Why is my German Shepherd so dumb?

If your German Shepherd does dump things then this post will show you why and what you can do about it.

So, why is my German Shepherd so dumb? Possible reasons are that you didn’t train it properly, it didn’t socialize as a puppy or that it needs more exercise.

There are a number of things that you can consider when trying to figure out why your German Shepherd is so dumb. Depending on the cause there are also a number of things that you can do about it.

Why your German Shepherd is dumb

Each of the different reasons that your German Shepherd acts stupidly will likely come with a number of clues.

Below, I will mention a number of reasons that your German Shepherd might be doing it and the signs to look for.

Nature

There are some things that dogs will naturally do that seem stupid to us such as to eat dirt. However, there are often reasons that they do it.

For example, many experts think that dogs sometimes eat dirt since it can contain nutrients that they need or so that they make themselves throw up.

If there is a particular thing that your German Shepherd does that seems dumb then it is likely that other dogs have done it in the past. It would help to see if there is an explanation for it online or if it seems unhealthy it would help to consult with a vet.

It didn’t socialize much as a puppy

The reason that your German Shepherd acts in a dumb way might be that it didn’t socialize much as a puppy.

When German Shepherds are puppies they will learn how to interact with other pets and people when playing with them.

If your German Shepherd wasn’t around many other people or puppies then it might not have learned how it is supposed to act.

This would be more likely to be the reason if the way that it acts dumb is by acting in a strange way around other pets and people.

You haven’t trained it

If your German Shepherd is dumb because it won’t follow your command then it is likely to be that it is actually because you have not trained it. While German Shepherds are generally considered as intelligent dogs, it is still the case that they need to be trained to act the way that you want them to.

You trained it the wrong way

If you have trained your German Shepherd then it could be the case that you trained it the wrong way. It might be the case that you gave it confusing commands, didn’t use the right rewards or that you inadvertently rewarded it for not doing what you wanted as well.

In this case, it would likely help to start over by using positive reinforcement training.

You haven’t trained it in multiple locations

When training your German Shepherd to do something it is important to do it in multiple locations. Dogs will often not carry over training well into new environments. This is because the new environments can have multiple new distractions.

Instead, it would help to start out by training your German Shepherd in an easy environment and then to build up to training it in more challenging environments.

It needs more exercise

If your German Shepherd has not been getting much exercise then it could be causing it to become restless and to struggle to keep its attention on you.

Generally, it is recommended that a German Shepherd get at least an hour of exercise per day. You can give it exercise by walking it, playing fetch with it or having a dog walker do it for you.

Related post: Ways to exercise your German Shepherd.

You have been reinforcing the behavior

It could also be the case that you have been inadvertently rewarding it when it has been behaving in a way that you don’t want it to. This would be more likely to be the case if your method to get it to stop being dumb is to give it treats, attention or something else that it likes.

Things to consider

Before getting your German Shepherd to be less dumb it would help to have a better understanding of what might be the cause.

Consider how it is dumb

The way that your dog is dumb is something that will be helpful to consider.

For example, it is normal for dogs to bark at things that don’t move. Whereas, if it is dumb in that it doesn’t follow your command then it would be more likely that you need to train it more.

If it became dumb suddenly

If your German Shepherd started being dumb suddenly then it would help to consider what else happened at around the same time that it started happening.

If you are unsure the taking it to the vet would likely be the best option for you.

How old your German Shepherd is

It would also help to consider its age. If it is still young then it will be more likely to do dumb things since it has not learned how it is meant to act yet.

How to get your German Shepherd to be less dumb

Below, I will mention a number of things that you can do to get your German Shepherd to act in a less dumb way.

You can look at the book Training Your German Shepherd on Amazon to get more tips about how you can train your GSD.

Train it using positive reinforcement training

Positive reinforcement training is where you train your German Shepherd to do things that you want it to by rewarding it when it shows signs of doing it or when it does it.

You can watch the video below to see more on positive reinforcement training.

Avoid reinforcing bad behaviors

While positive reinforcement training can be highly effective it can also work against you.

This is because, if you reward bad behaviors, then it will cause your German Shepherd to learn to do them more.

Instead, it would help to avoid rewarding it when it does dumb things and to avoid giving it attention unless it is necessary. Then you could reward your German Shepherd when it acts the way that you want it to.

Ensure that you are feeding it correctly

If it is not getting the nutrients that it needs in its diet, it could be causing your German Shepherd to do stupid things. If you want to get your German Shepherd to be less dumb and for it to be as healthy as possible it is important to make sure that it is eating correctly.

You can look here to see what you should be feeding it.

If you are unsure of what food to get for your German Shepherd, consider getting dog food designed specifically for German Shepherds. You can get a GSD specific dog food on Amazon here and one for GSD puppies on Chewy here. 

Ensure that it is getting enough exercise

As mentioned above German Shepherds are supposed to be getting a lot of exercise on a daily basis. When they do not get much exercise it can cause them to develop behavioral issues.

Some ways to give your German Shepherd exercise would be to walk it, play fetch with it or to have a dog walker do it for you.

Take it to a vet

If you are unsure of why your German Shepherd is being dumb then it would help to get the help of a vet. That way you will be able to rule out illness or injury.