The German Shepherd is one of the most recognizable dog breeds. Many people dream of owning a German Shepherd because of the breed’s loyalty, kindness, and beauty. This breed is intensely loyal. They are also well-known for preferring to spend time with just their one favorite person.
The German Shepherd breed has loyalty bred into them. This can lead to their preference for a single person in your family. This can be great for those who live alone. It can cause hurt feelings if everyone in the family wants to enjoy the same intense love from these dogs.
Do German Shepherds Have a Favorite Person?
It is very common for German Shepherds to select a favorite person to spend time with every day. This is because of the way that the German Shepherd was selectively bred. It is likely that your German Shepherd will pick just one person to lavish with their love.
This does not mean that they will not be kind to other people in the home. It also doesn’t mean that they do not love the rest of their family “pack”.
The bond that a German Shepherd has with their favorite person is created by certain actions. You need to keep these factors in mind before you get a German Shepherd dog. You can sometimes foster a bond with these dogs by engaging in the activities they love most.
Factors That Can Influence German Shepherd Attachment
There are some activities that will influence a German Shepherd to choose one person as their favorite. You need to make sure you are the person who engages in these activities to be chosen as your dog’s favorite human.
Spending Time Together
The person who spends the most time interacting with a German Shepherd will usually be their favorite person. In some cases, the person who the dog finds to be the most mentally engaging is the person they will fixate on.
You can make sure that your shepherd bonds with you by being around a lot and by playing with them and teaching them tricks and skills.
The more time that you spend with a German Shepherd, the more likely it will be that they will focus on you and want to be with you.
Read Also: 20 Stimulating Jobs for German Shepherds
Caregiving
The person who feeds a dog, brushes it, and takes it for walks is often the dog’s favorite person. This is true of nearly every dog breed, not just German Shepherds. This breed loves to engage in activities that make them feel safe and loved. The person who offers this kind of care will become the focus of their love in most cases.
Many people report that their German Shepherd is most attached to their child, and this is often because kids are given household chores to do. These chores often include caring for the dog or playing with the dog.
Training and Play
When a German Shepherd is engaged in an activity, they will feel attached to the person who is sharing it with them. This means that training, play, and exercise time can be drivers of a strong bond between a German Shepherd and a specific person.
This is also an area where people who are not a good fit for the breed often run into problems with their German Shepherd. If you are not able to offer training time and playtime to this breed, they can end up depressed or might even become aggressive.
Playtime and training time are very important to the well-being of German Shepherds. You should make sure that these activities are a big part of your dog’s life. We recommend that you learn to train your German Shepherd from the best, Dr. Ian Dunbar’s SIRIUS Dog Trainer Academy, who created the first off leash puppy socialization and training classes.
Do German Shepherds Have a True Master?
Many German Shepherd trainers will tell you that a shepherd will have a favorite person, and they will also have a true master. In some families, this is the same person, but in other instances, two unique people fill these roles.
This is most common in a situation where there are kids in the family providing a lot of the care for the dog. These kids might be the favorite person, but they are typically not the true master.
A true master is someone who a German Shepherd respects as the leader of the “pack”. This is often the person who these dogs will come to when they are hurt or have gotten scared, or need affirmation.
Signs That You are A German Shepherd’s Favorite Person
They Are Always With You
If you are the favorite person of a German Shepherd, they will want to be with you no matter where you go. If you go upstairs, they will follow you, if you go outside, they will go with you. They might even want to be in the bathroom with you!
They Ask you To Play With Them
German Shepherds are passionate about playtime. They think that humans love playtime as much as they do. If your shepherd asks you to throw their ball or they come to you with their leash, they are telling you they love spending time with you.
They Protect You
Shepherds who have a favorite person will be protective of this person. German Shepherds will sometimes want to keep others away from their favorite person. German Shepherds were bred to be protectors, and they often display this behavior in defense of their favorite person.
What Does it Mean to Be the Favorite Person for Your Dog
Being the “favorite” person in a house with a German Shepherd does come with some responsibilities. You will need to make sure that your dog still allows other people to brush them and play with them and care for them.
Make sure that your dog does not become possessive and act with aggression toward others in the home or your friends when they come over.
German Shepherds should spend time with everyone in the family each week. You will also need to make sure that your dog gets socialized with others so that they are not too fixated on just you.
Read Also: What Does Owning a German Shepherd Say About You?
How to Build a Healthy Bond With a German Shepherd
It is completely natural for your German Shepherd to want to bond with just one person very tightly. You will also need to make sure that you are creating a respectful and healthy bond with your dog.
This means that your pet will still need to be trained to be patient, and they might need to be crate trained as well. You will need to take your dog out to be socialized with other pets and owners in the dog park or to friends’ houses. You will also need to require that your dog allow other people to care for them.
Many German Shepherds do not eat and can become depressed when their favorite person is not around. This can lead to major issues if you are on vacation or your dog has to stay at the vet hospital. Being sure that your dog is used to being cared for by others can help to make these problems less of an issue.
Do German Shepherds Pick New Favorites Over Time?
In some cases, a German Shepherd’s preferences for their favorite person can shift over time. This might be due to a change in the household, such as a teenager going to college or the loss of a family member.
German Shepherds can sometimes also change their preferences as they age and become less active. Sometimes when changes in your pet’s activity level take place, they will pick a new person to prefer to spend time with who is less active.
Can a German Shepherd Have More Than One Favorite Person?
In most cases, German Shepherds will only ever have a single favorite person that they love spending time with. In the case of families with a bunch of children, the dog might like them all equally. Your shepherd might always prefer children to adults who live in the home.
In homes where a German Shepherd is owned by a couple or a pair of friends, the dog might share their affection equally between their two owners.
Each dog is unique. Your German Shepherd might not create such strong bonds with specific people in your home.
German Shepherds Are Very Loyal and Tend to Focus on One Person
If you are planning to get a German Shepherd this guide can be a big help. You need to be aware that this breed of dog tends to focus on a single favorite person.
This can sometimes cause hard feelings in families with lots of kids. It can also be an issue for couples who get a dog who only wants to spend time with one of them.
You can foster shared relationships with your dog by making sure that everyone in the family helps to care for it and spends time with it. Make sure that you are prepared for your German Shepherd to have a favorite person so that no one in your family has hurt feelings.