# Do German Shepherds Roam?



## cowgirlteach (Mar 17, 2012)

I am contemplating buying a GSD and was curious as to whether or not they roam when off leash. We live on a ranch and he/she would not be in a pen or in a leash hardly ever. I was wondering if this will present a problem? We do not live close to a busy road and our current dog never leaves the yard in front of the house. Thoughts?


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## PupperLove (Apr 10, 2010)

That really is a training issue. German Shepherds love to be by their people and will usually stick close by. There are some however that will bolt when let loose. You will have to train your dog, but please don't just leave them alone unattended where they could get hit or something of that nature. I keep my dog in the house. He is used to being with us at all times, and I doubt he would go anywhere if I gave him the opportunity to do so.


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## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

not a question of whether a dog "roams". they can see another animal or they can wander off, get to a road and get hit. i do rescue and just had to turn down a perfect, PERFECT, adopter because they lived on 10 acres and their house was 500 feet from the road, but they had no fence. they were looking for another dog since their last one was killed on the road, they "never thought he'd go as far as the road", he was 10 years old and he'd never done it before. he'll never do it again either. when you value your dog you don't give him/her the opportunity to "roam", because your job is to protect your dog. dogs do not have "good sense", they are governed by instinct and no matter how well "trained", if you're not there with them they can get themselves into all manner of trouble. they can eat things that will harm them, they can get into altercations with non-domestic animals, they can be injured in any number of ways. people who have a "farm animal" attitude about their dogs just replace them when something happens to them. please, it's not an issue of if they "roam". if you don't want something to happen to your dog, it's your job to give them a safe environment, and that means they have to not be left to their own devices.


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## sparra (Jun 27, 2011)

cowgirlteach said:


> I am contemplating buying a GSD and was curious as to whether or not they roam when off leash. We live on a ranch and he/she would not be in a pen or in a leash hardly ever. I was wondering if this will present a problem? We do not live close to a busy road and our current dog never leaves the yard in front of the house. Thoughts?


I think two dogs are more likely to roam than one. We live on a large property here in Australia and like you traffic etc are no issue whatsoever but livestock are. We have a kelpie and a GSD and i would not trust them not to roam (even though they never have). If they are found roaming they would more than likely get shot......not a chance we are willing to take.
We have an e-fence around our house yard as our fence is only short and they can jump it so this gives me peace of mind that they can be outside in the yard enjoying the sun etc and not scooting off somewhere.
I think ALL dogs like to roam and while being on a farm it is tempting to just let them have their freedom two dogs unattended with the freedom to go off on their own is a bit risky.JMO.


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## GSDkid (Apr 19, 2011)

Any dog has the possibility to wander off. It all just depends on how well you train them and their temperament.


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## sparra (Jun 27, 2011)

katieliz said:


> people who have a "farm animal" attitude about their dogs just replace them when something happens to them.


what the??


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## cowgirlteach (Mar 17, 2012)

*Thanks everyone!*

During the day our current dog is with my husband at work. She is only unsupervised for short bathroom breaks in the evenings, though we do have a kennel next to the house if she will be out for long. (We have coyotes)

I like the idea of the invisible fence. Our heeler is our life...she means the world to us and goes everywhere with at least one of us.


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## sparra (Jun 27, 2011)

Was it you who posted a while back about getting a shepherd puppy with the possibility of doing some herding etc?? I think there were other dogs on the farm or something??
I didn't have time to reply


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## cowgirlteach (Mar 17, 2012)

*"Farm Animal" Attitude*

Yes I know what you are referring to, and you are sadly mistaken that all people who live on farms have this attitude. The families that work on our ranch care more for their dogs than any people I have ever met. We live in a secluded area making our dogs real companions. Not sure if that was meant towards me, but please don't make generalized statements about a person's lifestyle without know any details.


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## cowgirlteach (Mar 17, 2012)

*Yes Sparra*

that was me. Just trying to be an informed buyer...maybe a GSD isn't for me. That's what I'm trying to find out.


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## sparra (Jun 27, 2011)

cowgirlteach said:


> that was me. Just trying to be an informed buyer...maybe a GSD isn't for me. That's what I'm trying to find out.


