Has your German Shepherd developed some nasty habits? While owning a German Shepherd is a wonderful experience, dealing with their behavioral issues can be quite tasking, especially for new owners. Luckily, German Shepherds are highly intelligent dogs who are easy to train.
Common behavioral issues seen in German Shepherds include aggression, digging, chasing, biting, etc. These habits usually develop as a result of poor socialization and training, prior experiences, or genetics. While some of these habits can be ignored, the majority of them are dangerous and should be rectified as soon as possible.
In this article, we will take a look at the most popular behavioral issues seen in German Shepherds. In addition to this, we discuss different “easy to apply” solutions to these habits. Want to know more? Keep reading!
What are behavioral problems?
Behavioral problems are undesirable habits often seen in dogs. These include practices such as digging, excessive barking, jumping, nipping, and many more.
These behavioral problems are often a nuisance and can even cause injury to people and other dogs. They can also lead to damage to property. Hence, every pet owner must be able to recognize these behavioral problems and nip them in the bud immediately.
Causes of behavioral problems in German Shepherds
German Shepherds typically boast an excellent temperament. And behavioral problems rarely develop abruptly. Realizing the cause of behavioral problems in German Shepherds will help prevent it and also help with solving it. Common causes of behavioral problems in German Shepherds include:
- Inadequate training
- Poor socialization
- Instinctive behavior
- Genetic predisposition
- Bad habits
- Mental disorders
- Physical disorders
Inadequate training
This is one of the major causes of behavioral issues in German Shepherds. With this breed’s bold and intelligent personality, training is not optional. Just like kids, dogs need to be told what to do and what not to do.
Poor socialization
This is the number one cause of behavioral problems in German Shepherds. Proper exposure of your canine to other people, animals, sounds, and experiences is an essential foundation for your dog’s personality and interactions.
A poorly socialized pet tends to be more anxious, more reactive, harder to handle, and uncomfortable around other dogs. This will in turn lead to bad behaviors like aggression, destructiveness, and leash pulling. In protective breeds like the GSD, aggressive behavior might be worse.
Instinctive behavior
Sometimes, we tend to forget that dogs aren’t human children. Behaviors that are innate to them might seem absurd or even irritating to us. Such behaviors include digging, barking, rolling in the dirt, biting due to teething, and chasing smaller animals. These behaviors can be reduced but cannot be totally eliminated.
Genetic disposition
Just like humans sometimes behave like their parents, dogs do too. If your German Shepherd’s parents had certain bad behaviors, chances are that their pup would follow in their pawprints. In addition, certain dog breeds are known to exhibit some weird behaviors.
For example, German Shepherds are known to suffer from separation anxiety more than most breeds.
Bad habits
In most cases, pet parents are guilty of reinforcing bad behaviors in German Shepherds. We all know how hard it is to stare into those big colored eyes and tell your fur buddy no. Eventually, not saying no leads to the development of bad behaviors.
For example, feeding your dog from the counter while preparing a meal reinforces bad behaviors like counter surfing and begging. Also encouraging your puppy to nip you during playtime can lead to biting problems later.
Lack of mental and physical stimulation may also contribute to this formation of bad habits.
Mental disorders
Mental disorders could cause your German Shepherd to behave badly. Such disorders include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), depression, and anxiety. The best way to help your German Shepherd with a mental disorder is to consult a veterinarian and work on a proper treatment plan.
Physical disorders
Abrupt changes in behavior may be due to health issues. A dog who is feeling unwell or experiencing pain tends to lash out at others. Dogs with thyroid problems may obsessively chew and lick. You may also notice behavioral changes like digging and aggression in a pregnant dog.
10 Common German Shepherd Behavioral Problems and Solutions
Now that we know what can cause your German Shepherd to have behavioral problems, we can discuss these problems and their solutions. Here are the common behavioral problems seen in German Shepherds.
- Defensive aggression
- Resource guarding
- Jumping
- Separation anxiety
- Excessive barking
- Urine marking
- Digging
- Door dashing
- Chasing
- Nipping and biting
1 Defensive aggression
It is a myth that German Shepherds are innately aggressive. The truth is that these dogs are innately protective of their loved ones. When not properly directed, this protective nature can often lead to aggression in German Shepherds. These dogs often show sub-threshold warnings like differences in ear carriage, averting their eyes, slight lick lips, etc.
If you notice defensive aggression in your dog, the first thing to do is rule out health issues. After this, avoid putting your dog in stressful positions that trigger his aggression. Also, work on restraint and body handling. With German Shepherds that show aggression, it might be best to get a trainer to work with them.
2 Resource guarding
Just like they guard their loved ones, German Shepherds may become territorial over things like toys, food bowls, stolen items, and even their crates. Resource guarding could look like your dog stiffening and growling lowly when you pick his toys to full-on attacks. Whatever the case may be, this behavior is unsafe.
The best way to solve food guarding in German Shepherds is conditioning. This is showing your Shepherd that his fear is invalid. This is done mostly by hand feeding. Eventually, your dog will realize that you are his food provider and you won’t steal his meal.
For toys and other materials, teaching a “give” cue is a sure way to work on resource guarding. Want to learn how to teach this cue?
3 Jumping
For German Shepherds, jumping is attention-seeking behavior. While this action might seem cute when they are pups, German Shepherds grow into big dogs weighing anywhere between 65 to 90 pounds. It’s no wonder why jumping would be a dangerous habit for this breed.
