German Shepherd Dog Breed
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german shepherd dog
the German Shepherd dog is one of
America’s most popular dog breeds for
good reason he’s an intelligent and
capable working dog his devotion and
courage are unmatched and he’s amazingly
versatile excelling at most anything
he’s trained to do guide an assistance
work for the handicapped police and
military service
herding search and rescue drug detection
competitive obedience and last but not
least faithful companion
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the German Shepherd dog also known as
the Alsatian in Great Britain and parts
of Europe is among the top 10 most
popular dog breeds in the United States
and probably one of the world’s most
recognized breeds he owes part of his
renown to a small puppy who was plucked
from the bullet and bomb riddled
breeding kennel in France during World
War one by corporal Lee Duncan at the
end of the war Duncan brought the puppy
back to his hometown of Los Angeles
trained him and turned him into one of
the most famous dogs and showbiz
rin-tin-tin rin-tin-tin went on to
appear in dozens of movies and at the
height of his stardom got 10,000 fan
letters a week the German Shepherd has
held many jobs other than movie star
leading the blind chasing down criminals
sniffing out illegal substances serving
in the military visiting the sick and
herding stocker just some of the jobs
held by this versatile breed the dog has
even taken on the role of national hero
German shepherds were the
search-and-rescue dogs crawling through
the ruins of the World Trade Center
after the nine comma 11 terrorist
attacks looking for survivors and
comforting rescue workers and families
the German Shepherd may embody some of
the best traits of dogs but he’s not for
everyone
originally bred to herd flocks all day
this is a high-energy dog who needs a
lot of activity and exercise without it
he’s likely to express his boredom and
frustration in ways you don’t like such
as barking and chewing the breed also
has an aloof and sometimes suspicious
nature great for a watchdog but not the
sort of family dog he’ll make guests
feel welcome but if you expose a German
Shepherd to many different situations
and people starting in puppyhood he can
learn to take new people and
circumstances in stride if you’re buying
a puppy you’ll get a slightly different
kind of German Shepherd depending on
whether you choose an American versus a
German breeder in general American
breeders are often aiming to create dog
show champion
and they breed puppies more for that
distinctive German Shepherd look than
for those distinctive German Shepherd
talents fans say that American bred
German Shepherds are calmer than their
German counterparts but critics say
these dogs have lost some of their
talents for working traditional German
Shepherd jobs and are more prone to
behavior problems such as separation
anxiety German breeders on the other
hand breed German shepherds for their
working abilities as well as to fit the
breeds traditional look before a German
Shepherd is bred in Germany he has to
pass numerous tests to prove he measures
up to the physical and mental benchmarks
the breed is known for German Shepherd
dogs from Germany tend to have a more
energetic and driven personality German
shepherds isn’t the breed for you if
you’re away from home frequently or for
long periods of time when left alone
they can become anxious or bored and are
likely to express their worry in ways
you don’t like barking chewing and
digging.the German Shepherd is an active
and intelligent dog he must be kept busy
learning playing and working daily
exercise both physical and mental is a
must
German Shepherds can be aloof and
suspicious of strangers
today is a social and well behaved dog
expose your German Shepherd puppy to
many experiences places and people
obedience training beginning with puppy
classes is important for getting him
used to other people and dogs as well as
teaching him basic canine manners these
dogs shed shed shed in fact their
nickname is the German shedder brush him
several times a week and buy a good
vacuum you will need it crate training
is not only a wonderful way to house
train a puppy
it helps teach him to be calm and happy
when separated from his own this is
especially important for the German
Shepherd who sometimes suffers
separation anxiety
or extreme anxiety when left alone he’s
got a reputation for being a great
watchdog but the German Shepherd should
never be chained or tethered just to
stand guard no dogs should heed leads to
frustration and aggression the German
Shepherd is happiest living indoors with
the family but with access to a large
fenced yard where he can burn off some
of his natural energy to get a healthy
dog never buy a puppy from an
irresponsible breeder puppy mill or pet
store look for a reputable breeder who
tests her breeding dogs to make sure
they’re free of genetic diseases that
they might pass on to the puppies and
that they have sound temperaments the
German Shepherd is a relatively new
breed dating back to 1899 and he owes
his existence to one man captain max von
Stefan it’s a career captain in the
German cavalry with the goal of creating
a German breed that would be unmatched
