Without a doubt: German Shepherds are one of the most popular dogs in the United States. Not only are they adorable in every way, shape, and form. ..they are extremely loyal and overprotective while being ultimately smart and easy to train. They are so smart, in fact, that they have been listed as the third smartest breed in existence. Pretty incredible, right?
But why are German Shepherds so smart? German Shepherds are naturally smart dogs that can train quickly and easily and are obedient to their owners. While their intelligence may be an initial part of their DNA, being trained since their origin as sheep herding work dogs helped to enhance their overall ability to be trained and remain loyal.
Knowing why German Shepherds are so smart (and how you can handle their intelligence) is key to enjoying life with a German Shepherd in the home. An improperly trained German Shepherd who doesn’t get enough mental and physical activity can quickly turn destructive.
About the German Shepherd and His Intelligence
The German Shepherd breed is extremely loyal and smart.
But also courageous enough to be successful watchdogs and fearless guard dogs.
Oh, and athletic/powerful enough to be police K-9 force and military dogs.
These characteristics, paired with their ultimate intelligence and trainability, create a well-rounded dog breed for families and workplaces alike.
A German Shepherd is naturally a smarter breed than others. This is built into their DNA, although being able to train quickly certainly helps increase their intelligence.
In addition, German Shepherds were originally bred as sheep herders.
They had to keep an eye on the sheep and work hard to ensure the overall safety and protection of the animals. This created a working dog that is smart enough to take care of the farm as well as being trained to work in other fields, such as drug-sniffing or providing therapy to owners.
Smartness in dogs is measured in two different ways:
1. How many repetitions are necessary for a dog to learn a new command
The fewer repetitions that are needed, the higher the intelligence of the dog.
The German Shepherd can learn a new command far quicker than other breeds, marking their intelligence extremely high in this category.
2. How often a dog obeys a command on the first try
Some dogs may be obstinate when being told a command, but the German Shepherd listens to their owner and has no problem obeying any command.
This is the other category in which the German Shepherd ranks highly, giving it their third spot in the smartest breed in the world.
As you can see there are a number of different factors that impact a dog’s overall intelligence. While some may be able to train easily, they are more resistant to actually obeying. The good news about a German Shepherd is that they are both easy to be trained and will listen to their owners. This is why they make great pets as well as work dogs in a variety of professions.
Do German Shepherds Need to be Trained?
Since a German Shepherd is known for being a loyal, smart, and obedient dog, some may believe that they don’t need to be trained.
Well, the fact of the matter is this: no dog is naturally born with a list of commands they are ready to follow.
All dogs need to be trained, and this includes the German Shepherd.
Now for some, this may seem like a daunting task.
After all, training a German Shepherd sounds like a large task that will require time, energy, and multiple methods in order to be successful. Well, rest assured that training a German Shepherd won’t take weeks on end and you don’t have to worry about crazy, out-of-the-box methods to achieve success.
German Shepherd are trained incredibly quickly and will listen to the owner.
This makes the entire process ultimately easier. Being as fast as they are to learning, you can successfully train a German Shepherd on your own or go the professional route.
Also, keep in mind that a German Shepherd who is not trained properly may actually become rambunctious and destructive.
It isn’t in their nature to be this way, but an untrained German Shepherd means a German Shepherd that is bored and not utilizing his intelligence. This can lead to bad behavior, so make sure you get your German Shepherd trained.
How to Handle German Shepherd Intelligence
A German Shepherd is not a dog for everyone. While they are friendly and loving to their families and ultimately loyal and protective, they also require a lot of time and energy to keep up with their intelligence and physical abilities. After all, the medium-sized dog is full of energy paired with a smart brain; that makes for a challenge.
So how can you make sure you’re keeping up with your German Shepherd and giving them everything they need to be successful and use their brain and energy for the good?
1. Toys!
Give your dog smart toys.
While some breeds may be fine with basic toys, the German Shepherd needs smart toys to keep him occupied.
These interactive toys will require your dog to use his mind and intelligence, which is important especially on days where he isn’t getting as much attention or exercise.
2. Exercise
Exercise him regularly. A German Shepherd has lots of energy, so make sure he’s getting what he needs.
You should be taking your dog for a walk or run regularly as well as playing with him (fetch) and taking him to dog parks to socialize.
Feel like you and your GSD have fallen into the same old dull routine? Take him swimming. German Shepherds like water and swimming is physically (and mentally) challenging, but also low-impact on your dog’s joints.
3. Training
We mentioned earlier how German Shepherds are easy to train, but it’s also a fun thing for the German Shepherd!
They were bred to be work dogs, so knowing a lot of commands and skills is a great thing for your dog. When you are done training with basic commands, you might consider moving onto other fun jobs your German Shepherd can do.
Keep in mind that these three things are essential for a happy, healthy, and strong German Shepherd. Without these things, you risk your German Shepherd turning to negative behaviors simply because he is bored and not utilizing his talents.
Related Questions
For the most part, yes. German Shepherds are naturally highly intelligent. However, they should be trained regularly and given plenty of toys and attention to help stimulate their brains. Without these things, German Shepherds can become rambunctious and destructive.
This doesn’t mean that they are less intelligent, it’s simply the fact that they are bored and have nothing to expel their intelligence or energy with.
There are a number of different reasons why German Shepherds became a part of the police force. First and foremost, German Shepherds are naturally smart and intelligent which makes them a great choice.
That being said, they are easily trained and listen to commands well. They are loyal and not obstinate. Together, these characteristics make it easy for the police force to train them for specific needs such as sniffing out drugs or finding suspects who are trying to hide.
