Why are german shepherds SO neurotic? Why perpetuate such a problematic breed?

Question

Please don't waste your time by furnishing statements about the perceived loyalty, nobility, trainability (ha!), the supposed intelligence of the breed, or worse, "because they're pretty", or, more sickening still, "because they're a good breed if you have kids".

I also will not accept they they're just a "high maintenance" breed, and that people just need to get used to it; I know that already, and that's one of my arguments for why not to own or perpetuate the breeding of German Shepherd dogs.

German Shepherds have socialization issues. They are needy. They can be hostile and more territorial than other dogs, among other problems. They are nervous and highly neurotic dogs. They are overly, easily excitable, they BARK at everything, and are alternately too aggressive and too passive. They are frequently jumpy and skittish, which leads to uncontrollable urination at the worst possible times, including encounters with humans, OR, they bite unpredictably. They will attack other animals. They eat cat feces from the litter box then vomit them - and the litter bits - all over the carpet while you're at work, they stop at nothing to eat from the trash can, also vomiting and defecating that uncontrollably all over the house. When they aren't busy doing that, they will be tearing up your house as soon as you leave for work because they have "separation issues".

SO - we have uncontrolled aggression- the biting, the fighting, we have the peeing, the projectile pooping, puking, the barking .....not to mention the destruction by a large animal - the gnawing, chewing, and tearing issues, AND then there are the issues with CONSTANT shedding. On the subject of size, which ranges from the high end of medium to just plain large, it magnifies all the issues mentioned above, compared to problems one might encounter from a much smaller dog.

Observation of these problems has not been not isolated to one individual German Shepherd I have encountered. I have observed these identical behaviors and characteristics several times in many German Shepherds over many decades, and so I ask:

WHY is this breed desirable, or even allowed?

Answer 1

Maybe you better let The Seeing Eye know that the breed they started with as guide dogs, and still provide over 80 years later to this day; is such a mess. I bet they would love to find out that the many hundreds of successful German Shepherd Dog guides must have been imposter's. Obviously the breed you are referring to couldn't meet and pass the demanding requirements of a guide dog from the foremost guide dog school in the world.



And better tell all the law enforcement agencies, and military throughout the world that they have been using the wrong breed for all these years.



Or could it be that the dogs you've known were the exception, or not even genuine GSDs?



I train service dogs. Primarily guide dog combos. My question isn't is a GSD good enough for me to train as a service dog for a client? But will that person have the intelligence to partner with an incredibly intelligent dog? Are they good enough for the dog?

Answer 2

Well, hopefully you don't own one. Some of what you say is partially true. When they are not properly socialized and trained, they can become unstable. With that said, they are easily trainable, even as young adults. I am on my 2nd GSD and neither one barks much. Both my GSDs are house dogs. My 1st dog got her CGC (Canine Good Citizen) at about 1.5 years old.



Sounds like the GSDs you came in contact with either had socialization issues, were a product of bad breeding, poor training, or all of the above. They are breed to have high drive, loyalty, and good temperament. With a good leader, the dog will flourish and become a fine member of almost any family.



They don't really "mellow out" until age 3. GSDs still need exercise and work, but it should be more of a maintenance thing by that time.

Answer 3

Um. I've never encountered any of these problems with my shepherds and I've had them for years. They are work dogs and need to be worked. The problems you discuss are only present if your dog (any dog) is not socialized properly, trained and walked (very, very often). If you don't have the time to commit to the breed, don't bother.



They are not aggressive unless you train them to be. They are protective of their family. My child climbs all over our shepherds, pulls their hair and they have never so much as growled at him. They are friendly with other dogs and just the other day a boston terrier attacked my female on a walk and she sat there. She did nothing! I kicked the little dog out of the way and we continued our walk.



I am guessing you just don't have the time or energy to invest in this breed or you wouldn't have these problems. Try a shitszu.

Answer 4

What a vile description of a good breed and a good dog. What you want is a cat. I love cats and mine are affectionate, but they do not miss me much when I leave for work. My my GSD hates it and burst for joy when I come home.



These dogs need an involved owner. Most dogs do, but the GSD in particular. They are bred for work and bred to be at your side. Of course they will get into trouble if left alone constantly. You are their pack? Where else would they want to be? A Bassett hound will lay there all day. They are sweet, but not the brightest bulbs in the lamp.



You have to have the patience and the commitment to train a GSD. Don't put the breed down because you cannot handle the job.

Answer 5

POORLY BRED German Shepherds can have the issues you listed

WELL Bred German Shepherds:

Guide the blind

Comfort chilren in hospitals

Help Police officers and soldiers keep you safe

Searched for survivors after 9/11, Katrina, Haiti, Japan

Many GSDs have lost their lives doing these jobs. If that isn't loyalty, I don't know what is. Interesting to note that at the Westminster KC show after 9/11 they did a tribute to the search and rescue dogs who were instrumental in finding survivors and finding bodies so families could at least have closure. At least 90% were German Shepherds. NUFF SAID.

