German Shepherds: to Be Afraid or Not Afraid

Think back to when you were little, or even now, and raise your hand if you have ever been chased by a dog? Bit by a dog? Attacked by a dog? Well, according to the Pawprints and Purrs website, there is still a large population of children and adults who have a fear or phobia of dogs, especially of commonly large dogs such as the German Shepherd. Well, I am here to talk about the German Shepherd because it is the one canine that is perceived and stereotyped as being an overly aggressive dog and a known attacker. And whether or not you have a fear of dogs or German shepherds, individuals need to be better informed about its characteristics and personality traits so that they won’t be perceived as a fearful dog and so that individuals who do fear them will come to fear them less. German Shepherds are often mistaken as one of the most aggressive canines in the world. While this is true, it is, however, a canine of noble birth that provides great love and the safest protection for its owners.
Lets begin with why people are afraid of German shepherds. This large, agile and very intelligent dog can often be mistaken as an overly aggressive canine for many of reasons. For one, their appearance can be quite intimidating. The physical appearance of the German shepherd is a lot like that of a wolf and generally it is very nimble as well as athletic and awake (Smuts, 2006, p.117). The characteristics of its physical appearance are generally perceived as having a strong muscular structure that makes it an agile as well as vivacious and strong animal. Typically, a dog of this great size and confidence are seen as a danger in which people try to avoid.
Secondly, not only people but also other canines often see German shepherds whose fur is of dark color as a threat. If the color of the German Shepherd happens to be black, one can be sure that it is an exceptionally intelligent dog and tends to be more suspicious of strangers. A white German Shepherd however, is very sought