I was first time GSD parent. My family had dogs my whole life, but never GSD. We got GSD 3 years ago, and I learned quickly that I know very little about German Shepherds. Their intelligence is main reason why people should educate themselves about the breed before adding one to their family. If you don’t, you’ll be overwhelmed and frustrated. You will end up with large unmanageable dog, who will end up at shelter. I was surprised how different GSDs are from other dog breeds. I love my GSD and I will never own another dog breed. I fell in love with GSD breed on the first day my GSD became part of my family. I tell people GSDs are humans on four legs. In the begging I made a lot of mistakes because I didn’t know much about their temperament, their quirks, but I read every article, watched every video that I could find to educate myself. I admit that I had some failures, but I learned from them, and worked consistently to fix them. I love working with my boy, teaching him obedience, and new tricks. I make it fun for both of us. I agree with the facts that GSDs are not a dog for inexperienced, but it’s possible to succeed if you’re willing to work, and willing to educate yourself. They are worth it!
Thanks so much for watching and sharing your experience. It sounds like you're trying to do the best by you and your GSD which is great to hear, keep it going 💪🏼
They are a tremendous breed! All of mine were rescues, all with issues. All were awesome companions and adjusted to well to a strong leader. Thank you for learning about this great breed!
I'm awaiting my first GSD, a one year old male, Hendrix. A girlfriend had a female GSD, while I had grown up with Goldens, and a Basset which I still think are amazing breeds. However, I was blown away by her Sadie's intelligence, sensitivity, ability to put her toys away by name, her alert but sweet and loving disposition, funny vocalisations and athleticism. I had also worked for a rescue shelter, though one focused on bully breeds, so I figured I had the experience and ability to be a worthy owner. Fortunately, I found your videos, and they have fantastic guidance and directly usable strategies. I had to revise and expand my daily training plans and set the minimum of 2 miles daily. I admit I'm incredibly excited for him to arrive, while I also know he deserves my best effort and is a deeper responsibility than my previous pups. The good info is hugely appreciated, thank you!
This is my first GSD too and he's 2 years old now. He's obedient but very bratty. But not a problem at all, just very loud. I don't get why people always talk about them being very difficult etc. Maybe people are just lazy, i go out a lot. Play with him a lot. Train him. What not. He also has a very good diet. He behaves and acts good.
I have some friends who have a out of control shepherd, it’s to the point where I’m not going to go over there anymore, I think he’s going to end up hurting someone and get them in a whole mess of trouble, but from watching your video I learned that he is not getting the training, exercise and guidance that he needs, I don’t blame the dog ,it’s my friends who have screwed up.
Exactly. Even though they are wonderful dogs people cannot raise them like a lap dog lol they can get very destructive, break things with their tail on the coffee table and can easily and unintentionally knock a child down or even an adult. German Shepherds without any proper training can be very mouthy and I am not referring to the puppy stage, that's separate. If they don't learn, don't get the attention or exercise they need, their mouths will get them in trouble. They will chew things up and Destroy things and their main form of play will likely be trying to get your hand in their mouth as if it was a ball or something. When my female was a puppy and in her biting stage, there would be times where I am playing with her and she would start getting a little Rowdy, and what would hurt the most was when her tooth would knock into my knuckle. If the dog gets no training, and I'm not talking about a dog that ended up aggressive, you basically have a hyper puppy for life. And that is not good when you have a 65 + pound dog. When they do get attention they get really riled up and when they aren't trained, people tend to put them outside or in a crate because it's being a "bad" dog. So many people assume that getting a badass dog, like a German Shepherd, I think they unknowingly assume that their German Shepherd is going to end up being the same kind of German Shepherd they see on TV or on RU-vid. The wonderful one that protects its family, very loyal and well-behaved. that the moment it comes home when they take on their think when a lap dog jumps on them it's cute but a German Shepherd, not so much. People think that German Shepherds who do not behave are not smart and that that individual dog is stupid and that's only because they were not trained right away as a puppy, or, if adopted, German Shepherds are very very capable of learning later on as long as the owner knows what they are doing or gets help through a good professional dog trainer. It's sad that people choose strong and tough breeds like German Shepherds assuming they will grow up to be like a police dog. Every dog needs training and the puppy stage of a German Shepherd can be pretty challenging because they can get very bored very quick and start chewing up everything and ruining things. Another thing is people tend to put human psychology on dogs and it's not the dogs need to step into our world, we just need to know how to step into their world. They are amazing dogs. Also, a lot of people don't know that they shed like crazy. Every single dog breed or any animal for that matter has its pros and cons as far as responsibility of the owner. German Shepherds are so sweet and loving and many people assume that if their dog isn't behaving because of lack of training, that they ended up with a dumb dog or a bad dog. Not the case. Every German Shepherd has something beautiful inside of them that with patience and training, people would be shocked at how amazing they are and how smart they are. Very loyal to my family and from playing around I know 100% that my female German Shepherd, Elsa, will protect our family in a split-second. Just now when I was using my voice text for my comment above, the moment I said her name because she is right next to me, I got that famous head tilt and excitement. I love it when I say her name how she knows I'm talking about her!
