German Shepherds as Pets (with cats, small dogs, and kids)

With all of these talks of insurance rates going through the roof, you might want to call your insurance agent and see how much your insurance will go up with a German Shepard.

I doubt that it will increase that much. The board's favorite "dog of peace" is probably much different.

ETA: I dated a girl right after college who had a German Shepard. She was afraid to invite me back to her house because she said her German Shepard was fairly aggressive with men. I assured her that I got along with all dogs. As soon as I walked in her house, the dog came and jumped on me (in a friendly manner) and I was her (the dog's) new best friend. We got along great -- which greatly surprised the girl. The only issue I had was that the dog would never let us close the door to the girlfriend's bedroom. She'd scratch at the door and cry until we let her in. Then, she (the dog) would just look at us with almost a sinister vibe. It was clear that she (the dog) did not like my being in bed with the girlfriend.

Be prepared to do some sort of activity with it every day, they aren’t dogs that do well just sitting around all day especially when young. They need some sort of stimulation or will tear shite up and act out

They’ll be great with your kids. But they will eat your kids friends.

most people here will sing their praises. they will post that their German shepherd was the greatest dog ever. that's fine.

i think they are good dogs, not good family dogs.

heres my perspective. i look at statistics and not individual stories.

They can be highly anxious and neurotic breed. They are meant to be working animals and need outlets. On top of that you need to be careful on breeder selection. so many now have such bad genetics from backyard breeders. I see some of these poor things at 1 year old and their hips are so poorly developed i am wishing them luck walking in 5 years.

ive only been bitten (many more have tried) by two dogs in my career, one was a german shepherd. it would later send a woman to the hospital for tearing her elbow open. When i walk into an exam, there are 3 breeds i dont ask "is this dog going to bite me", it "when is this dog going to try to bite me". They are one of them.

so, if your concerned at this point, there are many other large breed dogs that fit the bill with less worry.

My sister has one and its a super good dog. Very protective of her family but good. Just train it well and it will be a good dog

Had one nearly kill my dog and attack me. My Dog a pointer needed 19 stitches. I punted the GSD in the face when it came at me.
Dumbitch owner.

Don't own one unless you can handle it. They can be aggressive and are large. Get a lab.

i would think as long as you get one as a puppy, and they grow up living with other animals, and obviously kids, and you show them those are members of the pack, and you're the leader, they will be great with them.



and you without a doubt have to do something stimulating with them daily, or they are going to tear shite up. I go out of town and the trampoline gets ripped up, or the god damn couch, or there's a 2 foot hole in the yard. We have a Husky, but the need to exercise/stimulate them is the same.

If you're set on German Shepherds and don't mind paying top dollar, there's a group of monks-- yes, monks (I think they are or were Franciscans, but are considered Eastern Orthodox)-- that have a renowned German Shepherd breeding program in New York. Waiting lists can be long and puppies are over $4k I believe, but they are both well bred and well trained.

New Skete monks website

On the topic of training, the monks also have a training program for overwhelmed dog owners who need to train/re-train their dogs (any breed I assume). And they literally write books on the subject. One of the more well known ones is:

The Art of Raising a Puppy by The Monks of New Skete

Not sure if any of this will be of use, but best of luck.

Also... regarding how your future dog might act with cats or other small dogs, I think the proper term you'll want to research is "prey drive", which will vary animal to animal of course.

I doubt if my input would be of any value to this conversation, because I'm of the biased opinion that there are German Shepherds, and then there is every other breed of dog.

I have two German Shepherds right now, a brother and sister from the same breed. I've always had full blooded labs in the past, and the shepherds compare to them across the board as far as friendly temperament towards people and patience for kids.

The shepherds have noticeably more curiosity and insane noses that can smell out anything you're trying to hide from them, but they're both big teddy bears when it comes to their owners. The female is also much more protective than any lab I've ever had and patrols our house and backyard like she's being paid to do so.

The male is just a big softie and a momma's boy, he's scared of thunder, fireworks, and his own shadow. He's extremely timid and lets his sister beat up on him, take all the bones and treats, and hump his face mercilessly. The female is by far more fierce and protective, but she's also extremely sweet and just wants to cuddle with her humans. I've never had a dog that is so attached to their human's side and insistent on protecting them at all times like the female german shepherd. She shadows us as we move anywhere around the house and outside like a paid security guard.

The male is very aloof and easy going, timid, wouldn't hurt a fly even if it were biting him between the eyes. But he's also extremely smart and has a nose that can sniff out his bone anywhere in the house no matter how well you've hidden it, when the female can't. Because he's so smart he gets bored easily and gets lazy, he doesn't even like to go outside. He is also far more obedient than her and listens to orders without being defiant, he will go to his kennel as soon as you tell him to go to his room unlike her.

TLDR - they are great dogs and would be great for kids they're raised around. You won't find a more protective dog for your kids, but also one that will cuddle up to them on the couch and be gentile with them. They have their own challenges because they're so smart and need stimulation and rewards, but I haven't had a more loyal and protective breed than them.