Like I said we are on a farm here (we don't call them ranches) We run sheep and grow winter crops. Our days sound similar to yours.....our dogs come with us out on the farm all the time. Our kelpie is our sheep dog but Luther the GSD, who is 12months old, is allowed to help. He is actually quite useful when we move sheep around.....he LOVES it. Luther is a wonderful "farm dog". He fits in well and is great with all our critters. We have chooks (as in chickens) horses, goats, pet sheep around the house, cats, guinea fowl, donkeys and pigs (i think that is it LOL!!) i actually just left the computer before cause our pigs were out so I took Luther and he herded them back to the pen.
We have an almost four year old boy and they are the best of friends and we have a baby due in 5 weeks time......I think you said you would like children too?? So given time and training GSD's make great dogs on farms. You just need to find a really good breeder who breeds well rounded, solid nerved healthy GSD's and in the US it sounds like you have many. Do your research and don't rush......you could even look into lines which have some herding background if it is something you think you would be interested in.
Just my two cents......we had a GSDX before Luther who was just as ideally suited


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## sparra (Jun 27, 2011)

Sorry....forgot the alpacas.....can't forget the alpacas


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

katieliz said:


> people who have a "farm animal" attitude about their dogs just replace them when something happens to them. please, it's not an issue of if they "roam". if you don't want something to happen to your dog, it's your job to give them a safe environment, and that means they have to not be left to their own devices.


:angryfire: Excuse me "farm ainmal" attitude? We may live on a farm but we've put more money into vet care for our animals that we would ever consider spending on ourselves. That doesn't mean we coddle them and crate them all day. Life is about living not sitting around in a kennel waiting to die. 

Thank god not all rescues think like you or wonderful dogs would never find good loving homes.


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

sparra said:


> We have chooks (as in chickens) horses, goats, pet sheep around the house, cats, guinea fowl, donkeys and pigs (i think that is it LOL!!) i actually just left the computer before cause our pigs were out so I took Luther and he herded them back to the pen.


Sounds like me 20 years ago.  The thing I miss most today are those darn guinea fowl.  They are the most awesome birds!


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

sparra said:


> Sorry....forgot the alpacas.....can't forget the alpacas


:laugh: We had emus instead of alpacas.


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## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

"what the?? "

sorry for the misunderstanding. wasn't referring to anyone here, just the attitude that some people (specifically ones i've come in contact with recently), have about replacing animals which meet with untimely ends in one way or another because they're left outside, unsupervised, to roam. unfortunately i see way too much of that. you would not believe the number of people i run into, who think that dogs can just be left to their own devices, outdoors, with no fence, not even an electric fence (which really does not protect the dog from other animals, but is better than nothing), some even think it's okay for an entire day while they work. i've had people tell me they didn't want the dog to get bored, or they wanted the dog to be able to "play in the woods". those dogs are no longer alive and these people think nothing of it and are surprised when a reputable rescue does not want to adopt to them. sometimes it just blows my mind.

i did find it unusual that anyone would ask if any kind of dog would "wander", because dogs by nature are instinctual and curious and will go and check out whatever catches their interest, any time something does. and you never know when something is going to. no matter what breed of dog it is. and then when something happens to the dog, people with the "dogs are farm animals" mentality just go out and get another one. anyone who does not have that attitude would know they don't have that attitude and it didn't occur to me that someone might think i was referring to them. so sorry i should have been more clear.


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## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

shepherdmom PLEASE...why do you think i was referring to you if you don't have that "mentality". it's a _attitude_ descriptive term and not a term defined by where (on a farm) a person lives. jeez, was it that UNCLEAR???

and gosh, i just re-read your post and am wondering if those are the only two options you see...crate and wait to die or be left outside unsupervised?


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

> people who have a "farm animal" attitude about their dogs just replace them when something happens to them


Katieliz was talking about "people who have", so if the shoe doesn't fit, don't try to stuff your foot in it.

And I know just what she's trying to say. There's an entire valley of people like this here, too. Their last few dogs (and cats) got ran over, they don't s/n because "the last dog we got spayed got ran over", and when those get smashed or otherwise killed, they just run by the Walmart where someone inevitably has a box of free puppies. Heck, I ran over a family's dog who live about 3 miles from here, as I drove by very slowly trying to avoid the dogs on the road, one yelped and ran over holding it's paw up. I rolled down the window and hollered "I think I ran over your dog's foot!" They yelled back "Maybe it'll learn to stay out of the road!"  Another family applied to adopt a dog for their teen son - their last dog got ran over - by them(!!!) because of no fence and the dogs run up and down the driveway. The surviving dog had "wandered in" about 18mos-2yrs. ago and he's never even been to the vet(!!) sadly (because I think the kid wanted the pup) we declined the adoption. 

