# Working Line Shepherds as Family Pets



## SamDukes (Jul 23, 2014)

Hi everyone!

I'd love for some of you to share your experience and opinions about owning a working line dog that would primarily be a pet/companion as I've heard some mixed advice. 

I grew up with what some call American Showline GSD'S. I absolutely loved their personality and and intelligence so now that we're ready to get a dog of our own I knew it had to be a shepherd. After researching I've found myself drawn to the working lines however, I've been told they may not be suitable as a pet for a family with 2 kids, ages 6 and 12. I am aware that working line dogs possess a higher drive than the showline GSD'S and truly need a job and lots of activity to be mentally sound. Our family is very active and would like a pet that can participate with us. This is one reason why I feel a working line would be a good fit for us. We want a pup that enjoys being with it's family and has the energy and desire to take part in lots of activities. I'm also committed to training to become CGC certified. 

While our pup would be primarily a companion, I'm very interested in the possibility of competing in obedience or agility. This would only be as a hobby and bonding activity though with us attending trials 3-4 times a year. I'm currently a domestic engineer (my fancy term for stay at home mom)  and with both kids in school I have an abundance of time that I can now use to get involved with something I've always wanted to try but never had the time to commit to. 

Again, having done some research I feel I've found the right breed for us but would love to hear from those of you who have had real experience with these lines of shepherds. Do you feel they would thrive and be happy as a family pet that participates in working events as a hobby or would they benefit more from an owner that concentrates on primarily on competition events and titling? 

Thanks for any and all input!


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## huntergreen (Jun 28, 2012)

in the right home, the right working line gsd would thrive. have you checked to see if there are any gsd clubs near you?


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## eddie1976E (Nov 7, 2010)

Any litter from working lines will have some puppies better suited for high level working and others suited for pet homes. My advice would be find a breeder that knows what they are doing and can determine which pup/litter is best for your needs. 

I have a working line puppy who has been pretty good as far as energy level. My breeder did a nice job matching us.


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## Sabis mom (Mar 20, 2014)

Hi! I am not as experienced as some on this forum, but I have a 12 year old DDR/Czech male that I got 11 years ago He is a love. Overall he has been pretty easy to deal with, once we wrapped our brains around his desire to hurtle 6 foot fences.
He has been around children, other dogs and various small creatures that my old female dragged home to mother. He has done OB training but never trialled and has spent most of his life as an active family pet. 
I have found him to be territorial and protective, slightly stubborn and highly intelligent, as well as pushy, devoted and affectionate. He loves to patrol the yard and stand guard at the gate, he doesn't warn or hesitate. If he thinks you pose a threat is is quick to respond but also quick to obey a command to stop.
At 95lbs, with a head like a brick he is a serious deterrent but he plays with the kids and cuddles with mom, loves his ball and will happily hang out on the bed with popcorn and a movie. 
He is less 'edgy' then my ASL female and much more eager to please.

Again I am no expert, just the crazy dog lady.


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## kr16 (Apr 30, 2011)

I have my first working line for one year now. They are intense, powerful and very focused. Did I mention very focused. 

IMO they are harder to work with than a show line. They are very determined and take more patience to work with. Since I have had so many GSD's, the challenge has been fun. 

They make a great fun pet. I would get another working line down the road. My girl is a family pet only. Great ball drive and loves to play. Amazing Frisbee catcher also. I have a big male show line as well. You can really tell the difference. There is a reason cops use working lines. The drive and determination is fun to be around.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Got one. He's sleeping at my feet while I work


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

I have what I believe to be one of each. They both do well with kids. The kids in question are not a constant in the house, but regular visitors(nieces and nephew). The dogs love having them here and miss them when they leave. The male(working line) is ALWAYS with the kids. He was more work then my female, but after you put that work into them they are worth it.


http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=228794&stc=1&d=1406397100


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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

WL's can be great pets/companions, just be careful when selecting a breeder, lots of crappers out there, some will look legit, but research will expose them.


