Owning a German shepherd taught me more about self-awareness and safety than any class ever did

sheknows.com ^ | 5/10/2016 | Anna Burke

[chrisinoc]

There are things I love about being a woman. The perils of walking and traveling alone and the safety concerns that accompany it are not among them. As an avid hiker and a stubbornly independent person, this has always irritated me. I don't like that constant, nagging feeling of unease. I don't really enjoy double-checking for my pepper spray in my purse or carrying my keys between my fingers on my way back to my car. I particularly hate getting catcalled, followed and leered at.

Then I got a German shepherd.

The catcalls were the first thing I noticed vanish as my little bundle of love grew into an 85-pound dog with a serious set of teeth. Then I realized that the leerers crossed to the far side of the street to avoid passing me and my best friend. In fact, the majority of the people who approached me were suddenly small children and their mothers, or other young women, all of whom wanted to meet my fluffy sidekick. Life was great. Not only did I feel safer, but I started to think about what my dog was doing to make this possible and how I could use those tricks when she was not around.

[Innovative]

They are not just great guard dogs and smart, but are also gentle and terrific with children and you can even train them to get along with cats.

I said I had one a long time ago — I was a small child and he was very gentle with me. We also had a cat, the dog and cat got along great — so that the cat felt so safe, she had her kittens in the dog’s bedding, and he wouldn’t go in, guarded the cat, until we found another place for her and the kittens and moved them.

[chris37]

They are gorgeous, Chris. Just absolutely magnificent!

Remington brought me straight to tears too.

And Nikki’s bio reminds me of my Isis’s personality.

I hope everyone one of them finds a permanent home, and I wish I could take all of them.

I think if I ever won the lotto, that’s what I’d do. Big house, large land, home for dogs. But not to hoard them.

It breaks my heart thinking of German Shepherds without a home.

[chris37]

Yeah my shepherd loves my 20 lbs deadly cat.

She herds her all day long.

Does crazy stuff like steps on her head and puts her entire head in her mouth, but never hurts her.

It’s just a game they play all day long every day.

[SaraJohnson]

I used to run along the Potomac river on what they call the Billy Goat Trail. I ran with my golden retriever. She was a bundle of love and I did not know she was protective. She was my running buddy.

But one time we were running and a man approached us coming the other way down the trail. I noticed he was staring at me but that is not unusual. My dog went after that man growling and barking and would have attacked him had I not been fast enough to catch up and grab her collar. When I looked into his eyes, I could see why she attacked. He had black eyes, was silent and glared at me. I told him to “f off” and he stopped glaring and looked at the ground. I continued my run - fast.

He did not follow, but the Golden was watching my back. Whereas she always ran in front of me, she hung back in the man’s direction a bit. I was so shocked she acted like that. I was armed.

She did it again one time at the beach when a man stopped to stare at a friend of mine as she laid on a blanket napping with my dog. It was about 7 or 8 am and not many people were on the beach. The dog started growling and my friend opened her eyes to see him glaring down at her. The dog growled and barked and she opened her eyes to see him staring at her. He ran and my friend was able to grab the dog’s collar as she lunged, before she went after him.

Even Goldens are protective.

[doorgunner69]

The love of boogieball in the classroom says it all.

[Secret Agent Man]

Exactly right.

[glasseye]

My Malinois would do what needs to be done.
Not that I get cat called.
Incredibility smart dog.
Gentle as a kitten.
No limits in defending me.
He hates it when I spend too much time on the computer.

[chrisinoc]

Remington is a big favorite of mine. I am surprised no one has adopted him. He’s trained and great with dogs of all sizes, male or female. And he is a fast walker.

[Vermont Lt]

We bought a GSD from a line of very black East German dogs. While our girl is a pet she comes from a long line of dogs that excel in Shutzhund, or protector dogs.

She is the smartest and most loyal dog I have ever seen. And the happiest being I have ever encountered.

I cannot imagine my life without her.

