German Shepherds are highly intelligent and loyal breeds. This dog breed has marked their importance in the heart of people because of their fierce nature and bond with their owners they are the most loving pets in this world. No doubt they fall in the category of stronger but the main question arises will German Shepherds protect you?
German Shepherds are self-sufficient and stronger breeds and can protect their beloved ones. The answer is yes they can protect you. However protecting temperament may differ among various dogs because of the training, if not trained they may not protect you physically.
Even though they are courageous breeds they can be overprotective of their family if not trained properly. Being curious also allows them to be the best guard dog.
There is a lot of knowledge about the protective temperament of German Shepherd dogs on this topic. Here we will know will a German Shepherd protect you without training. Are they natural guard dogs? How to train them to protect you?
Let’s dive into the topic and discuss it in detail!!
Table of Contents
Will A German Shepherd Protect You Without Training?
German Shepherds are such breeds that are popularly known for their strength, intelligence, and obedience. Because of their strength, they are also preferred as the best guard dog. But the question remains in our mind can a German Shepherd protect us without training?
From a historical point of view, People developed German Shepherds for herding sheep. It means they used the protective temperament from earlier days. They will protect us without training but not physically. They may use the skill of barking to protect themselves from strangers as they can’t do immediate friends with strangers.
German Shepherds are very affectionate dogs and are highly attached to their owners. If your dog is not trained to protect then it will lack the actual skill and will not be able to protect in such a way that would save you.
Proper training gives the best guarding instincts and makes the dog perfect in all respect. If you provide them with proper training they will protect themselves from the odd situation. German Shepherds are highly loyal and always protects their beloved one.
Are German Shepherds Natural Guard dogs?
My German Shepherd keeps wandering in my house and when the bell rings he goes to the gate quickly as if he is the guard of my house. I feel very relaxed when he does such protective behavior. One day I thought Are German Shepherds natural guard dogs?
German Shepherds are very loyal to their owners and protective. If trained well they can play the role of the natural guard as they are bred to protect the people, livestock, and property. German Shepherds are also favorite among the police and military, they also use this breed in various operations because of their bravery, strength, endurance, speed, and intelligence.
Being socialized dogs, they are easy to train but the instinct of guarding differs among various breeds of dogs. As compared to other breeds, a German Shepherd can be the best option for the average owner because of its loyalty and friendly nature.
According to the American Kennel Club, German Shepherds are the most registered breed in 2020, so if you want to have a pet like a German Shepherd then you can try them as they are easy to adopt.
How To Train A German Shepherd To Protect You? Explained in Simple Method!
German Shepherds are natural protector and providing proper training allow them to be the best guard dog. Many breeds bark continuously if their owners are attacked, they even bite them sometimes.
Training your German Shepherd not only allows them to differentiate between risk and hazard but they can also to proper protection. In my thought, training for a guard dog will be a good option and it will also benefit you by providing actual protection when you are at risk or attacked by strangers.
You can follow the given steps that will help you in the training period of your German Shepherd:
Socialization:
Adopt socialization from the very start, when your German Shepherd is a puppy. Proper Socialization allows them to understand the really between wrong and right activities. For socialization, you can spend more time with them, and play with them.
All dogs need affection from their masters, if your dog is not socialized then they might bite because of fear or do excessive barking.
Obedience Period
Once your German Shepherd is socialized then you can bring one step forward. You can give your GSD puppy obedience class as they should be obedient all the time.
Your dog should be obedient if you want to train your dog as a guard dog. Teaching obedience makes the bong even stronger and provides full fun while the training period.
Command Session
This very session allows the dogs to do whatever you tell them. You should start giving commands to cease their barking first. If they don’t learn this command they can bark unnecessarily and of course, it will be highly annoying.
After this, you may try the “speak” command” where they can speak on your command. After this, you can try to learn silence commands where they stop barking at one voice. To learn all the commands efficiently you should provide them with some treats.
Barking Session
All dogs tend to bark at strangers, you can make this more effective by commanding them. If you see them barking at others unnecessarily you may tell them to quiet down.
You can not allow your GSD to bark outside your home so make them familiar with friendly strangers.
Alertness
You can groom the alertness of your German Shepherd in such a way that they easily identify the risk in front of them or the strangers trying to get into your house.
Do not encourage your dog to chase strangers outside your yard. Seeing them barking you should stop them and praise them for the activity done by them. This behavior boosts their confidence.
Know the Perimeter of Your Boundary
Being a dog owner, it is your responsibility to make them understand the boundary of your house. The best way to make them learn is to go for a regular walk with your dogs.
