# Yikes!



## PupperLove (Apr 10, 2010)

I am about to adopt a German Shepherd puppy- within a month to 2 months. Reading all of these aggression stories makes me a little nervous!

My pup will be from an excellent breeder who breeds german working lines and assures me his dogs are highly intelligent with excellent temperments. I have a 3 year old son who likes to play rough with our 6 month Labrador who takes all the tormenting without a jump, nip, or a growl- but now Im starting to worry about a German Shepherd- I also heard that over half reported dog bites in America are from German Shepherds?? 

I guess my question would be: do these dogs tend to be naturally aggressive even if brought up with small children/proper socialization? Any insight would be helpful. If you have small children I would love to know how your dog interacts with them, thanks everyone!


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## TxRider (Apr 15, 2009)

Any breed can be aggressive.

For example, a labrador retriever...

http://www.lab-retriever.net/board/new-owner-athenas-t7330129.html?p=1964165017

http://www.lab-retriever.net/board/leash-aggression-t7353910.html

http://www.lab-retriever.net/board/8-year-old-t7348654.html

http://www.lab-retriever.net/board/roux-again-aggression-t62728.html

http://www.lab-retriever.net/board/my-lab-starting-t7324580.html

http://www.lab-retriever.net/board/aggression-issues-t7315327.html

I wouldn't let it bother you much less freak you out.

Get a good pup, socialize and train it and you should be fine.


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## debbiebrown (Apr 13, 2002)

the question is do you have time to train and spend with a new puppy? you have a 6 month old lab and a child.........adding another puppy is alot of work no matter what kind..........don't mean to be a downer here, but looking at the reality of it........ and knowing how much work it takes to train and socialize the gsd its really a big commitment........i don't think anyone can compeletly quarentee temperments no matter where the pup is from..........but being your first gsd, i would be extremely picky on the genetic line.........training, socializing is one thing, but if you get one that has other issues fearish, nervous, etc..........then you really have problems...........

on the other side of the coin, these dogs can be great with children, and be a great family pet..........but there is still another commitment there........Labs are alot easier, and have milder temperments.........

i am sure you must have done your homework before commiting to getting a pup, so hopefully it will work out......


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## PupperLove (Apr 10, 2010)

Thanks guys! I have done alot of research and am home all day. I do feel that I am ready to take this on! Any suggestions as to how to pick a pup that shows signs of a good temperment?


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## sagelfn (Aug 13, 2009)

PupperLove said:


> Thanks guys! I have done alot of research and am home all day. I do feel that I am ready to take this on! Any suggestions as to how to pick a pup that shows signs of a good temperment?


that is something you'll want to discuss with your breeder. He/She should match a pup that fits your lifestyle and needs.


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## debbiebrown (Apr 13, 2002)

your best bet is to get someone that knows what they are doing and have them research the genetic line...........yes, the breeder can help, but they might believe in a certain type of line that they carry, and doesn't necessarily mean its right for everyone, especially someone in your situation...........

and or, have someone that is extremely knowlegable about evaluating puppies with you to see the litter...........

debbie


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## HeidiW (Apr 9, 2009)

I am not sure you should go for a working line, or male. I think females tend to be more gentle with children, also a mixed line for example american/west show and work combo, instead of a all working line. Keep in mind shepherds will herd children if your child has lots of kids over running around the yard they can't help themselves but herd them around. JMO.


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## codmaster (Aug 5, 2009)

I think that a GSD can be as good as any other dog with kids if they are raised right and the kids are also trained to treat the dog fairly at the same time. We raised 2 GSD's along with our son. One was about 3 when we had him and we got the other as a little puppy when he was about a year old. 

They got along great - we have pics of the 2 dogs and our son all laying in a crate together, as well as pics of the dogs sitting in front of the baby swing sharing his cookie from his little hand as he swung back and forth! Both were very forgiving of our son (as well as very protective).


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

PupperLove said:


> I am about to adopt a German Shepherd puppy- within a month to 2 months. Reading all of these aggression stories makes me a little nervous!
> 
> My pup will be from an excellent breeder who breeds german working lines and assures me his dogs are highly intelligent with excellent temperments. I have a 3 year old son who likes to play rough with our 6 month Labrador who takes all the tormenting without a jump, nip, or a growl- but now Im starting to worry about a German Shepherd- I also heard that over half reported dog bites in America are from German Shepherds??
> 
> I guess my question would be: do these dogs tend to be naturally aggressive even if brought up with small children/proper socialization? Any insight would be helpful. If you have small children I would love to know how your dog interacts with them, thanks everyone!


Yes, GSDs have some natural aggression. They are supposed to. 

Please don't let your 3 year old play roughly with your current or future dogs. 

You are setting the dogs up to fail. 

Just as bad, you are setting your child up to fail as well. He might see a dog someday, and try something similar because he thinks he can act this way, and before anyone could stop it, a tragedy could occur.


