My folks have raised german shepards since I was a little kid. And it would take some training but it could be done. They are super smart dogs and will do anything to please there master. The first male that we had used to tree squirrels and cats around the house and he would bark like crazy as soon as they were treed but wouldn't bark until then. A silent trailer most of the time will tree coon faster because they don't hear him coming a mile away. One of the best coon dogs I ever hunted with was a chocolate lab, walker cross that was silent on the trail but he treed like he was nuts. Good luck!!