as a herding dog centuries before once
Stefan ‘its came along farmers in
Germany as in the rest of Europe relied
on dogs to drive and protect their herds
some dogs were legendary for their skill
and she fought as would travel days to
breed their female dogs to a notable
sire
however as von Stefan hats noted no one
had developed the herding dogs of the
region into a distinct breed in 1898 von
Stefan hats retired from military life
and began his second career and what
would prove to be his passion
experimenting with dog breeding to
create a superior German herding dog
Stefan ‘its studied the breeding
techniques of the British noted for
their exceptional herding dogs and
travelled throughout Germany attending
dog shows and observing German type
herding dogs once Stefan Nets saw many
fine herding dogs dogs who were athletic
or intelligent or capable what he didn’t
see was a dog who embodied all those
traits one day in 1899
once definites was visiting a dog show
when a wolffish looking dog caught his
eye he immediately bought the dog named
Hector links later renamed her and V
Griffith the dogs powerful physique and
intelligence so impressed once definites
that he formed the society to found a
breed out of her ins descendants
although he had intended for his breed
to work as herding dogs as Germany
became more and more industrialized once
definites saw the need for such dogs
fading he was determined that his breed
would continue as a working dog and he
decided that the dog’s future was in
police work and military service making
good use of his military connections
once definites convinced the German
government to use the breed during World
War one the German Shepherd served as a
Red Cross dog messenger rescuer guard
supply carrier and century although
German Shepherds made their way to the
United States before the war it wasn’t
until the war that the breed became
popular in the United States Allied
servicemen noted the dog’s bravery and
intelligence and a number of dogs went
home with these soldiers one such dog
was a five day old puppy plucked from a
bomb riddled kennel in France by an
American corporal from Los Angeles the
corporal took the puppy home trained him
and turned him into one of Hollywood’s
most recognizable four-legged stars Rin
Tin Tin who appeared in 26 movies and
helped popularize the breed in America
although the Allies were impressed by
the German dogs they weren’t so happy
with the dogs German roots during
wartime all things German were
stigmatized and in 1917 the American
Kennel Club changed the breeds name to
the shepherd dog in England
the dog was renamed the Alsatian wolf
dog after the German French border area
of alsace-lorraine the American Kennel
Club went back to using the original
name of German Shepherd Dog in 1931 it
took until 1977 for the British Kennel
Club to do the same once definites
closely involved with the development of
the breed and as early as 1922 he became
alarmed by some of the traits that were
turning up in the dogs such as poor
temperament and a tendency to tooth
decay he developed a system of tight
quality control before any individual
German Shepherd was bred he needed to
pass numerous tests of his intelligence
temperament athleticism and good health
American breeding of German shepherds on
the other hand wasn’t nearly so
regulated in the United States the dogs
were bred to win dog shows and breeders
put more emphasis on looks and on the
dogs gait or way of moving after World
War two American and German bred German
Shepherds began to diverge dramatically
at one point the united states police
departments and military began importing
german shepherd working dogs because
homegrown German Shepherds were failing
performance tests and plagued by genetic
health conditions in the past few
decades some american breeders have
begun to put the emphasis back on the
breeds abilities rather than just
appearance importing working dogs from
germany to add to their breeding program
it’s now possible to buy american bred
German Shepherds that live up to the
breeds reputation as a capable working
dog
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sighs males stand 24 to 26 inches
females stand 22 to 24 inches weight
ranges from 75 to 95 pounds the German
Shepherd personality is aloof but not
usually aggressive he’s a reserved dog
he doesn’t make friends immediately but
once he does he’s extremely loyal with
his family he’s easygoing and
approachable but when threatened he can
be strong and protective making him an
excellent watchdog this highly
intelligent and trainable breed thrives
on having a job to do any job the German
Shepherd can be trained to do almost
anything from alerting a deaf person to
a doorbell ring to sniffing out an
avalanche victim one thing he’s not good
at is being alone for long periods of
time without the companionship he needs
he becomes bored and frustrated a German
Shepherd who’s under exercised and
ignored by his family is likely to
express his pent-up energy in ways you
don’t like such as barking and chewing
like every dog the German Shepherd needs
early socialization when they’re young
socialization helps ensure that your
German Shepherd puppy grows up to be a
well-rounded dog
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German Shepherds are generally healthy