Sorry to wander (no pun intended) off topic, OP. 
I found our GSDs stuck close to our house, but then again, they might not either. It's an individual trait as much as a training issue. 

I always wondered why people with "500 acres" didn't just fence an area an acre or so around the house to keep the dogs safe and deter intruders :shrug:


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## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

shepherdmom...and also, you are wrong about rescue philosophy and policy and dogs finding good, loving, and most importantly, SAFE homes. i care about every dog i've ever rescued (and there have been more than a few now), as if they were my own, and have found wonderful homes for every single one of them. sometimes it takes a bit longer and it costs a bit more and it takes more work on my part. but it's so worth it to be careful of where these dogs go, so many of them have had difficult lives before they've come to me, and i am determined that i will never, ever, be responsible for sending them somewhere unsafe. i cannot for the life of me understand why anyone who loves these dogs would see anything wrong with that, or be nasty or critical.


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## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

cgt...please re-read my post to see that i did not say "all people who live on farms have this attitude", so there is nothing i am sadly mistaken about. i know it's the internet and i know that posts can be easily misunderstood, but a farm animal mentality (relative to dogs), does not automatically come with living on a farm. it's an old expression for an _attitude_, which someone does not have because of where they live.


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## sparra (Jun 27, 2011)

shepherdmom said:


> Sounds like me 20 years ago.  The thing I miss most today are those darn guinea fowl.  They are the most awesome birds!


 Yeah they are great birds!!! We have about 30 here.....they just roam around (oops) and do their thing.....breed!!! They are really hard to get over here as everyone wants them.....we have sold some but really we just love having them around.....and then when they die....you know.....we can just replace them....


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/lost-found/179693-lost-gsd-greenville-sc.html

And you can look through that section of the forum and see other dogs who unfortunately went missing as well. 

That was two dogs together. I hope they can find their girl.

This is how I look at dogs - if they have the mentality of a 3 year old or so - what would I let a 3 year old do? 

Choose their own foods? No
Choose to be out by themselves? No
Make good choices in general? No

I do this for a few reasons - one, I agreed to take care of these dogs to the best of my ability, which means if I know these things, I need to commit to following them, two, obviously, like everyone I love my dogs - and for me that means keeping them in a way that I feel will maximize their safety while allowing them to have fun (yes, they can still have fun - just safely) and three - I can save money by knowing what they've been into, what they've been doing, and that unless I make a mistake (which everyone does do) the chances of a hit by car is lessened. 

When you take a sick pet to the vet what do they ask you...
Have they eaten anything unusual?
Any chance they got into poison?
Any chance they ate a dead animal that may have been poisoned? 
Etc, etc, etc. 

My vets also say their "business" would decrease immensely if everyone used leashes. They are very unhappy to have to _try_ to repair so many HBC cases and would prefer a drop in business if met that more dogs were not hit by cars (or get thrown from the back of moving trucks).


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## Kittilicious (Sep 25, 2011)

I just want to add that I understand the farm attitude. There is many farmers around here that have it - I've known people to shoot their own dogs because they wouldn't stay in the yard or because it chased the cows (or chickens, or pigs...). I live in central Minnesota and I could go to 10 farms around here and only find 1 that the dogs weren't running free on the property with no fencing or anything.


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## obxterra (Jul 25, 2009)

In the early '80's I had a bi-color rescue named Harley, at the time we lived among a group of neighbors that all had 10-15 acre tracts. Harley must have roamed nearly 300 acres, but always returned home on one loud call (sometimes around 20 minutes).

All the neighbors loved him (and I suspect fed him extras). Nice thing about that was when we went on trips the neighbors fed and watered both GSD's right at the house. We had 15 acres and were 1,000 feet of the road.


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

katieliz said:


> shepherdmom...have had difficult lives before they've come to me, and i am determined that i will never, ever, be responsible for sending them somewhere unsafe. i cannot for the life of me understand why anyone who loves these dogs would see anything wrong with that, or be nasty or critical.


