Is a German shepherd dangerous? (What to know)

The German Shepherd dog regularly leads the bite statistics. But is a German Shepherd dangerous or does it just have a bad reputation?

If you want to know more about the German Shepherd and whether it is actually dangerous you should read on.

The German Shepherd is not dangerous in general. It is, of course, a large, heavy dog that can be quite dangerous in the wrong hands. Basically, a consistently but lovingly trained German Shepherd is a great dog for many people.

Is a German Shepherd aggressive?

No dog is aggressive by nature. Not even the German Shepherd. He was not bred to be specifically aggressive or rather his original task, herding sheep, does not require any separate aggressiveness.

When can a German Shepherd become aggressive?

Of course, a German Shepherd can also become aggressive and dangerous. Especially if it is trained to do so.

German Shepherds love to learn and learn very fast. So they can be easily trained to show aggression even by the wrong people.

It is not without reason that you often find the German Shepherd in the police dog squad, the military or as a guard dog. These dogs are trained to attack an opponent on command and bring a certain aggressiveness.

Of course, this characteristic is also used by people who are far from the police service. The dogs are then at best guard dogs on a company premises or in the worst case they simply serve as a “status symbol”.

Incorrectly trained German Shepherds naturally bring a certain aggression potential and are quite dangerous. This is not because of the German Shepherd. It could also be a giant schnauzer, Doberman or Rottweiler.

Unfortunately, if a dog can be easily trained to be aggressive, these breeds will find the appropriate buyers and get a bad reputation. Someone who feels “strong” with an aggressive dog on the leash will therefore not choose a Golden Retriever.

A German Shepherd is also prone to aggression if you do not adequately satisfy his urge to exercise and work. If you have an not well exercised German Shepherd, he can become aggressive and snap faster than other breeds.

When can a German Shepherd be dangerous?

Education is the most important thing from the beginning. An untrained or uneducated German Shepherd can be dangerous, of course.

If your German Shepherd is already showing aggression as a puppy, it is important to show your dog direct, consistent, but loving boundaries and stop the behavior.

If you just let it go, because it is only a puppy, you will get into trouble with a pubescent young dog at the latest

Why does the German Shepherd dog bite so often?

The German shepherd and shepherd-mixes are regularly on the first place in the biting statistics.

This is due to its popularity. The German Shepherd is one of the most common dog breed worldwide. If there are many dogs of a breed, you will also find more biting incidents in the absolute numbers.

In addition, of course, the German Shepherd is easy to train, as mentioned earlier. If the wrong people train a German Shepherd for the wrong reasons, accidents will naturally occur more often.

Another reason is the reporting of biting incidents. However, this is my personal opinion or guess.

The German Shepherd, like many other dogs (for example the Rottweiler) has a certain image or bad reputation.

If someone is bitten by a German Shepherd, if then still the owner fits into the image, the incident is reported in my opinion much more often than if the Labrador from the neighboring family snaps.

Why German shepherd dogs are not dangerous?

The German Shepherd is a popular family dog and for this reason alone cannot be dangerous across the board.
They are also trained to be guide dogs for the blind, as well as search and rescue dogs.

A generally aggressive or potentially dangerous dog is unlikely to be given these tasks.

As stated earlier, a German Shepherd can be trained to be aggressive and dangerous. However, it is not so by nature.

With a loving but consistent upbringing, a German Shepherd will become a great family dog, a safe guide dog for the blind, or a companion for daily sports sessions.

What if your German Shepherd is aggressive?

First, be honest with yourself and ask yourself if you are exercising your dog enough. Are you giving your dog enough exercise and mental workout? A dog that is not exercised can be prone to aggression.

This is more likely to happen with a German Shepherd than with other breeds.

Or is your dog aggressive because he may be in pain? Persistent pain can lead to aggression and frustration. Unfortunately, the German Shepherd is not a healthy dog breed. Problems with the hips due to the extra bred sloping back are not uncommon and cause severe pain.

But maybe a special situation can be the trigger for the aggressive behavior. Was your dog attacked by another dog and is aggressive since then?

This was the case with us. Our Cane Corso was attacked and bitten out of nowhere by another dog on a walk one morning. For weeks she was extremely aggressive towards other dogs. Fortunately, everything is fine again now.

Or have you done something wrong in their upbringing? Whatever the case, you should consult a professional and address the problem together with him

Because in short, you couldn’t do it on your own. That’s not a bad thing either, if you’re honest with yourself and willing to accept and implement help.

Even if you have dog experience, a view from the outside and a concrete tip sometimes works wonders. After all, you don’t see your own mistakes so quickly – otherwise you wouldn’t make them.

Conclusion: Are German Shepherds dangerous now?

No, the German Shepherd is not dangerous if he is properly educated from the beginning. The education is doable by a beginner if he takes help directly in the form of a good dog school or even better a dog trainer. This ensures that mistakes are avoided from the beginning.

However, it must be emphasized that education, even if doable with a German Shepherd, can be more strenuous than with many other dogs.

Milan.stock.adobe.com (Contributed image)