What Should You Avoid Doing
Here are a few of the things youre definitely going to want to avoid doing. In fact, if you do any of the things below, then youre only going to make the problem much worse. Which is something you definitely dont want with german shepherds.
Dont Hit Them
You should never under any cirumstances hit your german shepherd. When you do this youre going to make the problem so much worse. Even if the behavior stops initially, theyre going to lose trust in you and maybe even fear you.
This fear and mistrust can grow inside them and cause all sorts of negative emotions. If you hit your dog you may only end up amplifying their aggression in the long run.
Dont Use Spray/Shock Collars
Another common method people use to try and train their dogs are spray or shock collars. However, the results you get from these are often questionable. And above all, theyre not nice for your pup either. Remember, positive reinforcement is better than punishment.
Dont Shout At Them
It can be very easy to shout at your dog when youre trying to get them to stop doing something. However, dogs will reciprocate your emotions. If youre shouting and screaming, then theyre going to get amped up as well.
They may end up barking and growling or becoming more excitable.
Avoid Dangerous Situations
You should speak to a vet or professional behaviourist, who will help you work through the issues first.
Dont Play Rough Games
If You Try To Dominate It
German Shepherds live in a pack and thats why they have a hierarchical system in which they take the position of an alpha. So, when you try to rule over your GSD, your dog will get aggressive and show signs of bad behavior. This happens because it is dominant by nature and does not take orders too well. To solve this problem and make your dog listen to you, you will first need to set your position as the alpha of the pack. Only then you will be able to make it follow your commands and not react otherwise.
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Male Vs Female German Shepherd: Choose The Best Dog For You
While you now have a good general overview of the differences between male and female German Shepherds, youll need to decide which traits are most important to you.
Ultimately, the most important thing is finding a dog whose personality traits you like.
If you are choosing to purchase a puppy, many experts recommend doing some type of temperament testing. You can choose an established method that you like and follow that testing method.
However, with both puppies and adult dogs alike, many potential owners simply interact with the dog to see if they are compatible personality types.
Regardless of whether you use an official temperament test or not, keep in mind that a puppys temperament doesnt necessarily mean the adult dog will behave the same way.
Choosing a healthy, happy puppy or adult dog may take some time. Dont be afraid to take your time, ask questions, and interact with each dog youre considering.
In time, youll be able to find the right dog for you.
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In this guide, we go over:
- Preparing to adopt a dog
- Dog supplies you will need
- Choosing the right dog to adopt
- & much more!
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Reasons For The Aggressive Behavior In Gsds
As mentioned above, there are many causes of aggressive behavior in German Shepherds. This aggression can begin at six weeks of age. It is important for your puppy to socialize with other dogs and to receive proper training to prevent him from biting other people.
You should socialize your dog until he is 14 weeks old so that he can be friendly with other people. The aggression of a German Shepherd can be triggered by many factors such as genetics and heredity. Dogs that have not been spayed or neutered are more prone to aggressive behaviors.
Sometimes the aggression can begin with the need to create hierarchical order. Growling, biting, fighting, and posing are German Shepherd proficiency test results with other dogs.
The Difference In Socialization
Train your GSD at an early age to control unwanted behaviors and prevent problems. Female GSDs, on the other hand, have less of their belongings and they are more protective of themselves as they generally fit in better with their handlers and people. However, female GSDs are highly dependent on leading to jealousy.
A male GSD likes to be around every member of his family, he prefers to bond with his handler who spends most of his time with him.
A female GSD, she forms a bond not only with her handler but also with other family members and tolerates outsiders.
She is loving and gentle with children but plays with male GSD children, which can sometimes suffer when not controlled or trained.
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What Causes A Dog To Suddenly Become Aggressive
1 Your suddenly aggressive dog may have an injury or an illness thats causing major discomfort and stress. Some possible causes of pain include arthritis, bone fractures, internal injuries, various tumors, and lacerations. Other illnesses may affect your dogs brain, leading to seemingly unreasonable aggression.
Symptoms Of Aggression In German Shepherd
Aggressive behavior cannot be described by a single word or expression, Its a combination of various expressions under various circumstances. Some of the very common symptoms are as follows
Your GSD continues to bark and growl at you even after saying NO and started to bark even louder.
Your GSD snaps back at you if you try to refrain him from something hes doing.
Your GSD tried to harm other animals or human or chase while barking continuously
Your GSD bites you with force
Your GSD snarls at you showing the teeth
If you do notice some of the above-mentioned signs frequently its time to address it.
