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Once you've decided to bring a rescue dog into your home, you're likely to ask yourself, "What kind of dog is a good dog to have?" If you've heard good things about German Shepherds, or you know someone who has one and loves it, you'll probably want to familiarize with the German Shepherd as a breed.

Admittedly, every dog, like every person, is an individual, but every dog typically shares certain characteristics with other dogs of the same breed. That said, most people don't know that there are several different so called lines of German Shepherds and there are some variances between them. This video covers the personality traits and behaviors both pro and con that are common to most of the German Shepherds you're likely to encounter in everyday life.

Pros

German Shepherds are smart and easy to train. In general, the breed began by herding sheep, which required both mental and physical agility. Today's German Shepherds like learning interesting activities that keep their minds stimulated.

They're loyal. Once they attach to a person or family, German Shepherds can be fearless and fabulous guard dogs. They're big and bad looking, and they have a reputation for fierceness (if called upon) that's an effective deterrent to anyone with bad intentions. Since they're protective by nature, a German Shepherd and may need early socialization to prevent aggressive towards strangers.

They look good. Because they're athletic and energetic, they tend to always look trim and muscular. When you own a German Shepherd, you'll often hear people commenting, "What a beautiful dog!"

Cons

They need lots of exercise. Of course, this is not a negative for some people, especially exercise junkies. But if you're a couch potato who doesn't get out much, get some other breed.

They're prone to expensive health problems. German Shepherds are predisposed to a range of health problems, including musculoskeletal disorders and digestion issues. The most common health condition for this breed is hip dysplasia which can have a treatment cost around $2000$2500 at the time this video was produced. Degenerative myelopathy (DM) is also all too common. DM s a neurological disorder that slowly affects a dog’s mobility, especially in older dogs.

They're expensive in other ways too, In the first year, there will likely be vaccinations, grooming appointments, pet food, and a pet insurance policy. Depending where you live, expect to shell out 34 thousand dollars. This dollar lay out drops by about half in subsequent years.

They shed a lot. German Shepherds shed all year long, but more in the spring and fall. Managing your dog's shedding (and removing it from living areas) will be an everyday task just like feeding and exercise.

They're usually aloof around anyone they don't know. This is often misinterpreted as "threateninglooking," which can make some neighbors and others tense and uncomfortable.

They need careful socialization. You really have to socialize a German Shepherd thoroughly. This means a careful program of teaching him to pay attention to you and mind you in the presence of other people and other dogs.

They can be rough and aggressive if they're not properly socialized when young. But a well trained and properly socialized German shepherd is not typically aggressive towards other dogs.

Destructiveness when bored or not exercised enough. A German Shepherd that doesn't get enough exercise will likely find other ways to expend its energy. Furniture will be in danger, and "stealing" items around the house may occur.

Legal liabilities (insurance issues, increased chance of lawsuits).
Victims of a German Shepherd attack provoked or not are likely to be left with serious and even lifealtering bite wounds and injuries...for which they WILL file suit.

In summary, The pros of owning a German Shepherd are that you have an exceptionally loving and intelligent companion that is easily trainable and usually good natured. The cons are that this breed brings with it a high cost of living because of medical and legal risks. They also need a lot of mental stimulation and exercise to keep them happy, which can take a big chunk of your time.

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