Description
The German Shepherd Dog is a very strong and alert breed. They have
a noble appearance with a strong and chiseled head. They have
medium sized eyes that are dark and almond shaped. Their ears are
somewhat pointed and open toward the front. They stand very erect
when at attention. Their skulls are sloped into a long wedge shaped
muzzle. Their noses are black and they have strongly developed jaws
with teeth that meet in a scissors bite.
The German Shepherd dog has a strong neck that is muscular and
long, but always in proportion to the rest of his body. Their
chests are deep and filled out. Their legs are strong and muscular
and their feet are short and compact.
German Shepherd Dogs should always be longer than he is tall. The
most desirable proportion is 10 to 8 1/2 length in proportion to
height. A female German Shepherd Dog should look decidedly female,
and a male German Shepherd Dog should look decidedly male,
particularly when you look at their heads.
Today, there are German lines of this breed and American lines. The
German lines of the German Shepherd Dog tend to be larger dogs with
a broader head and darker coat. Dogs with the American line are
typically smaller and have less sloping in their hips, which is a
traditional German Shepherd Dog characteristic. American lines also
show more silver with black coat coloring, whereas the German lines
are nearly always black and tan.
Coat
Description
The German Shepherd Dog has a medium length double coat, which
sheds constantly. During seasonal changes, shedding will be even
heavier. The undercoat is typically a silvery gray and should not
be visible through the outer coat. Their outer coat is very dense
and has a somewhat coarse feeling to it. The hair is straight and
lies close to the body. You\'ll sometimes find longer hair on the
rear of the legs. Hair is thicker and longer around the neck.
White is considered an improper color in this breed because being
colored white would prevent a German Shepherd Dog from excelling at
tasks for which the dog was bred. The dogs were originally bred as
mountain herding dogs - and a white coat would have been invisible
in the snow. In addition, they were bred to be watchdogs, another
task where the color white is inappropriate because it makes the
dog too visible. However, there is a separate breed called the
White German Shepherd. It is not recognized by the AKC, but is
recognized by the UKC.
History
The German Shepherd Dog breed is an adaptation of the mountain
sheepdog of Germany, altered for work as a military dog around
1880. Three regions of Germany became famous for breeding these
dogs; Wurtemberg, Thurginia and Bavaria. The dogs from these areas,
including long hair, short hair and wire haired herding dogs were
used to produce the German shepherd we know today.
Captain Max Von Stephanitz is often referred to as the "Father of
the German Shepherd". In April 1899, he registered a dog named
Horan as the first Deutsche Schaferhunde, which means German
Shepherd Dog, so the word "dog" is actually part of the breed\'s
name. In 1925 he wrote a book, "The German Shepherd Dog in Word and
Picture", which immortalized the breed. Von Stephanitz was a noted
disciplinarian and headed the Society for the Promotion of the
Breeding of German Shepherd dogs from its founding in 1899 until
1935. He guided and directed an intensive-breeding program to fix
type and was adamant in his demands for utility and intelligence.
Even today, this breed of dog is known for being one that is very
reliable in terms of behaving and performing to type. After WWII,
the popularity waned due to their association with Hitler and his
reign of terror. It was during these post WWII years that the
British changed the dog\'s name to Alsatian, and then later to
Alsatian Wolf Dog, to remove the stigma of having the word German
in their name.
In America the breed was well established before World War I. The
German Shepherd Dog Club of America came into being in 1913 with 26
members. Today local clubs together with the Parent Club continue
to guide the breeding of this dog. Until 1915, both long-haired and
wire-haired varieties were exhibited. Today, in most countries,
only the short coat is recognized for show purposes.
When you choose your own German Shepherd Dog, choosing a reputable
breeder is paramount. These dogs have been consistently popular for
many years, and there have been many suspect breeding programs
created as a result. When dogs are poorly bred, they are subject to
health problems like hip dysplasia and are often not representative
of the true nature of the breed. For example, German Shepherd Dogs
are occasionally prone to skittishness. This behavior is far from
the norm of this typically steady and calm breed. Reputable
breeders, if they had a skittish puppy, would never breed it, in an
attempt to breed this behavior out, rather than in. Breeders
looking just to make a quick buck, however, are not so careful
about how their dogs are bred.
Temperament
The German Shepherd Dog has a distinct personality. They are
confident and strong in their behavior as well as in their
appearance. They are typically fearless, but they are also fiercely
loyal and protective. They are extremely eager to please,
particularly once you\'ve established yourself as the "alpha dog".
A German Shepherd Dog will fight to the death for the life of his
owner and is strong enough that he may well win the battle.
They can appear somewhat aloof, particularly with strangers, and
they take time to get to know new people before they let their
guard down. This dog is incredibly alert - he never misses anything
that goes on around him, which is one of the reasons this breed
makes the perfect watchdog.
