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Will my German Shepherd be friendly to strangers if well-socialized?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

I love German Shepherds. But I know they can be wary of strangers if not raised right or if they come from bad breeders. But if it was raised with tons of socialisation plus puppy kindergarten and good friendly parents would it be be friendly with strangers? I have seen so many German Shepherds just fine with strangers. They are not really guarding dogs they aren’t in the group Gaurd but herding. Many herding dogs are friendly just as are pits just have to raise any dog right.

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on April 21st, 2018

Great question! You are absolutely correct that it's about raising the dog correctly. German Shepherds can be excellent, friendly, wonderful family dogs, but you do have to make sure you start training them from the very beginning. They can be very stubborn and do require a lot of training, but if you are committed to socializing it, behavior classes, and being consistent, you can have a wonderful dog. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

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