They can have a strong guarding instinct, so careful training and socialisation will be needed to prevent any guarding or aggressive behaviours.Īs with any dog, your German Shepherd will need to be well socialised with people, other animals and different objects and environments from a young age. German Shepherds are very loyal to their owners and can be protective of their family. As with all training – consistency is key! Everyone in the family needs to follow the same rules. Regardless of the age of your German Shepherd when you adopt it, you need to have clear boundaries to help keep them safe and happy. If you’re having problems with excessive noise or barking, we recommend seeking the advice of an accredited behaviourist. Their main purpose was for herding and guarding so they can be quite vocal when people walk past or enter or exit the house, but how much noise they make will vary from dog to dog. German Shepherds and barkingĪs with any dog, German Shepherds are likely to bark. You’ll need to make sure you have a lot of time to spend with these dogs and you are committed to providing for their exercise needs every day. However their size and strength means they aren’t suited to all families and need a lot of space to burn off their energy. German Shepherds are fantastic dogs and it’s easy to see why they are such a popular breed. This list is not exhaustive, and there are many other conditions that German Shepherds have been shown to be prone to. Haemophilia A and B – bleeding disorders that stop blood from clotting and cause wounds to bleed more than they should.

Pituitary dwarfism – a hormone deficiency which causes severe growth problems and reduces lifespan.Epilepsy – a brain disorder causing seizures.Inherited eye diseases – including cataracts and multifocal retinal dysplasia.Anal furunculosis – a painful disease that causes ulceration around a dog’s bottom.Canine Degenerative Myelopathy (DM) – also known as Chronic Degenerative Radiculomyopathy (CDRM) causes weakness to back legs leading to paralysis.Elbow dysplasia – a condition where a dog’s elbow socket doesn’t form properly, leading to pain and problems.Before breeding, dogs should be screened by x-rays through the BVA/Kennel Club Hip Dysplasia Scheme. Hip dysplasia – where hip joint that doesn’t fit together perfectly, which will eventually lead to arthritis.Some of the conditions German Shepherds may develop include: For German Shepherds, this is mostly due to the shape of their back legs and hips. This means that these types of dog have been bred over many years to look a certain way, but that these changes to the way they look have started to cause them health problems. German Shepherds are in a group of breeds classed as ‘Category Three’ by The Kennel Club, which is the highest category of the health concerns due to their conformation. Making sure the parents of your puppy have had the relevant health screening can reduce the chances of your puppy being affected by some of these upsetting conditions. German Shepherds are great dogs for the right owners, but they are at risk of certain conditions and illnesses common with the breed. Unfortunately, German Shepherds do have a range of health issues due to the way they have been bred, which can end up being costly to owners and cause serious problems for the dog.Ĭommon health problems in German Shepherds They are great dogs for owners with a lot of experience and time as, like most dogs, they can get bored easily. They suit very active households as they need a lot of exercise every day. They are very loyal, intelligent and love to be kept active, so can be easy to train. German Shepherds were originally bred for herding and are now often used as working dogs for the police and armed forces.

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