And the thing is, the dog is not out of control, it's the humans not giving them basic training which anyone can learn from a professional or even implementing things right away from wonderful RU-vid channels like this. I guarantee your friends would be shocked but if they just made the effort, it's amazing how quick these dogs learn. I taught my German Shepherd how to sit in less than five minutes. There's so much inside of your friends German Shepherd, that dog has so much to give and it just needs guidance. I can say this because I am a mom of a seven and a four-year-old and a beautiful three year old German Shepherd, a similarity between the both is if they have no rules and can do whatever they want, it is neither the German Shepherd or the child's fault if they are unsupervised or have no rules. If they do things that they shouldn't do, like if my kids start scribbling on the walls and destroying the house, that would be my fault if I never taught them what's acceptable and what's not. The way I could compare my kids and a German Shepherd is they are so eager to please and that they thrive on a strong leader and lots of attention and guidance. Same principle even though we are talkin humans and animals. I wouldn't even want to know or imagine what my house would look like if I had my kids and my German Shepherd owning the place with no structure. Oh my goodness. LOL
I've adopted a 7 year old male (neutered) GSD and 6 weeks in I am learning so much and loving it. I already have a 16 year old Kelpie, and boy is my GSD a different bag of tricks. First up I could sense his intelligence and even at age 7, high trainability. He was quite emotionally stable and had some basic obedience, I've kept working at commands to stop him guarding (I can now open my door without him trying to take over ) and ball obsession. I am not that physically active myself but I go to my dog park every morning for an extended game of fetch, and then a shorter lead walk in the evening. I have dog fur everywhere....I have to vacuum everyday. That's even tho I brush him. I can see why this breed were nicknamed German Shedders lol. Both my dogs were adopted as adults, I got them with a good background history (my Kelpie came from a rescue center and had been fostered, and my GSD came from owners leaving the country) and I was happy to do basic training, but not deal with any serious behavioral problems. When my 16 year old Kelpie passes, I'm considering getting another GSD....
Oh yes there are times when I brush my German Shepherd and the amount of fur comes out of her could be mistaken for another dog sitting next to her. The best thing to invest in, in my opinion, is an undercoat dog brush as well as the Furminator. It's a game changer and she loves getting brushed. I would say there is about 80 to 90% less furball's collecting in the corners of my house. I even love the fact that my kids like brushing her, it's a win-win. If I see my daughter brushing her I'm giving myself a high-five even if I brushed her earlier on that day. The brush does the work, it's very gentle and my dog looks like she's in heaven as if she was at a dog massage parlor. I swear by it unless he recommends something else. If you just go on Amazon and look up an undercoat dog brush that has a lot of good reviews, go through the review pictures and you will see how much for these things get out of them. I noticed there's two kinds of dog hair that my dog sheds. The regular dog hair and then there's that very soft angel hair type fur, like little clouds. That's the stuff that gets everywhere in my house if I don't brush her. She loves getting brushed and I love not having dog hair everywhere! Sorry for any typos I am using voice text.
I've got a neighbor who has just moved in with one, she's not there often, only around 3 hours from what I hear of her, her poor dog is barking with frustration at every noise as we're in a flat that holds 9 families. He's a large German shepherd & can see from all his windows that makes him run and jump from each room with people coming and going all day. He pulls, barks and jumps on the lead & the owner looks depressed and exhausted. I don't know what the hell she was thinking getting this breed when he's not getting the mental stimulation or exercise or even interaction that he needs. He'll be barking at night too. I've got two black lab X English bull terriers... They have a lot of energy & intelligence. But I'm with them all day being disabled so they are happy even if my husband can't get them out for a long long walk for a few days I'm communicating & training them from my bed. I taught them how to play together & make tug toys for them. I just feel so bad for that other pup. I want to reach out but to get them together. Even we'd have him a few hours. But my husband& our dogs saw him through the window in the public entrance security door from outside & he lunged forward with aggressive barks & she just didn't control him well at all. I don't blame the dog... He needs a leader to follow & behave for. He's just unsocialised, not trained & in my opinion neglected (in terms of physical and mental stimulation) what could I do? I'd like to offer her advise if I can. My husband has suggested dog walkers and trainers to her but she said they aren't willing to take him... If I was healthy I'd help but my joints dislocate easily, my dogs know not to pull from puppy, I also trained them on crutches so they knew if they pulled myself or my crutches landed on them 😅 they worked out quickly it didn't happen if they didn't pull 😂 thank you for sharing this video. I'd love a German shepherd but I know I'm not in a situation where the kind of consistency they'd need for activity levels wouldn't be possible for my husband with caring for me too.
