German shepherds are one of the most popular breeds in the world and for good reason. These dogs are intelligent, loyal, and courageous. They’re also known for having a playful disposition and being great with children. How is it that these dogs can do both so well? It all comes down to their unique temperament.
German Shepherds typically boast an excellent temperament. With sufficient mental and physical stimulation, the breed excels in nearly all aspects. Their temperament means they are well-suited for every task from family guardian to military service.
To better understand their temperament, we need to break it down into different sections. Let’s go over the most important aspects of a dog’s temperament.
You may also like:
Why Are German Shepherds More Than Just a Herding Breed? 6 Facts You May Not Know
What is the temperament of a dog?
A dog’s temperament is its natural attitude toward life. It can be aggressive or shy; fearful or confident; calm or excitable – or any combination of these traits, depending on the individual dog.
Even in the same breed, not all dogs have the same temperament. Some individuals are more cautious than others, some are more aggressive than others, and some are friendlier than others.
When you adopt a German shepherd from an animal shelter or a breeder, you will want to know about their natural disposition so that you can assess whether it would be a good match for your family and home environment.
What is a good temperament in a dog?
A dog with a good temperament is pleasant and friendly, not aggressive or shy, timid or fearful. Good-tempered dogs are usually sociable, willing partners for games or activities, not prone to feeling anxious or afraid without good cause. If you want to adopt a German shepherd, you may wonder if these dogs have good temperaments.
Understanding the German Shepherd Traits – What Were They Bred For?
When trying to understand your GSD and its traits, it’s all in the name – the German Shepherd Dog.
This is a working breed. While GSDs were bred for herding livestock, they are well-suited to almost any task given to them, from guiding the blind to military service.
This is because of years of breeding for the desired traits that are very typical for a GSD, such as intelligence, high energy levels, and finally an intimidating, powerful physical stature.
This means GSDs are always wanting something to do. However, this can come out in some less desirable ways when it comes to an understimulated GSD. These are usually things like barking, digging, and chewing.
The German Shepherd Personality
GSDs are known for being one of the most loyal breeds out there, but it would be a discredit to the beautiful breed to only focus on this. GSDs are also:
- Highly Trainable. Part of the charm of a GSD is how willing they are to learn. There are not many breeds that will happily undertake training like a GSD.
- Energetic. Being bred for long hours of work, they have a bountiful amount of energy. This is particularly true for a well-stimulated GSD. This energy can come out negatively if not mentally and physically stimulated enough though.
- Love to work, seemingly regardless of the task. GSDs need some kind of stimulation or purpose. This can come from training or actual work tasks, but it is very much needed to keep them happy.
- Courageous and fearless. GSDs are incredibly loyal, and this isn’t made clearer than when it comes to their family. They will do absolutely anything to protect their loved ones.
- Protective and loyal. GSDs make great guard dogs because they are very protective of their loved ones. This is a result of the strong attachment they make to their family. This incredibe loyalty does mean they are very sensitive dogs, often taking punishment to heart.
- Intelligent and focused. This is part and parcel of a working breed. GSDs were bred to tackle tasks other dogs cannot. Once their intelligence has been met, they are extremely focused on the task at hand.
Physical Activity Requirements for German Shepherds
GSDs need to be physically stimulated to keep them happy and healthy. Physical work tasks like herding would obviously be the best option, but that isn’t realistic for most of us.
For those of us simply wanting a GSD as a companion, jogging, going out for errands, playing fetch, playing with a frisbee, and training are all good ways to keep your GSD satisfied. The PDSA recommends GSDs get at least two hours of active time per day.
Mental Stimulation Requirements for German Shepherds
Along with the need for an energy outlet, GSDs need an outlet for their intelligent minds. As mentioned, GSDs love mental stimulation from training. This is particularly true for home pets rather than working dogs.
Basic command training can be done quite early for GSDs. Don’t be afraid to start with basic commands like sit, stay, come, and no as soon as possible. You might find success as early as 7 weeks old.
