A Pet Owner's Journey (Pt. 10)

When you get a dog, you usually look into what kind of breed you are getting so that you can learn a little bit more about what to expect from the pet joining your life. Or, at least, you should do this. It is essential to choose a pet that fits your lifestyle.

If you are a busy person with not a lot of time then maybe getting a high energy dog is not the best idea for you. Perhaps get a cat instead. If you are a lazy person, getting a dog can get you off your butt or it can just be bad for your dog.

Pairing owner and pet is a delicate process and one that you should invest time and energy into. That being said, people will ultimately do whatever the heck they want to do no matter what advice you give.

I've always wanted a German Shepherd. I grew up around them. I've loved the breed since I was a small child. And I always knew that was the type of dog that I wanted to get.

I've read up on the breed. I know a great deal about their energy levels, their loyalty, the potential aggression issues, their potential health issues, and still wanted the breed nonetheless.

All that being said, Roxy isn't exactly the poster puppy for German Shepherds. If you take the top five things that people associate with the breed, she barely qualifies for them. I'll explain..

1. Strong Sense of Smell

There is no doubt that German Shepherds have an exceptional sense of smell. They are used as tracking dogs, bomb detection dogs, and service animals because of this trait.

This sense of smell can be harnessed and trained to perfection with the breed if done so at a young age. Even most untrained German Shepherds still have a pretty keen nose.

Roxy would have flunked out of training on the second day. Although she likes to smell everything and she always knows when you open a pack of hot dogs, she can't find a dog treat on the floor in front of her to save her life.

I'm not sure she could even follow a scent trail if she tried to. She knows when other animals have been by but she doesn't know which direction they came from or which way they went. And I doubt she would make a good hunting companion.

2. Easy to Socialize

German Shepherds are meant to be very sociable animals. They exist well with other dogs of various breeds and often do well in large pack groups. They like to play and they like company so other dogs are usually ideal for the breed.

Despite this, they are still usually a single owner animal. They will fixate on one person within a family group as their master and that person will have more authority over them than anyone else. They will respect and protect the rest of the family, but German Shepherds only have one real master in any group.

Roxy definitely only has one master. Despite having lived in households with multiple people, she is still my dog. And she will listen to me for final say on anything. She can be influenced by others, but I get the final word.

She is not a social dog. She doesn't care to have other dogs in her life. She tolerates the cat, but it's hard to say if they enjoy each others company. And when it comes to dogs she tends to want to say hello with her teeth. Not exactly friendly and social.

3. Good with Children

German Shepherds are family animals. They are loyal, smart, and protective. This makes them ideal pets to have as an individual or as a family. And they almost always good with children.

There are rare exceptions when German Shepherds are not suitable to be around children. And this usually has more to do with the individual dog's past than the breed as a whole. It is important to know your dog and know these behavioural issues if you plan on having this breed around children. Because despite all their benefits, German Shepards can be aggressive dogs, they have a strong bite, and their protective nature doesn't always benefit them.

Roxy is good with children in the same way that most teenage older siblings are good with young children. She acknowledges their presence, she tolerates their existence, and tries not to get in their way. She tries to play with them, but often it ends up with her getting told she needs to lay down or calm down.

Roxy is good with children, in theory. But, for the most part, she just wants to stay out of the way of the kids.

4. Need to be Active

German Shepherds are high energy dogs. They are working dogs that have been brought in as household pets. And often times, when not given a purpose, German Shepherds can get mischievous. Sometimes they chew shoes. Sometimes they wreck furniture. You never really know what they will do to express their displeasure over not having a purpose.

So it is important to give your German Shepherds exercise. Give them a routine and give them a purpose in their life as a house pet. They want to run and swim and chase things. They like to play and chew. And you will be out of energy long before they are.

Roxy is not like this. She will drag you home on walks because she is done with the exercise. She will swim, but only for a little while because then she wants to go lay down.

I was looking forward to all the exercise I would get in my life when I got Roxy. But she is lazier than I ever expected a dog could be. She will choose the couch over a dog walk almost every time, especially if the weather outside sucks.

5. Unique Personalities

Most dogs have unique personalities. This is very true for German Shepherds. No two dogs are alike. Perhaps this is the reason for the whole "one master" concept that is prevalent in the breed. It's hard to say. But they are definitely interesting dogs.

Roxy is no exception to the unique personality. She is scared of illogical things. She acts like a cat half of the time. She turns into a liquid when she sleeps and takes up the entire bed. She barks at doors closing three houses down. And she has a serious hate for Border Collies.

Dogs will surprise you and the biggest thing I've learned from getting Roxy is that they don't always fit the mould you've made in your mind for the breed they belong to. But you love the dog you get nonetheless. And I definitely still wouldn't trade Roxy for a more traditional German Shepherds. Her quirks are what make her special.

Thanks, as always, for reading another Roxy adventure and I hope you'll find us next time for the next installment of "A Pet Owner's Journey".