The German shepherd is a well-loved breed among its owners, one of the reasons being that it has such an all-rounded personality and temperament. The German shepherd (as the name suggests) is originally from Germany and the breed were used as herding dogs by shepherds. It was Rittmeister Max von Stephanitz who saw a potential in this breed and started breeding them. Thanks to his efforts, today German shepherds are ranked in the top 10 breeds.

A point to be noted here is that even though German shepherds are considered to be good pets, it has a certain temperament and needs. If this is the first time you are adopting a dog, you might not know the significance of a canine’s temperament. It is basically the innate physical and mental traits that a breed is born with that influences its behavior in the environment.

Not all dogs are the same!  This is why it is important that you research on the German shepherd temperament to get an idea on what to expect from the breed. A lot of people adopt a German shepherd without doing proper research on them, which they later regret. To help you out, we have listed the main traits of this canine’s temperament here.

The plus side of the German shepherd temperament

This canine is fearless, confident and loyal. It is a very intelligent breed and can learn and grasp commands quickly. Due to its intelligence and courage, German shepherds are used as service dogs in the police and military. Some people have the misconception that this dog is not suitable for a family. That is not true. This canine can be kept as a family pet as long as it is trained well to listen to commands from all family members. Also, because German shepherds thrive on physical activity, they are always ready to play with any family member which makes it a suitable pet for an active family.

Although it appears to be business-like and reserved in nature, the German shepherd is actually very affectionate towards its family and friends.

The negative side of the German shepherd temperament

Since this dog is a highly intelligent and active pet, it hates being left alone and can become bored easily. German shepherds should also be trained to accept the owner as the leader of the pack or it will always try to fight for the position from his or her owner. If your family is adopting this pet, you should train your dog to acknowledge every family member as somebody with higher authority than it. In addition, German shepherds are very territorial in nature so make sure that you make an effort to help it socialize with other human beings and creatures. Due to all these traits, this dog needs extensive training from the beginning.

Conclusion

A dog is a man’s best friend. This stands true for a German shepherd as well. Train your German shepherd well and you will have the best companion and champion for life! However, if you don’t have the time to train it well or keep it company, this is not a suitable pet for you.