Because according to your standards I would not be a safe home. My dogs have long healthy awesome lives but because some person who doesn't understand country living feels that their way is better and the only way I would not be able to rescue a dog. As I said thank goodness not all rescues think that way. It is prejudice and it is wrong. There is nothing wrong with a "farm" way of life. As I pointed out most of us spend more on keeping our "farm" animals healthy than we do on people. Come live in the country for a while and see just how healthy and happy ALL of our animals are. See the sparkle and fun in their eyes. Watch their joy at doing their job of chasing down rabbits and other critters that don't belong. Watch them heard the goats or the Guinea Fowl and yes face the occasional snake. Bad things happen everywhere and yes you get another dog and move on. That is a bad thing? Sorry I don't see it.


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

sparra said:


> Yeah they are great birds!!! We have about 30 here.....they just roam around (oops) and do their thing.....breed!!! They are really hard to get over here as everyone wants them.....we have sold some but really we just love having them around.....and then when they die....you know.....we can just replace them....


:spittingcoffee: We had about 30-50 at any given time. We just let them roam around as well. Because well as you know they eat bugs so we didn't have to use harmful pesticides... Even taught the dogs and the kids how to search for their eggs which we incubated and sold. To help cover the costs of our dogs food.


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## shepherdmom (Dec 24, 2011)

katieliz said:


> shepherdmom PLEASE...why do you think i was referring to you if you don't have that "mentality". it's a _attitude_ descriptive term and not a term defined by where (on a farm) a person lives. jeez, was it that UNCLEAR???


I never said I thought you were refering to me. I don't know you and you don't know me. What I was objecting to was prejudice against the "farm mentality" there is nothing wrong with letting our dogs have the run of our property. I have watched my shepherds chase rabbits to my open gate and put on the brakes and stop at the gate line. I would never in a million years expect one of my dogs to go out that gate because I have trained them better than that. However that doesn't mean it couldn't happen and if it did the chances of my shepherd getting hit with a car would be slim to none because cars on that road are few and far between. You are horrified because people treat dogs like dogs, and to be honest I'm horified that people put dogs in a crate for 8-10 hours a day every day. That doesn't mean I think I'm right and you are wrong. It is just DIFFERENT. I would never exclude someone from getting a dog because their way of life or thinking was different from mine. Now if they were going to use the dogs for fighting, or abuse the dogs that is one thing but just because they have kids or live on farm or live in an apartment doesn't mean that they don't deserve a chance to have a dog. 
and to the OP yes Shepherds can roam if they get bored.


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## cowgirlteach (Mar 17, 2012)

Wow...this got heated while I was sleeping. My question was do GSDs roam, because I currently have a blue heeler that would never think of running off. It is not the individual dog...any blue heeler we have ever had never runs off (they are truly the velcro dog). On the other hand, I had a mini schnauzer for 16 years that to her dieing day would run anytime she was off leash (terrier trait)

So I'm confused why this is such a tough question and yes I did train my heeler to come and to heel  but I was wanting a generalized answer as to what most people here have found with their GSD. 

About the farm animal attitude...yes as I said I do understand the people you are referring to; however, it really has no place in this because it did not help answer my question. Making generalized comments about people's lifestyles will always ruffle feathers and for someone with your experience on this forum should know this. 

Thank you for the helpful responses that I have received.


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## ayoitzrimz (Apr 14, 2010)

I think, and its just my opinion, that in general as a breed GSDs tend to roam much less than other breeds.

You have to look at what the dog was bred to do.
Take a beagle or basset hound - pack hunting breeds that are bred to go out on their own find a scent and follow it (and then what? do they keep the prey at bay? I don't think either of them are supposed to actually catch the prey but I'm digressing here). They let the pack members know they are on a trail by barking and baying. 
These dogs are much more likely to: 1. get along well with other dogs, especially pack members. 2. Roam when they find a scent ignoring everything else (including calls from the owner). 3. bark and bay

Now take a husky, see what they were bred to do and the environments they live in, and you can deduce that they like open space, like to run, etc.

Now take a GSD or border collie, or a heeler - bred to work closely with the (human) shepherd, bred to mind their owner even while in full drive (herding, protecting, etc), bred to protect the flock and shepherd from predators, etc etc etc. You can see how traits like paying attention to the handler, staying close to the pack / handler, minding the handler's commands, etc will come in useful here and were bred into the breed.

