Are German Shepherds good family pets?
German Shepherds good family pets?A German Shepherd Dog can be an excellent choice of family dog, with the right family. Remember that German Shepherds are great dogs but they're not for everyone - no more so than would be a saint bernard, a chesapeake bay retriever, or a parson russell terrier - you get my meaning I hope, not every dog breed is a good fit for every home, that'd5s just the way it is.Something else I would like to remind everybody about is just how smart they are. These are very intelligent animals and need to be tested mentally as well as physically. And this is one thing many first time owners simply aren'd5t aware of. You need to work these dogs brains as well as their muscles to have the happiest GSD possible. Mental exercise simply can'd5t be overinstein in tip top shape. German Shepherds can get along quite well with children too - especially if they are socialized with them early on. It is very important that you take the time to make sure that your German shepherd puppy is comfortable around human beings, as well as other pets and dogs and the importance of training and socialization simply can't be overstated. And if I could tell you only one thing to do with your German Shepherd to make it the best dog possible for your family it would have to be to socialize your GSD well - this one thing above all others can make such a huge difference in how well your dog is, socially speaking, lat as many dog friendly people, cats, and other pets as you can. Let it observe horses, goats, sheep or whatever other kinds of animals that you can and let it interact with other friends pet dogs to help make it a a secure and friendly dog.
Also, don't forget just how big and strong a German Shepherd can get to be as an adult. If you have very small children it could potentially be a problem for them if you don't supervise the dog and the kids together. And if you have a small GSD puppy, you don't want to leave it unsupervised with small kids either. Better safe than sorry I've always felt.Lastly, don't ignore just how much exercise a growing German Shepherd will need. You'll need to make sure that you can give your GSD lots of exercise outside, and inside too if you haSo, there is a lot to think about before you bring home a German Shepherd. But if you think of these key items first you'd5ll have a better idea of whether or not a German Shepherd would make a good fit in your own home. Remember this is a fairly long lived animal and if all goes well you can expect to have this dog in your life for 8 to 13 years or so. German Shepherds are really incredible dogs. But they're not for everyone - and if you're thinking of getting one I highly encourage you to do all the research you can about them - ahead of time. If you love to read, why not check out my new GSD ebook, Your Total German Shepherd Dog
And another place that you can learn a lot about German Shepherds is at my website: Total German Shepherd
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