I agree with the fur bit 100% but the drool bit. My GSD never seemed to drool. They will excessively bark but they are too easy to train it out of them. I love this video, and your caring shows. - Cronk
Hi Cronk. I am thinking of getting a GSD. Do you think daily brushing and weekly visits to the parlor will in anyway help the situation? From experience, how bad can the hair get? I don't mind some hair, but am worried that I don't know what I am getting into. Hair on my pots sounds like a nightmare. Thanks for the help :)
@@Mendes16-125 it's good to ask now. I'm not sure what kind of parlor you have in mind but in general GSDs shed year round with 2 big sheds twice a year. The hair will get nearly everywhere without frequent brushing- daily brushing should be enough, and vacuuming. If that is a big enough issue you might want another breed. A good way to tell is to visit a friend who has a GSD. If they are a neat freak they will complain about the hair. If they arent you might be able to see how much really drops. Hope that helps.
@@madginger3634 Thank you for the advice. I shall do some more research. Unfortunately, no-one in my circle has a GSD. I will do some-more thinking. Thank you for the help :)
I'm a first time owner of a gsd, I love him adding him to my family was the best thing ever, he's 2 years old now so he is getting out of the puppy stage but so far so good. He loves his human brother and sister he protects them like no other ❤️
@@janetb6413 he's not aggressive, but what you said is quite possible. They are very protective over there owners, he does many thing to show that. All I have to say is "get him" and he will do just that, if he finds them a threat of course.
@@mommadeenaa I’ll be too scared to let my dog get anyone cos the legal cost afterwards will be expensive & justifying using the dog as weapon.. I probably need to look up the law on it
German shepherds are a nice dog breed and also gives some difficulties but if we are getting it so we should complete it’s requirements by training and we will have obedient and loyal companion .
What bull i bought a gsd 2 yrs ago hes the best thing in my life im a pensioner and ive trained my dog from 8 weeks their the easiest breed to train also they are the most loving dog you could have
I go out with my dog everyday obviously. 3 times a day. I let him run once a day on a field nearby, he also goes out into the backyard everyday multiple times. And we try to go into the forest or beach regularly. It's not difficult really. Or exhausting. I train him. He knows many different commands. But I must say, my dog, oh god, he is barking so much. And he sounds sooooo silly hahaha. He barks when the neighbors come home, when the postman knocks. But I don't mind. He's a good boy
First time swiss shepard owner here. Little easier temperament I believe but still 3 hours a day is the minimum of time we spend on our 4 month old pup. 1 hour each morning. 2 hours Forrest each afternoon. Training during the day (all small bits add up) mental exercises and a heavy focus on socialisation (especially with dogs, kids, car rides, strangers) manners (yes is yes and no is no and not maybe) and obedience. Sit and stay are the holy grail in this. I love our pup, he is so intelligent but also has a tendency to search for unclear boundaries wich again teaches us the boundaries that need clarification. Besides the time your dog will require you will spend a lot of time with your family talking about ground rules and working together on raising our dog. Sometimes our views differ wich needs sorting out. We are now following the perfect puppy course. (Wish I started it sooner) but luckily things like socialisation and sit were already tackled by us. Love this channel and wish you all the best.
As a first time GS owner she lives with same age retriever female it’s been a joy a piece of cake to train both together. Hours put in a lot but a river in my garden and land magic. Bringing people around taking them out with people other dogs but they know who is the boss. Adore Petra.
I've only ever had a dog once and it was a spaniel which we got when I was a kid, which eventually had to give away. It was sad because my parents didn't really research too much and we didn't know how to handle him. Now, I was looking into a new companion and once I met my friends GSD I immediately fell in love with the breed. The intellect, the loyalty and the playful nature of the dog are so interesting to me and I am pretty jealous of him lol. So, regardless of being an inexperienced owner, I am researching every video and article I can find so I can be sure when I do get one that I give it a life it deserves
Dislike sorry.. I know a lot of people who got a gsd as a first pet and they did and are doing great job with them. I wish I could dislike again because I know people who has a gsd in an apartment.. and dogs are doing great !