Once bonded to an owner, a German Shepherd Dog makes a wonderful
companion. Many people think of this breed as simply a watchdog or
police dog, but they actually make great family pets if they are
properly trained. They are loyal and protective, but also sweet and
loving with their families. They are very good with children and do
quite well with other pets in the home. They do not like to be left
alone for long periods of time, so they should be allowed to
interact with their families on a regular basis. This breed has a
very calm and steady temperament, so once trained, they can be
relied on to behave appropriately wherever you take them.
The German Shepherd Dog\'s body and strength make it well suited
for working and they have been used for years as working dogs. They
are often used for police work, as security dogs, as herding dogs,
as service dogs for the blind and hearing impaired and as military
dogs. This dog\'s intelligence, sense of smell and work ethic make
him suited to nearly any task you\'d choose to train him for.
Health
Problems
German Shepherd Dogs are prone to hip dysplasia. This problem is
mostly the result of indiscriminate breeding programs. Before
purchasing a German Shepherd Dog puppy, be certain that both
parents have their hips certified OFA good at the very least. They
are also prone to blood disorders, digestive problems and chronic
eczema. Overall, however, if you choose your dog from a reputable
breeder, he should be healthy overall.
Grooming
Your German shepherd Dog will benefit from a quick brushing about
twice a week. If he is not brushed regularly, you\'ll find lots of
short dark hairs in your house, and you may also find that his
undercoat, particularly on his stomach and around his neck becomes
matted. Find a brush that is good at removing hair, as wells as one
that your dog enjoys being brushed with.
During the shedding season, you\'ll want to use a shedding blade or
rake daily to keep the excess hair at bay. The blade should be
placed on the German Shepherd Dog and lightly pulled back in the
direction of the hair growth, with only the slightest pressure.
Shedding rakes are particularly helpful because they also massage
the skin and distribute the oil throughout the coat.
Occasionally, you can scissor any long hairs under the German
Shepherd Dog\'s feet even with the pads and trim the hair on the
back of the hock with thinning shears to neaten the overall
appearance of the feet and to keep the hair in that area from
becoming matted.
German Shepherd Dogs should be bathed rarely; maybe once or twice a
year. Bathing too often can cause the natural oil in their fur to
become depleted. When you do bathe them, using a slicker brush
after their bath is particularly effective. You will get a lot of
excess hair off right after bathing. Once the dog is dry, they look
great if their coat is finished by shining it with a chamois cloth
for shine. Some owners also spray on a light coat of mink oil at
this time.
Exercise
The German Shepherd Dog is a strong and athletic breed, and they do
need exercise. A large yard for running or daily walks with their
owner will keep them healthy and strong. Because of their
intelligence, they love a challenge and will do quite well at many
different activities including agility training, tracking and
obedience training. In addition to providing the mental challenge
this dog needs, these activities ensure that he gets proper
exercise, as well.
Training
The German Shepherd Dog is one of the most intelligent breeds of
dog and one of the easiest to train. Training should begin at a
young age, and should be handled with patience and consistency.
Because they are so intelligent, it\'s important to train them
firmly from the very beginning. However, overly harsh correction
will only make the dog stubborn and willful, so it\'s best that you
be patient and praise his good efforts. He will likely housetrain
very quickly, particularly if you crate train him.
This breed is so intelligent and so enjoys a mental challenge that
they can be trained to do nearly anything; a fact that is proven by
the many jobs they\'ve had over the years. Many people associate
German Shepherd Dogs with being aggressive watchdogs, but this
behavior is the result of training. A German Shepherd Dog will
always be protective of his family and will always be wary of
strangers, but they are not aggressive by nature.
Because they are wary of strangers, socialization should begin at
an early age. It is important for your German Shepherd Dog to be
intuitive about your reactions to people who come into your home.
Once your dog learns your reactions, he will gauge his own, and
your friends will be his friends. However, if he senses that
you\'re concerned, he\'ll be concerned and as protective as he
believes is required. This is one dog that will consistently take
cues from his owner. So, over time, the two of you will become fast
friends and you\'ll be able to rely on your German Shepherd Dog\'s
behavior.
Playing games and participating in activities is an important part
of bonding with your German Shepherd Dog. He will want to be
active, and will enjoy participating in activities with you.
Because of his great sense of smell, "find" is a perfect game for
this breed. But, he\'ll also love to fetch and play ball and
Frisbee. German Shepherd Dogs have a great sense of humor, so
you\'ll both get lots of enjoyment out of simply having fun
together. The German Shepherd Dog is a very fast runner and also
has great endurance. If you\'re a runner, this dog will be your
best running companion ever. 
