Is German Shepherd right for me?

if you are going to get a dog that has to stay home more than 3-4 hours a day, i would recommend a german shepherd. they are WONDERFUL dogs and very smart. easy to train too, and the dog would get used to the schedule.

if you have a 2 bedroom app. i think the GS would be fine, he would have enough space to walk around and look out windows etc.

while you are gone:

you should probably leave a fan on low or a window cracked so the dog can get some fresh air.

make sure you have food and water (very important) available to the dog AT ALL TIMES.

also leave some chew toys or bones that will keep him busy.

if you only want the dog in one area of the app. put of fences/gates or close doors. dogs can also be trained to stay out of certain rooms.

you should also let a neighbor/friend know that the dog is in the app. while you are gone, just in case something goes wrong and the dog needs a way to get out of the building the other person will know whats going on.

you can, if you want, hire a dog walker to take your dog out once or twice while you are away. this way the dog can exercise and get fresh air and plenty of space.

if you have also not figured out where/how the dog will use the bathroom/potty when you are gone, you need to do this. hiring a neighbor (even teenagers) would not mind taking your dog outside for 10 mins just to let him do his thing. if you dont want him to be going outside with another person you can lay down newspaper or doggy potty papers/pads where the dog will get trained to use the paper.

when you come home:

give the dog attention! you just left him home all day, he wants some love!

play fetch with him!

take him outside!

give him fresh water

hope i helped! :)

You need to have experience owning a dog before choosing to get a German Shepherd. They are not for first time owners. You want the experience so you know just how much work taking care of a dog is. A German Shepherd will need a lot of daily exercise, frequent brushing, and most of all someone who will be able to control and teach them. You will have a hard time training, socializing, etc. a German Shepherd if you have never had a dog before. Start with a new owner friendly breed. Once you have some experience, find a German Shepherd to add to your family as a second dog.

If you are committed to having the dog I think it could work. If I were you I would get an adult dog from a rescue or a shelter. You are likely to find one with good house manners, some training and past the puppy stage, a rescue especially could help match you up with the right dog. A good walk in the morning before work and another at night are more than most dogs get. My concern is 14-16 hours alone if you decide to go visit someone, at the very least you will need to stop in and walk the dog. Having a dog, especially in an apartment takes some rearranging of your current lifestyle. Most people will tell you it is a bad idea, but most dogs are left alone while their owners are at work, so if you are committed to training and mental enrichment, I don't see why it couldn't work. If you get a dog you will probably find that it gets you outside more and you will meet many people because of it. You might even plan what you do around things that will be fun for both of you like hiking or going to the park.

I have the same work hours & own a GSD with no problems.

However I give her exercise often & she has a good amount of space to run & play in during free time. In general GSDs are an active dog & will need physical exercise as well as mental stimulation. Without something to do it will create something "fun" on it's own, which is usually not something that will be fun for you. Like chewing up your stuff. A bored GSD is an unhappy handful terror. If you have extra time in your mornings & evenings to walk her & work on training & such, thats great. If not... this isn't the right dog for you.

No dog of any breed should really be left alone for 14-16 hours. Imagine holding back having to pee for that long? Not a good thing. That will probably lead to you picking up accidents often & having an un house trained dog.

If you are planning on getting a puppy instead of an adult dog remember, its twice the work!

GSDs are awesome companions, so looking into this breed for that reason makes sense. But seriously keep in mind... if you plan on leaving this dog in an apartment for several hours then just coming home & relaxing inside on the couch after work.... look elsewhere.

If you want a big dog in an apartment, I suggest getting an older, calm dog. German Shepherds might not be the right breed, but our oldest GS is very calm and would be great for apartments. Maybe you can find a way to get to know the dog a bit before you buy it. Maybe you can "rent" it for a while or something. Gray Hounds are apparently good apartment dogs as they are a little lazy, but I don't have any experience with this breed so I don't dare to say much more than that.

In my opinion, there's no way you could get the dog as a puppy. Puppies require huge amounts of care and training, and based on your schedule, it doesn't sound like you have the time to do it, and that's just not fair to the animal. Even if you get the dog as an older dog (a couple years old) it still doesn't seem fair to leave it at home all day, or for multiple days if you're going away. You need to be able to spend time with the dog, in order to train it, but also to build a relationship with it. Honestly, I think you'd be much better off with a cat. They're much more independent, can be left alone if given enough food, and don't require training. Yet they'll still keep you company.

The German Shepherd is an intelligent and capable working dog. He’s versatile, excelling at most anything he's trained to do, competitive obedience and very faithful companion. If he's well trained and has always been exposed to kids especially as a puppy, he will turn out to be a great companion for children. In fact, some say he's a cross between a babysitter and a cop, both gentle with, and protective of, the children in his family.

One thing he's not good at is being alone for long periods of time. And if under-exercised and ignored by his family it may lead to behavior problems such as barking, chewing and digging. Please visit the link below for more details about German Shepherd’s personality, food intake, etc.

Here's more info on this breed.

http://tighturl.com/1inn

Yours is a very common problem unfortunately, you'd like a dog for the companionship it provides but aren't going to be able to handle the practicalities of looking after it when you're at work or visiting. If you could get someone like a dog-walker/sitter to look in at mid-day and kennel the dog when you wanted a weekend away then it could be viable.

It's borderline doable without the being away 16 hours requirement. You should adopt a dog who has lost his home thru no fault of his own and be able to meet home check criteria.

I have two Whites. They can be hardheaded dogs as they get older but they are very trainable. I never leave mine along for that length of time 14 to 16 hours. If i have to be away that long then I have someone come in to let them out to go to the bathroom. I have left mine alone for 8 hours during the work day ( i work 3rds) but as soon as i get home taking them out is the first thing i do.

We usually walk ours once a day for a good hour. And then we play ball or some other activity outside to get them running around. As long as you give them enough exercise during the day they will be alright in an apartment.

When we leave we usually leave the tv on so it isn't too quiet in the house. I have mine trained more so as protection. They are very protective of myself and my daughter. They usually lay by daughter or me or sit by us when we have people over.

I enjoy my WGSD.

No. they need space to run, and German Shepherds get very big, that is why alot of them end up in shelters because people who have no knowledge of the breed get upset and give the dog away. I don't think getting a dog, especially a German Shepherd, is a good idea for u. It seems you will not even be with your dog.

In otherwords, don't bother getting a dog, let alone a German Shepherd.