Picking a Female German Shepherd for your Family

Dogs

The German Shepherd is one of America’s most popular and well-known dog breeds. Regardless of whether you bring home a male or female, they are an intelligent and capable working dog with unmatched devotion and courage.

If you’re sure a German Shepherd is the right dog for you, you may be wondering which gender will be a fit for your family.

Both females and males can exhibit the best qualities of German Shepherds. They can be equally loving and devoted, and both can be tough, helpful and brave.

There are some traits specific to each gender that are fairly common. Females often tend to be a little more protective of their family, whereas a male may show more territorial and dominant behavior. On walks, males often mark their territory at every opportunity. Females are generally a bit more affectionate, while males tend to be a bit more independent or standoffish. But females may be less patient than males when it comes to tolerating behavior like jumping or fur pulling from young children.

A female German Shepherd is usually a bit smaller and tends to reach maturity faster than a male. Females are often easy to spot, as they usually appear slightly more refined or feminine than male dogs. A female German Shepherd’s early maturity gives her a leg up when it comes to her training. This does not mean she is more intelligent than the male dog overall, but when it comes time to learn behaviors or tasks, she might be a little easier to work with.