Thanks for watching, we do have a video looking at why you should get a German Shepard as well: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-AW5FBhJWkXQ.html
I want a German Shepard and I had a dog before, and my family definitely have experienced with dogs in india because in India there are dogs everywhere. I want a German Shepard because they are small and cute. What do you say about Golden retrievers?
Thanks for watching! You'll be pleased to know we have a dedicated Golden Retriever channel you might find helpful: ru-vid.com/show-UCViAnklfW5giX8EsSHPqaqg And we have a look at a video comparing these two breeds: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-37QwL6j4ZmM.html
Hummm, I don't understand what's wrong with my German Shepherd Dog. I was sitting there in my 3rd story studio apartment, I had an hour and a half to kill before I started my 12 hour shift, which I give him that 1 1/2 hours EVERY day to relax with me, during my 6 day work week and I relax with him for 3 hours on Sunday ... double the time of the other days. He has the place to himself most of the time, yet he doesn't seem happy. I don't even make him go outside to chase around goody toys. For some reason he barks all the time, so the neighbors tell me, he seems like he barely barks at all to me!!!!
Hey Pete, we have a video on one of our other channels looking at the Top 10 Small Guard Dog Breeds: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-3rlujsY1VUs.html
I’ve wanted a German Shepherd ever since I was little. After watching this video I am a little bit worried. I would absolutely love to take on the challenge, however I am a little fearful. I am 20 years old and my family has an Australian Shepherd mixed with a lab that is about 12 years old. I technically am not a first time dog owner, however I was so young when I got my down now that I did not do much training. Do you think with the guidance of your RU-vid videos that I would be able to take in a new German Shepherd puppy?
Check out the channel Lucy Lane the Queen of Balmain. The owners are from Sydney Australia the guy has mentioned a number of times that his dog Lucy is his first dog, however he also is friends with a guy that trains military dogs and has had his help with Lucy's training. Will himself in this video says it can be done with the right person, so don't lose all hope just make sure you are realistic. You need to watch videos of untrained German shepherds first and then think to yourself if I am presented with this situation what will I do. The biggest thing in my opinion is don't let a puppy get away with anything that you won't let it get away with when it's mature, and don't swallow your pride if your in over your head, you need to get help at the first sign not when it's too late. I'm not saying rush out and get one it's just it can be done safely with the right mindset and tools. Can I suggest going to your local gsd club and getting yourself known to them and they could even point you in the right direction for a breeder. If you are not certain that you can make a great owner, then don't get one, they aren't a returnable item from a shop, but if you are certain, you can do it you just need to be dedicated and educated
I'm legit going in.the next two weeks to pick up a.gs $350 ,,,in single wide mobil home would love n.doors have a fenced n yard tho , but also.have kids ages 3,5,8,&13 lots of all.day running playing telling screaming then summer's are even.more wild , were outside from dstligt by 11 til.930_11 every night that's warms not wet , tramp , pool huge swings sets -is this the wrong bred hubby always gone to work seven.days a week only me female's 43 alone with kids should we be worried about this breed ans small.kids every one say great match this is kennels that breed with fb websites , pls reply
Doberman is also not recommended for the first time owner, if anything, they might even be a little more challenging, so a worse choice than the GSD. Speaking from experience as a dog sitter, the experience I had with the one Doberman I’ve worked with was it was more stubborn than any of the multiple German Shepherds I’ve worked with- the first dog that refused to walk with me was that Doberman. But then again I’ve only had proper hands on experience with one Doberman, every individual dog is different. Commenter above mentioned Lucy the German Shepherd RU-vid channel, first time dog owner that made it work. Worth noting it’s a female, maybe a female GSD something to consider? They may be (in general) more easy to handle for an inexperienced dog owner than a more dominant Male. Also more manageable size, around 50-75lb compared to the 75-90lb for males, some even as much as 120lb
I had a really laid back calm Rottie growing up I was even more surprised to find she had a decent amount of spitz. I thought she had a little longer coat from being part lab
Key word, well trained, don’t get him wrong- he’s not labelling the breed as dangerous, it’s down to training them well and giving them the right level of exercise and stimulation. A bored dog that can weigh 65-100lb+ can very well become dangerous if it develops bad behaviour from that boredom