 'hard-wired' into his genes – not perfectly, but generally. My experience with German Shepherd temperament Temperament and behavior stem from what the breed was designed for This noble-looking male has a beautiful rugged head, intelligent expression, and rich coloration. German Shepherds are one of the common dog breeds employed in K-9 units in both police and military applications.German Shepherds were my very first breed. Stephanitz and Meyer wrote the breed standard in 1899 and the American Kennel Club recognized the German Shepherd as a member of the Herding Group in 1908.Īlthough they were originally bred as herding dogs, they were also bred for versatility, which made the German Shepherd an all-around working dog that could excel in a variety of applications. They selectively bred strains of German herding dogs from the central and northern districts of Germany to create what would lead to today’s German Shepherd. The modern German Shepherd is descended from a family of various German herding dogs.īreed standards were not developed until the late 19th century when Captain Max von Stephanitz, a German cavalry officer, worked with Arthur Meyer and other breeders to develop the ideal German herding dog. The German Shepherd is one of the most versatile, well-recognized, and popular dog breeds in the world.

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