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

What area do you live in? I think that a good breeder can absolutely match you up with a working line GSD that would do well as an active family companion. Your kids are old enough that they can participate in the training, and with you at home all day, you'd have plenty of time to work with the puppy. 

We've had GSDs since 1986 - 2 American showlines, 2 German showlines, (we still have Keefer, who is now nearly 9 years old), and 1 West German working line. Since Halo was our first working line shepherd, I basically trained the crap out of her from the time she came home at 10 weeks old, lol. She was a lot of puppy, maybe more than we anticipated at first, but I kept her in a succession of obedience classes for the first year and a half or so, and then we discovered flyball. She's been racing a little over 2 years now, and LOVES it! Unlike many flyball dogs she's completely calm and quiet in her crate at tournaments, but when I bring her into the ring to race she's screaming her head off with excitement and anticipation. 

I'd say her energy level is no more than Keefer's, and she has a terrific off switch, especially now that she's matured (she'll be 6 in November), so she has no trouble chilling around the house. She doesn't need constant activity to wear her out, she works hard, plays hard, and then sleeps hard. Even if we do absolutely nothing for several days in a row she's not bouncing off the walls and driving us nuts. She's adapted very well to our lifestyle and can turn on and turn off, as necessary. Super smart and a great work ethic - she's always loved to train, and was very engaged and motivated to work with me, even as a young puppy. 

We don't have kids, but for a family I'd be looking for a puppy with higher thresholds, and perhaps more on the social side.


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## Maxil (Jun 1, 2014)

Vicky is a working line , she is energetic and she is very socialized with people , loves to play and loves little children very much and would never harm them.

workline GSD are great and the only difference between them and showline GSDs is there back.
I am not sure if its true or not but as I have read showlines are chemicaly mutant by americans to make good shows and have good looking. And as a proof you can check the first GSD champion no roach back and no angled leg then the angled leg started to apear and then the roach back.

what I am trying to say is that they are both the same just the looks but the workline are more energetic that's why they are called working lines and show lines are for shows


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## Keeno Beano (Jul 19, 2014)

*Working line shepherds as pets*

Hi there. I have had my working line shepherd for 11months now. I have never had a dog like him in my life. Yes he is very focused. He is very ball driven and loves the cats. We are very active with him as he has energy to spare. We use the Chuckit Balls with the long handle. We can toss it til his tongue is out so far and within five or so minutes of rest he is ready to go again. After all this is said and done I have never seen a dog that can problem solve like Keeno does. He surprises me alot and then I just stand in wonder on how he figured that out. I love him very much but we cannot have him and lay around all day as he needs to go,go and go somemore. He loves to swim also. He is all around a wonderful loving pet with an abundance of energy and incredibly intelligent.:wub:


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## zetti (May 11, 2014)

My WL dogs have been great house dogs, including my fully trained imported female. Don't buy into the mythology that they're all a bunch of crazy maniacs who can't be kept in the house.

My current pup is 100% WL & while he is high energy, he has great focus & can be calm & settle in the house, even at 11 wks.

Just find a good breeder & be very clear about what you want.


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## misslesleedavis1 (Dec 5, 2013)

Some working dogs live outside in a kennel because they are always on but that is maybe 1 outta 10 and you never know the full story, maybe spouse 1 got the dog and spouse 2 said "holy crap its full on all day, build it a home outside" lol for the most part they get home life and do well, IMO a mentally and physically tired dog at home is great, 
As other mentioned a rep breeder will surely help you pick a puppy that works with your family.


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

I'm with the others, the majority of gsd's I've had/have are working lines, primarily east german. Right now I have a female who is slovak/czech/ddr. Having had them for years, this girl had alot more 'oomph" than my previous ones, I thought she'd never 'grow up'

She has, is 6 years old, a joy to live with, tho I don't think she would have worked out in a home where she didn't have much to do..We hike, walk, she goes just about everywhere with me, does need 'something' to do on a daily basis, but settles nicely if it's required.


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## scarfish (Apr 9, 2013)

don't rule out a WL SL mix. also don't fall for if the kennel name doesn't sound sound like von braun hous kaiserslatern schnizel, and the dog was less than 2-3 thousand dollars that it won't make a nice house pet.


