# Temperment of long haired shepherds



## pkhoury

Is there any truth when people say that long haired shepherds have better temperaments than short haired shepherds, training aside?


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## GsdLoverr729

I'm not an expert, but I don't think that is a fact lol. My first was longhaired, and he had to be taken out of police training because he did not want to release on command. My second and the one I have now both had/have short/plush coats. And about the same temperament (just less drive).


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## Stosh

Out of 3 gsds I've owned, my long coated I have now has the best temperament, so in my experience, yes. But I've never heard that before so I'm thinking it's just the dog


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## Scarlettsmom

I've only had a GSD/Husky mix and a PB long coat GSD. I don't know for sure if there is a difference, but Scarlett is a much cuddlier, snugglier, attached to her peeps dog than our previous dog. Can't say if it's the coat length or not...I suspect not. She's just a different dog.


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## Falkosmom

Depends on what you are looking for and consider good temperament. I have had only one long coated GSD. She was beautiful, large, and heavy boned but way too mild and low energy for me. I would be hesitant to own another. Rumor has it she is typical of long coats. I don't know.


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## RocketDog

Hmmm. IMHO I don't see how that would make a difference. It seems more likely that the dog that carried the LH gene just happened to have a particular temperament. I have a LH and while he is not crazy he has plenty of drive. I would most definitely not call him lazy. He has an excellent temperament, and certainly can go go go if I want him to. Last night was his first time at a county park for my son's baseball game and while he was very well- behaved, the plethora of balls being hit (baseballs, tennis, soccer, and basketballs) just about drove him to distraction. He did end up catching a foul ball for my son's team, LOL


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## Falkosmom

I have also heard that LCs are known for heavier bone. I don't know, but it would be interesting to know if there is something to it.

To go off topic, I have also read where high tail sets and reverse masks were linked to aggression. 

I don't know.


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## FG167

Absolutely!!!! 100% better temperament and better bone  I have an LC too that I adore. 

I've been told these same things loads of times but I have no reason to believe that is so. His half-brother lives with me as well and he is a stock coat and is just as pleasant to be around. Less bone though but he's enormous so that is hard to compare. I have a friend with two GSDs that I spend a LOT of time with, one workingline and one showline and they are pleasant as well. Hm, I think they have less bone too - Lies? Thoughts?

I've also been told the better head shape comes with the LC's but I am not real fond of Kastle's profile at this age, hoping it heavy's up some.


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## Scarlettsmom

When you speak of "heavy bone" are you referring to their weight or the actual thickness/density of their bone structure? Scarlett is definitely tall (27") and LONG backed with HUGE feet. She weighs 76 lbs now, but is certainly not fat. Her bone structure doesn't seem heavy to us, but what do I know? Seriously, we do know she is really big for a female shepherd, but not in the same class as the really heavy males. She's kind of big, but dainty.


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## Falkosmom

Heavy bone, as a female with the heavy bone structure of a male, not height or weight, per se. I guess weight could be more because the bones are bigger.


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## FG167

Scarlettsmom said:


> When you speak of "heavy bone" are you referring to their weight or the actual thickness/density of their bone structure? Scarlett is definitely tall (27") and LONG backed with HUGE feet. She weighs 76 lbs now, but is certainly not fat. Her bone structure doesn't seem heavy to us, but what do I know? Seriously, we do know she is really big for a female shepherd, but not in the same class as the really heavy males. She's kind of big, but dainty.


Heavy bone is more referring to the...appearance of size on a dog. For example, I posted Kastle photos and got a lot of people guessing him in 70-80 lb range, he weighs 57.4 lbs. He has big bone and in photos, he looks really stocky, blocky with thick legs etc.

Found a picture, Kas has heavier bone than Pan. Look at the legs. Pan outweighs Kastle by 20 lbs.

ETA: You can click the photos to see them larger too.


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## Scarlettsmom

Thanks...that makes sense...so my answer would be "not really" when asked if Scarlett is heavy boned. She is tall, lanky and has huge feet, but she is not built like a male...This is the only picture I could find of her sitting where you can see her sitting. The second picture is at the Bark at the Park with other GSD's from VGSR (October 2011).


