# one person gsds?



## pets4life (Feb 22, 2011)

hey 

I have heard people say this a lot "i prefer one person gsds" 


I was just curious what do they mean by this? a gsd that wont take orders from strangers? Or a gsd that bonds to the family and only likes family comming around its area?

Also when does the one person personality show? like most gsd puppy if the are stable and well socialized will be okay with everyone So was kinda confused.

It can also be a sign of weak nerve a fearful dog can be mistaken for a "one person dog" cause everyone was scares the **** out of them.


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

one person dogs usually refer to dogs (i say dogs because GSDs arent the only breed who do it) they pick their person and dont generally bond closely with anyone else. They're not usually real inclined to listen to anyone other than their person but will grudgingly if they have no other choice. It also makes it harder if the dog ever has to be rehomed because they have a hard time bonding with their new owner/family. some just float through life after they lose their bonded person for whatever reason. others will form a bond with someone new but generally arent going to be as close with anyone else as they are with their person.


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## Josie/Zeus (Nov 6, 2000)

KZoppa said:


> one person dogs usually refer to dogs (i say dogs because GSDs arent the only breed who do it) they pick their person and dont generally bond closely with anyone else. They're not usually real inclined to listen to anyone other than their person but will grudgingly if they have no other choice. It also makes it harder if the dog ever has to be rehomed because they have a hard time bonding with their new owner/family. some just float through life after they lose their bonded person for whatever reason. others will form a bond with someone new but generally arent going to be as close with anyone else as they are with their person.


Ditto! 

Odin was my dog, he listens somewhat to my husband but he was mine mine mine all the way. 

Koda on the other hand is very much my husband's dog. 

Zeus was bonded pretty much to the family, maybe a hair or two to my husband.


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## fuzzybunny (Apr 29, 2011)

KZoppa said:


> one person dogs usually refer to dogs (i say dogs because GSDs arent the only breed who do it) they pick their person and dont generally bond closely with anyone else. They're not usually real inclined to listen to anyone other than their person but will grudgingly if they have no other choice. It also makes it harder if the dog ever has to be rehomed because they have a hard time bonding with their new owner/family. some just float through life after they lose their bonded person for whatever reason. others will form a bond with someone new but generally arent going to be as close with anyone else as they are with their person.


This is how I always interpreted that as well. I used to have a one person cat. I rescued him when he was 4 from the shelter. I started dating my husband 2 weeks after I got the cat so hubby had been in the picture from almost the beginning. The cat never accepted him though. The cat died at 8 years old so he knew my husband for 4 years and lived with him for 3 years and never accepted him. He would actually swat and hiss at my hubby when he walked by. That cat accepted no one but me.


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## myshepharley (Feb 11, 2011)

Harley is that way. He will associate with everyone and play ball with whoever will give into his nudges. But when it comes down to it, he is always with me. I leave the room, he leaves the room. I go to the bathroom, he either quick bolts in or sits at the door. I go outside, he goes outside. If I go in with out him, he will go to the front window and peek in to check on me, then go lay down. As soon as I pick up a pair of my shoes he starts dancing around, whining thinking he is going somewhere. I am the only one he does all this with because we have a very special bond.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

I like GSDs that are naturally aloof/neutral to strangers and other non-pack dogs. That does not mean reactive or suspicious, just that they just plain don't care. For example, if I sit my dog in a circle of people, he's OK with them petting him. However, if I walk away without saying anything, he'll follow me and ignore them. He doesn't pull on the leash to get to other people because he doesn't care whether they give attention or not. Even things that he loves, like playing fetch or tug, he will do with others but follow me if I'm leaving. I have two GSDs right now and they both are this way. One is more social, he enjoys getting loves and attention from random people, but he will still mind me and come with me. When I take my dogs to work, my co-workers are amazed that they often don't even notice a dog there because my dogs are not charging around up to random people. They just sit in my office and watch.

I'm OK with the dog being a family dog, I just don't have a family. Just me and my husband and he's not real involved with my dogs. 

My dogs will mind others doing basic commands within reason but you can't take them out onto the field and have them "work" for you the way they will with me, nor do I let anyone do this.

As far as socialization, I expose my dogs to a LOT of people, new people every day for the first two months, and part of this the dog learning that people are just *there*. I don't stop for every single person to pet my dog, and a lot of people are scared or allergic so we have to keep going. I've observed with all of my GSDs that they are receptive to friendly people but otherwise not the slightest bit disappointed if we just keep walking.


