I'm sorry folks. It's just hard for me to try to relate to a woman's way of thinking. Most of your conversation I just need to stay out of. I think like a man and not a woman. My mama taught me that 68 years ago and I realized God made me like that. Oh that Poodle, I was 17 working for my daddy installing central AC in a customers home. The dog was here and out of control.
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German Shepherd Dog, not shepards. Herd as in herd sheep.
I have never figured out where the "shepard" thing came from? Deutsche Schäferhund directly translates to German Shepherd Dog. The "Dog" is added to not confuse the animal with the German Shepherd which, as you said, walks on two feet and is not as fuzzy
Ole Rooster, it's not a man vs woman way of thinking. I would have done the same as you if I was in that situation. And a GSD should never view a stranger as, well, anything really. They should not have a suspicious nature or an overly friendly one. They should be aloof, preferring the company of their family to soliciting attention from strangers.
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The first thing that determines a dogs end nature is the training and experience of the owner not the dog. IMHO the vast majority of people get dogs for all the wrong reasons and are not prepared to put in the endless hours it takes to have a dog that is a pleasure to be around.
I too am not a fan of dogs... both of my boys were bitten in the face by the same dog on different occasions. I also dislike when people let there dogs run free when they shouldn't... not to mention lazy pet owners that don't clean up after them, but thats a different post altogether...
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and this is why I dislike dogs, sure they sometimes listen - but they can also turn their brain off.
German Shepherds right along with Dobermans & Rottweilers had bad reputations before the whole pit bull thing.
I was bitten by a German Shepherd in the shoulder when I was little, he ran up from behind me.
That's what happens when people get these high energy, intelligent working breeds, and don't give them a job or activity to provide them with mental simulation, and physical excercise. That along with poor breeding. It's a disaster waiting to happen. After Rin Tin Tin, so many people wanted a German Shepherd, and so many Back Yard breeders and puppy mills started breeding them like crazy, without any regard to the dogs temperament or health. The aggressive, timid, puny excuses of a German Shepherd are a result of such breeding. I can't stand BYB breeders and puppy mills.
I grew up with GSDs and love the breed. But I've also worked in dog training / "daycare" facilities where I was given, lets say, lots of reasons to dislike lots of different breeds, including GSDs. Which really just means I dislike the owners who don't train, work or provide stimulation for their dogs and then wonder why they act foolish. Also expecting your dog to behave in an abnormal situation is like expecting a two year old to make a wise decision. Anyway, glad the OP got to it before it got to her birds!
Wow, you all are sure making me appreciate all the time I spend training and socializing my dogs. I get compliments on their behavior.
This thread and the reason for it is why I spend so much time and money and effort to get well bred and well behaved dogs. Thanks for reminding me why I do what I do. Now that the weather is getting colder, it's sometimes difficult to talk myself into getting up at 6am Saturdays and Sundays just to take my GSD to training.
Borderkelpie, I know what you mean! I get compliments on my boys, even when I think they are acting up. Of course. A lot of people seem amazed when a dog sits on command without the owner having to tackle him into position.
The reason is what others have said, the fad of the moment. Part of the reason that breed bans will never work.
For a while, GSD was the bad dog of choice. Then it was dobes. Then rotties. Now it's pits. The funny thing is, pits have no human aggression, so they had to cross in other breeds. Not to mention that pits are actually small dogs.
Ban all the big breeds and the thugs will just move on to others. Eventually you will recognize the drug dens by the packs of rabid chis roaming the yard. That actually scares me more! 9 times out of 10, dog problems are really people problems. Sometimes it's ignorance, sometimes they are just lazy. I've seem a lot of bad things happen when people get dogs that they aren't prepared for. My SIL bought a sheltie puppy then hated that the dog was hyper, barked a lot, and shed. Pretty nuch the 3 things that are standard for shelties, which even a minimum of homework would have told her. She saw one, thought it was cute, her husband found an ad in the paper and went to pick out a pup. No questions or talking to the breeder, just hand over the money and get the dog outta here.
Of COURSE she was a good dog, she had AKC papers. She also had a scraggly coat though that is probably because they shaved her so she didn't shed. She had horrible allergies and hot spots. Was snappy with people she didn't know. Was on valium because she was crated almost 19 hours a day and of course no one wanted to exercise the dog when they came home. They knew they wanted to have kids in the future, but never socialized her around kids. Needless to say, when they had a baby a few years later, the dog didn't like it.
All things that a tiny bit of research beforehand, or purchasing from a GOOD breeder, could have prevented.
Very true. Sounds like Claire was an awesome dog. My son was bit in the face by a cockerspaniel. It was my Aunts dog. She said my son should not have looked at it's face. I have been bit by a BishonFrise. All dog's can bite. I have 4 and never say they will not bite. I say it all goes back to breeding and raising. And there is good and bad in all.
I think more people are biten by dogs that DON'T BITE than any other type...seen it more than once oh my dog wouldn't bite right before it bites someone...
