German Shepherd

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• Breed Origin: Germany - The German Shepherd Dogs origin dates back about 100yrs when the proclaimed “father of the breed” Captain Max von Stephanitz of the German infantry, bought sheep-herding dogs, in which many of them field trial winners, from all over Europe in the late 1800′s and early 1900′s and bred them together to create the ‘ultimate service dog’, which is now commonly known as the German Shepherd. The German Shepherd is not only one of the world’s most popular companion dogs, but also the most widely used breed for service work. The development of the German Shepherd Dog, along with a number of existing breeds, helped establish the modern use of dogs for service and community work that we can see today. For a breed of dog that has only been officially recognised for just over 100 years, it has made an outstanding support to mankind worldwide. The origins of the German Shepherd came from a number of sheep dogs found in Germany during the last century. In the second half of the 19th century, dog breeders began to rectify the type of sheep dog found in Germany that would eventually form the basis of the modern day German Shepherd Dog. Various attempts were made to form associations to develop the German Sheep Dogs such as the Phylax Club, which was formed in the early 1890’s, but disbanded in a few short years. Not only were dog enthusiasts discussing the breeding of dogs, but also training the dogs was becoming of great interest. A driving force of the time was Doktor Gerland who developed the world’s first trained police dogs just prior to the turn of the century. These events helped to bring about the development of the sheep dogs to the attention of many influential people in Germany.
  

• Coat Colors: Liver, Black, Grey, Blue, White, Black & Tan, Sable, Red & Black, Black & Silver

• Description: The German Shepherd is an attractive, well proportioned, strong and highly intelligent dog breed. The coat of the German Shepherd mostly presents in black and tan, sable or all black, but also can come in blue, liver and white, but those colors are considered a fault according to most standards. White is not an acceptable color for the German Shepherd, however they are now being recognized as a separate breed, called the American White Shepherd. The nose is black most often black but, blue or liver still do sometimes occur, but is considered a fault can not be shown. It has a sturdy, muscular, slightly elongated body with a light but solid bone structure. Its head should be in proportion to its body, and the forehead a little convex. It has a strong scissors bite, ears wide at the base, pointed, upright, and turned forward (the ears of puppies under six months may droop slightly). The eyes are almond-shaped, never protruding, dark, with a lively, intelligent expression. Its bushy tail reaches almost to its hocks and hangs down when the dog is at rest. Its front legs and shoulders are muscular; its thighs thick and sturdy. It has round feet with very hard soles. There are three varieties of the German Shepherd: rough-coated, long rough-coated, and the long-haired.
  

• Exercise Requirements: It is vital that the German Shepherd feels that it has a function to do in life. German Shepherds require regular daily exercise and will love nothing more to be involved in family activities including outings. German Shepherds are or high intelligence and are very responsive to obedience training. This should be commenced as early in life as possible. Similarly socialization as in meeting as many people, animals and experiencing as many new surroundings and senses such as noises and smells as possible. This is essential and should be maintained right throughout life.

• Hereditary Disorders: Careless breeding has led to hereditary diseases such as hip and elbow dysplasia, blood disorders, digestive problems, bloat, epilepsy, chronic eczema, keratitis (inflammation of the cornea), dwarfism and flea allergies. Also prone to splenic tumors (tumors on the spleen), DM (degenerative myelitis), EPI (endocrine pancreatic insufficiency), and perianal fistulas and Von Willebrand’s disease. Click For - More Info On Disorders Affecting German Shepherds
  

• Height: Male: 24–26 inches (60–65 cm), Female: 22–24 inches (55–60 cm)

• Hypoallergenic: No

• Life Expectancy: 7 to 10 years

• Living Area Requirements: German Shepherds are a large dog breed, that require space to run and play, therefore this breed is more suited to an environment where there is plenty of open space, such as a large sized backyard. A German Shepherd could be kept in an apartment, but would definitely need to be exercised on a daily basis as boredom and lack of activity leads health problems and destructive behaviors.

• Temperament: Intelligent, Alert, Courageous, Loyal, Confident, Watchful.
  • The German Shepherd Dog is a versatile working-dog of high intelligence and extremely capable of being trained to perform a wide variety of functions. This undisputed king of the dogs, the versatile German Shepherd has done more in the service of mankind than any other breed of dog. Apart from their original role in herding and protecting sheep they have excelled as family pets, police dogs, guide dogs, search and rescue dogs, bomb and drug detection dogs, sheep and cattle herders, hunting companions, guard dogs, obedience champions, avalanche dogs, assistance dogs, show dogs, and more. Regardless of their different roles, German Shepherds make excellent companion dogs, provided they receive the attention, correct training, exercise and socialization they need.
  • It’s true to a point, that the German Shepherd has in the past, partially earned themselves a bad reputation. Specific temperament problems including fear and biting were becoming an undeniable problem in the of the breed. Breeders have worked actively over recent years to eliminate problematic genes and today the German Shepherd is beginning to rebound back with improved bloodlines to once again reveal the intelligent, loyal and loving breed so many owners have come to love.
  • German Shepherd’s need to well socialized when they are young with people and other animals. They usually get along with most other animals, but we should not forget that the German Shepherd is a herding breed. Once again this comes back to training and socializing. German Shepherd’s are very easy to train. They are always willing and keen to please their owners.

• Weight: Male: 22–40 kg, Female: 22–40 kg

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