This page is on genetically instilled psychological traits in German Shepherd Dogs. The character traits in German Shepherd Dogs depend on many factors that can be categorized into purely psychological traits, psychological and genetic traits, psychological and physiological traits and purely genetic traits. About German Shepherd Dog is a website dedicated solely for the German Shepherd Dog breed with a motive to help GSD owners become better people for their dogs. Character traits in German Shepherd Dogs are of utmost important things to be understood in order to become a better GSD owner. While some traits are purely psychological and some are purely genetic, a few are there that are combination of the two. The psychological traits backed by genetic instillation are something that every German Shepherd owners should know. The most interesting things in the GSD breed are their unique character traits – especially the psychological traits that are genetically based.
German Shepherd Dogs are highly territorial and protective by nature, which are their psychological traits that are backed by a set of genetic traits instilled into them insofar their guarding instinct is concerned. As for another example, their nature of being suspicious and wariness are hardwired psychological traits in German Shepherd Dogs that are trained for guarding purpose. These instincts are genetically engineered and instilled into the progenitors for making them trainable to work as guard dogs.
The genetically driven psychological traits in German Shepherd Dogs are as follows:
- Courage
Courage, which can be described as fearlessness is a psychological trait in German Shepherds. German Shepherds, if well bred, usually do not fear danger. Being considered as a positive side effect of confidence, this psychological trait in GSD breed is backed by specific gene that was instilled into the dog by breeding out the fear psychology through selective breeding programs. This genetically instilled psychological trait in GSD has been one of the most important components of typical German Shepherd Dog character. Dogs in nature generally have low confidence level and are comparatively softer and less courageous than those maintained at home as pets and working companions. It is only through scientific breeding, that the psychological trait of courageousness has been induced into the breed.
- Fear
Alike courage, fear is again another genetically driven psychological trait in German Shepherds. Despite undertaking selective breeding programs to breed out the gene that triggers fear trait in the dog, many well breed specimen have still shown fearful behavior. Number factors may be responsible to bring in fear in a German Shepherd Dog. While environmental situations and improper socialization may affect the dog’s psychology, incorrect breeding programs, on the other hand, may also be responsible for fearfulness in German Shepherds. Sense of fear, in right degree is essential component and normal, as it is one of the natural measure of protection form real danger. Excessively fearful behavior is undesirable character trait in German Shepherd Dogs and is a serious fault too. The fearless traits in GSD can be easily nurtured through proper socializing to situations, sounds, strangers, other animals and other environmental factors. If fear is genetically instilled into a specimen through incorrect breeding program, even socializing does not help as much.
- Moodiness
Moodiness is genetically inherited psychological trait in a GSD specimen. Moodiness is a typical behavior in German Shepherd Dog that can be found even in many good blood lines and is considered as a tendency of the dog being inconsistency in its standard behavior. This is considered as a behavior problem – a serious fault that is transfused genetically into some subjects. Moodiness is viewed as a faulty genetic instillation that affects the dog’s psychological traits and makes the dog behave inconsistently at times. For instance, a dog with such a fault will not work as nice as it did the previous day. Although moodiness does not mean that the dog is a worst worker, still it is undesirable as a German Shepherd Dog character, because this genetically inherited psychological trait in German Shepherds affect his routine working schedule, which diminishes its utility. But “utility is the true criterion of its beauty”, as was told by Captain Max Von Stephanitz, the father of the breed. Moodiness in GSD usually cannot be noticed, until it becomes too prominent.
- Viciousness
Viciousness, which is another genetically based psychological trait in German Shepherds, can be viewed as an adverse side effect of moodiness trait. Viciousness is described as a tendency of unwarranted outburst accompanied with vicious aggression. This is a deviation from standard German Shepherd Dog behavior; hence undesirable. Being observed under unpredictable situations, this psychological trait of vicious aggression is a result of faulty genetic instillation. Observed quietly rarely, this genetically based psychological trait in German Shepherd Dog breed can be really dangerous when exhibited.
- Temperament
Temperament of German Shepherd Dog has always been a very hot topic of discussion amongst the German Shepherd enthusiasts. It is another genetically based, psychological trait and is highly influenced by certain environmental factors. Temperament is defined as the way the dog behaves and can be determined under three distinctive modes, viz. full, moderate and poor. A well bred German Shepherd Dog with full temperament will be zestful and full of zeal. With moderate temperament also the dog exhibits zesty attitude, but at a moderate level, while a subject with poor temperament will be a bit sluggish by nature. All these modes are specific psychological character traits that are genetically inherited from the dam and sire.
Picking the right German Shepherd puppy is not only an art, but a science alongside. If you are looking for a German Shepherd puppy, all you need to do is to spare serious thoughts on the character traits displayed by the parent animals. Dam or a sire with specific behavior(s) influenced by the genetically based psychological traits like fearfulness, moodiness and viciousness may produce healthy puppies with right degree of agility, correct pigmentation, good anatomy, correct angulation, but not correct behavior as per the GSD standard demands.
