I have wanted a German Shepherd since I was a little girl. Last month, I finally got one.

I have a nearly 12-year-old daughter who loves animals. While other children watch Cartoon Network, she is watching Animal Planet. She has wanted a dog since she was at least 4. We moved to a new house 3 years ago, and the first thing she noticed was the large fenced yard. Since then, she has been asking for a dog. She reads books about the best breeds and how to train dogs. I did some serious thinking about this, because we all know that Mom is going to be the one taking care of the dog. That brings me to why I chose a German Shepherd Dog.

I have read all the negatives about a German Shepherd, and went through each one.

1. They are large dogs. This one is easy for me. I prefer large dogs. I always have. Small dogs just aren’t my thing. It’s a personal preference. I think everyone has a tendency towards certain classes of dogs. Mine is the herding group.

2. They shed a lot. Well, so do my 2 cats. I have 2 long hair cats, and I already vacuum nearly daily.

3. They are protective. This is probably the only one I struggled with. First, I do not have small children. My daughter will be 12 this summer, and my son is 16. Also, my daughter is very anxious to train the dog and so am I. I see it a bit as a mother daughter activity. We already have the puppy in a Puppy Socialization class, and we take her with us everywhere we can to expose her to all types of situations.

4. They are very smart dogs. Thank God. I need a dog who can be trained. This puppy is amazingly smart. She is now 14 weeks old, and she understands Sit, Down, Drop It, Stay and Leave It.

5. They need lots of exercise. This is a commitment issue. My daughter and I have both committed to regular walks and training.

There are other issues, but the final decision had to do with my own choice for a German Shepherd. I have always wanted one. They are one of the most beautiful breeds in my opinion, and because I felt that if I was going to commit the next 15 years to a dog and do the whole puppy training thing, I wanted my first choice of a breed. For me, that is the German Shepherd Dog.

Share This