Loving Your Dog’s Quirks: 5 Things I Love About My White German Shepherd Dog

Many people love animals. Many of those people love dogs. A good number of those people love White German Shepherds. A few people love MY White German Shepherd. However, only I get to love the bond between Arie and me.

The bond between a pet parent and their pet is something unbreakable and beyond special. You get to know them in a way others don’t, and you grow to love little things about them. Like a human best friend, their oddities and quirks become endearing and some of the things you love about them most. For a few examples, here’s my top 5 list for Arie:

1. I love the fact that my dog is GINORMOUS. There is nothing more hilarious than walking a giant dog. Why? people. I love people watching, and seeing how people react to her cracks. me. up. “OH. That’s a BIG dog.” is a common statement. Some people will switch sidewalks to avoid her. Others, like a five-year-old in my neighborhood, want to get up close and personal. “Can I ride your puppy? She looks like a pony!” (I kid you not. It was said).

(Okay so home photos, but let's just appreciate the nostalgia of the amateur photography please.) Arie, and Shady, our lab mix. Shady is around 45 lbs, and sometimes feels a little inadequate next to gigantor.

2. I love the fact that my dog honks. Yes, honks. Arie is a very vocal pup for a dog that doesn’t bark often. She sighs. She grumbles. She “honks”, or at least that’s what I call the noise she makes when she’s over tired or exasperated. It’s reminiscent of a moose, which is fitting–If she had been male, her name would have been Moose.

3. When she was a pup, she looked like a bat. If you’ve ever seen a German Shepherd puppy, their ears look like they could take flight at any minute. Hilarious. 

EARS. and paws. Massive, especially when they were disproportionate puppy features. Also, this tired face would be optimal for "honks".

4. Shake in Arie language means a lot. Arie has come to associate “Shake” with making sure that things are okay. When we taught her to shake, she thought it was the best thing ever. Now, when she’s in trouble, or if I’m ill about something, she comes over to shake, as if to say “It’s okay mom, right?”

5. I love the fact that she’s a White German Shepherd. Having a WGSD is like having a hipster hair cut and a classic home. On one hand, you have something that’s trendy and cool, a little controversial, and a little rare so that it gets appreciated. It’s ever-changing, and constantly evolving. On the other, you have an amazing, classic and comfortable companion that makes you feel at ease, that you know will be with you for life, and that is all your own. WGSD are something that took time to create–Arie is from a breed that was built on decades of work and effort to make an amazing dog.

Just for the sheer cuteness of Arie as a puppy. (Is there anything more precious than a White German Shepherd puppy?!?) I had to do the token cute photo...after all, this is an Arie appreciation post.

Quirky, odd, or as expected as they may be, we ALL have those little somethings we love about our pets. What are your pet’s quirks? What are the little things that you love about them? Share your top five in a comment.