German Shepherd: temperament, training and care

At a glance

Temperament

• Loyal and protective of their people
• Needs a job for body and brain
• Can be wary of strangers

Training tips

Early, gentle socialization keeps watchful from turning into reactive.

German Shepherds usually pick things up quickly, which also means they learn bad habits quickly. Keep sessions short and varied, and reward the calm behavior you want to see more of.

Start with a marker word, sit, come and leave it. For a puppy, see the puppy training guides.

Common challenges

• Watchfulness. Many Shepherds alert bark and are wary of strangers. Socialize calmly and early. See puppy socialization.
• Boredom. A clever working dog without a job finds one: chewing, barking or herding the family.
• Reactivity on leash in some dogs. Watch for early signs and see the reactive dog program.

Puppy training

Socialization is the priority: people, places, sounds and handling, all calm and positive. Add a marker word, name, sit, down and recall. Shepherds usually love to learn, so short daily sessions go far.

Lifestyle

German Shepherds tend to thrive with owners who enjoy training and activity: tracking, obedience, long walks and brain games. They are usually devoted to their people and don’t like being left out.

Exercise and energy

A healthy adult German Shepherd typically needs around 90 to 120 minutes of activity a day. Walks alone rarely cover it: add sniffing games, training and play so their brain gets tired too. Puppies need much shorter sessions while they grow.

See how much exercise a dog needs and our games and enrichment ideas.

Health to watch

Things the breed is known to be prone to. Ask your vet what to check for your dog.

• Hips and elbows. Prone to joint problems: keep them lean and ask the vet to check the joints each year.
• Bloat. A deep chest raises the risk of a twisted stomach: no hard play for an hour either side of a big meal. See: Bloat (Twisted Stomach).
• Back. A long back is easy to hurt: use a ramp for sofas and cars, and carry them on stairs. See: Broken Bone or Sprain.