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Facts About Female German Shepherd
- Female German shepherds are more likely to be sensitive and gentle with children.
- German Shepherd females are more protective, making them better protectors of livestock or property than males GSD.
- The female GSD has been described by many to have a less stocky and leaner appearance.
- Female German shepherds are also lighter in weight and more agile overall.
Most Common German Shepherd Behavioral Problems
Before we dive into the most common behavioral problems associated with German shepherds, I think its important to look at where the breed has actually come from.
Over the last century, German shepherds have been used for tracking, search and rescueespecially for the police and protection and guarding. So, its no surprise that a lot of the issues are in this exact area.
They have been intentionally bred for traits such as fierce loyalty, intelligence, and strength.
This leads to one of the first common problems for German shepherds, which revolves around aggression and the need to protect. Its very possible that an untrained German shepherd would be likely to bark or lunge at other dogs or people, especially on his own property.
Its not at all that this type of dog is being mean or nasty. In fact, from the dogs point of view, he believes hes just doing his job of protecting his family or territory.
Its a very, very common problem, and, at the end of the day, it is what the German shepherd has been bred to do a lot of the time.
The good newsthis behavior can be untrained. Or even better yet, if youre working with a German shepherd puppy or a young German shepherd, you can easily avoid this behavioral problem. And in case you are wondering, this does not automatically mean, that if you ever really do need help, that they wont rise to the occasion!
Once again, with some basic training and a good sturdy harness, this behavior can be easily prevented.
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Are Male Or Female German Shepherds Better Guard Dogs
If you are looking for a guard or protection dog, you will no doubt be wondering which sex will do a better job at guarding.
Male German Shepherds tend to be better guard dogs than females as they are more territorial, dominant, protective. Theyre also bigger and stronger than females and will show aggression if confronted or threatened. Male dogs are also known to spray to mark their territory and ward off attackers.
However, you can still teach a female to be a protective guard or police dog. Due to their high intelligence and willingness to learn, a strong desire for a sense of purpose, and wanting to impress, females will also obey strict commands to protect their families.
Do Female German Shepherds Live Longer Than Males
Female German Shepherds tend to live longer than males. This recent large study of over 12,000 dogs evidenced that females lived on average 1.4 years longer than males. During this study, the German Shepherds average longevity was 10.3 years, with females living for 11.1 years and males 9.7 years.
It is well known that large breed dogs dont live as long as smaller breeds. This study by the National Center for Biotechnology Information concluded that large dogs die young mainly because they age quickly.
Both genders have a few health problems that theyre prone to developing. The most common causes of death in the above study were musculoskeletal disorders and the inability to stand.
Some of the health conditions include:
- Hip and elbow dysplasia
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Is There Such A Thing As A Bad German Shepherd
There is no such thing as a bad dog, just a bad owner. The Source of Aggressive Behavior in German Shepherds. Dog aggression can start as young as 6 weeks of age, a crucial age when a German Shepherd puppy should be socialized with other dogs and given the necessary training that keeps them from biting other people.
Territorial Aggression When Other Dogs Are Around
If your German Shepherd attacked your other dog then your other dog may have gotten too close to a prized possession.
Some highly valued possessions that cause your German Shepherd aggression towards other dogs may be:
- you
- potential mates
- or toys, such as bones, treat chews and any other prised toys around
Your German Shepherd may feel the need to protect these resources and become confrontational or attack your other dog.
Be aware of adding in a new puppy to your home and allowing it to invade your older dogs food dishes, beds, toys, or space, which can upset the older dog and cause a dog attack.
And, a female German Shepherd could become territorial and dog aggressive when shes given birth to puppies in order to protect her litter.
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Differences Between Male And Female German Shepherd
The differences between male and female German Shepherds are so interesting that they deserve their own post. However, for the sake of saving you some time, we will focus on the gender-based general and natural differences between these two breeds of dog.
GSDs have individual variations because of how theyre bred, what society expects from them, or even just based on their exposure to various environments during development.
For starters though, lets take a look at some general distinctions:
Should You Buy German Shepherd With Or Without Papers
This is a personal choice. We cant answer this question with yes, you need to buy a puppy with papers or no, you dont need papers for your puppy.
If you are buying a puppy with papers, you will get proof that this puppy is pure GSD , proof of puppy parents, and also proof of vaccinations, vet checks, and any details on microchipping.
