Q: Are German Shepherds good with kids? I have a 4 and 6-year old (both boys), and are wondering if the German Shepherd is a family dog. – Penelope R.

A: I completely understand why people have a tendency to think that a German Shepherd is not as child friendly as small dog. But essentially a dog is a dog, and every dog is a family dog. Dogs are in nature, a flock animal, and every breed on the planet needs a flock/family to belong to. I’m not saying that all dogs are the same, BUT every dog have the ability to compatible with kids. Some breeds have the rumor of being very good with kids. This kind of information should be taken with considerable reservations. Dogs are not born with a special relationship with children. However a dog is often very fond of kids, if it have had good and positive experiences with different children of different ages while the dog was growing up.

Children begging their parents for a dog, often results in impulse purchases that ends in disappointment for both the family and the innocent dog. However, children and dogs will enjoy each other tremendously and both benefit from the relationship. It has been proven that children who have grown up with dogs, are better to show empathy and care for others. Puppies who have been teased by children, will often be “scarred” for life and will have trouble connecting with children in the future. Dogs who haven’t had the opportunity to socialize with children, will often be uneasy in the presence of children.

I highly recommend that before buying an adult German Shepherd, it is essential that the German Shepherd have socialized with kids in the past. And when buying a puppy, it is very important that the children knows how to interact with the new family member. They need to understand that they have to treat the dog with respect (also remember to tell your kids friends). I hope this answer have been helpful, and good luck buying a German Shepherd. You won’t regret it!

So in short; are German Shepherd good with kids? YES!

Additional reading:
https://www.aspca.org (Teaching Your Dog How to Behave Around Children)

http://drsophiayin.com (Kids and Dogs: How Kids Should and Should Not Interact with Dogs)