My shepherd was NOT aggressive; however, he was very protective!!! He NEVER even offered to bite anyone; but, he also allowed no one to approach my car if I was alone. Although he didn’t bite, he snarled & growled like he was going to eat you alive…at least when we were in the car he did. Walk into my house & he’d lick you to death!!! It is IMPERATIVE that you establish yourself as the alpha from day one..not because he’ll be aggressive; but he needs set boundaries & structure. They are extremely intelligent dogs. Mine loved Hardees cheeseburgers. IF I said I was going to Hardees, I couldn’t get into the car without him. At one point I started spelling Hardees so I didn’t have to say it out loud. After my 2nd time spelling, he figured out where I was going so spelling it out no longer worked!!! He was also smart enough that he learned how to open the back door & let himself out when he needed to go to the bathroom. That was often a plus!!!
Before I adopted the shepherd,I had a vet tell me that he strongly suggested that you adopt a male especially when there are children involved because female dogs tend to be much more aggressive than the males do. I know you said there are no children there, but I always worry about visiting kids.
Now, I’ve told you about all the good things, let me tell you the sad side. Shepherds are prone to being born with hip dysplasia which eventually cripples them to the point of having to be put down. Mine was 10 y/o before I knew it was time. His brother didn’t make it past 6 months. Of course, I didn’t put mine down just as soon as I found out that he had dysplasia. His brother’s owner chose to put his brother down immediately so they didn’t get attached. Mine didn’t require a lot of exercise; but, many do!!! With the open area you have, it should be able to get plenty of exercise.
I loved my shepherd He’s been gone for over 30 years & I still miss him & YES, I’d jump at the chance to get another!!!