A German Shepherd is one of the most popular protection dog breeds for good reason. German Shepherds make for very confident animals. They are known for their fearlessness, strength, intelligence, and overall athletic ability. These characteristics makes German Shepherd training an essential part of raising a happy dog, while also making them perfect companions and one of the most sought after guard dogs or service dogs of any breed.
The German Shepherd is a relatively new breed of dog after originated in Germany in 1899. Bred primarily as work dog for herding sheep and guarding flocks of sheep against predators, the German Shepherd was valued because for it’s ability to be trained.
However, the owner of a German Shepherd must be aware that those characteristics that make the dog such a strong performer in the field can also lead to challenging experiences unless the dog is properly trained. German Shepherds have a strong “pack” mentality. They function better and are happier when there is an established pecking order within their pack. It doesn’t matter to the dog where it falls within that pecking order as long as their is no ambiguity as to that order. Here is where lack of proper training can cause problems. Because of the German Shepherds confidence and intelligence, if the human owner is inconsistent in their training of the dog, and thus creates a sense of uncertainty of where the dog falls within the hierarchy of the family, the German Shepherd will assert itself to establish a proper order. Essentially, German Shepherds don’t do well with a sense of chaos and will try to bring order and control to what they perceive as a chaotic situation. The result of this will become a dog that begins to show more aggressive behaviors because it will see itself as the protector of the pack.
Be aware of your German Shepherd demonstrating any of the following behaviors:
excessive barking, baring it’s teeth, snapping, or biting, mounting humans, blocking the path of humans, or standing over the top of humans. These are all signs that the dog is trying to establish it’s dominance. If you see these kinds of behaviors you should seek help in dog training for aggressive dogs immediately.
Your German Shepherd only wants to be a valued member of your family. Because of it’s intense sense of loyalty to his family and because of the character traits that were bred into the dog, your German Shepherd will do anything it can to protect it’s family which also includes assuming the alpha role if that role is not clearly defined.
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