Anyway, this is getting long - the point is that my conclusion (which isn't worth much, I'm sure the knowledgable breeders on this forum can tell you more accurate details) is that GSDs were bred to stay close to the handler, mind the handler, be protective and somewhat aloof (discriminatory even), etc etc.

With all that said, I see shepherds that ignore their owners completely when off leash and take off running in any direction they can find. To me, mostly, that's a training / exercise issue. Any dog will roam and ignore you if you teach that.


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## pets4life (Feb 22, 2011)

as soon as we get out of the car my dog runs to the door i dont think she wants to roam without me if i am with her yes she will roam the world but without me its boring as **** thats why they are better in a way than other breeds they dont just run off on their own (if treated properly)


been like that with other sheps also if they get out they just walk around the propery close to the house and then stick their faces in the window trying to see where i am


extreme bordem lack of a life would probably cause a german shepherd to roam like keeping one chained all day or fenced in sorry but they are too smart for that they need a life so if u dont make one for them they will have to out and find one but in general i dont think roaming is their personality


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

It's really a training issue, but generally, GSDs are a breed that has a strong desire to be near their owner. My dogs would jump over a fence to get TO me, but not to run AWAY from me. Once a GSD is bonded to its owner, they're not likely to stray.

Having said that, there are all kinds of temptations in the big wide world... rabbits, deer, cats, other dogs... if the dog isn't spayed or neutered, roaming can be an issue as they seek a mate. Sometimes a dog will take off after something and become so focused that they don't realize where they are going... and they can become lost, or run into the road, get shot, get into fights, all kinds of trouble can await. So, for me personally, I wouldn't want to keep a dog in an unfenced area like a ranch unless the dog is with me at all times.

If you have a kennel that you can use to hold the dog when you're not right there to supervise, that would be a good compromise.


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## pets4life (Feb 22, 2011)

actually maybe roaming isnt any dogs personality maybe its just horrible dog ownership and neglect they leave and roam cause their life at home sucks so much


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## Caitydid255 (Aug 28, 2010)

cowgirlteach said:


> that was me. Just trying to be an informed buyer...maybe a GSD isn't for me. That's what I'm trying to find out.


We haven't had any issues while doing farm chores with the dogs. Angus will be glued to your side to the point that he gets in the way and Freyja will get about 20-30 feet away at max but always comes to check in. It honestly depends on the dog's personality and training. When dealing with dangerous equiptment such as the saw or haying equipment, the dogs will be put away due to their clingy nature, but all other times they are by our sides, no leash needed. They are also smart enough to train themselves to help out, for example when we toss the hay down from the loft Freyja will sit by the bales to ensure the cows don't pull them to the head gates until we open the bales. Nobody taught her this, she just started doing it one day.


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## DianaM (Jan 5, 2006)

Keep in mind that dogs are individuals. Many German shepherds are as reliable as the rising sun and others will throw you a new one practically every day. You may want to look into lines bred with a focus on biddability and closeness to the handler. Perhaps not a sport dog but a dog from true working lines (yes, there is a difference; a great working dog is not necessarily a great sport dog and vice versa). You'll have to invest a lot of time and effort into training and be very cautious during adolescence when dogs have a tendency to test boundaries.

Again, a dog is an individual and don't kid yourself into 100% reliability. That does not exist. Look at humans. You may get a dog that is 100% because the dog was never faced with that one situation that would cause the dog to decide otherwise. I would suggest your dog only be out and about in your presence and be safely put up when no one is outside with the dog. Why?

-Thieves. Not long ago, an owner was outside with his very high level schutzhund dog, turned his back on the dog, and turned back to find a van speeding away. The dog was found dead a couple weeks later.
-Neighbors. Sometimes neighbors do not like a dog. If your dog wanders close to livestock, it may be shot. You may just find the dog gone one day, victim of "Shoot, Shovel, Shutup." Neighbors may try to poison your dog.
-Kids. Kids sometimes enjoy harassing and teasing dogs. Your dog may elect to defend itself, rightfully so. Unfortunately you'll have a lawsuit and a decision to make regarding whether to bury or cremate.
-Other animals. Do you have coyotes in your area? 

