English Shepherds

[fowl farm]

I've been looking into getting an English Shepherd. The one thing that caught my eye, though, was ' wary around strangers '. English Shepherd owners, does that mean they can be prone to aggression with strangers?

 

[fisherlady]

I've been looking into getting an English Shepherd. The one thing that caught my eye, though, was ' wary around strangers '. English Shepherd owners, does that mean they can be prone to aggression with strangers?

Sorry if I'm reviving an old thread... but I own an ES, and am getting a second one in a couple of weeks from the same farm. What I have found with regards to strangers is that my female 'takes your resume and will get back to you after review' type approach to strangers. She is not aggressive towards people and at nearly 4 yrs old has never lifted a lip or took a nip at a person, she usually just backs up or ducks away when she doesn't want touched, but she doesn't run up to them asking to be petted either.

Now having said that, I can also say that my Mom has a male, 2 wk older, half brother to mine. He is more forward with people, still isn't a 'waggin' tail and tongue' greeter but isn't as reserved as my Mindy is. So personalities vary as they can with any dog breed. The nice thing I've found is even if reserved the ES are VERY, VERY trainable and my Mindy keeps her butt on the ground beside me as soon as she is told to do so, and since protecting our property/birds is her primary role I don't try to force her to be a social butterfly.
But once she knows someone is 'approved'... look out! She loves attention!!!