It’s not entirely uncommon for a dog to take a disliking to a type of dog breed or type of dog in general for seemingly no reason. There are many dogs that absolutely love other dogs, except for certain breeds like German shepherds, but why?
There are a lot of potential reasons your dog doesn’t like a certain dog breed like the German shepherd. Perhaps they had a bad experience with a German shepherd when they were younger. It could also be a breed of dog that resembles a German shepherd could have given the dog a bad experience in the past, so your dog isn’t taking any chances.
It’s also possible that your dog has no particular reason. Most of the time, when a dog is aggressive towards other specific dog breeds, it’s highly likely that they feel threatened in some way.
Why Does My Dog Hate German Shepherds?
Just like humans, dogs have a good memory, and they remember who has hurt them in the past. Perhaps they had a negative experience with a German shepherd a long time ago or another breed that resembles a German shepherd. It’s possible that your dog simply isn’t going to take any chances and will go on the defensive immediately when seeing a German shepherd, or similar breed.
A German shepherd that they’ve been around in the past may have had too much energy, too aggressive, or too energetic, so your dog doesn’t want to deal with another dog that reminds them of that specific dog. It doesn’t take a dog long to make a quick judgment on another individual dog, and they don’t usually change their mind.
Another possibility could be the gender of the German shepherd that they’ve been different around. For example, an alpha dog would prefer to hang out with females and might be hostile towards other males he may see as competitors.
Dogs like humans have friends, and that’s who they want to hang out with. That could be the reason for a dog not wanting to hang out with another dog.
If for whatever reason, your dog doesn’t like German shepherds, it may be best to keep your dog away from German shepherds or dogs similar to that breed. Remember that your dog doesn’t have to like all dogs. Your dog should have a healthy balance between choosing the dog that they enjoy being around, along with those they won’t. So, if your dog doesn’t like German shepherd-type dogs, it will be very hard to teach your dog to change their feelings in the future. In cases like this, it’s simply best to keep your dog away from them.
It’s common for a dog to prefer dogs that are their own kind, or breed, and tend to like dogs that are more similar to them. Your dog may be neutral towards particular breeds because they have no experience with them. Your dog will always act better around dog breeds that they’ve socialized well with in the past.
The issue mightn’t necessarily be the German shepherd breed. It’s possible that the dog they don’t like reminds them of something in their past that was painful.
Size may also be an issue. For example, if you have a smaller dog and they suddenly see a bigger dog, they may freak out a little. They mightn’t even know whether it’s a dog or some other kind of animal.
There’re a lot of reasons why your dog mightn’t like German shepherds. It’s natural for dogs to be aggressive when they are afraid or feel threatened. The more socialized a dog is, the less aggressive he will be towards other dogs.
Why Is My Dog Aggressive Towards German Shepherds?
If your dog is male, he could be trying to defend his territory, or fight off what he sees as competition for a female dog. This is especially true if a male dog can sense a female in heat anywhere in the area. In a situation like this, your dog could just be fighting off what he sees as a threat to his territory.
It’s normal for a dog to be hostile towards dog breeds that they aren’t familiar with. Dogs don’t usually have a lot of grey areas when it comes to other animals in general. For many dogs, it’s as simple as they’re either friend or foe, and your dog has to make a snap judgment.
This was very important when they were in the wild and had to do that for survival. Defending their territory would have played a big part in that as well. This behaviour is seen as strange in today’s world, where they often live in houses with their humans. Such skills are seen as a nuisance rather than being seen as the basic survival skills that they are.
Anxiety and fear are major causes of dog aggression. The reason for such emotions could be down to pretty much anything. This behaviour could also be a result of poor training and conditioning.
Put simply, dogs tend to be either alpha or submissive. It’s their nature to be either one or the other. They’ll react differently when they’re nervous when it comes to new surroundings or dogs they’re not familiar with.
Alpha dog symptoms include:
- Growling
- Biting,
- Showing their teeth
- Snapping or threatening
- Lunging
A submissive dog will react to the same situation differently.
More passive dogs will have submissive body postures, including:
- Crouching
- Rolling over
- Tail tucked
- Licking lips
- Backing up
How To Get My Dog To Be Friendly Towards German Shepherds?
Socialization and training is very important, as it helps to get a dog to be friendly towards specific dog breeds – or at least tolerant – other dog breeds. That’s why it’s always recommended to socialize dogs when they’re young by letting them play with other dogs the same age.
If your dog is simply not particularly interested in a specific dog breed, there is no reason to try to make the dog be more friendly. Remember that your dog has preferences just as people do, so if it is just preference, it is better to leave it alone.
If your dog automatically turns to aggression towards German shepherds, this is another matter entirely. It’s likely that your dog is using aggression as a defensive measure. Aggression often results in fear or nervousness.
You should try to train your dog to relax and sit on command. For this, they should learn to always be paying attention to you, and that will help them hear the command. You need to be able to do this quickly before any situation arises. The more intense the dog gets, the less it’ll hear you. Using small food treats can be very useful for getting your dog’s attention to you, so they can better hear your commands.
The most important thing is to keep your dog under control when in tense situations for the safety of your dog, and for the other dog.