but like all breeds they’re prone to
certain health conditions not all German
shepherds will get any or all of these
diseases but it’s important to be aware
of them if you’re considering this breed
if you’re buying a puppy find a good
breeder who will show you health
clearances for both your puppies parents
health clearances prove that a dog has
been tested for and cleared of a
particular condition in German Shepherds
you should expect to see health
clearances from the orthopedic
foundation for animals for hip dysplasia
elbow dysplasia hyperthyroidism and one
will branch disease from Auburn
University for thrombo Patti air and
from the canine eye registry foundation
certifying that eyes are normal
you can confirm health clearances by
checking the orthopedic foundation for
animals website hip dysplasia hip
dysplasia is a heritable condition in
which the femur doesn’t fit snugly into
the pelvic socket of the hip joint hip
dysplasia can exist with or without
clinical signs
some dogs exhibit pain and lameness on
one or both three legs as the dog ages
arthritis can develop x-ray screening
for hip dysplasia is done by the
orthopedic Foundation for Animals or the
University of Pennsylvania hip
Improvement Program dogs with hip
dysplasia should not be bred ask the
breeder for proof that the parents have
been tested for hip dysplasia and found
to be free of problems elbow dysplasia
this is a heritable condition common to
large breed dogs it’s thought to be
caused by different growth rates of the
three bones that make up the dogs elbow
causing joint laxity this can lead to
painful lameness your vet may recommend
surgery to correct the problem or
medication to control the pain gastric
dilatation volvulus commonly called
bloat this is a life-threatening
condition that affects large deep
chested dogs like golden retrievers
especially if they are fed one large
meal a day eat rapidly drink large
volumes of War
after eating and exercise vigorously
after eating bloat occurs when the
stomach is distended with gas or air and
then twists the dog is unable to belch
or vomit to rid itself of the excess air
in its stomach and the normal return of
blood to the heart is impeded blood
pressure drops and the dog goes into
shock without immediate medical
attention the dog can die suspect bloat
if your dog has a distended abdomen is
salivating excessively and retching
without throwing up he also may be
restless depressed lethargic and weak
with a rapid heart rate it’s important
to get your dog to the vet as soon as
possible
degenerative myelopathy degenerative
myelopathy is a progressive disease of
the spinal cord specifically the part of
the cord that communicates information
to the brain regarding the hind legs
dogs with DM act as though they don’t
know where their back legs are and
cannot move them properly the disease
progresses to the points the dog cannot
walk most of the time there is no
treatment and the dog is put to sleep
however in a few rare cases the
condition is related to a lack of
vitamin 12 or vitamin E if this is the
case vitamin supplements might stabilize
the condition exocrine pancreatic
insufficiency exocrine pancreatic
insufficiency is a genetic disease of
the pancreas in which the cells that
produce digestive enzymes are destroyed
as a result the dog can no longer digest
and absorb food the first signs of the
condition are gas loss of appetite
weight loss and change in stools the dog
becomes very thin and very hungry
exocrine pancreatic insufficiency is
diagnosed with a simple blood test and
treatment is simple too pancreatic
enzymes are added to the dog’s food with
proper medication supervision most dogs
recover allergies some German Shepherds
suffer from a variety of allergies
ranging from contact allergies to food
allergies allergy symptoms and
are similar to those in people if your
German Shepherd is scratching looking at
his paws or rubbing his face a great
deal suspect that it has analogy and
have him checked by your vet
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originally bred to herd flocks all day
German Shepherds are built for action
this means he’s got lots of energy that
he needs to burn off with daily exercise
if you leave him alone for long periods
of time without exercise expect trouble
boredom and inactivity lead to behavior
problems
chewing tagging and barking the German
Shepherd desperately needs to exercise
both his body and his minds training
exercises like agility or obedience
competitions like many herding breeds
German Shepherds are Barker’s barking
isn’t necessarily a problem but it can
be if the dog is bored learning the
quiet commands should be part of every
German Shepherds obedience training
German Shepherds like to chew and their
powerful jaws can destroy most materials
if they pick the wrong thing to gnaw on
they can damage their teeth swallow
something that makes them sick or even
choke save your dog and your belongings
by giving him safe chew toys and bones
so he can entertain himself when you’re
not playing with him feeding recommended
daily amount three to four cups of
high-quality dry food a day divided into
two meals how much your adult dog eats
depends on his size age build metabolism
and activity level dogs are individuals