This is not meant to turn you off of having your dog loose on your ranch, these are just points to consider and think about. The best choice is to have the dog in the house when you're not outside on the chores so the dog can't find trouble and trouble can't find it. Then, when you are outside, you have your dog actively working to herd, pull the cart of hay bales, bring in buckets, etc.


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

pets4life said:


> actually maybe roaming isnt any dogs personality maybe its just horrible dog ownership and neglect they leave and roam cause their life at home sucks so much


Well, that CAN be a reason. But many breeds are prone to roaming even when given the best life possible at home--they are simpy driven to seek adventure, chase game, expand their territory, or, if intact, to seek a mate.

Huskies, Hounds, Terriers, Great Pyrenees and some other LGDs, are all breeds that are inclined toward roaming. It's just part of their nature, and has nothing to do with how their home life is.


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## DianaM (Jan 5, 2006)

pets4life said:


> actually maybe roaming isnt any dogs personality maybe its just horrible dog ownership and neglect they leave and roam cause their life at home sucks so much


Breed trait. Roaming is a means of expanding territory, hunting for game, hunting for mates, etc. This has been developed to different extents depending on the breed. Scenthounds are very prone to roam and sighthounds will just take off after anything that moves without regard. You could be wearing a coat of bacon and still get blown off for a plastic bag floating in the breeze. Northern breeds in particular don't really give a hoot about home territory and aren't very handler-oriented. Ask owners of Shiba Inus. 

Nothing really to humanize here, just animal instincts molded over time to fit a certain type followed by training.


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## TheNamesNelson (Apr 4, 2011)

This question may not be a question of breed, thats why this thread seems cluttered. A GSD could be just as likely or unlikely to run as any other breed. It just depends on the individual dog and how you train your dog. 

Both shepherds of mine would not roam. One was a total Shadow and he would only stray about 20 feet from me always keeping an eye on where I was and where I was heading. My current Shepherd is a bit more adventurous but that just means he will get up to 40 feet from me at most but he is always checking to see where I am and if I change directions he is sprinting over to be heading the same way as me. 

We can be off leash on a wilderness hike and he will run around and have a blast but if he runs ahead more than 10 or 15 yards he stops and turns to us and waits for us to catch up.

If we lived on a farm or large chuck or property and had him outside with us I would never worry about him going off. I could be occupied doing some outdoor activity or chore and he would stick around me, and if he went out of sight, one yell and he would come running back. Now if I left for work and left him home alone I would never trust him to stay near the house by himself without worrying about him getting into a potentially bad situation. Then again no dog should be left alone outside without any restrictive boundaries (some sort of fencing). The absence of their leader could potentially have them getting into problems.

Then again I am sure there are people with shepherds that will bolt and and be off into the sunset if they get the chance. Its all up to individual personality and training. A woman I work with had her house broken into while she was at work, she came home to her door being wide open and all her house was picked clean. The only thing that wasn't missing was her dog, it was curled up and laying on her couch. She is lucky and that was amazing that her dog stayed inside safe, but I would never be able to say with 100% confidence that my dog would do that.


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## cowgirlteach (Mar 17, 2012)

Thank you everyone for the responses...these were the types of things that I was wanting to begin with. To answer some of the questions...

Our dogs when off leash are always with someone on the ranch. 

Yes we have coyotes and yes they are a concern of mine. Most of the dogs on the ranch can take down a coyote and do on many occasions (not that I approve).

We do have a kennel for if they are out with no one around (not often).

Closest neighbor...well not very close at all. 

Again thank you these were the answers I wanted.


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## GregK (Sep 4, 2006)

cowgirlteach said:


> Closest neighbor...well not very close at all.


 
Sounds perfect! :thumbup:


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## pets4life (Feb 22, 2011)

oh i didnt consider a dog running after an animal the same as roaming 


I know my dog might take off after an animal like a fox or coyote if they came close by mistake but after they lose her (after half a minute) her first thing would be to go find me asap in a panic


she will goo crashing through the woods chasing things around me and vanish for a few seconds and reapear always she always seems to know where i am while we are in the woods aorund my house.


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## Samba (Apr 23, 2001)

I have had a number of German Shepherds. I can't say if they would roam or not as I could never take the chance to find out. I have a 12 year old and for 12 years I have known her exact location every day because I put her in a safe place. 

