While German Shepherds were used to herd and guard flocks in the past, their temperament is adaptable to many different roles. But are German Shepherds good guard dogs, or do they just look the part?
So, are German Shepherds good guard dogs? Yes, the German Shepherd Dog (GSD) is considered to be a good guard dog. The American Kennel Club lists 23 dogs in the guardian breed, of which the German Shepherd ranks #1.
There are different kinds of guard dogs, but as a family guard dog, the German Shepherd is consistently ranked first. Some attributes that lift them to the top of the list are worth taking a closer look at.
Listening
One of the most adorable traits of German Shepherds (even as adult dogs) is the way they tilt their heads and prick their ears to listen.
The German Shepherd puppy’s ears are naturally floppy and will stand up straight permanently after about 5 months. The ears can move independently.
But it’s not all cuteness.
Although there are too many variables for a straight comparison, dogs can hear sounds 4 times further away than humans and also higher pitched sounds. The GSD’s upright ears assist in amplifying sound and it is thought that their hearing acuity is probably above the average for dogs.
By the way, guess which dog can hear the faintest sound? The mighty Poodle!
Learning
The German Shepherd is keen to learn. It learns quickly and likes to show off what it has learned.
It is capable of learning all kinds of things, including how to get you to do what it wants you to do and not the other way round!
Stanley Coren, a professor of canine psychology at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, reported in a book in 1994 that the German Shepherd is the third brightest dog judged by his ability to learn and obey new commands.
Obeying
Listening and learning is one thing. What you want is for the dog to obey.
This is particularly important when you want to prevent a hostile reaction, which as a guard dog, he will have learned very well. But you need to be there to give a command which the dog will then obey.
German Shepherds are very good at this, that’s why they do so well in military and law enforcement roles.
However, as a guard dog, think what you want the dog to do when you are NOT there to give commands.
Protective Drive
The origin of the German Shepherd dog and its subsequent breeding history selected and reinforced the innate drive that herding dogs have to protect.
The expression of that drive is dependent on the dog’s bloodline and the environment in which it grows up.
Puppy socializing is very important to direct the protective drive into an acceptable behavior pattern. This includes reaction to your family, other people, and other animals. Volumes have been written on the subject.
The thing to realize is that you can not eliminate this drive. If you do, you have a fearful, timid, abused dog.
Size
Which is going to scare you the most?
A little toy Pomeranian going bananas yapping its little head off, or a big German Shepherd pricking its ears and staring you in the eye with an expression of:
“Go ahead, make my day….”.
A toy pom can also stare like that but the German Shepherd wins hands down because its size!
According to some sources, 65% of convicted burglars say that a good-sized guard dog would prevent them from trying to break into that specific house.
Strength
Based on power to weight ratio the German Shepherd is the strongest dog breed.
A full-grown adult GSD can take down any sized human without any trouble at all. Captain Max von Stephanitz, the originator of the breed, selected his dogs for strength and in reputable bloodlines, you can be sure that characteristic has been preserved.
Agility
The German Shepherd has a long body in proportion to its height. This makes it very agile and supremely suited to agility sport.
In fact, the AKC says that is it is:
Truly breathtaking to watch German Shepherds do an agility course.
Agility sport engages your dog’s extraordinary intelligence, gives it an opportunity to get lots of exercise (so do you!) while earning lavish praise, and enables you to build complete trust between you and the dog.
Confidence
German Shepherds are generally described as confident dogs and well-trained guard dogs can certainly act as though they are three times larger than everybody else.
It is also possible to create a confident GSD by the way you handle and train it when it is a puppy.
There are actions that you take that breaks down confidence, usually unintentionally. There are others that build confidence, which is what you need in a guard dog.
It needs to bark:
“WHO GOES THERE?!”
And not:
“Excuse me, would you care to give your name?”
Keep in mind that confidence is not a synonym for aggression. Ever.
Intelligence
It is said that few of the other guard dog breeds can match the intelligence of the German Shepherd.
It is quite simply a very clever dog.
An interesting fact is that most dogs are unaware that their back feet are independent of the front feet.
Not GSDs!
Easy to train
German Shepherds who have been socialized from an early age and who hail from a reputable breeder are a lot easier to train than many other guard dog breeds.
They are working dogs and are at their happiest when they have a job to do. Guarding comes instinctively to them – all you have to do is direct and control that instinct. Hence training becomes more an exercise of management of his natural inclination.
Guard dog training has caught up with the general movement away from force and punishment but does not rely only on treat/reward training. Best to get a reputable professional to help you train your dog to be a family guard dog.
Loyalty
The loyalty and faithfulness of German Shepherds are legendary.
From soldiers and police to families and special needs people the testimonies to their dogs’ loyalty are legion.
German Shepherd’s willingness to immediately and unhesitatingly give their lives to protect or rescue their human “owners” are astounding.
Words that are used the most to describe German Shepherds are “loyal”, “courageous” and “brave”.
Affectionate
It is one thing to have a large, ferocious guard dog that scares any would-be intruders by its appearance and barking. But what do you do with it the rest of the time?
It is possible to have a dog that is an effective deterrent to strangers as well as a friendly and loving family pet.
Ta-dah! The German Shepherd is your dog of choice.
We now know that dogs do not like to be hugged but there are other ways to show your affection. And you should learn how it shows its affection in turn. Lifting the left eyebrow when it sees you, for example.
Bet you didn’t know that!
Child Tolerant
Many German Shepherds love children.
It’s great if the puppy can grow up alongside the children, even if it does mature quite a bit sooner.
Puppies will learn their own strength and how to control it around toddlers. They make tireless playmates for children. Children should of course also be taught how to behave around dogs to avoid hurting or irritating it.
A German Shepherd’s guarding behavior is often strongest around children.
Related Questions
Yes. A watchdog will alert the owner when a stranger approaches or when they perceive some threat, usually by barking or growling. It will not follow up with any action. A guard dog will alert as well as go into defensive action. They will charge, attack, bite, and even kill depending on the threat and the training it received.
Gun shyness is a noise sensitivity issue and can also manifest when there is thunder, a car backfiring and fireworks. It is a physiological response to perceived harm, attack, or other threat to survival. The cause can be genetic and/or environmental. Unfortunately, the ability to effectively function as a guard and protection dog is negatively impacted.
