Yes, in general that is a shepherd. But, we are his owner's and I don't doubt he would protect us if needed. But, he is challenging us....
Right now, he'd protect himself, not you. That might accidently benefit you if an intruder came on the place, but it will be bad if it's Aunt Martha coming to the door.
He is not a controlled, trained protection dog that is working for you, but rather a sharp, aggressive dog acting on instinct. There is a huge difference.
"loyalty and fidelity, especially to its owner or main caretaker."
And here's what they say at the Schuntzhund site, which you're probably familiar with:
"The German Shepherd Dog should not be timid or react nervously to unusual sounds or sights. A dog that is overly aggressive because of its overall fears of people and events can be extremely dangerous."
http://www.germanshepherddog.com/schutzhund/faqs.htm#choose_puppy
First of all, before you kill this dog, go join the following Yahoo group:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/agbeh/
Here's the description below. I recommend it highly. I can't recommend it strongly enough to you:
Here in the Aggressive Behaviors in Dogs group, experienced dog trainers (more than 260 from around the world) discuss with pet dog owners how to modify the behavior of dogs which sometimes exhibit aggressive behaviors toward dogs and/or toward people. Some problem behaviors may arise from illness, but oftentimes aggressive behaviors arise from dogs' fears or anxieties. We believe that harsh training and physical punishments may make the problems worse.
Trainers give suggestions on safe home management and on using positive-reinforcement methods for teaching new skills. A major emphasis is on behavior modification to help desensitize dogs to reduce their anxieties to particular stimuli.
Only "dog-friendly" recommendations are permitted, such as positive reinforcement methods for teaching. No choke chains or leash-jerk corrections, or electronic shock collars here!