The German Shepherd Dog is also known by these other names: Alsatian, Deutscher Schaferhund, GSD.
German Shepherd Dog temperament
The German Shepherd Dog is among the most intelligent dogs and its versatility and excellence in performing all kinds of activities has ensured its eternal position in the hall of fame when it comes to police duties, search and rescue, military functions such as detection. of pumps and even as observation dogs for the blind or visually impaired. The German Shepherd is a quick learner and due to their high innate intelligence they are very easy to train.
These dogs are active, alert and, like many other animals of high intelligence and active nature, the German Shepherd needs to be constantly challenged and stimulated both physically and mentally to avoid becoming a nuisance. That being said, this breed of dog makes a great companion and is fearless and loyal. Although some dogs tend to be somewhat aloof and cautious in general, this breed of dog makes a great family pet and they generally get along well with children. Occasionally, certain dogs can become a bit dominant with children, which can manifest itself in the form of the German Shepherd trying to herd them; according to its breeding pedigree.
German Shepherd Dogs have excellent alertness and are generally wary of strangers as well as other dogs. Early socialization is a must if your dog is going to be around other animals. When it comes to weather tolerance, these dogs adapt quite well to moderate cold and moderate heat, although extremes in either direction are not good.
Grooming and Exercise Requirements for the German Shepherd Dog
The German Shepherd has a high energy level and therefore this breed of dog requires a lot of exercise on a daily basis. However, their grooming requirements are not that demanding and their coat only requires brushing once or twice a week. The German Shepherd is a moderate to heavy molting dog and therefore may not be the best dog choice for allergy sufferers.
German Shepherd Dog Appearance
The body of the German Shepherd Dog is typically longer than it is tall and in the modern variant when the animal is standing, the body leans downward as if the dog is ready to jump off its hind legs. This was not always the case, the early variant of the German Shepherd dog had a more square body and less sloping haunches. The tail is usually bushy and hangs with a slight curve.
This breed of dog features an athletic build and pricked ears on a head with a pointed muzzle that enhances the alert appearance of the dog. Coat color can vary and includes the following: black, black, and tan and sable. From a show dog perspective, white-coated dogs are not allowed, although there has recently been a movement for such specimens to be represented in their own sub-category.
This breed of dog has a double coat with a thick outer coat made up of medium length hair that lies closely together and can be either straight or slightly wavy.
Weight: Males: 75 – 100 pounds
Females: 60 – 80 pounds
Height: Males: 24 – 26 inches
Females: 22-24 inches
German Shepherd Dog Health Issues / Life Expectancy
This breed of dog has an average lifespan of 10 to 12 years. Due to quite intense breeding over the years, the German Shepherd Dog suffers from a number of genetic disorders including the following:
Main concerns:
CHD
Elbow dysplasia
Minor concerns: Panosteitis; EvW; Degenerative myelopathy; Cauda equina; Skin allergies; Hot spots; Neoplasms; Pannus; Waterfall; Gastric torsion; Perianal fistulas; Cardiomyopathy; Hemangiosarcoma
German Shepherd Dogs are also extremely susceptible to a life-threatening systemic infection from the Aspergillus fungus.
History of the German Shepherd Dog
The modern German Shepherd Dog is the end result of a concerted effort in the late 19th century to breed the perfect German Shepherd Dog. Until then, each district had its own different sheepdog. In order to achieve the perfect sheepdog, several breeds of dogs from the north were crossed with those from the central district, ultimately resulting in the ancestor of the modern German shepherd.
The goal of the German Shepherd dog breeding program was to produce a dog that could monitor and control the stray sheep in the rest of the herd without scaring off the entire herd. Therefore, unlike cattle herding dogs, it was undesirable for the German Shepherd Dog to show biting on its paws and it also could not control its wards by barking at them because any of those attributes would likely cause panic throughout the herd.
In essence, the German Shepherd dog breeding program had to create an extremely intelligent, versatile, fast and independent breed of dog that would perform its duties accurately, quickly, calmly and consistently.
Between 1899 and 1901 a specialized breed club was established which was originally based in Stuttgart before moving to Munich and eventually ending up in Berlin. This club became known as Der Verein Fur Schaferhunde (SV for short), and the main objective and purpose of this organization was to oversee the continued positive development of the German Shepherd dog breed.
A decade after its breeding, the German Shepherd Dog soon became one of the most popular dog breeds in the world. Its rising star in popularity was slightly clouded by the occurrence of the two world wars, when it was deemed prudent in both Britain and France to refer to the breed of dog as an Alsatian or simply as the sheepdog to avoid the inevitable backlash. at that moment. associated with the German word incorporated in the name of the dog breed.
More information about the dog