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## misslesleedavis1 (Dec 5, 2013)

von braun hous kaiserslatern schnizel, 

^ that is one awesome kennel name name.


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## Shade (Feb 20, 2012)

Delgado is a DDR/Czech/WG working line and he has been amazing as a active companion. We train and play everyday but he has a off switch that allows him to settle. I'm sick with the flu today and haven't done anything but lie on the couch and he's beside me quietly not fussing at being ignored. He knows I'm not feeling well and is behaving

As for drives, find a breeder that will match you appropriately. Delgado is high to medium drive but I'm willing to meet those needs and more importantly he makes me happy and healthy keeping up with him so it's never a chore


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

misslesleedavis1 said:


> Some working dogs live outside in a kennel because they are always on


Some kennel dogs are always "on" because they *are *kenneled.


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## misslesleedavis1 (Dec 5, 2013)

onyx'girl said:


> Some kennel dogs are always "on" because they *are *kenneled.


You read the rest of what i wrote write?


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

misslesleedavis1 said:


> You read the rest of what i wrote write?


Yes, many people kennel their dogs because they can't control them when they actually free them. So back in the kennel it goes. 
Not fair to the dog....because the owner doesn't want to deal for whatever their reasoning(this goes for any line, any breed)


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## misslesleedavis1 (Dec 5, 2013)

onyx'girl said:


> Yes, many people kennel their dogs because they can't control them when they actually free them. So back in the kennel it goes.
> Not fair to the dog....because the owner doesn't want to deal for whatever their reasoning(this goes for any line, any breed)


I was thinking back to a man i met at a club i went to, his dog lived outside in a fully done up kennel and his reason was because the dog was intense with energy, when he did bite work he was wearing 1 electo collar and 2 prongs, he made a point of telling me that the dog did have tons of exercise, the man did work all the time and i believe the spouse was home with kids all day.


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## Skywalkers Mom (Oct 26, 2012)

I agree that the "show world of dogs" has ruined many breeds of animals that didnt need their `"fixing". The sloped back causes more damage then those idiots even care about. yes my dog has a straight back. He was a rescue dog. He is part of my family. He has a curl in his tail and ears dont always standup. At least I didnt have his cut or taped or glued. Why in the heck would anyone do that to dog, they claim they "love" them. BS!


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## SamDukes (Jul 23, 2014)

Thank you all for sharing your experiences with me! I'm glad to hear that WL pups are happy as pets as well as serious working dogs. Since we have kids we tend to be out quite a bit; I think an active kid is a tired kid, which makes for a happy mom at home lol I was hoping the same thinking would apply to a WL shepherd  It's also great to hear about all parents who's dog loves little ones. I really want my pup to have a great bond and fun relationship with my kids. 

We live in Savannah, GA.I've been here most of my life and it's a great place to have an active family because there's always something to do. We have beach days and dock days, state parks for hiking and biking trails, soccer games in spring and fall, and our historic district which great for walking and an excellent area I believe to take puppy to socialize with all sorts of people and animals. 

I'm not sure if there are any breed specific clubs, but I do know that we have a Savannah Kennel Club which hosts AKC events throughout the year. I have been to several of them in the past and really love watching the dogs working with their owners/handlers. That is primarily what got me interested in the possibility of competing. I'm not a member currently because this will be our first dog but I'll certainly be getting more involved once we find the right puppy for us. 

We're not looking to get our pup for another 5-6 months. Right now I'm trying to find the right breeder for our family. It's very important for us to find a responsible breeder who knows their dogs and their temperament and is willing to work with us to place the best puppy based on our lifestyle and what we want to do with our pup. I've got a couple that I'm interested in speaking with further after seeing their website and searching these forums to see what others opinions were. 

Again, thanks for all of your replies! I'm certain now that we have found the best breed for us and I'm excited to start the process of bringing home the next member of our family!


