# Questions about GSD Aggression



## GSD Fan (Sep 20, 2010)

I just have a few questions about german shepherd aggression.

1. Can someone post or pm me a good article or articles about aggression shown in german shepherds? I found a few, but they and other things I've learned aren't adding up.

2. If I were to adopt a pup from a shelter, is there a good chance that pup might become dog or people aggressive?

3. Do german shepherds generally get along well with other shepherds and breeds?

4. Are dogs from certain lines more prone to aggression than others?

5. Talking about aggression, how far away is a GSD from a pit bull? What I'm asking is, pit bulls were somewhat bred for fighting and GSDs are working dogs, but since GSDs are becoming more popular you see less ethical breeding. So if I were to get a random GSD, what are the chances that GSD is going to have aggression problems?

I hope these questions aren't silly. What got me to make this thread was I was watching The Dog Whisperer.


----------



## mthurston0001 (Jul 12, 2009)

Number 1 problem with todays GSD's is poor nerve. I don't think anyone on this forum would disagree. Chances you will end up with one? Probably pretty good if you are picking one up from Joe Friday down the road.


----------



## Ben_From_Texas (Jun 18, 2011)

How do you know if your dog has weak or strong nerve?


----------



## erich_maya_GSD (Jun 29, 2011)

a dog will be agressive if you train him to be agressive or if you dont educate him well m a dog will be very friendly and nice if you educate him well and sociabilize him


----------



## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

I'll answer some to bump this up. Hope others respond. 

1. Can someone post or pm me a good article or articles about aggression shown in german shepherds? I found a few, but they and other things I've learned aren't adding up.

Elem. of Temperament I think is a good article?

Welcome to k9aggression.com | Dog Aggression Education, Support and Resources just for general

They are supposed to have the potential for aggression, but in a discerning, controlled way. 

2. If I were to adopt a pup from a shelter, is there a good chance that pup might become dog or people aggressive?

I am going to imagine you mean this not in the appropriate type of aggression way. A good chance? I would say no. A chance, yes. I've seen a lot of adoptions go through of pups, which are a crap shoot (did you know that the Pit Bull Rescue code of ethics even has recommendations about being especially careful in adopting out puppies - good stuff their code if followed) but do not recall any surprises in regards to aggression. That means, the puppy that was seen, is more or less the dog that they become - no giant surprises. Having a good evaluation of a puppy can help. 

3. Do german shepherds generally get along well with other shepherds and breeds?

Varies with the dog, but compared to some breeds (Scottish Terriers, Malamutes, Shiba Inu as examples), the GSD should get along with other dogs, should be obedient enough to deal with it, in my mind, and those that are not, I am not PERSONALLY (stressing) a fan of. You see tons of multi-GSD packs in rescue. I think some people like to reverse brag about their nasty bitches and their aggro males.  But some truly are dog aggressive. 

4. Are dogs from certain lines more prone to aggression than others?

5. Talking about aggression, how far away is a GSD from a pit bull? What I'm asking is, pit bulls were somewhat bred for fighting and GSDs are working dogs, but since GSDs are becoming more popular you see less ethical breeding. So if I were to get a random GSD, what are the chances that GSD is going to have aggression problems?

I think Pitbulls are almost the polar opposite of the German Shepherd. Supposed to have unlimited love and affection for people and strangers - like a lab but more so. Not supposed to be able to work with other dogs and animals. 

The GSD has been popular a LONG time. So a dog with weak nerve, poor temperament is easy to find. 

Then again, we get dogs from shelters who are in a stressful environment, handled by strangers, evaluated by being pushed by other strangers, get taken to a vet for probably the first time, jabbed, poked, prodded, tossed in a tub, taken in a house for possibly the first time, and then put on a multi-leg transport where they are literally handed off every 1-2 hours, stay overnight with a stranger and their pets, and go to a foster home without blinking an eye. We do this ALL the time with dogs who are evaluated first of course.


----------



## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Ben_From_Texas said:


> How do you know if your dog has weak or strong nerve?


This thread can shed some light. Some excellent stories and examples. 
http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/weekly-discussion-topics/153442-share-examples-good-nerve.html

One of my favorite articles:

Elem. of Temperament


----------



## GSD Fan (Sep 20, 2010)

Thank you, that Elements of Temperament was very educational.


----------



## gagsd (Apr 24, 2003)

erich_maya_GSD said:


> a dog will be agressive if you train him to be agressive or if you dont educate him well m a dog will be very friendly and nice if you educate him well and sociabilize him


Sorry to single out your post, but this is incorrect. 

A large amount of what a dog is, is genetics. If it was just a matter of socializing and training, you might see Bloodhounds herding sheep. But you don't because "drives" are mostly genetic.


----------



## xamtseeb (Aug 30, 2010)

Here's my situation. Perhaps it can be of some help to you.

My Striker is aggressive, for the most part. But once he knows you, he can care less about you (in a good way). Mostly due to the fact that we wanted him to be very cautious. He's the best guard dog there is. We didn't seclude him or anything, he's just very loyal to us and don't really allow people close to us - within his visual proximity. 

And then, it started getting kind of out of control to where we had to crate him every time we had guests over. It seemed like he wanted to eat them alive. 

Naturally, as a responsible pet owner, I started taking him to dog training. He knew ALL the tricks they taught in basic training. Sit, stay, wait, leave it. The trainer said it was basically just a matter of exposing him to more people, more dogs and more situations. She also stated that he is reactive because he is the alpha dog in the fur family and he's not neutered. This causes him to feel challenged by many, even with just a look. It's only natural and as the owner, I should gently correct until he learns to "relax" more.

He has gotten A LOT better. He's still very attentive like the smart, clever guard dog and boy he is. He would not let anyone hurt us for sure. But at the same time, he's becoming more conscience when I tell him "leave it". He knows that when I say, "leave it" it means that the person is not a threat. I still take him out on walks to keep introducing him to different situations and commanding him to "leave it" when people walk by. He's doing really well.


----------



## GSD Fan (Sep 20, 2010)

Thank you guys.

I know this is off topic, but after reading that "Elements of Temperament" article, I believe I once had a "soft" dog. It was a male border collie/lab. Whenever we said no or something like that to him, he would act weird. He would tuck his tail behind his rear and he would put his head down.


----------



## Rexy (Jun 4, 2011)

xamtseeb said:


> Here's my situation. Perhaps it can be of some help to you.
> 
> My Striker is aggressive, for the most part. But once he knows you, he can care less about you (in a good way). Mostly due to the fact that we wanted him to be very cautious. He's the best guard dog there is. We didn't seclude him or anything, he's just very loyal to us and don't really allow people close to us - within his visual proximity.
> 
> ...


Your training sounds as if it's going fine well done, but this alpha dog aggression is weak nerve, nothing about protection. The reason dogs react in a passive enviroment is insecurity and fear and by reacting aggressively drives back the perceived threat to relieve the dog's anxiety.

Dog's of substantial nerve structure in a passive environment are not reactive in the slightest for the truth of the matter


----------

