Finding the perfect dog as a pet for your family can be a big decision. You'll probably look at many different breeds and talk to friends and family that have dogs. In many cases, people tend to steer towards the breed they had while growing up. In other cases, they go with an entirely different breed. One dog that is very popular is the German shepherd. Because of their excellent skills as police dogs, many people mistakenly think they are attack dogs. The German Shepherd dog is also used as a seeing eye dog and search and rescue dog, to name just a few of the jobs their attributes are suited to. They were not trained for these jobs because they are mean or attack dogs, but rather because of how easy they are to train, and their superior intelligence.

The German shepherd makes a wonderful pet that will be a great addition to your family. They are a very affectionate loving dog and, if raised with children, make an excellent playmate as well as watchdog for them. If you get your German shepherd as a puppy, the bond between him and you will grow all his life; you will be considered his family, and he will act as such. If your German shepherd is older when you get him, it's important that he be introduced slowly to the children in the family. The German shepherd at first will be leery and somewhat aloof until he realizes whom he can trust. Once that trust is developed, it will always be there. Many owners have said that female German shepherds tend to favor the men whereas males favor the women in the family. Whether this is always the case, I am not sure.

If you get your shepherd as a young puppy, they often bond the most with the one that gives them the most care in the early months. It is highly recommended that you enroll your little German shepherd in some sort of basic training as soon as he or she is old enough. While this may seem like an unnecessary expense at the time, you won't regret this expense when you see the results. Many dog owners choose to train the dog themselves with their own methods. This is perfectly fine, too, as long as you are consistent with the training. The entire family has to be consistent so as not to confuse the dog.

It's great if your German shepherd will have lots of room to run around, although unfortunately this is not always possible. It is imperative that they are given plenty of exercise on a daily basis. This is a dog that is full of energy. Remember that originally they were bred as a working dog, so they expect to be doing something other than just laying around.

Being a pet owner involves many responsibilities such as annual vaccinations, veterinarian checkups, and routine maintenance and grooming. The grooming time is something your German shepherd will love and look forward to each day. There are many issues involving feeding your German shepherd and what kind of food to give him. Your vet can recommend a good dog food. There is still a lot of difference of opinion as to feeding dogs table scraps and leftovers. A lot of this comes down to your personal preference. I feed my German shepherds whatever I eat if there are leftovers. If they don't like it, they won't eat it. However, I also give them good quality dog food when there are no leftovers. My German shepherds have always been healthy and happy.