German Shepherd Rescue of Los Angeles

Owning a German Shepherd Dog

If you have not owned a dog before, we recommend that you do a LOT of research before you get ANY dog. Many, many of the dogs that we get in rescue come to us because people did NOT do their research before they got the dog. The German Shepherd is NOT for everyone, and it is not an easy dog to own. It requires a great deal of personal attention on a daily basis. It is not the type of dog to put out in a yard and ignore. They need regular walks and exercise, especially when they are young. They can also be expensive to own if they develop health problems, and of course they must be groomed regularly to keep their coats in good order. You should seriously consider whether you have time for a puppy, as puppies require a great deal of your time and effort. You may wish to consider a little bit older dog that has already been housebroken and already gone through the chewing stage, etc.

Take your time, get on the Internet and research different breeds. Remember, you are making a LIFETIME commitment to the dog, so you must think ahead into the future for 12 years (average life of a dog). What will your life be like in five years? Seven years? Ten or twelve years?

Many people make the mistake of getting a dog without realizing that they must include that dog in ALL of their future plans. For instance, if you move out of the area or out of the country, are you prepared to take your dog with you? What would you do if you got transferred in your job? What will you do when you get married or start a family? If you have or plan to have small children, I do not recommend getting a German Shepherd as your first dog. You should start with something smaller that is less likely to knock or pull your child over.

If you are just beginning to think about getting a dog, take the time to find out exactly what you are getting into. You are really in the very, very preliminary stages of responsible pet ownership. Talk to veterinarians, behaviorists, groomers and other people who have had DIFFERENT breeds. Yes, German Shepherds are intelligent dogs, but ALL dogs are intelligent and require proper training to bring out the best in them. It is up to the PERSON, not the dog, to communicate with the dog CORRECTLY. There are right and wrong ways to own a dog, so make sure that you know what YOUR responsibilities are before you make a pet completely dependent on you.