just like people and they don’t all need
the same amount of food it almost goes
without saying that a highly active dog
will need more than a couch potato dog
the quality of dog food you buy also
makes a difference the better the dog
food the further it will go toward
nourishing your dog and the less of it
you’ll need to shake into your dog’s
bowl if your dog starts to put on weight
cut back if he looks too thin add a
little more you can determine whether
your German Shepherd is overweight by
using the hand
on test place your hands on him thumbs
along the spine and fingers going down
the sides you should be able to feel his
ribs beneath the layer of muscle if you
can see the ribs he’s too thin if
they’re undetectable beneath rolls of
fat he needs to go on a diet you will
need to take special care with feeding
and exercising a German Shepherd puppy
however German Shepherds grow very
rapidly between the age of four and
seven months making them susceptible to
bone disorders they do well on a high
quality low calorie diet 22 to 24
percent protein and 12 to 15 percent fat
that keeps them from growing too fast
and don’t let your German puppy run jump
or play on hard surfaces like pavement
until he’s at least two years old and
his joints are fully formed it’s fine
for puppies to play on grass though and
puppy agility with its in charge ups is
OK over feeding your German Shepherd and
letting him pack on the pounds can cause
joint problems as well as other health
conditions limit treats keep him active
and serve him regular meals rather than
leaving food available at all times for
more on feeding your German Shepherd see
our guidelines for buying the right food
feeding your puppy and feeding your
adult dog
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coat color and grooming the German
Shepherd was originally bred to herd
flocks in harsh climates and his medium
length double coat fits the job
perfectly
protecting the dog from rain and snow
and resistant to picking up burrs and
dirt the coat types of the German
Shepherd are as varied as his color some
German Shepherds are long-haired however
the ideal German Shepherd has a double
coat of medium length the outer coat is
dense with straight hair that lies close
to the body and is sometimes wavy and
wiry the coat comes in variety of colors
and patterns including black black and
green black and red black and silver
black and tan blue gray liver sable and
white the American Kennel Club doesn’t
recognize white as a color for this
breed however and won’t let white German
Shepherds compete in conformation shows
although they’re allowed in other
competitions sometimes jokingly called
German shed udders the breed sheds year
round and generally blows twice a year
if you want a German Shepherd be
prepared for hair on your black pants on
your white couch and pretty much all
over the house there’s no magic solution
to shedding accept it however brushing
two to three times a week will help more
of the hair come out in a brush rather
than on your furnishings and a sturdy
vacuum cleaner doesn’t hurt either
bailing the dog too often strips the
coat of oils that keep it healthy so
start running the bathwater only if your
dog really needs it it shouldn’t be that
often despite is a notoriety as a
shedder the German Shepherd tends to be
fairly clean and odorless the nails need
to be trimmed once a month and the ears
checked once a week for dirt redness or
a bad odor that can indicate an
infection then wiped out weekly with a
cotton ball dampened with gentle pH
balanced ear cleaner to prevent problems
German shepherds love to chew and the
habit helps keep their teeth clean
give them sturdy safe dental chew toys
or bones and they’ll be fighting tartar
build-up as they gnaw especially on the
back molars brushing their teeth with a
soft toothbrush and doggy toothpaste
also helps keep gums and teeth in good
shape children and other pets if he’s
well trained and has had plenty of
exposure to kids especially as a puppy a
German Shepherd is a great companion for
children in fact some say he’s a cross
between a babysitter and a cop both
gentle with and protective of the
children in his family this is a big dog
though capable of mistakenly bumping a
toddler or small child
true to his reserved nature he’s not
tail wagging friendly with kids he
doesn’t know but he’s generally
trustworthy the German Shepherd can also
live peacefully with other dogs and pets
as long as he was taught to do so from
puppyhood introducing an adult German
Shepherd to a household with other pets
can be more difficult if the dog isn’t
used to getting along with other dogs or
cats you may need to hire a professional
trainer to help or get advice from the
rescue organization if that’s where you
acquire the adult German Shepherd
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rescue groups German Shepherds are often
purchased without any clear
understanding of what goes into owning
one
there are many German shepherds in need
of adoption and/or fostering there are a
number of rescues that we have not
listed if you don’t see a rescue listed
for your area contact the national breed
club or a local breed club and they can
point you toward a German Shepherd
rescue
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