German Shepherd dogs have a rather mixed reputation. They are a large breed, and are often used as guard dogs or as attack dogs by the police. Their working roles have given them a reputation as a fierce dog, certainly not one to be messed with! Certainly, if you see an advert for a German Shepherd for sale you must make inquiries about its nature and its role in its current setting (has it ever been a working dog?).

 But there is another side to their nature and one that is well-known among German Shepherd enthusiasts: they can make incredibly loyal, friendly family pets. German Shepherd puppies are exuberant and playful like any other puppies, but their basic intelligence means that they are much easier than some puppies to train. Indeed, their intelligence and obedience is one of the main reasons they are chosen as a breed to work with the police.

People who are interested in buying German Shepherd puppies generally search for a breeder. Breeders of German Shepherds are (or should be) very passionate about the breed as a loving pet, and should have taken great care to breed for temperament. You should be able to meet the mother and see the puppies in their normal home environment so that you can take a view about their personality, how well socialised they have been by the breeder and so on.

If faced with a litter of German Shepherd puppies, it can be tempting to opt for the one who is most friendly and playful, the one that bounds up to you and makes a big fuss. But that type of dog might be more difficult to train than one who is rather less forthcoming. A puppy that clings to the mother and shrinks from human contact may also not make a suitable family pet if it is anxious or withdrawn.

As with all pedigree dogs, German Shepherds can suffer from some genetic conditions (brought about through breeding for appearance that may be unnatural and cause physical deformity). If buying from a breeder, ask to see the mother’s records from the vet to see whether there are any conditions that the puppies might have inherited.

An alternative to looking for a German Shepherd for sale is to make enquiries of an animal charity such as the RSPCA to see whether any of their rescue or rehoming centres has one available for adoption. Adopting a German Shepherd dog gives you less choice as to which dog you take home, but the staff at the centre will be able to give you an unbiased, honest summary of each dog’s personality and temperament.

You can also be sure that a dog ready to be adopted will have been treated for parasites, vaccinated and micro-chipped.

German Shepherds make really excellent family pets. All you need is a large space, plenty of time and energy to exercise them, and the ability to promise the dog a loving home for the rest of its life.

If you are thinking about choosing a dog to join your family, you may be considering any number of breeds of dog or may be happy to take in a mongrel.  Some people have particular affinity with particular breeds of dog, whilst some are open to choosing any dog that has the sort of temperament they are looking for.

If you think of a ‘family’ pet dog, you are perhaps unlikely to immediately think of German Shepherds, since that breed is more commonly associated with the police or customs as working dogs, or even as attack or guard dogs for business premises.  German Shepherd dogs are often used as working dogs for rescue workers, too.   Yet German Shepherd dogs and German Shepherd puppies do in fact make excellent family pets.

The reason that German Shepherd puppies are often chosen to be trained as working dogs is that they are so clever.  They train very well, follow commands well and are very loyal to their handler.  These features make them very good family pets, too, since they obey commands and will be protective towards their owners and family members. 

They are affectionate and loving and will play well with children provided they are trained and properly socialised as puppies.  Some dog-breeders sell German Shepherd puppies without regard to their temperament, and so it is better to either buy your dog from a reputable, trusted breeder or better still to adopt from an animal charity such as the RSPCA. 

Adopting a German Shepherd dog or puppy will ensure that you are made aware of that particular dog or puppy’s temperament and familiarity with children.  Some dogs of this breed, as with any other, simply do not mix well with children whilst others love them.  If you adopt a German Shepherd puppy he will accept your children as part of his pack and be forever bonded with them; if you adopt an older dog it is vital that you introduce them to your family slowly and carefully and under careful supervision. 

There is no getting away from the fact that German Shepherd dogs are large and powerful and could do a lot of damage to a child or adult.  But again, staff at a rescue centre would be able to tell you a lot about a dog’s personality and will have tested its temperament for you before allowing it to belong to a family with children.

German Shepherd dogs and puppies need a lot of exercise and plenty of room to move around.  They also eat a lot and will of course need regular check-ups and vaccinations with your vet.   If you look after them properly, you will have a friend – and much-valued family member – for the rest of its life.