After 6 months, you should venture to more complex commands and training.
Are German Shepherds Aggressive?
While GSDs are great in what we would typically describe as aggressive tasks (watchdog and police or military dog), they are not usually an aggressive breed. Their personality is described more often as aloof.
Any dog can become aggressive under the wrong conditions. This is typically a result of learned aspects passed from you to your GSD, but there are certainly other considerations to be made here.
They also have an inherent suspicion of strangers, so aggression can come out if they deem someone a risk to their loved ones, occasionally becoming protective of one specific family member.
Are German Shepherds Good Family Dogs?
As a result of GSD’s loyalty, they usually make very popular family dogs. Socializing and training are very important though. Here are some of the main aspects to consider:
Behavior Towards Other Dogs
A well-socialized GSD typically will usually not have any issues with other dogs in the household. This is especially true of GSDs that are exposed to other dogs very early in their lives, and a good relationship between them is fostered.
Their reserved personality can mean encounters with strange dogs in the open world can require supervision. Thankfully, due to their high trainability, you can find good results in socializing.
ALSO READ:
How to Introduce a German Shepherd to Your Other Dog at Home?
Are German Shepherds Good With Small Dogs?
Behavior Towards Cats
This is very similar to how GSDs relate to other dogs in the household and the outside world. Socializing from a very young age is imperative to ensure they have a good relationship with other pets at home.
As mentioned, GSDs were bred for herding livestock, unlike other breeds that were bred for hunting purposes. This means they are not subject to a very strong prey drive.
Seeing a cat will not usually cause your GSD to act excited or aggressive, but their interest can certainly be raised.
ALSO READ:
Are German Shepherds Good with Cats? (Tips for Training Your GSD to Be Gentle)
Behavior Towards Children
GSDs can make great guardians over children. Their loving and affectionate personality, combined with their keen vigilance, means they can take good care of their loved ones.
This should come as no surprise when considering they were bred to look after livestock.
Children from outside the family will likely be met with suspicion though. This, along with their physicality, means all interactions should be supervised until a relationship is formed. They can unfortunately easily knock over small children when excited.
ALSO READ:
How to Introduce My Child or Grandchild to a German Shepherd Dog/Puppy Safely?
Behavior Towards Strangers
The GSD breed standard says it best: “a certain aloofness that does not lend itself to immediate and indiscriminate friendships.”
Strangers are typically met with suspicion and a sense of aloofness. This is usually set aside by friendliness once the initial interaction has been deemed positive though. Once a stranger has a GSD’s affection, it will likely be very friendly from there on out.
Response to Audio Stimuli
This is again where being a herding dog is great. GSDs are not overly reactive to audio stimuli, but rather they are always listening and keeping vigilant to protect their family.
Strange noises will often be met with a sense of alertness, with occasional barking to inform their family that there is something that might need attention.
You may also like:
Response to Visual Stimuli
As GSDs are not sighthounds, they are slightly less reactive to visual stimuli than some other breeds. Again, they are still a very vigilant breed that excels at always watching and listening out for their flock.
Their interests will quickly be piqued if they see something that they deem suspicious or noteworthy, and this can sometimes trigger a prey drive.
Importance of Socializing Your German Shepherd
By now you should have picked up the importance of proper socializing for your GSD. Socializing will truly help you get the most out of this wonderful breed, without any drawbacks.
MUST READ:
German Shepherd Puppy Socialization: A Beginner’s Guide
They are very trainable, and socializing almost falls into this category. Under the right conditions, they are willing to learn almost anything, including how to interact properly with children, strangers, and other pets.
It is also a GSD owner’s reasonability to ensure there is properly socializing from a young age. This is a very powerful and intelligent breed that needs to know how to safely interact with others.
To Wrap Up
German Shepherds have great temperaments when their needs are met. A happy GSD that is stimulated both mentally and physically is an excellent addition to the home. Training is paramount for the breed to keep them satisfied. It can also be a great way to strengthen your bond, so you should always be on the lookout for new training to complete together.
