German Shepherds are a dog that will sit beside their family and observe you from across the street, measuring your intent. GSD Known for their wit, courage, and devotion to those they love, they’re the #2 most popular dog breed in America because they make fantastic additions to the family across the board.
Are German Shepherds good with kids? We all know how cute and cuddly German shepherds can be, especially when they are puppies. They’re the sort of dog that any kid would love to play with. And many agree, like the German shepherd dog rank consistently high.
Table of Contents
ARE GERMAN SHEPHERDS GOOD FAMILY DOGS?
German Shepherds are good with children and good with other animals in most instances but in terms of being a family dog. Consider your lifestyle and the requirements of a GSD if you are a busy person and did not give proper time to your German Shepherd dog.
A GSD makes a great family dog because they are loving and loyal around those they spend time with the most. They will also protect your house against intruders and threats. But, they require daily exercise, mental stimulation, socialization, and of course, the standard cost of owning a dog vet fee, food, training, equipment, registration, etc.
GERMAN SHEPHERDS HAVE UNIQUE NEEDS
One thing that many are unaware of is that dogs the size of German Shepherds take longer to mature than many other breeds. They will usually obtain full maturity around three years of age.
Another unique aspect to keep in mind about German Shepherds is that they play rough as young dogs. They are likely not to know their strength, increasing the risk of injury to babies. That’s why you need to train GSD before you want to shit into the babies’ room or play area.
PROPER SOCIALIZATION IS KEY
We can’t outline enough how important it is to have proper socialization when it comes to your German Shepherd. This highly intelligent and powerful breed can and will bond quickly to the people who spend the most time around them, and this is especially true for young children and kids.
You want to continually introduce them to people and dogs to help improve their social skills and reduce the chances of the dog having an outburst. For this purpose, you need to spend some extra time on a daily basis with your dog and introduce it with your babies.
The more socialized your German Shepherd dog is, the fewer chances you’ll have of the dog lashing out or ending up with poor social skills that can cause significant issues for you as your dog gets more prominent. One of this breed’s strongest traits is its strong protective instinct. Their strength and sturdy build, however, make supervision around babies necessary. Otherwise, they might try to play with an infant the same way they might play with another dog.
HOW DOES A GERMAN SHEPHERD ATTACHED WITH NEW BABY?
A new baby’s arrival is a joyous occasion; new additions can present challenges. The dog will need to adjust to a whole new routine. If you’re going to have a new baby around the house, you want to prepare your GSD for this event before it happens.
Most dogs will adapt to the new routine quickly enough. However, it’s essential to handle the introductions well; otherwise, he or she might develop jealousy issues.
You don’t want to surprise your dog with a new baby, and you don’t want them to exhibit signs of jealousy when this new person starts taking up your time and attention. Take a few weeks with lots of care before the baby is born and get your dog used to the smells, sights, and sounds of a baby, and gradually adjust the amount of time you spend with your dog, so it isn’t such a huge change when the baby does come home. After that, you need to great focus when you allow your German Shepherd dog to spend time with your newborn baby.
CAN GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG HAVE JEALOUSY ISSUES?
Even the most even-tempered German Shepherd might develop jealousy issues. Aggression, overexcited behavior, and acting out are all possible with poorly-handled introductions.
German Shepherd does need a lot of time and dedication from their owners when they’re young to help keep them entertained and stimulated, or their high-energy levels can turn an excellent temperament into a destructive dog.
A dog that acts out towards anyone who gets close to the owner is possibly suffering from jealousy. They are insecure, fearing losing attention or love, and might see a baby as a rival. So you need to reduce the jealousy level of your German Shepherd dog to avoid unforeseen issues during parties and family gatherings.
TIPS FOR BRINGING YOUR GERMAN SHEPHERD INTO YOUR HOME
Keeping control over the interaction makes all the difference in the success of the dog’s introduction to your new baby. One of the best ways to put your dog in the right frame of mind is to take him or her for a long walk. There are many tips regarding this you need to keep in mind.
Have other family members bring the baby into the house while you’re still walking your German Shepherd. Let your dog wait quietly while you open the door to go into the house. This point reduces the aggressiveness of your dog.
Present the German Shepherd with a special one time gift that will provide a positive association with the presence of the baby. Consider using a special food treat, but make sure he or she finishes consuming it before further introductions.
Once whichever family member has the baby settled, allow your dog to sniff from a reasonable distance. Slowly bring them closer, which helps the dog accept the baby’s place like a pack leader.
Socialize Your Puppy Early and Often
This is also an excellent time to teach your puppy what is and what isn’t acceptable behaviors like nipping, biting, chewing, jumping, or displaying aggression at other dogs. So you need to train your dog before you introduce your newborn baby ultimately.
Exercise
If you don’t keep your German Shepherd exercised and mentally stimulated, you could wind up with a dog that starts to engage in destructive behavior like chewing, digging, and tearing up things that they shouldn’t. You can curb this by having a solid exercise routine in place combined with several mentally stimulating toys like Kong products that make your dog work and solve puzzles to get their rewards. You need to take the proper time from your busy routine for this job.