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## Wolfgeist

I don't think hair effects the personality.


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## pkhoury

Falkosmom said:


> Depends on what you are looking for and consider good temperament. I have had only one long coated GSD. She was beautiful, large, and heavy boned but way too mild and low energy for me. I would be hesitant to own another. Rumor has it she is typical of long coats. I don't know.


I've been told the same about Aero. Overall, he's a happy-go-lucky dog, but he does love to work. But I also don't know any German Shepherds that run to our usual mail carrier and then fall on their back for a tummy rub.


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## pkhoury

Scarlettsmom said:


> Thanks...that makes sense...so my answer would be "not really" when asked if Scarlett is heavy boned. She is tall, lanky and has huge feet, but she is not built like a male...This is the only picture I could find of her sitting where you can see her sitting. The second picture is at the Bark at the Park with other GSD's from VGSR (October 2011).


Scarlett is a gorgeous dog. I also see the girl on the left has a shirt bearing my boy's name. I bet he'll feel special when I tell him. ;-)

Here are some pics of Aero - his paws are half the size of my hand (and I have big hands; I'm 6'4"). Now guess how much he weighs...


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## Falkosmom

I am trying to find pics of my LC. She had much longer and thicker fur than what I see in the pics posted here.


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## codmaster

They come out of the same litters so no difference as a group. Individual dogs will be different, of course. Doubt very much if coat length and temperament are inherited on the same gene set!


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## Scarlettsmom

pkhoury said:


> Scarlett is a gorgeous dog. I also see the girl on the left has a shirt bearing my boy's name. I bet he'll feel special when I tell him. ;-)
> 
> Here are some pics of Aero - his paws are half the size of my hand (and I have big hands; I'm 6'4"). Now guess how much he weighs...


I would guess 75 lbs? He's quite the handsome boy!


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## Scarlettsmom

Falkosmom said:


> I am trying to find pics of my LC. She had much longer and thicker fur than what I see in the pics posted here.


 
Scarlett would look like a wooly mammoth if I didn't taper in her sides and the fringe on her legs. She gets so matted and collects so much debris that I just opt to keep her dangly hair trimmed. Still, I don't think she has as long of a coat as some LC's. Her tail is pretty spectacular though.


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## doggiedad

first you have to establish what's better? i've heard blk&tans
are easier than blk&silver. this stuff is part of the wives tale
theorem of dogdom.



pkhoury said:


> Is there any truth when people say that long haired shepherds have better temperaments than short haired shepherds, training aside?


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## Tatonkafamily

I know that more than likely it is an old wives tale, but I have to agree with it. I have owned 3 short hairs and 3 LH's (ok well the 3rd one is currently only 10 weeks old...so we will see if she holds true to the pattern) and my LH's have been WAY more laid back than my standards. All 3 LH's have/had "alot of bone"...just built big, I joked that they were more laid back because they used up so much energy just walking around 

Even the LHGSD's I see at work are calmer...well most of them. I have noticed one trend...the nutty LHGSD's I see at work all (3 of them) came from a breeder that bred specifically for LH. The 2 other LHGSD's that come to work were just "flukes of the litter" like my guys. Not in anyway picking on LH breeders, just an oddity of my vet clinic.

When searching for our current puppy, I knew I wanted a long coat. My 1st LH was/is the dog love of my life and I have missed her every day! Roo (our pup) has big paws to fill!!

My 1st LHGSD Lilly with her 2 brothers, London our GSDish and Bubba our 1st Rott






Sully our 2nd LH...we adopted him only to loose him 9 months later due to cancer!





Me and Sully the day we met at the adoption event. He was mine from the first second I saw him...


And this is what happens when you have a pretty fluffy coat and live with little girls...


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## Falkosmom

My LC had a very broad head and my what a barrel chest she had. Has anybody else's?


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## pkhoury

Scarlettsmom said:


> I would guess 75 lbs? He's quite the handsome boy!


100 actually. I can't remember what his weight was when I got him, but the vet said he was a little underweight at 89.


