The barking thing is a "grey point." Struddell luv'd everyone she met?? In retrospect apparently she was correct!
I trust my dogs so if they "actually" feel that "something" is off with a person ...rest assured I trust their instincts!
Every dog pretty much barks at a knock on the front door. But a well trained dog doesn't bark at people walking by on the sidewalk??
A dog that barks at "everything" is not of much value as a guard dog?? A proper guard dog should be able to discern between what is "normal" background noise and what is not!
If my dogs bark inside the house or in the yard ... "something" is up! They lived next door to dogs on both sides that barked "constantly!!" Those dogs still do!!! My dogs never paid them any mind.
If my guys barked "something was different???" It may have been nothing more that a "squirrel" on a powerline??
Not a lot of them out here to my knowledge but if they barked it meant something was different??
If Struddell my Boxer was let outside in the winter ...she'd make a quick dash to the back of the yard go potty and then "boom" bark, bark back at the door within minutes if not seconds!
By contrast my GSD, who if I was in the house will literally lay quietly by my feet within five feet or less of me ...sigh ....
If I let him outside he will stay outside for hours! He won't make a sound "unless" he "actually" hears "something" unusual??? I have to remember to let him in!
I would say that if you have a well trained dog of "either" breed things like that are the "differences" you will see. It came as a surprise to me??
Been eight years with "Rocky" GSD, and the above situation has not changed.
On the other hand Rocky is a WL GSD, and his people "issue" was a huge surprise to me ???
No barking, no lunging no, no out of control "craziness!" Company was greeted with a low rumbling growl and a cold hard stare!!!
I will grant that it could have been a "fear" of people reaction?? Nonetheless it told me that "enticing company" into his space was "not" a good idea!!
I'd say the fact that he is safe with company and in public and has not bitten anyone ...says I was right! I still don't encourage any visitors in the home to pet him. He stays in "Place" and I let no one touch him!
My Boxer?? Company was a "great time for all!" Men luv'd her smiling and giggling for all involved at her antics! Wigging and licking faces as she walked from lap to lap! She slept with company and sulked when they left.
Women were pretty "cool" to her antics?? Personally I think they were jealous of her slim figure!
My GSD?? He is much more like "nice to see you ...when you leaving???" That kinda sums up the difference in the two breeds. A SL GSD I don't know?? If people aren't throwing snide remarks at them on the GSD Board, I have heard them described as Lab like?? I have no idea myself ??I have never met a "people friendly" GSD but I heard of them on the GSD Forum.
Training and management is key with "all" dogs but especially "working dogs!" That is pretty much universal!
With either breed it's game on! I'd say a badly behaved Boxer could drive "you" nutty! A badly behaved GSD ...could get you sued!
A PPD is "serious" business! A fully PPD is either a serious comment in time and money or a half trained "mickey mouse" job with either breed is a "law suit" waiting for a place to happen!
What I say "constantly" on the GSD Board that most likely ticks off Jax08??? Is that "I have never seen a badly behaved Boxer! "Every" Boxer I have ever seen was just like my Struddell." (high praise indeed!)
That includes "Deer Dog" who I took from his owner hands "struggling to rein in his pulling Boxer" and "Tick Tac Toe' he was "claimed to be a puller and had people issues.
They were both fine with me on walks and I used a Slip Lead Leash on both dogs. I only understood TIc Tac Toe had a "serious fear of people issue" when someone I was speaking to asked to pet him.
They started to approach us and TTT pressed in next to me (he had been standing calmly by my side while I spoke) I looked down and his eyes were big as saucers!! Good enough! My hand when out and I said "No he's in training" and we moved on!
He understood "Daddy" had his back! That is the key to properly raising any dog "especially" a working line dog.
They are both great "Breeds" and both very different experiences.