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## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

even more so, there is a good chance of the kid accidentally hurting the dog. Then, who gets blamed for the resulting bite? Always the dog.
3 is more than old enough to learn how to properly pet and handle a dog. Jumping on, pulling, poking and prodding aren't allowed. It's great that so many dogs give a "puppy allowance" to small children. But if you don't teach them, the child thinks that is ok and the dog might not be so tolerant of the same behavior from someone who is "old enough to know better"


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## PupperLove (Apr 10, 2010)

Dainerra said:


> even more so, there is a good chance of the kid accidentally hurting the dog. Then, who gets blamed for the resulting bite? Always the dog.
> 3 is more than old enough to learn how to properly pet and handle a dog. Jumping on, pulling, poking and prodding aren't allowed. It's great that so many dogs give a "puppy allowance" to small children. But if you don't teach them, the child thinks that is ok and the dog might not be so tolerant of the same behavior from someone who is "old enough to know better"


 
I agree with you, pulling, poking, etc. are def. not allowed. I guess how I worded my original thread it sounded as if that is what my child was doing. He knows that behaviors like that are not ok, and I am teaching him that all dogs are different and not to approach a strange dog or take food or toys from dogs. I know that animals can be unpredictable as well as children can be. My main concern is that if GSD's have a natural, more aggressive persoanlity that may be unavoidable even with extensive training/socialization...I also would like to hear from other GSD owners with small children.

I have done ALOT of research on this breed and began searching my area for breeders in 2006. It is totally different talking with other GSD owners than it is finding information on GSD's on a breed/breeder's website.


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## GSDElsa (Jul 22, 2009)

I don't think you should have a 3 year old and 2 dogs in the house under a year old, IMO.

Your current dog is going to only be 8 months old and bringing a 2 month old into the mix? PLUS trying to handle a 3 year old child on top of that? I think it's going to be too much and the dogs will find fun with each other more than you.

If you've been looking for dogs since 2006, not sure why you decided to bring in 2 young puppies at the same time. You've waited this long--stick it out another 812 months.

I'd give this advice to anyone as I think there are very few circumstances that 2 puppies at the same time are a good idea.


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## codmaster (Aug 5, 2009)

Don't forget, it really depends on what you mean by playing rough. Obviously you don't want the kid hurting the dog or poking him in the eye or ears or pulling its tail too hard but the child can certainly play with his pet. play tug and even wrestle on the floor (all things our son did with his two big mean GSD's.

I certainly wouldn't worry about that. Any normal GSD is going to be great with children and the same with a normal child - they can both be taught to love and respect each other. 

I don't see a GSD being any more aggressive to kids than a Lab of the same age!


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

I think there should be *at least* a 1 year age difference between your puppies.

Wait for your puppy to be a year old and then if you want to add another do it at that time. That way your first puppy will know basic commands and will have time to settle down. Adding another puppy while your puppy is so young can set you back quite some time with training. Also both puppies will end up showing more interest with each other rather than you. It is also extremely difficult to train 2 puppies at once. I did it before and it was one of the hardest and most frustrating things I've ever done. You also have to take care of your young child. I wouldn't dream of doing that. :crazy:


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## PupperLove (Apr 10, 2010)

GSDElsa said:


> If you've been looking for dogs since 2006, not sure why you decided to bring in 2 young puppies at the same time. You've waited this long--stick it out another 812 months.


I know, it will be a huge undertaking but we have our reasons for doing what we are doing and I'm not going to get into all that now.

I came to this board to find some answers to some questions I have, not to get personal opinions as to whether or not im doing the "right" thing at the "right" time. Thanks for the advice but it's coming off a little rude and somewhat ruining my whole experience at this message board. Like i said, we have our reasons. I have owned dogs before; this is not my first time.


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## GSD07 (Feb 23, 2007)

PupperLove said:


> I have owned dogs before; this is not my first time.


 It looks like you haven't owned a GSD before otherwise you would not ask the questions you asked. GSDs are very high maintenance dogs, esp. puppies.


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

We just dont want to see a good GSD puppy go to a home and that home doesn't work out and the puppy ends up in a shelter.


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## PupperLove (Apr 10, 2010)

I understand where you are coming from as far as the shelter thing goes. 

No, I have not owned a GSD before. I'm just trying to educate myself with the breed as I have been doing for a long time. It is different talking with other owners than it is reading up in books and online so I'm trying to gain a different perspective. I have owned a very high maintenance dog which was a husky/GSD mix who was VERY "thick-skulled" so to speak, but I had a good handle on him and his training-he went from an unruly pup when we adopted him to an adult who could understand sentences and open doors, lol. I'm not worried about my ability to train and handle a GSD, I'm just interested in learning more about some of your (everyone on here) GSD's and their positive/negative relationships with your children. 

What I have read at other sites and books is that they are very good with children, but the reason I asked is because of some of the posts I have read. Thanks for your concern though, it's good to see that you are all concerned about pets in shelters!


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## GSDElsa (Jul 22, 2009)

PupperLove said:


> - but now Im starting to worry about a German Shepherd- I also heard that over half reported dog bites in America are from German Shepherds??
> 
> I guess my question would be: do these dogs tend to be naturally aggressive even if brought up with small children/proper socialization? Any insight would be helpful. I!