Most pet parents try holding their dog’s legs or pushing the jumping dog away. However, this reinforces this bad habit. Instead, try ignoring your German Shepherd when he jumps at you. He will get the message that you don’t appreciate his greeting method. When he calms down, give him a treat and shower him with praise.
Another method is redirection. Instead of jumping at you in greeting, teach your dog to sit and give a handshake when you get back home. This way he gets to express how happy he is to see you in a non-threatening way.
4 Separation anxiety
German Shepherds love to be around their families and are mostly affected by separation anxiety due to their affectionate nature. In fact, separation anxiety is diagnosed in 20-40% of dogs presented to canine behaviorists. Dogs who suffer from separation anxiety usually bark excessively and become destructive.
The best way to deal with separation anxiety is to establish a routine early. This can be done easily by crate-training your dog. Also, make sure that your dog is properly stimulated mentally and physically so that he is not prone to hyperactivity. In severe cases, look into anti-anxiety supplements or hire a dog sitter.
#5 Excessive barking
Barking is the major form of vocal communication from dogs and this breed has a thunderous bark. Barking could be caused by separation anxiety, stressful environments, playfulness, boredom, etc. If yours barks excessively, it can cause headaches and noise complaints from neighbors. In addition to this, a constantly barking dog will be stressed.
To solve excessive barking in German Shepherds, try teaching bark/quiet commands. Also, look out for any stressful condition that causes your dog to bark excessively and eliminate it.
6 Marking
Marking is when dogs urinate on objects, usually vertically, in a bid to mark their territory. This habit is seen mostly in male dogs. Urine marking can also be caused by anxiety or the presence of another male dog in the house.
Although less common, urine marking is also seen in female dogs. They do this during heat to attract mating partners and to send a territorial message.
Here are a few tips for dealing with urine marking in German Shepherds
- Neuter or spay your dog as soon as possible
- Clean the soiled areas with a cleaner that will get rid of the urine odor.
- Talk to your veterinarian and an animal behaviorist
7 Digging
Digging is one habit that we know dogs for. Dogs dig for many reasons including boredom, hunting, nesting, wanting to hide toys, etc. Your dog’s digging can be quite frustrating especially when you have a garden.
To stop your dog’s digging, try to know why he is digging. Is it a product of anxiety or is he just bored? Knowing the cause of this habit will help you determine your next cause of action.
The best way to start solving this issue is to get your dog his own digging area or sandbox to dig in and train him to dig only that area.
8 Door dashing
Some German Shepherds run out of the door as soon as you open it. This behavior is risky because they can end up knocking someone down, injuring themselves, and even running into traffic.
Dog gates are a great way to fix the door dashing problem. As with jumping, you may also try redirecting your dog and teaching him what to do when the doors open.
9 Chasing
German Shepherds have a high prey drive. This often causes them to chase smaller dogs, other animals, people, and cars. If this is not controlled, your dog can end up injuring another pet.
You may not be able to stop your dog from chasing a squirrel, but you can prevent an accident. Teach your dog basic commands like sit and stop. Also, make sure that your dog is leash trained.
10 Nipping and biting
Initially, puppies nip and bite as a means of exploring their surroundings. Next, puppies learn bite inhibition from their mothers, who also provide the necessary discipline. While mouthiness is normal in the dog world, humans do not appreciate this behavior.
You can reduce your dog’s propensity to bite through appropriate training and socialization.
Bonus: Destructive chewing
Destructive chewing in German Shepherds is usually caused by lack of exercise, separation anxiety, OCD, and many more. Such dogs can chew up a couch, destroy possessions, and consume dangerous non-food items.
Depending on its cause, this behavior could be treated by providing chew toys, medication, behavior modification, or training.
How to prevent German Shepherd behavioral problems?
Prevention is better than cure right? Ways to prevent your German Shepherd from developing bad behaviors may include:
- Choosing the right pet
- Training
- Socialization
- Adequate stimulation
- Medication
Choosing the right pet
Genetics plays a big part in your German Shepherd’s temperament and personality. In choosing the dog for you, make sure to check out the behaviors of its parents. There is a high chance that your dog will replicate these behaviors.
Getting a good breeder is the first step in getting a good pet. will have a deep knowledge of the breed and be able to provide you with information about the puppy’s temperament and potentially inherited conditions. Reputable breeders are also transparent about the health history of the parents and willing to share relevant documentation with you.
The best way to find such breeders is to ask your local veterinarian. You can also ask training centers and breed clubs or check legitimate kennel registries.
Training
Train your German Shepherd by using positive reinforcement like petting, praise, and treats. With a good training plan, your dog will listen to basic commands, and this will prevent many behavioral issues.
Socialization
Socialization involves introducing your German Shepherd to new people, sounds, and experiences. This will make our dog comfortable around other people. A well-socialized dog is confident and this will reduce incidences of aggression and anxiety.
Adequate stimulation
German Shepherds are intelligent dogs that need adequate mental and physical stimulation to thrive. A bored or under-stimulated German Shepherd is more likely to pick up bad vices.
Schedule regular visits
As discussed above, a lot of German Shepherd behavioral problems are due to health issues. With regular vet visits, your vet will find these issues before they can degenerate.
Conclusion
Although German Shepherds are amazing dogs, they can develop behavioral issues just like any other dog. In such cases, pet owners must take note of these habits and make the right changes. Using the methods suggested in this article, we are sure that you can fix those issues.