"German Shepherds Turn On Their Owners. . ."

I have only been bitten twice. Once was by a shepherd mix pup, but the pup was semi feral and absolutely terrified.
 
I would never worry about my GSD mix, Nico ever hurting anyone, nor my pit bull nor my "aggressive" Dalmatians.
 
People seem to think dals are "dangerous" as well, I guess only small breed fluffy dogs are not capable of biting-ha ha

 

ORIGINAL: JMack

If someone shows up in my yard dressed in gloves and a full face mask, a dog bite would be the least of their problems.  I'd come tearing out with a baseball bat while dialing 911 and screaming at full volume.

That is not a very good idea.  If someone is in your yard that is not supposed to be you should simply call the police.  The previous poster said nothing about the person being in her yard.  I stand by my earlier statement that a person does not deserve to be bitten because they are wearing unusual clothing.  I did not realize that would be so contraversial on this forum.

Oh for petes sake.  If someone is dressed in gloves and a SKI mask, chances are that they are up to no good.  And, sorry, but I trust my dogs instincts when it comes to strangers.  If they raise a hackle, we get away from that person.
 
I can't believe that anyone would take such a hard line on this forum.  How 'bout the drunk who stumbled into me and knocked me to the ground?  Did he not deserve the little nip that told him to back the heck off?  The police thought so.

Me either.
 
I said what I said about Taffy because she was a good German Shepherd.
 
I didn`t think I would have to dig into my personal life to defend this dog but I don`t want yet another post go to the bad side. So
 
My parents lived out on a farm 7 mile from where I lived. My mother was in a wheelchair because of a stroke. My dad is a farmer. My mother started getting phone calls from someone saying he was going to come and kill her. He knew when my dad was home and when he wasn`t. How I don`t know. We put a block on the phone and I locked him in on a phone only he used a pay phone so we had nothing. I would go out to their house everyday and stay with her when dad was out in the field. Yes sometimes he would leave before I got there but not by much. Anyway that day I had to stop at a persons house to drop off something. In the mean time this person went to my parents home with all that stuff on in the middle of the summer and Taffy bit him. Yes she drew blood. I wish she would have done more damage to this guy. He did get back in his car and he did call later and he did say that he was not only going to kill my mother yet but the dog too.
 
Taffy did good and I will defend her to the day I die. If Taffy had not bit the man what do you think could have happened to my mother that day?????
 
That was the only person this dog bit in her life and she did live to be a old dog.
 
Now back to the original topic please.

Ok I`m back again. I hope that I did not sound harsh. If so I didn`t mean it and I`m sorry. Its just in my mind there is a time for a dog to bite. And I think that was just one of those times that it was ok.

I don't really care whether GSDs "turn" on people or not.  Maybe it's true, maybe it's not.  It doesn't matter to me because I can only be responsible for the socialization of my own dog.  If someone else does not properly train their dog and allows it's insecurity and/or aggression to constantly escalate, I can't really make excuses for them or the dog.  I'm not scared of GSDs, never have been (I have pics of me when I was 18 mos old playing outside in my snow suit with a stray GSD.  Also have a pic from the same age where my uncle's HUGE Rottie is licking my neck from behind and I'm laughing).  All I can hope for is that I do well by my dog and we are a good example of the breed and how they are meant to behave.

No I was responding to your comments about GSDs and protective temperments setting up a predisposition to biting (how I interpreted what you wrote).  I was pointing out that stable working temperments regardless of breed are less likely to result in bites.  Lack of socialization and failure to train good bite inhibition are the more likely reasons and those reasons are valid regardless of breed.

ORIGINAL: JMack

If someone shows up in my yard dressed in gloves and a full face mask, a dog bite would be the least of their problems.  I'd come tearing out with a baseball bat while dialing 911 and screaming at full volume.

I would HOPE that Gypsy would be after anyone dressed like a serial killer. IF this person got past her, then he would have to deal with ME--with a knife, baseball bat AND  anything else I could use to defend my family.  TH, you are out of line here.

I have been bitten several times--twice by GSDs.  Do I have a fear of the breed? No--these were just bad examples of the breed.

I grew up with a GSD.  She was the sweetest dog in the world.  But my parents were aware of the rep of the dog for turning and we were watched with our dog.  We went to training with our dog also.  She never showed anything but love for us.  We knew how to treat a dog though.  My parents were robbed on our front porch at gunpoint.  Our dog heard it thru the door and barked like crazy but couldn't get out the door to protect them.  I know she would have.  When she was about a year old an Airdale jumped out of a car window and bit here up very badly.   It was very tramatic for us young kids to see this.  It was horrid.  My dog didn't fight back.  He just cried.  Not such a tough dog in our book!
I have been bit in the face by a Black Lab.  A family dog that never did that before.  Unprovoked by the way.  Sitting on the couch chatting and it flew across the room at me.  And a Golden bit my Brittany while leach walking.  So I guess I feel that I am on guard with any breed until the signs are there that it is okay to approach and interact.  I get funny vibes often where I don't make eye contact and just ignore certain dogs.  Breed doesn't really matter.

