Yes, I will place puppies in ‘active’ pet homes. While a working German Shepherd can also make a great house dog and companion, this is when it’s also being actively trained or worked and has the outlet needed for its drives and working abilities. A pet home provides the pet portion of this equation, but not the other part, the working portion. The traits that make a GSD one of the top working dogs (drive, intelligence, energy, reactivity, character, possessiveness, resiliency, and athletic ability are the same traits that make a working line GSD in the right hands a super star and in the wrong hands a disaster in the making. A getman shepherd that does not have a daily outlet for its working energy/drives will quickly become bored/unhappy and will find things to do, which may include remodeling your house, landscaping your yard and re-arranging your furniture. Not to mention developing neurotic behaviors such as barking at the leaves on the trees, constant pacing, etc. Taking an 8 week puppy class at the local PetCo isn’t going to be enough of a training outlet for your GSD. If you want a working German Shepherd, you need to plan to be involved in a training club and train not just weekly with the club but during the week on your own plus socialization and other “outings”.
I believe a working German Shepherd can also be a great house dog/companion, if you are honest with yourself and willing to put in the time and effort.