How to choose a German Shepherd
One of the most common questions for first-time dog owners is, should I get a male or a female German Shepherd?
The short answer is, it depends on the type of person you are. What’s more important is getting the right temperament German Shepherd puppy, that fits your lifestyle. Keep reading below. I’m going to give you a few examples to help you make a better decision.
Me, I currently own 3 female German Shepherds in one male German Shepherd. My first German Shepherd was a male and you probably read somewhere else that males are more dominant than females, that is true. But I also have seen my share of females that are more dominant than males. This comes from the breeding and bloodlines between the male and the female, which the puppies were bred on.
If your first time German Shepherd owner. A female will be easier to raise and train? I’d recommend you go to a professional German Shepherd breeder to purchase your German Shepherd. Rather than getting one from a rescue or a backyard German Shepherd breeder.
If you are an experienced German Shepherd owner, then a rescue or adoption center can be a wonderful choice, to find a good puppy or older dog. If you are thinking about becoming a first-time German Shepherd owner, and you know someone who owns a German Shepherd or knows the breed, and you’re interested in rescuing one. Then I recommend you ask them to go with you, so they can help you choose the proper German Shepherd.
Always remember. Bloodlines play a big part, which we all need to learn about when choosing a German Shepherd puppy. I have spent many years learning all about the breed. And I’ll be honest, I’m still learning more all the time.
If you do not know anyone who has experience with German Shepherds, another solution is to contact a professional dog trainer in your area that knows the breed well enough and hire them to go with you to help you pick out a GSD dog.
A good German Shepherd breeder will not just sell a puppy for any reason. They will pick the right puppy out for you to fit your lifestyle. This way you will get the right dog for you and your family. In my experience, I have witnessed too many people purchasing German Shepherds over cosmetic looks.
When you’re looking to purchase a German Shepherd bloodlines and temperament of the puppy is the most important thing that you will learn about when you purchase from a professional German Shepherd breeder.
Female: if you have children? then a female German Shepherd would be a better choice. female German Shepherds will get along better with children faster than male German Shepherds because they are less dominant. They also train faster than a male GSD puppy.
Male German Shepherd: Now let’s look at a few examples:
What is your number one goal for purchasing a German Shepherd? If you’re looking for a protection dog, then a male German Shepherd would be a better choice than a female, because males are more dominant, and more territorial protective of the household. This is why they are used for police work in military training.
Now, I’m not saying that a female German Shepherd cannot be a good guard dog, but males tend to make better protection dogs because they are bigger and stronger than female dogs.
My male German Shepherd buddy is the pack leader. Now my female German Shepherd princess will test the waters with him, but he always sets her straight by letting her know he is the alpha male.
If you are looking for sports training then a male German Shepherd would be a better choice.
If you’re looking to do agility training with a German Shepherd. A female German Shepherd will be better because they are smaller and faster.
Other ways we can help,
What is the cost of raising a German Shepherd?
The average cost of ownership to raise a German Shepherd dog is around 900 to 1200 per year, depending on what your veterinarian charges. Now every veterinarian has different prices for check-ups and puppy shots, so that will play a big part in the cost per year. The average trainer will charge 500 to 1200 to train a dog for basic obedience training.
Do police use male or female German shepherds?
Yes, police departments use males because they are a lot stronger and more dominant. They are fit to do the work in the apprehension and chasing and taking down the bad guys, However, they do have females they use for search and rescue drug and bomb detection training.
The Average Height and Weight of a German Shepherd:
German Shepherd Sizes and Pictures
Female German Shepherd size:
Female German Shepherd height 23 inches and average weight 55 pounds up to 65 pounds. Females are typically smaller than males. But remember the weight can change, but the biggest female German Shepherd that I’ve ever owned was 80 lb and solid muscle. That’s a big female German Shepherd.
Male German Shepherd Size:
Male German Shepherd height 24 inches an average weight of 85 pounds up to 100 pounds. You don’t want your dog to get any heavier than that. If your dog is overweight you will put stress on the joints and hips, which can cause hip problems.
The picture above is a Black Male German Shepherd, he weighs a solid 90 lb. This GSD dog is a strong working dog, with strong bloodlines. This is a West German and East Mix German bloodline. He’s a super high-energy dog.
Zeus, Is owned and trained by his owner Sandy. Sandy is a stay-at-home mom and makes time to work with her dog. She loves training him. I’m going to be doing some more training with Sandy soon, and I will be posting updated pictures and videos on the blog. Here’s a quick video with Zeus.
German Shepherd Obedience Training Exercise-Attention Training:
Watch how she works in different positions and marks the behavior attention. She building eye contact and focus. If your thinking about trying to train your dog like this, it’s best to start with practicing turning left and right in making eye contact.
Once your dog starts doing well and learning, you can add more commands and more positions with your training.
Final Thoughts: Whether you choose a male or a female, that fits your lifestyle, buying one, or rescue one, there’s nothing like owning a well-behaved German Shepherd that you can take anywhere you go, as long as they are raised and trained well. You will have a wonderful life together.
PS: If you haven’t read my article yet. When do German Shepherds Stop Growing?
In this article, I will share about German Shepherd puppies’ weight sizes, pictures of my puppies, and when German Shepherd puppies will stop growing. I also cover more on German Shepherd puppy growing stages.
This is very important information for first-time German Shepherd owners.
I wish you all the best on your new German Shepherd Journey. The GSD dog is an awesome breed to own. I hope this article helps you with making a good decision.
Talk soon! Dennis.