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## pets4life (Feb 22, 2011)

do most gsds turn this way anyway after being around one owner for a while like a year or 2?


is it something that usually happens as an adult?


yes mine would never stay and socialize w strangers she might give them a sniff let them pat her but if i left she will leave asap she trys to sniff some poeple out of being curious but mostly just ignore even when people pass 1 foot away from her the older she gets tho the more this happens the younger she was the more social she was i am not sure if that is common or not


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

Not sure, depends on the lines and how the dog was raised, I suppose. I've seen a lot of GSDs that are what I would consider WAY too social, totally ignore the owner in a lot of situations. Both of my males have always preferred me. My female I got as an adult so I can't speak to how she was as a puppy but she is even more "one person" than my males.


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

When people say "one person dog" I usually think it's a dog that does not pay attention to anyone but their one person/owner and does not want attention from other people...

I don't think of it as a dog who only like their family (that would be more than one person) or a dog who won't obey strangers (most GSDs I think would not.)

For example Bianca likes everyone in my family and is happy to have attention from them, but she won't obey anyone else because I am the one who trains her. She is protective of the property but she will be friendly with anyone who I invite in, and with my friends. If we are out somewhere off the property she will be friendly towards anyone we meet as long as I give her the ok first. 
If I am in a group of people who are ignoring her, she won't try to approach them but if someone wants to pet her and gives her attention, if I tell her it's ok she is happy to get attention/petting from them. However, she won't respond to commands from anyone but me. If I walked away of course she would follow me.


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## CookieTN (Sep 14, 2008)

I believe the standard calls for an aloof dog, but there are plenty that do not fit the standard or vary in some way. I've always had the idea that GSDs in general are one person dogs to some extent, but maybe I'm wrong.
Mine was a one person dog. My dad used to say that the only people Cookie liked were me and my grandmother. Heh. Well, we were the only two people she bonded closely with. She liked a few other people, and could be friendly, but was definitely a bit aloof.


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## CelticGlory (Jan 19, 2006)

I wonder what would happen if a GSD or any dog lived with just a man or woman and that person ended up getting married?


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## bocron (Mar 15, 2009)

The GSDs in our house all belong to one person. I have 2, my daughter has 2 and my husband has 4. Each person's dogs will stick to their person like glue. They will take orders from others in the house but not without checking with their person first. They like other people just fine, they just don't worry if they get attention from them so much. 
Now the other breed I'm very familiar with is the Beauceron. Not only are they very much a one person dog, they actually look upon "other" people with disdain. It is kind of funny how they actually seem French LOL.

Annette


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## chelle (Feb 1, 2009)

SO FAR, my pup, mix of WGSD/Husky is one person. He wants me and only me and follows me everywhere, we are inseperable.

When I leave and the bf is in charge, he cries and walks in circles for awhile (or so I'm told), but does listen, goes potty, etc and so on with the bf. 

I'm not discouraging the behavior. I love it. Selfish me, maybe. He will obey the bf for the most part, but his preference for me is overwhelming and obvious. Dangit, I hope so... I'm the schumuck up every morning for breakfast, potty, exercise and ditto at lunch and dinner... that little guy had BETTER love me more, hehehe!


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

bocron said:


> The GSDs in our house all belong to one person. I have 2, my daughter has 2 and my husband has 4. Each person's dogs will stick to their person like glue. They will take orders from others in the house but not without checking with their person first. They like other people just fine, they just don't worry if they get attention from them so much.
> Now the other breed I'm very familiar with is the Beauceron. Not only are they very much a one person dog, they actually look upon "other" people with disdain. It is kind of funny how they actually seem French LOL.
> 
> Annette


 
thats another reason i'd like to have a beauceron someday. I am perfectly fine socializing my dogs and making sure they're good, but i dont need or want them being overly friendly and attention seeking. I'm good with them looking at other people with disdain lol. Main thing is i think they're beautiful intelligent dogs.


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## chelle (Feb 1, 2009)

KZoppa said:


> thats another reason i'd like to have a beauceron someday. I am perfectly fine socializing my dogs and making sure they're good, but i dont need or want them being overly friendly and attention seeking. I'm good with them looking at other people with disdain lol. Main thing is i think they're beautiful intelligent dogs.


You've just described my Shiba Inu. My goodness, what a bitch.  I say this in the most loving terms. :laugh: She won't bite, bark, approach or anything... she just stands there with her little curled tail and this air of superiority... If someone comes to pet her, she'll let them, but the whole time she's just like, ok please go away, head turned off to the side and totally uninterested.

Then at home with humans at night, she can't snuggle deep enough in the blankies or on the recliner. Silly dog. She loves her owners, but only her owners. No one else sees that curly tail wag.


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