You should not allow your GSD to bark at strangers who are outside your premises. Never allow your dog to chase strangers under any circumstances.
Important Tips:
For better training of your GSD, hire professional trainers or pet organizations. They work efficiently on dogs and train them to be better guard dogs.
These working dogs also provide their service in the Police or military. After efficient training provided by them, they can do various operations like search missions, rescue operations, and many more.
Also, Read Our Post “Why Do German Shepherds Tilt Their Heads?
How Will A German Shepherd Protect you?
We all know about the loyalty of our German Shepherds, they want to protect us from unwanted things whether they are properly trained or not.
German Shepherd dog is protective because of their loyalty to their masters. But the thing to know is How your German Shepherd will protect you?
Let’s understand the capability of your German Shepherd to protect their beloved ones!
Bark Loudly
The initial step done by the GSD was to express their emotions when seeing some risk. They start barking to alert their owners about unwanted things or mishappening.
They alert their owners to see the dangers of strangers walking on your premises by barking. They use barking as a tool to inform you about the dangers approaching you. You should be quick to respond when finding such type of behavior in your German Shepherd.
Through Body Language
When your German Shepherd breed observes some dangers around you, they try to protect you with their body language anyhow.
Seeing the dangers German Shepherd exposes their teeth, growl, and stands tall so that the dangers would be avoided.
They may even jump on you to protect you from strangers. This shows their protective nature as they try to protect their beloved ones at any cost.
However, the protective nature differs among the breeds. Some may only bark seeing the threats while some jump or bite at the dangers they are seeing. This protective behavior can also be groomed with proper training that every dog owner should do.
What Can Happen When German Shepherds Are Not Trained To Protect You?
Training provides a German Shepherd to be socialized and live a happy life. It changes their body language seeing you also become happy.
Many aspects can happen if your German Shepherd is not trained.
Let’s take a quick view one by one:
- Untrained German Shepherd dogs can be risky as they have the potential to be aggressive if they see any threat around them.
- If they are not trained they will protect you but not physically.
- They will bark unnecessarily seeing the strangers and in the worst condition, they can attack them.
- They can run out of the boundary of your house and it is frustrating for a dog owner to chase them.
- They can annoy you with their excessive barking if trained with a quit command.
Training allows your German Shepherd to behave well inside your house but outside also. So every dog owner must provide basic training to their breed from recognized trainers or professional trainers.
Final Thoughts
No doubt, German Shepherds are highly loyal to their masters and protect them at any cost whether they are trained or not. We as dog owners have the responsibility to make them socialized and perfect breed to be good at home premises and friendly strangers.
I hope you understood the protective behavior of your German Shepherd. Here is a quick recap of this post for you all:
- German Shepherds are loyal breeds and protect their beloved ones against any threats.
- If not trained they can protect you but not physically.
- A well-trained German Shepherd can provide you with better protection than an untrained one.
- They can be the best option to be your guard dog and protect you from upcoming threats.
- Being aggressive proper training allows them to be calm and live a normal life.
So guys train them by professional or by some genuine organization. It will allow them to realize the actual threat and remain calm. As a dog owner, you will always be happy.
Hope!! you guys enjoyed this post, keep connected with us for important topics about German Shepherds. Till then Good Luck!!!
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs):
Do German Shepherds Naturally Protect Owners?
German Shepherd’s protective instincts make this breed the best guard dog and naturally protective towards their owners. If we look at their history they used to protect the livestock of their owners so the protective instinct is their gene and of course, they naturally protect their owners.
Are German Shepherds protective without training?
The answer to this question is yes a German Shepherd can be protective even without training. They have been bred for centuries to be loyal guardians and excellent watchdogs who will instinctively protect their family members and their livestock from potential threats. This breed has a natural protective instinct for its owners and surroundings, which is why they make such a great guard dog.
Are German Shepherds good at protecting?
German Shepherds are known for their loyalty, which makes them great protectors. They were originally bred to guard people, property, and livestock for centuries, so they instinctively know how to safeguard a home and its occupants. This is the reason the German Shepherd dog is good at protecting and may be the perfect dog for your family members.
Can German Shepherds be left alone?
German Shepherds can be left alone but for a limited period. You can leave them alone for a maximum of 5 hours depending on their age. The German Shepherd puppies can’t be left alone for more than an hour. If you are unwillingly leaving them alone then be sure of their safety and provide proper training so that they cannot affect you and your things.
For more detail follow our post “Can German Shepherds be left alone?“