The way I read that is you are questioning whether or not a GSD is the right dog for your home -- "I'm starting to worry about a German Shepherd." So, I am giving you my advice, which is that it's not advised to get 2 puppies close in age, yet alone one of them being a wanna-be shark GSD. If you are questioning getting a German Shepherd at all now, why would you be offended that I think you should wait 8-12 months?

And as I stated in my other post, I would not recommend ANYONE getting 2 puppies close in age. I don't care if you are an experienced SchH person or a first time dog owner. I think it is an injustice to the owner and the dog. 

You don't need to "get into it" because my opinion stays pretty consistent on this issue. If you're questioning whether or not to bring a GSD puppy in the house at all, then why push it at this time?:shrug:


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## HeidiW (Apr 9, 2009)

I had the most perfectly well behaved GSD, raised my children around her. All was great.
I really trusted her. My babysitter told me that she growled and bared her teeth at my daughter 3 years old who was covering her with leaves and fell on her. I could not believe it. That was as far as it went and it did not happen in front of me. However after that I was more cautious. Just we would never have expected that from this dog. She loved the kids so much.


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## GSD07 (Feb 23, 2007)

Heidi, why you wouldn't expect this from your dog? Your dog was hurting because the child fell on her, and she showed this by a growl. She didn't bite, there were no negative consequences after that. I would fire the babysitter who allowed your daughter to pester the dog, though.

When my sister got hit by her young boy in her chin, by accident, she said a not very pleasant word. I guess, she couldn't be trusted with her baby anymore  She had to go and get a CT scan after that hit, by the way.

Sometimes I think that we hold our dogs to higher standards then ourselves.


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

When I was 15 or 16 I stepped on the family dog that is a GSD/Husky mix and I hurt her and she bit my calf. It hurt like **** but It was my fault, she was sorry after she did it but I reassured her that it was my fault and that I wasn't mad at her, it was like a quick reaction. She is a very gentle dog and my neice and nephews play with her all of the time.

If I were a dog and someone hurt me, I'd probably bite them as well


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## HeidiW (Apr 9, 2009)

Oksana, your right! I did not expect it from her. She was so gentle. My daughter is 21 years old now and my beloved Keisha is gone, passing my experience on to the OP, that things can happen. Growl was a warning and not a bite. I did get rid of the sitter back then also, kept the dog. LOL.


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## PupperLove (Apr 10, 2010)

GSDElsa said:


> If you are questioning getting a German Shepherd at all now, why would you be offended that I think you should wait 8-12 months?


When you originally posted there was no dash beween 8 and 12 and it came up that if I have been looking since 2006 to wait another 812 months! I have been wanting a GSD for what seems like forever, I just read that and was like man, that's mean! They think I should get a GSD pretty much _never_ just because I have another young dog_?_ , ok 8-12 months is totally understandable- and I have thought about it too. Our breeder is not far, only about 2 hours away. If our current dog wasn't doing as outstanding as he is on his training, we wouldn't even be considering adding another dog- he literally blows me away with his intelligence and good nature. We are going to look at puppies mid May. If the litter does not have the puppy that is right for us, we _will_ wait.


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## TxRider (Apr 15, 2009)

PupperLove said:


> I'm just interested in learning more about some of your (everyone on here) GSD's and their positive/negative relationships with your children.


It's going to depend on the individual dog, and on you, and on your kids.

I have two females about 3-4 yrs old.. 

One is completely awesome with kids, loves them, tolerant, probably wouldn't even bite for a careless finger in the eye. In fact I'm pretty positive she wouldn't. Just like she doesn't bite little yorkies or dachsunds that bite her in the face etc..

The other I do not allow small children around, and only kids about 7-8 or older under very close supervision. She is more flighty, skittish and fearful and she can't deal with squeals, quick movement and uncooridinated movement and unpredictability of kids and will snap at them.

Most of the difference is genetic in them I believe. If you get a stable pup with good nerves and socialize and train it you should be fine.

It's as much or more the individual dog as it is the breed.

Like Rotties, I have known some that would try to literally kill me if they got any chance at all, and others that let me come into a home as stranger with nobody home and buried me in slobber.

I would definately look for a pup that wasn't timid, that when hearing a sharp sound or something that surprises it shows a reaction of approaching it rather than avoiding it etc.


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## GSDElsa (Jul 22, 2009)

PupperLove said:


> When you originally posted there was no dash beween 8 and 12 and it came up that if I have been looking since 2006 to wait another 812 months! I have been wanting a GSD for what seems like forever, I just read that and was like man, that's mean! They think I should get a GSD pretty much _never_ just because I have another young dog_?_ , ok 8-12 months is totally understandable- and I have thought about it too. Our breeder is not far, only about 2 hours away. If our current dog wasn't doing as outstanding as he is on his training, we wouldn't even be considering adding another dog- he literally blows me away with his intelligence and good nature. We are going to look at puppies mid May. If the litter does not have the puppy that is right for us, we _will_ wait.


 
Ooops! Sorry! Sometimes my keys stick!


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