One of my neighbors walking by one day told me that they saw her on their front porch. I assured them there is absolutely no way. I have known where she was since she came off the plane as a pup.

We live in a rural area. Many people let their dogs loose. They often remark that they have bad luck with dogs as they go missing or get killed. I think it is the dogs who are having the bad luck!


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## katieliz (Mar 29, 2007)

me too carla, me too.


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## Rezin’s Mom (Oct 31, 2020)

shepherdmom said:


> I never said I thought you were refering to me. I don't know you and you don't know me. What I was objecting to was prejudice against the "farm mentality" there is nothing wrong with letting our dogs have the run of our property. I have watched my shepherds chase rabbits to my open gate and put on the brakes and stop at the gate line. I would never in a million years expect one of my dogs to go out that gate because I have trained them better than that. However that doesn't mean it couldn't happen and if it did the chances of my shepherd getting hit with a car would be slim to none because cars on that road are few and far between. You are horrified because people treat dogs like dogs, and to be honest I'm horified that people put dogs in a crate for 8-10 hours a day every day. That doesn't mean I think I'm right and you are wrong. It is just DIFFERENT. I would never exclude someone from getting a dog because their way of life or thinking was different from mine. Now if they were going to use the dogs for fighting, or abuse the dogs that is one thing but just because they have kids or live on farm or live in an apartment doesn't mean that they don't deserve a chance to have a dog.
> and to the OP yes Shepherds can roam if they get bored.


Years later... I’m reading because I’m considering a GS puppy. We only have 25 acres, and we live 1/4 mile from a busy road. I’ve noticed that for some reason, there are dogs that just know to avoid cars - and others who don’t grasp the danger. It’s not about training either, some seem to be born knowing vehicles will hurt you (maybe there is something to A Dogs Purpose, huh)
Anyway, because I’ve witnessed and experienced this “knowing” in some dogs, I was wondering about the roaming aspect, as well. I have Great Pyrs. Their job is to protect my ducks, chickens and geese. They have to have freedom to do it. We have pipe fencing, barb wire, and I’ve installed Underground Fencing - NOTHING stops them from going after a stray dog or coyote. They can run their collar batteries down in a few days if a predator is lurking. I can’t even begin to express the love I have for my dogs. They are like my kids. In fact my kids often say I love their furry siblings more than I love them. I’ve built them huge air conditioned dog houses, they get raw meat bones almost daily along with the best food money can buy. We walk, we go on truck rides, swimming in the pond. I want them to live forever. They don’t. I will never cage one in a dog carrier or a 6x8 kennel to make my life EASIER, and their life SAFER. It’s not the quantity that counts as they say, it’s the quality. A short life that is lived with freedom is better than a long caged life - but that’s just my opinion.


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## WNGD (Jan 15, 2005)

I could come to your house (anyone) on a Friday night. leave the dog on your porch and come back out Monday morning.....I know just where my dog would be. 40 years of owning GSD, all my (female) dogs had the freedom to lay out on the porch or wander the unfenced yard for hours, never once had to look for them. I can't do that any more as a nature trail got run by my place and I have more trouble with other people's dogs running over to check out our place.

Actually, I just remembered once when I lost my dog years ago on a nice Fall day. Opened the door she wasn't there, called her she didn't come. That NEVER happens...mild panic. Walked out to the woods, nothing. Down to the neighbors, nothing, call some more....barking?

Turns out my wife had driven into town to get groceries with the dog in the back area of the SUV and dog fell asleep, wife forgot the dog was in there when she got home....

My family has a beef and dairy farm. Farm dog (mix) lives in the barn and has free range of the entire operation. Have for generations and always will. You don't fence a farm dog, they have a job to do.


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## Espiritus (Mar 8, 2018)

shepherdmom said:


> :angryfire: Excuse me "farm ainmal" attitude? We may live on a farm but we've put more money into vet care for our animals that we would ever consider spending on ourselves. That doesn't mean we coddle them and crate them all day. Life is about living not sitting around in a kennel waiting to die.
> 
> Thank god not all rescues think like you or wonderful dogs would never find good loving homes.


I don't think she was being specific to anyone just making a generalized statement about SOME folks who have that attitude. Not anyone on this forum.

My neighbors are Amish; a dog is an "animal" that serves a purpose or is destroyed. They are not "pets" and are replaceable, especially their "breeders."


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