Ahhh, the German Shepherd. Loyal, fearless, and imposing, the GSD is the 2nd most popular breed in the United States after the Labrador Retriever, and an undisputed model canine employee.
Renowned for their intelligence, working drive, fearlessness, and pure athleticism, German Shepherds have long been highly regarded members of the police forces around the world.
By Adeline Ee.
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However, why the explosive popularity of the German Shepherd? In this article, we will look at:
- What makes German Shepherds such good police dogs – 3 key facts!
- The German Shepherd Intelligence
- The German Shepherd Temperament
- The Athleticism of the German Shepherd
1. The German Shepherd Intelligence
Talk about canine Einsteins!
There are only a few breeds that rank higher in terms of canine intelligence. The working dogs dominate intelligent dog lists, from the herding dogs like Border Collies and Heelers, to retrievers like Poodles and Labradors.
German Shepherds, Rottweilers, and Doberman Pinschers make up some of the top 10 smartest breeds, frequently employed in military, police, search and rescue, and scent detection.
While the term “intelligence” can have multiple interpretations, the word is commonly used to describe a dog’s intelligence as how many repetitive commands will you have to give for your pooch to finally “get it”.
With a German Shepherd, the average number of repetitions required to learn a new command can be as little as five, meaning GSDs can learn a new command or trick in mere minutes, if not seconds.
2. The German Shepherd Temperament
Loyal, eager to please, and fearless, these dogs were born and bred to work, and they certainly do that!
Good Police Dogs Are Loyal and Fearless
The workaholics of the canine world, a GSD is loyal to a fault and extremely attentive to the needs of his human pack.
My Story
One of our first family dogs was a German Shepherd named Zeus (no points for originality there!).
Of course, I don’t remember much, but one thing’s for sure, Zeus never left my side when I was an infant.
You know how people like to make a baby’s first steps a real big deal?
My mother was extremely irate when my first steps were taken clutching Zeus’ coat!
Fiercely protective and attached to their family members, they will instantly throw themselves in harm’s way to protect their family, gladly sacrificing their lives without so much as a second thought.
Do You Know The Story Of Rambo?
Take the case of Rambo, a GSD who found his owner lying unconscious on the floor after being struck by lightning.
Rambo touched him and discharged the electricity from his owner’s body, saving his life but killing himself in the process.
Heroic GSD Noah Takes Bullet For His Family
Or the heroic GSD, Noah, who, when the car he was in was hit by random gunfire, jumped in front of the kids and shielded them from bullets with his body, sadly dying as a result. YT video is from Breaking News channel.
German Shepherds Are Obedient and Eager To Please
“Eager to please” is often misconstrued as a robotic dog that blindly sits, stays, and does whatever an owner tells him to do.
Nothing. Could. Be. further from the truth.
Working dogs like the German Shepherd were born and bred over hundreds, even thousands of years to work in partnership with us humans, in a mutually symbiotic relationship.
We take care of their every need and let them be the best they can be, and they fulfill our lives and make us happier than we could ever be.
Working dogs LOVE to work. It is what they were meant to do.
German Shepherds are the epitome of a working dog.
Nothing makes them happier than to have a job, and work in partnership with us.
There are many documented cases of retired working dogs wilting away and becoming depressed.
3. The Athleticism of German Shepherds
Right up there with the other working breeds, German Shepherds are powerful canine athletes that is renowned for their strength and endurance.
German Shepherds have been clocked at speeds of more than 30 miles an hour, and the fastest German Shepherd on record was clocked at almost 40 mph.
These formidable canines are certainly not for owners with sedentary lifestyles!
They are energetic, active dogs that want nothing more than to run, jump, and play.
So there you have it.
The incredible intelligence, strength, and trainability of German Shepherds have made them the perfect candidates for law enforcement work.
Their inherent characteristics are exactly what makes a good police dog!
Remarkably protective and loyal, they also make excellent pet dogs but need an experienced, active owner. Thanks for reading, and happy tails!
Photo by Abby.