Answer 6

Where do you get your info? Most of the GSD's I know are nothing like that at all. They're great family dogs. Granted, if you get them from a puppy mill or a BYB you're taking some chances, but the well bred GSD's are AWSEOME dogs. Easy to train and very versitile.

Answer 7

Oh wow LMAO your funny. I've owned a few GSDs and each and every one of them was the complete opposite of the BS you're ranting about. Not only that tons of my friends and people that go to the local pet store I go to have GSDs and all have played with my Chihuahua. Not to mention the German Shepherds I had lived with my Chihuahua and my mom has a 6 year old who has played with these German Shepherds. You are hilarious and uneducated :)

Answer 8

Because most individuals who love and ACCEPT this breed know how to TRAIN them and SOCIALIZE them correctly. They understand the breed and what to have a dog that they can love and that will love them back. Obviously you do not like this breed so DON'T GET ONE! It's that easy and simple. You can rant all you want and bad mouth the breed but it's very obvious to people who KNOW how to TRAIN this breed you haven't a clue about them. You need to go find yourself a smaller breed that you can dominate yourself over and stay away from the more intelligent breeds who want to learn from their owners. As far as the shedding, you need to find yourself a hypoallergenic dog who will not shed (good luck with that one!).

Answer 9

It's all just a matter of personal preference. We have short hair and guys such as it. And i prefer a guy with short hair over a guy with long hair because long tresses tends to make guys look as well girly.

Answer 10

Geez those swamp-weed encrusted feet of yours pong, troll!



It is obvious that you live in the USA - most probably the Nebraska + Iowa + Kansas + Missouri + Oklahoma + Arkansas 'heartland' seen in red on the map of puppy-mill areas.

It is rare to see actual GSDs in NAmerica (see http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/The_GSD_Source/links/Defining_a_GSD_001261993982/ for the requirements that allow a pooch & its parents to be genuine GSDs). Even what the Germans allow to be imported by Yanks is usually borderline or beyond being GSDs - usually because those offspring-of-GSDs turned out to be over-sized or to have weak characters. Once in NAmerica, those pooches are allowed to have ALL their offspring registered as "GSD"s by the AKC and CKC (let's ignore all those rebel "registries" allowed in the USofA - the whole world does, except those Yanks who find such "registrations" convenient inside the USofA) provided their mate is also AKC or CKC registered, on the basis that THEIR parents were registered because THEIR parents were registered because THEIR parents were registered because.... until, eventually, way back behind the printed pedigree, genuine GSDs start to be found.



If all you've ever seen are NAmerican Ski-Slope Dogs, Prick-Eared Bassets, Teeth-on-Feet and Titanic Tail-Tuckers (but all registered as GSDs) then naturally you have no concept of what the properly bred, properly reared, properly trained GSD is like. Just as people who've seen only Shetland Ponies and Shire Horses have no concept of a Thoroughbred trotter.



My last pup came inside at 8½ weeks and had the run of the house 24/7. No "accidents", because I that afternoon trained her as to WHERE she was allowed to go toilet, and made sure it was where she could access it while I was snoozing. She was also that day _almost_ trained that dogs are not allowed in my always-open bedroom - on 5 mornings I had to look in the passage for the aromatic sock she had been unable to resist stealing while I slept.



And "high maintenance"????

Genuine GSDs are required to be ultra-LOW maintenance, so that they can spend 14 hour days patrolling between sheep & crops in all weathers or performing S&R work ditto then, once given a quick rub-down if wet/muddy, live inside with their shepherd & his family.

And then there are the guide dogs, willing to pretend to sleep at their owner's feet for a whole work-day or in a restaurant, between enjoying GUIDING. GSDs are THE supreme guide dog (because they are constantly "thinking"), although Golden Retrievers are easier for barely-competent "pro-trainers" to train up to saleable-level in a short time. Read Clarence Pfaffenberger's "The New Knowledge of Dog Behavior".



The question SHOULD be "Why are the deviations & imposters allowed to be registered as if they were genuine GSDs?"

The answer is sure to be connected to that great USAmerican god, Money.

Les P, owner of GSD_Friendly: http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/GSD_Friendly

"In GSDs" as of 1967, after having cross-bred "Fockers" beginning in 1950

Answer 11

None of my GSD's have ever been like that. At all. All they've done is chase a flashlight beam.

Answer 12

Short hair is too mainstream, I love lOng hair on guys more, it looks sexy: a few short hair can look nice but it looks really common

Answer 13

The original poster of this question just got their *** handed to them in a handbasket, lol!

Answer 14

why are you so neurotic?