German Shepherds are an incredibly loving, intelligent breed of dog and are the ideal pet for active families. They love being with people and are generally extremely eager to please their human companions.

There are 5 things you should know before you make your decision.

1. Appearance and Size. The German Shepherd is a medium to large size dog. Height: 22-26 inches. Weight: 65-95 lbs

2. Personality. The German Shepherd dog is extremely intelligent, easily trainable, loyal and faithful throughout his life. The breed is popular for being a police dog, and often used in search in rescue missions. He is also a popular companion dog, a part of the family, and a guard dog.

3. Home and Family Relations. German shepherd are extremely tolerant by nature. For this reason they are excellent pets for children, and a natural protector. And with the proper obedience training they can be an imposing guard dog.

4. Training. Training should begin early in life. Untrained German shepherd have a tendency to be difficult to handle and/or control. German shepherd training is a process that can take many hours of work on both your part and that of your dog, but the rewards are certainly worth it. Basic training of your German shepherd will take anywhere between a few weeks to several months, depending on the amount of time you have to put in to it. You will find that it is time and effort very well spent.

5. Health. Most common diseases are Hip dysplasia, bloat, aortic stenosis.

A German shepherd in your family will require a lot of your time and careful training. They require daily exercise, if not, they will want to jump all over you and your guests in their excitement, especially when they are still young, and can also be aggressive towards other animals.