Is it wrong to have a GS if don't plan to "work" it?

[fam07]

Hello: I am new here and looking for advice. We originally had a GS that we had to rehome after she seriously bit one of our other dogs. It was heart breaking b/c we loved her dearly and we still miss her. I love the loyalty and intelligence of the GS. I will also admit I love the commanding appearence of the dog. We are a large family with 5 kids and two whippets. I would love to get another German Shepherd but am very worried about the aggression. Someone on another forumn wrote that if you don't plan on working a GS you should not get one. We are a homeschooling family and are home during the day. The kids love the dogs and are always playing with them. My husband and I walk to exercise so the dog would be included in that. We have a good sized yard with dog door access. We took our other GS to basic obedience and would plan on doing that again. I guess my ? is it possible to have a happy GS in an active family if it does not include structured work(herding, agility, etc). Are there any that are breed for temperment/companionship minus the drive. I don't know if I am making sense. It is hard to let go of the idea of never owning another GS but I don't want to make a mistake that is unfair to a dog our my family. Any advice? Monica

[CarrieJ]

I'm not the expert, but I believe that yes; you can have a GSD and not "work" it.
You do have to engage their minds as being herding dogs they are very intelligent. They are bred to work.
They are also a dominant powerful type of dog so structure training is a must. Not necessarily structured agility or herding but definitely they must have the role of the human as the leader making the decisions. They need consistant and confident leadership. (but then again, 90% of dog breeds do not like being in charge)

You mentioned having Whippets...(neat dogs!) they have very thin skin, so a bite that may result in a small insignificant puncture that would require antiseptic wash and a bit of antibiotic creme may require stitches...also Whippets love to run, GSDs like to chase...small running things.

There are breeders and others who have a vast amount of experience than I do that can fill in the blanks that I've left.
But, I do have a female GSD, with two cats (one mean pyscho cat) and one squeaky high pitched barky weasel terrier.
I don't "work" my dog but definitely work to keep her balanced and structured and socialized. More of a lifestyle, I guess...

[DharmasMom]

Whoever told you that you can not have a gsd without working it was full of malarkey. I have a 1 1/2 year old female and a 10 year old foster and neither one are worked. I do make sure they get plenty of exercise appropriate to their individual needs, plenty of playtime and mental stimulation. It is important when you look for your next dog you go to a breeder or rescue that will match the dog to your needs and not just let you pick out the dog you find the prettiest. If you are just looking for a companion then you want a reasonably low drive dog and a reputable breeder or rescue can help you find that dog. Regardless, you will still need to train, exercise and stimulate your dog but to a lesser degree than if you get a dog that is high drive and bred to work.

Good luck finding your new family member!

[blehmannwa]

I think that it is a lot of work to be a well behaved family dog.

[Zeusismydog]

It depends on your definition of work. LOL. Dogs, especially puppies, are a lot of work It sounds like you have an active family. If you go to a good breeder they can match you with a correct puppy. Puppy temperament testing can tell you a lot about what a puppy will be like as an adult. You defiantly don't want a high pray puppy but there are plenty of more easy going dogs. Not all GSD's have high working drives, however most are smart. You will need to engage your dogs mind. There is a lot of things you can teach your dog to do to keep it active. I have even seen a do kicky that if your dog dropped a tennis ball in and hit a button it would throw it for him (now that is a lazy way of playing fetch).

I strongly disagree that you shouldn't own a GSD if you don't "work" it. You just have to find the right puppy. Good luck

[vat]

I also agree that you do not need to "work" your GSD. Yes they need to keep their minds active and lots of exercise. I would ask you for more details on the attack your GSD made to your other dog. Did you have her since a pup, how old was she when it happened. Did you have any other issues with her? Any information you provide can help us maybe see what happened and advise you on how to prevent that again.

[CLARKE-DUNCAN]

Of course you can have a shepherd without working him/her, As long as you do give it frequent excercise and mental stimulation! They are'nt couch potato dogs though and need more mental stimulation than excercise I think! As long as you can provide a good home and teach him/her basic commands you should be fine! Don't forget to socialise your pup if you get another one I think socialisation is the key thing in owning a strong minded dog such as the shepherd! A well socialised dog is a happy dog indeed. And it will make living with a shepherd so much easier on your lives!

[Emoore]

You've gotten some good points here. Also keep in mind that for the first half of a dog's life, walking at human speed isn't enough exercise. My 9 year old has just now gotten to the point where he's good with 2 daily walks. You'll need a plan to exercise him more than that, or he'll amuse himself by chasing the whippets.

[Castlemaid]

Agree that you don't have to do any formal work with your GSD, just need to make sure he gets lots of excercise, fun training, and mental stimulation.

I actually would not let a GSD play with wippets - GSDs are herding breeds and they like to chase and nip - not good for fast little delicate dogs like wippets.

[doggiedad]

i assume there's always someone
at home. this is a great position to be in.
you'll have so much time to devote to your dog
for training and socializing. a well trained GSD is a happy GSD.
you don't have to work your dog in the ring.
you can teach your dog "find it", retrieving games,
get the mail (take the mail from the mail person
and bring it to you, carry things from the car,
if you drop something teach your dog to pick
it up for you, get it's leash, etc. there's many things
you can teach your dog that falls under working
and you don't have to be in the ring. there's things you can do
indoors and outdoors.

your dogs job can be a pet/companion for you
and your family.