I was bitten in the face by an Australian Cattle Dog when I was really little.  Still have a couple small scars from it.  He was my grandparent's dog, and it was my fault that he bit me (he was a farm dog, a working dog, and I was playing around with his face while he was eating.  this dog definitely wasn't one of those that they had trained not to be food agressive, because that's basically how their animals survived), but they were those kind of people that if an animals hurts someone, its shot.  I was so sad...I didn't want them to do it, and this was right after I'd been bitten!  But I've never been afraid of ACDs or any other dog for that matter.  I think people just get ideas into their heads and end up thinking that that's the way it is, whether its really that way or not...
 
As far as GSDs turning on their owners, its the same thing with Dobes.  People would actually say to me "don't you know that Dobermans turn on their owners?" and my all-time favorite "Their brains don't stop growing after their skulls do, so they go insane!"  My dog never bit anyone in his life.  Ever.  I've never owned a GSD, but we did have a GSD/collie mix, and she was a gorgeous, loving dog that would never hurt a fly.  I've been around a lot of GSDs too, and I've never felt at all threatened by one.  I even had to take care of two VERY dog aggressive un-neautered males that would jump and nip and pull and just overall be very "bad" dogs.  I don't know how their owners could put up with their behavior, but I never once thought about them attacking me.  They were just untrained dogs.  The worst trend I've seen with GSDs is their tendency to be shy and dog aggressive (just coming from my experience with GSDs around here that board with us).  We board 4 of them regularly and only 1 is not dog aggressive, and 2 are VERY shy.  I also think it comes down to popularity issues.  Breeds are ruined when they become very popular.  Labs are being ruined, obviously pit bulls are being ruined.  And Dalmatians have been ruined for a long time...    Ever Dali I see has some health problem. 
 
And as far as the guy coming up to my house in a ski mask...I definitely wouldn't mind if my dog bit him.  I mean seriously, who comes up to someone's house in a ski mask???  Unless you're planning on going on a ski trip with friends, no one should be coming to your house in a ski mask! 
 
Sorry for the uber-long post...lol!
 

I have to defend the GSD...I have had Shepherds all my life for a very long time...Not one of them has ever shown any signs of biting anyone....I find them to be the most loving breed...That said the Shepherd I have now loves other dogs she is so gentle...She loves people...I was walking her one day and a lady with a Golden moved off the path so she didn't have to come close to my dog....I told her my dog is very nice she wont hurt you....after she saw how gentle she was and how nice my dog was with hers....she told me she always thought GSD were aggresive because there used as police dogs....Funny how people get things in there mind....Never have I beed scared of a GSD or any other dog for that matter...

Workingdoglover

People would actually say to me "don't you know that Dobermans turn on their owners?" and my all-time favorite "Their brains don't stop growing after their skulls do, so they go insane!"

[sm=rotfl.gif][sm=rotfl.gif]  After I finally stopped laughing, I would be sorely tempted to tell that person that that was one of the most absurd things that I had every heard.  I usually try to be more tactful than that, but the only other words I can think of at the moment are "stupid", "ridiculous", "preposterous", and "outrageous". 

I used to be slightly nervous around GSD's. My dad owned a GSD when I was little and she was very loving, but very protective over my dad and he encouraged it[&:] One day my dad was sitting on the couch beside her and I walked up to give my dad a hug and she bit me in the face. I still have indents on the top of my head where her teeth went. But I can't say I was scared of that breed after, nervous but definatly not scared.

My grand-aunt and her family had a GSD/Lab mix who was the sweetest thing in the world. I was 9 at the time, and this dog was so gentle and mellow. My mom accidentally stepped on her tail, but all she did was yelp and move out of the way.  

I know if someone came to my house intend on stealing or causing damage in some way, any dog would sense that. I don't think that dog attacked because of the clothes, I think it was the intent. If a dog can sense fear, then they can sense aggression against their family. To be honest, I wouldn't blame any dog for defending it's family. We had  a GSD when I was a teenager who was over protective of my little sister. Anyone who was not family was not allowed close, and all it took was a small growl to warn them not to get too close. She never attacked anyone, although she did pin someone against the wall when they came in around the back garden. However, when we came out she released them and was happy with herself. GSDs are very protective, and it was very obvious with her. She would have done the same for any of us.
 
I was bitten twice by the same dog. The first time was my fault, I came around the back of their house. The second was not my fault and totally unprovoked. They never offered to put the dog down, which we could have pushed for, but I never trusted that dog again. He was a lab/gsd mix, but I would never blame a breed as such.
 
Here in Ireland there are people who consider GSD's as being practically devil dogs and will cross the road to avoid your dog, even as a pup!!They are only passing this fear onto their children. Some people are just so ignorant when it comes to dogs.