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## pkhoury

Scarlettsmom said:


> Scarlett would look like a wooly mammoth if I didn't taper in her sides and the fringe on her legs. She gets so matted and collects so much debris that I just opt to keep her dangly hair trimmed. Still, I don't think she has as long of a coat as some LC's. Her tail is pretty spectacular though.


Her face (from your avatar) looks fairly similar to Aero's as far as hair goes.

Totally off topic - if the dog is on it's back, that's always a sign of submission, right (he's on the bed, but on his back and relaxed with the cat by his side).


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## pkhoury

Here are some more pics to show off his LC.
Not only does he love playing in the snow, but he doesn't mind sitting on it, even when he gets icicles on his fur. Once he went swimming in a dog pool while the outside temperature was 33F. Even after 30 minutes of swimming, it was hard to get him out!


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## pkhoury

And here are pictures of my new addition, Greta:


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## BlackGSD

As far as the long coats having "more bone", much of that is often an illusion. They have more HAIR on their legs, which makes them LOOK to be thicker boned when in reality, it is coat.

I've had 3 long stock coats and 4 stock coats, the only REAL difference has been the coat.


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## Kindred07

I have a long hair german shepherd and he is the softest most loveable boy! Anyone who meets him thinks he is the sweetest thing. However, he has home guard training, and if he needs to be he is my protector!!


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## codmaster

pkhoury said:


> 100 actually. I can't remember what his weight was when I got him, but the vet said he was a little underweight at 89.


 
How tall is he (at the withers)?


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## codmaster

Kindred07 said:


> I have a long hair german shepherd and he is the softest most loveable boy! Anyone who meets him thinks he is the sweetest thing. However, he has home guard training, and if he needs to be he is my protector!!


 
If he is really a "soft" temperament - what do you mean by that? I would think that it would be very difficult to train a truly soft dog in serious protection?

The flks thast I know whio trasin "protecton" dogs want a very hard dog who can take corrections without falling apart.


BTW - what is "home guard training"? Doe it mean that he is trained to only protect his home? Or only protect you in his home?


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## Lauri & The Gang

I think the statement about long coats having different temperaments MAY have been true in the past. Since that coat type was not acceptable the people that were breeding for long coats were NOT breeding to the standard - which includes temperament.

But now that the coat has been/is being accepted I think you will see the LCs (that are coming from responsible breeders) having a more true-to-standard temperament.

My boy Mauser was the only LC in his litter. He is from working lines and he has a working dog temperament.


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## Anubis_Star

I think it depends on lines. Berlin's litter had a coatie and I expect she'll have the same temperament as the rest of the litter. 

Its like when I hear some people say that sables are going to be harder and have more drives. Is that because working lines tend to be sable and show lines tend to be black and tans? Is it REALLY the color and not simply what lines are more likely to produce what physical features?

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## Anubis_Star

I would want to see a LC wet or actually feel it before stating it was heavy boned. Fur can lie.

Like I said there was a coated in Berlin's litter but from the pictures I've seen Berlin is one of the stockier pups. 

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## Anubis_Star

Also, not to offend anyone (because I myself have a big laid back lovable goof in Zeke) but I dont know if a soft happy go lucky low drive laid back temperament is exactly what I would call "better" for the breed, is it? A working dog should have a certain level of hardness and drive. I understand most shepherds are simply house pets, but no matter their living situation shouldnt their temperament stick true to the breed? If you dont want or cant handle a working dog then instead of breeding them soft and out of standard shouldnt a different breed be chosen instead?

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## Harry and Lola

pkhoury said:


> Is there any truth when people say that long haired shepherds have better temperaments than short haired shepherds, training aside?



Every single long coat I have every met has had a lovely temperament - friendly, easy going, stable, not aggressive at all.

I don't know if this is just a coincidence or if there is truth to long coats having nicer temperaments.

My next shepherd will definitely be a coat.


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## SuperG

I've had 3 coats....no stock coats. All 3 had/have wonderful temperaments ....so I have a huge bias...wonderful attitudes and.... tolerance !!!! All three have tolerated me...gotta give 'em points for that.


SuperG


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## Harry and Lola

SuperG, I love looking at your photos of Kaia - absolutely beautiful.


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