Early Obedience Training
German Shepherd Dog is highly intelligent, loves to learn, and can typically pick things up very quickly. This is why you want to start early obedience training and stay very consistent with it so your dog knows exactly what they can and can’t do in and around your home and family.
You want to teach them to sit, stay, lie down, come, and stop to start, and then you can start working on more complicated commands or routines.
Don’t Overlook Your Dog’s Needs.
One of the most important things to remember is that a German Shepherd that doesn’t feel neglected will be better-behaved. Daily walks and positive attention will help your dog maintain a calm mind. New toys or spoiling your dog are additional measures.
WHAT IF THE DOG ARRIVES AFTER THE BABY?
German Shepherds enjoy popularity as a breed because of their reputation for being good with children. If you already have a baby but want to add a German Shepherd to your family, you have a couple of decisions to make: puppy or adult.
As long as you play with and socialize your German Shepherd during their adolescent years, you should end up with a very even-tempered dog that will tolerate pokes, bear hugs, and even the occasional ear and tail pulling that younger kids can do. They generally won’t lash out at your child also if the child startles them, and this is why they’re prized as family dogs.
Dogs from a breeder who uses sound, professional practices are more likely to have excellent temperaments. Avoid shady breeders who breed dogs of questionable health or personality, or refuse to take back a dog who doesn’t fit in with your family.
Socialization matters just as much when the dog is the newcomer in the house, along with family members. Regardless of the dog’s age, you’ll have to give him or her exposure to as many different people as possible to gain better social skills.
A GSD with proper socialization is less likely to act out against a newborn baby over healthy baby behaviors. Dogs used to the sounds that babies make are less likely to have these noises act as a trigger for their prey drive.
If you bring the dog after the newborn baby, you need to take care of your dog’s behavior with your little ones. You need to observe German Shepherd’s action with your baby and give time to play with her or him from time to time. When you feel this bond is wholly turned into family love, you don’t need to worry about this dog and baby relation.
DOES YOUR DOG’S HEALTH PLAY A ROLE?
It always helps to make sure your dog is in good health. A veterinary checkup can help identify any health issues that might influence your dog’s behavior. Bad behavior could have a medical basis, especially if your dog usually is well-behaved. If your dog is barking every time, you need to consult a veteran and check properly.
You also want to make sure your dog has been wormed before the baby comes, as well as keep up inching on a regular schedule. Parasites and worms can be hazardous for your babies, so you want to make sure these are done away with. You need to be sure that your dog is wholly vaccinated.
GERMAN SHEPHERD TEMPERAMENT & PERSONALITY
Another slight drawback is that German Shepherds have a longer-than-normal puppyhood. It usually ranges until around three years. In this time, they’re still adjusting to their size and coming to grasp spatial-awareness.
There is always the risk that when a puppy German Shepherd–large and powerful–plays with a youngster, they can accidentally hurt them from being too physical. This ‘don’t know my own strength’ phenomenon is an issue for all big dog breeds, and it needs to be addressed if young children are in the household.
The reality, however, is that while a German Shepherd should be supervised when in the presence of children outside the family, within the family, there is genuinely no better friend to your kids.
More so, their competence and energy level are a fantastic pairing when raised alongside children. As they age, they have the size and stamina to join the family on adventures, remain active with the children, and learn all sorts of skills if you do, please. You need to be careful when your German Shepherd is happy with the aggressive mood with the newborn baby.
When dog and children’s compatibility is in question, it’s often easy to forget that outside of behavioral issues, what sort of experience is this canine going to allow the youngsters? A purebred German Shepherd offers a broader range of activities than typical breeds.
THE TRAINING OF A GERMAN SHEPHERD
German shepherds were the first breed to be used by police K9 units and now serve in many other life-saving services. German shepherds as a breed hold the record for ACE (Awards for Canine Excellence), with 13 awards.
If you are considering getting a GSD to spend time around your family and kids, it’s always advisable to get a young dog. However, be warned that a German shepherd does not fully grow out of the puppy stage until about three years old. That boundless energy and playfulness can often be overwhelming for toddlers.
Older kids can assist in the training of your German shepherd and even be trained themselves to handle a dog properly. As with any kind of dog, it’s essential to quickly establish your role as the leader of the pack or master. German shepherds have quick minds and are easy to train, making the training both challenging and fun. You need to spend regularly for 1 hour on your dog’s training.
IS A MALE OR FEMALE GERMAN SHEPHERD BETTER WITH KIDS?
Female German Shepherds are not only smaller than males. They’re also less muscular and have a distinctly feminine appearance about them. There are typically temperamental differences between the sexes as well.
Males are more dominant and prone to territorial behavior. They can be possessive of things like their toys and bed. Male German Shepherds often bond closely with the person they spend the most time with them.
