When I was growing up in Illinois, my aunt and uncle lived across the street from us. When I was a teenager, they brought a beautiful German Shepherd into their home named Hannah. I had always loved the breed, and Hannah and I became fast friends. I spent hours every day walking her and playing with her. My love affair with the German Shepherd dog started way before Hannah was brought home from Mittelwest German Shepherds, but that dog sure added fuel to the fire. As an adult, my home and family isn’t complete without a German Shepherd taking up space in my heart and hogging my bed. Here are the absolute top 5 reasons German Shepherds are the best family dogs.
The Head Tilt
OK, this may not seem like the most legitimate of reasons to have a German Shepherd Dog as part of your family. But in all seriousness, how can you possibly resist that adorable head tilt? The GSD is highly intelligent and connected to their hoomans. They truly do their best to comprehend every single word you say to them. They look at you with the head cocked to the side as if to say, “the words coming out of your mouth are the most fascinating sets of sounds I’ve ever heard. Please tell me more!” It’s impossible not to get gaga over it. I dare you to try. What’s more, some people claim that the breed can keep up the energy of the kids in the house without petering out.
German Shepherds are Huge Nerds
Well, nerd may not be the right word. But they ARE extremely smart. They are ranked among the smartest breeds of dogs because they are easy to train, They are super obedient and actually thoroughly enjoy training sessions. Whether your family hires a professional trainer or you train the dog yourself, this dog’s intelligence knows no bounds!
They are Amazing Companions
Their gentle, sweet, and loving nature makes the breed a wonderful companion animal. When socialized from a young age, German Shepherds make great dogs to raise children with as they are loyal and loving yet protective. What’s more, the breed can keep up the energy of the kids in the house without petering out. Your GSD and your children will grow up to be best friends.
They are Adaptable
This breed is able to shift and adapt itself to just about any situation put before it. Moving? No problem. Your doggo will just learn the ins and outs of the new digs in no time. Changing work schedule? Not to worry! The Shepherd will learn to shift its eating and exercise routines in no time flat. Bringing a new baby home from the hospital? The shifting family dynamic won’t ruffle the fur of this highly adaptable doggy anytime soon! For families with a ton of extracurricular activities, vacations planned, or changing work schedules, this dog is perfect in that the changing social situations don’t generally cause the dog to act out in anxiety or stressful ways.
They are Sturdy
The breed is known to have few health issues that are generally associated with larger breeds of dogs. Outside of joint problems that sometimes accompany larger breeds, the Shepherd is a sturdy and healthy dog that has been known to live a good, long life.
German Shepherds have gotten a bad reputation as ferocious and terrifying dogs. You cannot speak of a police dog without automatically thinking, “German Shepherd”. The truth is, there is a reason why the German Shepherd is among the most common breeds for police K-9 dogs–they are extremely intelligent, trainable, loyal, and trustworthy companions. If there’s one thing I know for certain, it’s that my house will ALWAYS have a GSD fur baby in it for as long as I live. And I plan to live forever. So let’s just go with that.
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Great post – and Shepherds are definitely a great family pet for the right homes. I just wanted to add that there are a lot of great German Shepherd specific rescues that potential families can research to find their new best friend! There are so many looking for homes in rescues and it would be a bonus if they could adopt!