The German Shepherd is one of our favorite breeds, And we plan on always having this breed in our lives. The pros do outweigh the cons for us and for many other German Shepherd owners, but if you are interested about the pros and ones of this breed, you will want to continue on reading our article.
The PROS Of The German Shepherd
Intelligence
Yes! I am sure you are getting sick of reading about how intelligent this breed is. They are considered the third smartest breed. Due to their intelligence, they are used as military or police K9 to sniff out bombs to contraband. The breed is also built for show dogs and can perform many tricks as well. German Shepherd Dogs can also excel in Service work.
Easy To Train
If you are wanting a breed that easy to train, this breed is one that is eager to please. The breed tends to learn new commands quickly and within a few repetitions they have it pretty well figured out. Of course this doesn’t mean you can do it for a day and expect it to be perfect all the time.
Guard/Watch Dogs
The German Shepherd breed can make amazing guard dogs. This breed is generally protective and that itself can make them a good guard dog. Let’s go a step further and include the fact they definitely should undergo adequate obedient training to mould them into the perfect guard dog. Keep in mind it is crucial to properly socialist your dog so it doesn’t overreact in certain situations. There are plenty of trainers who can assist with this, but be sure to do your research before just calling the first trainer that shows up on a google search.
Athletic and Energetic
If you have seen this breed in movies or in person, yo have probably seen just how athletic and fast these dogs can be. Quick and agile to be able to catch suspects when needed. The breed makes great running partners too. They must be exercised daily so they don’t get bored and destructive. This includes both physical and mental stimulation that is needed. German Shepherds definitely make amazing trail and hiking buddies.
Grooming
Since we are on the topic of groove we will talk bout bathing them as well. Luckily they don’t require many baths. We rarely bathe our German Shepherds every few months is when we bathe ours. Except for when they decide to roll in the mud we will quick rinse them with a hose, but when it comes to actually bathing them with dog shampoo and conditioner every few months is when we bathe them.
Love Water
We have not met a German Shepherd that does not love water. They love swimming, and splashing in it.
Weather
These dogs can handle weather that’s cold or hot. They have a double coat which allows them to keep in the warmth in the winter and cold months while it also helps keep them cool in the summer and warmer months. If your German Shepherd gets too hot, they might dug a hole to lie down in and keep cool.
Now the CONS
Shedding
These dogs shed DAILY! If you don’t want dog hair all over your house and yourself, We highly recommend avoiding this breed. They will leave their Glitter all over the place. They shed even more in the spring and summer time, but it’s a daily thing. We brush our dogs everyday outside and the fur is always coming off. Yes, the outer coat is minimal shedding while the undercoat sheds in the spring and warmer months, which that means you will expect to find chunks of fur laying around. A good vacuum can help with this but even then, daily vacuuming you will find fur around the house.
Health Problems
If you read our 7 health problems in German Shepherd article you will know that this breed is prone to multiple genetic health issues. We have heard Stories from other German Shepherd owners who lost their beloved best friend due to some of their genetic health issues. Most of them are Inherit, That’s why we preach to anyone who is looking to buy this amazing breed of dog from a reputable breeder. The price may see higher, but in the end you are getting a healthy loyal best friend. And here at K9Phenom we provide all the necessary health screenings on every single one of our dogs along with a health care guarantee. So you have many wonderful years with your new best friend.
Seperation anxiety
This breed is very loyal, and with that being said it can also cause them to have anxiety from being away from you and their people. Of course they can typically tolerate being away along for the typical eight hours while most people leave for work, but they don’t make the absolute best dogs for the who aren’t home often to spend time with them. They are so loyal that they don’t like to be left alone long.
Vocal
Music to our ears, this breed is very very vocal. They tend bark at many sounds, people, and will whine. We know incessant barking is never a good thing and if that’s the case you can reach out to a reputable and quality trainer to help with that, Their bark is deep, loud, which a lot of people consider their bark to be scary.
A Job
This breed needs a job to do. If you don’t give your German Shepherd a job, they will make one for themselves, and it’s usually a job you don’t want them to have. Some job ideas for your German Shepherd ban be tracking, agility, Service, ect.. There are many sports you can have your German Shepherd do, and we highly suggest to take your German Shepherd out to see what you and your best friend enjoy most.
We Hope you enjoyed this article. If you have any questions about our puppies, dogs, or about this breed. Feel free to reach out to us.