The Misconceptions Regarding German Shepherds by Joseph Dempsey

The Misconceptions Regarding German Shepherds

There is often debate about the true nature of my favorite dog breed: the German Shepherd. Usually when one thinks of a German Shepherd, they think of a vicious attack dog. Kind of like this:

 However, this depiction is usually very wrong and that is what I hope to convince you of. German Shepherds are very good dogs.


To start off, I would like to talk about Shepherds as working dogs. When I refer to them as "working dogs" I mean the K9 forces in the police and military. According to uswardogs.org, K9 units are used as: sentry dogs, scout dogs, explosive detecting dogs, and search and rescue dogs. German Shepherds save lives on a daily basis. However, German Shepherds do not only help in the military and police. They often serve as service dogs which can detect seizures, guide people, and serve as therapy dogs.

Furthermore, German Shepherds are also super protective and agile. I recently heard a story about a dog named Haus and her loving 7 year old owner, Molly. One day in Tampa, Florida, Molly was out picking up dog toys in the back yard and suddenly Haus started jumping around and barking.This was because he spotted a rattlesnake. Recognizing the danger, he stepped into action, putting himself between Molly and the snake, and ended up taking 3 bites from the snake to save Molly.

By now, you may be asking yourself "how can they even do all these things?". The answer to that is actually rather simple. On almost every listing, German Shepherds are ranked at least the 3rd smartest dog breed. To put this into perspective, according to an article by livescience.com "The dogs at the top of the pack are on par with a 2.5-year-old".

Whether it is their wolf-like appearance or just bad publicity, people always seem to have a bad impression of these great dogs. Not only do they help people ranging from any ordinary citizen to police, to the military every day, but they are also super protective as well as highly intelligent. After all, how could you dislike a face like that?

                                                  My Dogs: Daisy (left) and Sallah (right)

                                                            My dog Daisy being intelligent
 

Art Appreciation by Claire Riley

In school we slave to do well in science, math, english, and history classes, these being known as the courses above all others. The thing is, what if I can't grasp the concept of history, or science? "You just aren't trying HARD enough," the teachers will say. Maybe i'm not, maybe I need to spend all of my time dedicated to studying these classes in which I know I WON'T be perusing in the future...but what good does that do? See the thing is, I like to spend the time in which I'm supposed to be studying for unpolished academic classes to rather commit myself to the arts. It can sometimes feel like the arts are forgotten, buried under the heavy layers of work and responsibilities given by academic classes. Personally, I intend to pursue acting and singing in my future, in which case I believe I will not need to remember EXACTLY how the phospholipid bi-layer is constructed or how to recite The 10 Amendments. What really irks me though is how the kids who really love the academic fields, and who really dedicate themselves to only those classes are praised high above others. This can leave others with an uncanny feeling of doubt, as if what they wish to practice isn't worth their time. I can easily prove otherwise.

Kids wishing to engulf themselves in other classes such as sculpture, choir, orchestra, band, or even another language are exercising parts of their brain that the 4 core classes can't do! Music classes have been proven to develop thinking skills and improve intellect. Studying other languages actually slows the aging of the brain and raises productivity. Even sports, if you want to call them an art, can activate the brain and provide it with oxygen. The Fine Arts Department of the Katy Independent School District states, "The arts enhance the process of learning. The systems they nourish, which include our integrated sensory, attentional, cognitive, emotional, and motor capacities, are, in fact, the driving forces behind all other learning." The truth is, art really does work on specific parts of our brain, and we need to encounter both core and art classes to truly develop a healthy mind.

So sure, I may not become a rocket scientist. This doesn't mean I'm "not trying hard enough." In this case, why is it that for science-y kids, being "bad" at art and music means "it's just not their niche?" In reality, I don't think everyone has an aptitude for science, math, history, or english, nor do they for the arts. All we can do is learn to know the basics, and continue to persevere in the classes we enjoy the most.