Case Profile: The German Shepherd
In this case profile, we explore some of the most common behaviours that clients experience in the king of the dogs, and a breed so common in training and behaviour circles that it practically pays trainers wages on its own - the German Shepherd.
BREED(S): German Shepherd, White Swiss Shepherd, King Shepherd, Czech Shepherd.
Owners most commonly see me for: Vocal Reactivity and Aggression towards people and other dogs, out of control behaviour on a lead, territorial aggression in and around the home and/or whenever near the owners, overstimulation in most outdoor environments, chronic anxiety and lack of confidence.
Most Common symptoms include: Barking like a machine gun. Lunging, biting, intense whining and crying, redirective behaviour towards the owners.
Occasional symptoms include: Separation Anxiety that can be both vocal and destructive.
Case Breakdown: Ahh, the German Shepherd. Shepherds are probably one of the most common dogs that we work with for both severe behavioural issues, and issues that look bad but aren’t. They’re also one of the highest bite risk breeds that we deal with - sometimes. This breed, which is renowned for its loyalty, trainability and natural desire to protect its family - a breed that is still to this day used for a multitude of different tasks in police forces around the world, is more often than not highly anxious, overstimulated, and low in confidence - which is often a surprise to those that would go off the breed description. So how can a dog that is supposed to be so brave and so intelligent often so nervous and difficult to train?
If you don’t like barking - don’t get a shepherd. If they are excited, they will bark. If they are nervous, they will bark. If they are guarding, they will bark. And if they don’t know what to do, they will bark. Keeping shepherds calm is far more about the long terms strategies that focus on redirecting energy and frustration into healthy outlets, than simply pressing the right button to turn the noise off.
The Curse of popularity and bad breeding
German Shepherds saw a resurgence in their popularity in the last ten years, for a number of reasons - the most commonly cited of which is the “Game of Thones” effect, in which the popularity of the wolves in the TV show led to a spike in the number of people buying shepherds and other wolf dogs - particularly those with certain aesthetic traits like long coats, all black/white fur or other desirable characteristics.
In addition, there has been mounting pressure for a long time to address health issues in German shepherds as a breed, with the infamous sloping back incident at Crufts 2016, its become increasingly common for German Shepherds to cross working lines and show lines together, to try and combine the more manageable pet temperaments (lower energy, lower intensity, less tendency towards aggression) with the superior health and conformation of working line German shepherds. In a best case scenario, the most desirable traits of each of the parents are inherited - but it is just as likely that the worst traits of both the mother and father are passed to at least one of the puppies. And if breeders are selecting for a particular aesthetic rather than temperament, this is increasingly likely.
What we see as an outcome is a breed that has a highly inconsistent temperament and an incompatibility with lifestyle - because pet owners are either buying healthy dogs with far more energy and drive than they can handle, or pretty dogs that have a severe lack of confidence because these undesirable traits were ignored in order to select for coat colour.
A Very Vocal breed
If you don’t like barking - don’t get a shepherd. If they are excited, they will bark. If they are nervous, they will bark. If they are guarding, they will bark. And if they don’t know what to do, they will bark. Keeping shepherds calm is far more about the long terms strategies that focus on redirecting energy and frustration into healthy outlets, than simply pressing the right button to turn the noise off. Exercise is not just a requirement but a prerequisite to successful training, as is mental challenge in the form of a job, sport or other purpose. If you don’t give your shepherd something to do, they will find something to do. And that will probably mean barking at it!
Opposition Reflex
Opposition reflex refers to the reflexive pulling motion that dogs make when they are restrained in a way that puts pressure on the front of their chest - and this particularly strong reflex in German shepherds can lead to a lot of highly reactive and volatile behaviour on a lead. The right tools can put into huge contrast the difference in a German shepherds’s behaviour when compared to holding them back on a harness or a collar around the neck. This principle is actually what police dog handlers will use to keep their dogs in drive - and let’s be absolutely clear that most police dog handlers have little to no control in these instances.
A lesson in opposition reflex - dog moves forward, handler pulls back - and voilà! A dog that pays our wages!
Steps towards resolution:
Understand your proximities dynamics - Intimate, Personal and Social space - and ensure that your dog does not feel responsible for managing yours against threats and dangers. A dog cannot be possessive or territorial if they are not invited into your space, so set clear boundaries.
Understand relative positioning - knowing how your dogs perceive the more and less responsible sides of your body on a walk, and keep your dog in the least responsible position, helps them to understand that they are not required to alert you to the world around you, instead being able to float beside you safely.
A Shepherd will only ever walk in front of you or behind you. Make sure you know the purpose of both and that you can ask for either. Nurture a strong pack drive and follower state for busy environments.
Ditch the harness - switching to a lead that sits high on the head, like a halti or figure 8 (or a slip lead if they are really tiny) means that you are no longer pulling them back and revving them up like a chainsaw to bark at everything they see. In a dog the size of a shepherd, proper safety and control is something that should be in place from the very beginning.
Correction vs Direction - guide the eyes and teach your dog what to do, rather than repeatedly correcting them for everything you don’t want them to do. Shepherds will get numb to your disagreement really quickly - so use it sparingly and focus on nurturing the behaviours you want.
Activities to Practice:
Exercise - 2 hours a day, every day. No exceptions. If you don’t like it, you shouldn’t have a shepherd.
Place Work - Are you noticing a theme in these case profiles? Place work - it’s the gift that keeps on giving.
Give your shepherd a job - whether its turning a game of ball or tug into a sport with proper structure, or getting them on scent work, competition obedience or a dog sport - shepherds need a purpose. The skills you will learn to develop through proper structure - obedience, impulse control, engagement and disengagement work - are all essential for success.
