The German Shepherd dog is probably the most popular breed of dog in the world. But that does not mean that it is the right breed for everyone. Animal shelters euthanize thousands of German Shepherd Dogs, as well as other breeds, every year because people have gotten the dog, and then realized that it was not suited to them and their lifestyle.

Ask yourself.......Why do you want a shepherd? What you want to do with your shepherd?

Really what will you DO with it? Running, agility, herding, flyball, obedience, rally obedience, freestyle, frisbee?

German Shepherd Dogs are DO dogs. Do this with you. Do that with you.

The German Shepherd Dog as a breed was bred to WORK. Work has also become sport or work or lots of hard play and plenty of exercise. 99.99% of GSDs are NOT couch potatoes until after their exercise and mental needs are met.

German Shepherds need socialization, that means meeting a bazillion people and going a bazillion places and taking enough obedience classes to be good and safe in public.

Without obedience training, real training in classes, they tend to decide that they're smart, faster and stronger and need to protect you.

More German Shepherds are relinquished to shelters and rescues because they were not trained and then they were put in the backyard and they got bored and ate the yard, the house and a neighbor.

Are you the right home for a shepherd? Do you have the time to train the dog and the money to train the dog in classes? Do you have time for a dog that may need over an hour of exercise a day, or more? And training time?

Are you the right home for a dog that needs LOTS of time out training and meeting new people and dogs in safe environments?

Are you the right home for a dog that without training can bounce higher than your shoulder clawing you with welcome and love?

Are you the right home for a German SHEDDER? Do you own a good vacuum? Can you afford one? They shed, they SHED LOTS, no really....LOTS. Is someone in your home a clean freak, do they LIKE cleaning up dog hair?

German Shepherds are a large breed, an energetic breed, an intelligent and protective breed. Without intelligent guidance, consistent and fair training, and mental and physical outlets for all that brain and energy, German Shepherds can become something of a large territorial whirlwind of interesting forms of destruction. Walls, stairs, cabinets, furniture, shoes, things on counters and wall hangings, they like drywall, they've taken apart decks and dug holes to China.

If you don't have time to train, exercise, provide mental work and lots of companionship, find another breed. Don't get a dog you don't have the time and resources for.

Don't get one because they're cool, because they are way cool. Don't get one because they're beautiful, because they are really beautiful.

Don't get one for protection, get a security service because dogs that actually bite people are rarely popular.

Get one only if it suits your lifestyle and your place in your life. Dogs are for a lifetime. They don't get to pick you. You get to choose. CHOOSE wisely, for the sake of the dog, since humans rarely pay the cost of a poor choice.

So, now after reading this, do you still think that a German Shepherd is the breed for you, and that you are the human for them? They really are a wonderful breed but, obviously, not the breed for everyone.

There were over 5000 shepherds on petfinder.org yesterday.