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## DKJHA (Jan 28, 2013)

We have two children ages 3 and 6, and Falcon absolutely LOVE our girls!
He will come and lay next to them while chewing on his toy bones. Our girls cuddle with him, lay on him and he loves it. They also know that if he is on his bed, that means that they leave him alone but that never happens because he always wants to be around them. I told the breeder that being a family dog was my number one priority, but that I wanted to train him for Schutzhund as well. He has an amazing drive, and is very smart. He is and will always be a knucklehead to ME on occasion, but he is rock solid as a family dog. Just don't look through the window late at night....

I am up early in the morning to tire him out, and he gets a good long walk at night as well. When I told the breeder how quiet, calm and well behaved he is at home, she said it is because he has a life. That is very true.

I grew up with working line german shepherds, and everybody used to bring their families to the Schutzhund training field. When people stop me and ask me about getting a working line german shepherd I always say, make sure that you have the time and energy. Because I feel that is what they deserve and require. To me it is the best dog ever. Have fun!


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## Patsykruger68 (Jul 27, 2014)

Hi, I live on a farm in South Africa and have ample space to have my dogs run and play. I have 5 dogs, 3x working GSD's, 1 Jack Russel and 1 Australian Collie. My GSD's are working dogs and I kennel them for the following simple reasons......... the dogs must look forward to working, it must be fun for them and they need a lot of energy and drive to "work". The other reason being that in the wild dogs hunt, eat and sleep. They don't roam around for the fun of it because they need their energy to hunt the next meal. They sleep in burrows where they feel safe. There they sleep for hours! My dogs have ample play time after a working session and they are super great family dogs. They love kids of all ages. I rotate them and each one has a turn to sleep in the house. After supper they happily return to their kennels where they sleep. I believe that dogs should have those few hours where they are allowed to be dogs and not pets/working dogs. Time to switch off in a save zone without human interverance. I am against dogs being kenneled because the owners don't have time to spend with them - they should rather own cats. I also don't have a problem with people keeping their dogs "free" - I have done that for years. A true working dog needs a lot more energy than a pet and more time to rest. You have a bedroom - they have a kennel. I hope this explains one of the reasons for kenneling - its not always about convenience for the owner


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## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

Sam, I'm a member of my local all-breed club and have a working line GSD. We dabble in agility. We compete in obedience and rally. We do "meet the breed" publicity. It's a great opportunity and you'll get hooked 

I went from a casual member and volunteer 3 years ago to a member of the BoD and chief ringsteward at our last obedience trial. 

Here is Singe at one of our "meet the breed" demos. We had a children's dog show and the kids took our dogs through a mini agility course - 1 jump, some weaves and the tunnel.

These 2 girls were his "handlers" at the event. They ended up fighting over who got to have their picture taken with him first


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## Smithie86 (Jan 9, 2001)

It depends on the breeding, dogs and pedigrees. Not all puppies in a litter will be suitable for all things.

Last litter, we had a girl go into an experience agility home with young kids. No issue at all. Other in the litter went to active family with pre-teen kids, other dogs and horses. Other ones to IPO homes.

It is not only the breeding, but how the new owner raises and trains them.


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

what she said ^^^^^^


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## DKJHA (Jan 28, 2013)

That is so true!


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## Kahrg4 (Dec 19, 2012)

Jax08 said:


> Got one. He's sleeping at my feet while I work


Ditto. It's a shame there's no trial for enthusiastic cuddling.


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## David Winners (Apr 30, 2012)

My military working dog / WL fits into the family perfectly. Couldn't really ask for a better pet. She needs her simulation, but it's so fun to work her that it's never a bother. 

David Winners


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## robinhuerta (Apr 21, 2007)

It all comes down to *Genetics*.
You can find an excellent puppy from any lineage, to fit your "criteria".
Research your breeder prospects and learn to ignore the (ignorant, uneducated statements of some).
It's a great versatile breed.


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## lyssa62 (May 5, 2013)

I think Roxy's lineage is more working line -- but she's a great companion. We are looking to get in nose work as soon as they get something up and going here. And I really think she would be a great herder if we had something other than cats for her to herd. She is the BEST dog ever for our family.


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