[A Formerly Proud Canadian]

The writer's comments remind my of when I first got Silvia. I am male, so I don't get, or worry about catcalls, but do I live in a rough part of Calgary. The second day my now ex-wife and I had Silvia, at the time, a nine-month old Shep-Lab cross, I took her for a walk. It was winter, dark out and there was snow on the ground.

Two rough looking characters, wearing oilskins and walking bicycles on the sidewalk, were walking toward me. Silvia let a low growl out of her, the one and only time before or since, that I ever heard her growl at anyone. After she growled, they excused themselves gave us a wide berth as they walked around me and Silvia, on the other side of the street.

My job left me, my career left me, my wife left me and my credit score left me. In the next three months, the house will be leaving me via foreclosure, short of a miracle. I don't know how, but I AM going to keep Silvia and her daughter, Lily, even if we have to sleep in a car! They were what kept me going when both the wife and job left. Because the Humane Society told me they would have to put Lily down because she is not well socialized, and I was unable to find someone to take both dogs, I did not sell the house when prices were good. I will NOT give that poor baby up to be killed by the HS, the baby who suffered parvovirus as a puppy and survived to be a healthy seven year old dog. I don't know how, but I will NOT let them die!

[Vermont Lt]

Malinois are beautiful. But, they need so much excercise and live for a “job.” People need to be careful when getting a dog to match their skills and lifestyles. There are a lot of folks that want K9 looking dogs, but do not know they are getting a Porsche, when they have the driving skill fit for a yugo.

(Glass eye... That is NOT directed at you personally. But I’ve seen four or five people in the last few months who made bad dog buying choices.)

[freespirit2012]

heard poodles were the smartest..

[freespirit2012]

That is true, I have never heard a cat-call.. though I don’t currently live in a large city..

[glasseye]

Good for you.
My niece does GSD rescue.
My Malinois is the most stable dog I have ever had.
Mt neighbors are afraid of him, perfect.
Best friend ever.

[alexander_busek]

Just doesn’t happen. Perhaps in some non-American neighborhoods in this country, but no normal one.

I share your skepticism.

And I don't think that this article was about dogs - it was about promoting a feminazi worldview.

Regards,

[chris37]

Just look at that face! Oh my God I hope he finds a home. I wish there was something I could do, sucks being in Florida! Come on, Californians, gotta get this guy a home and a family.

Lemme know if this guy is ever in danger of... not finding a home. I will beg my brother in Colorado to go get him.

[glasseye]

My first dog, as a home owner was an Australian Shepard.
He was from working stock, and just beautiful.
A red Merle.
He was far more dog than I could ever cope with.
After he was 4 months old I never saw him asleep again until he was 8 years old.
Fire on high.
We shared 13 years, but he taught me you can buy too much dog.
I miss him terribly, after 15 years.

[o-n-money]

I got a puppy from the pound. They told me the mother was a Shepard and they believed the father was a Pit Bull. Looking at the dog, I saw no resemblance to a Pit Bull. She was 8 weeks old and I had her trained to use the back yard in a week. Very smart. As she grew, she reminded me of a Wired-haired Terrier I had as a teenager, with Shepard features. We had plenty of rabbits which she could not come close to catching, but several nights, the Mrs. called me down because of commotion in the yard. Possums were no match for this dog. She used to lay them next to my grill as if I should have them for dinner. I don’t have possums or squirrels around. I love this dog.

[Talisker]

When was the last time, as a man, you heard other men cat-calling a woman? Doesn’t happen. At lest not in America, with grown men. Stupid teens, maybe, but even they get discouraged when their buddies say “Hey, shut up, you make us look like idiots!” Just doesn’t happen. Perhaps in some non-American neighborhoods in this country, but no normal one.

You're right, of course.

Feminists lie.

Because it's what they are.

[Fungi]

They are beautiful smart dogs, used as police dogs in many countries. Unfortunately, they need a lot of attention.