These puppies are always more expensive, and thats normal. But if you want to take your dog to the shows and competitions, you must buy a German Shepherd dog with papers because puppies without papers cant go on the dog shows and competitions.
But what if you want to buy a German Shepherd dog with papers? Then you must be very careful, especially if you dont know that dog breeder. You also want to check and see puppy parents before you buy a puppy.
And most German Shepherd owners bought their puppies with papers .
If a German Shepherd puppy doesnt have papers this doesnt mean that this puppy isnt purebred. If you fall in love with that puppy, and you dont want to train your dog professionally, make a good research and get that puppy.
On the other hand, if you want to take in the future your dog into sports competitions and train him professionally, invest a couple of hundred dollars more, and buy a puppy with papers.
You can find a well explained article about this topic on DoggySaurus.
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Distinction Between Aggression And Dominance
I have personally heard many people pass off their GSDs aggression as the dog being dominant. This is simply not true.
It is unfortunate that people do not know any better than to explain their dogs aggressive behavior in this way, because what that unintentionally does is create an excuse for the dog to continue behaving in this manner, while also giving the owner an excuse to continue allowing the behavior.
Which One Should I Choose
It depends on your preference. Let the breeder know about the specific features you are looking for. Be clear about your intentions in purchasing a GSD so that breeders can give possible hints. If possible, observe male and female GSD puppies together.
If you want to reproduce GSD, getting a female GSD is an option. When female GSDs are hot, they may bleed for a week or more. It only happens twice a year but it can be confusing. So if you are inexperienced about it, then it can be difficult.
Alternatively, you can choose to get a male GSD. The problem, however, is that when a male GSD smells a female GSD in the heat, he will do his part to maintain the female GSD no matter how far away you are so you will not see your male GSD for a while.
Most experts agree that female GSDs are ideal for families with children, so if you have children, get a female GSD because she is more nurturing and gentle.
If you have a small space and it is your first time caring for GSD then a female GSD is also preferred.
However, if you want GSD for your protection, get a male GSD. Keep in mind that a male GSD requires more food than a female.
Although there are common differences between male and female GSD, there are still exceptions.
You should also consider how GSD is raised and trained. Keep in mind that untrained GSD can become aggressive regardless of gender.
Try not to focus too much on gender because their characteristics depend only on their race.
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Where Does This Breed Come From
Compared to other breeds, the GSD is a newer breed that only came to existence in 1899. The intelligent and friendly dog breed owes its existence to a career captain in Germany, named Captain Max von Stephanitz. Centuries before the dog breed was created, farmers had to rely on dogs to drive and protect their herds. While some dogs were well trained and legendary for their skill, Stephanitz noticed that nobody in the region took the opportunity to develop herding dogs of the region into a separate breed.
Throughout his career, Captain Max von Stephanitz came across many fine herding dogs that were capable, intelligent and athletic. What amused Stephanitz was that he was unable to find a dog breed that contained all these traits. He then worked hard to develop a dog that would have all the favorable qualities of a herding dog. Slowly, GSD dogs were not only used for herding sheep but also as guide and police dogs.
Are Male Or Female German Shepherds More Aggressive
If you have young children and a family at home, youll want to know whether male or female German Shepherds are generally more aggressive. Or you may be considering the breed for a protection dog.
Males German Shepherds are more aggressive than females, which means theyre more likely to be confrontational if threatened. Testosterone, the primary male sex hormone, can cause aggressive behavior, and male dogs challenge and intimidate each other more than female dogs in dog vs. dog aggression.
However, dont be too concerned as dog versus dog aggression is largely a ceremonious display intended to win social rankings.
Nonetheless, a study conducted by The Royal Veterinary College University of London revealed sex-specific genetic characteristics in German Shepherds. Researchers found males to be substantially more aggressive than females . Therefore, if you have a family with children, you may prefer a female dog, while male German Shepherd Dogs may be better suited to protection roles, as mentioned above.
German Shepherds are known to develop same-gender aggressionso if you already have another dog, choose a dog of the opposite sex.
You should never train a German Shepherd to be aggressive. Sometimes owners want their pups to be ferocious beasts to intimidate other people and potential intruders! This style of training only causes aggression towards everyone, not just bad people.
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Should You Let A German Shepherd Sleep In Your Bed
You shouldnt let your new German Shepherd puppy sleep in your bed, as this may cause behavioral issues, such as being excessively clingy and its best to get your new pup into a regular routine whilst you are training him. When all is said and done once your GSD is an adult, it is a matter of personal choice.