[foshizzle11]

I don't have experience training a german shepherd from a puppy but my other dog, she weighs about 60lbs is a shepherd mixed with border collie and maybe something else. She is who I was mentioning as always being on leash because she isn't always predictable, she hasn't done anything to any people ever and is a great family dog. Great with little kids, etc. But with strangers she doesn't know, she lets them know to stay away by barking. If she can run away she will. She has that guard dog instinct in her, she is very smart, because she was a stray/rescue as well I got when she was 3 months old, she has "street smarts", compared to say the pure bred labs or goldens my family has traditionally had. She uses her instincts and has a great personality, but like I said that unpredictability comes from her being part german shepherd IMO.

I have had really close family friends who always got german shepherds growing up and they were the best dogs. So friendly, best friend with their cat, kids could pull his/her ears, tail, take a bone away, anything. But if someone their dog didn't know jumped into the yard without anyone else around, he/she would have made them regret intruding pretty quickly.

We also have an old guy who walks dogs as a hobby. He is now onto his 6th black german shepherd in his life. His dog is the leader of the pack, the dog is so well behaved that "troubled" dogs who aren't good walkers on the leash just follow his lead. For example a neighbor has a pitbull mix, large breed dog and he told the old guy that he couldn't walk him because he would pull him down the street. Well the old guy finally convinced him to let him try walking him with his black shepherd, the pitty mix didn't pull at all on his walk.

I honestly believe the way dogs behave has a lot to do with their owners, as so many people have pointed out. I think that you can have a great family dog with any breed, it matters how much time and effort you put into training your dog. Some people like training dogs how to fun tricks but I like to focus on training proper behaviour. I don't really care if my dog can shake a paw or speak on command but I do think it is very important for my dog to sit and stay when asked, no matter what is going on around her, or come when told, lay down, heel while walking, stay off the furniture in the house, only chew on her toys, etc. Those things are what people really want and need in a dog.

Shepherds are working dogs, if they get bored and don't have a release for their energy they can become aggressive. Same with a lot of intelligent, working breeds. They need stimulation, without that they will have those behavioral issues most people don't want.