The German Shepherd got its’ humble start in Germany in 1899 when a man–Captain Von Stephanitz–wanted an alpha dog of sorts, a herding dog, to be exact. He traveled throughout several regions in Germany in search of the “perfect” dog(s) that he would later breed. These dogs would go on to later be used by the Germans in World War I and when the war came to end, many of these dogs returned to the United States with new owners. Let’s go back for just a moment, however, to a time before the war when those living in the United States were already familiar with the german shepherd. It was only after the war that this breed of dog began to gain popularity. Some say it was because of the way the dogs helped out during the war while others will say it’s because of a famous canine Hollywood star that went by the name of RIN TIN TIN.
Whatever the reason for their popularity, the German Shepherd is one of the most popular dog breeds in the United States, they are number seven on the list, and for good reason. They are intelligent and capable of doing work that many other breeds of dog aren’t able to do.
As mentioned above, the German Shepherd is part of the Herding Dog group but herding isn’t the only thing this intelligent breed of dog has been trained to do. On a daily basis you’ll find the German Shepherd working side by side a police officer doing search and rescue work or a military officer who might be on the lookout for explosives. You might even see this easily trained breed acting as a service dog to a blind person or another individual with a disability.
And while they were bred to be tough, they have a soft side as well. They are also devoted, courageous and very protective when it comes to partners and family which means they’re a great dog to have around if you happen to have children! As members of the herding group, these dogs do have a lot of energy which means they’ll need plenty of exercise and playtime so they don’t get bored. If you don’t give them a job to do, then they might create it for themselves. German Shepherd’s love dog sports such as tracking, agility, and anything involving a flying disk or even a ball. This is one dog that won’t be content just lying around on the house on floor. They need both mental, and physical stimulation.
They’ll stay in good health if you remain devoted to them–feed them a healthy diet, make sure their groomed regularly and keep up to date with their medical care. Doing all of these will ensure that your German Shepherd lives a long and healthy life.
If your German Shepherd does encounter health issues throughout his or her life, it might be due to poor breeding which might lead to hereditary issues. These include elbow and hip dysplasia, which can be crippling and fatal, digestive issues, epilepsy, dwarfism and allergies to fleas.
Degenerative myelopathy, a neurological disorder, has also been known to develop regularly in the German Shepherd which suggests that the breed is predisposed to developing it.
The lifespan of the German Shepherd is they usually somewhere between the ages of nine and thirteen and much of this is determined by the health history of the dog. Be sure to speak with the breeder and don’t be afraid to ask questions about problems that have occured in the bloodline of the dog you are hoping to adopt. Responsible breeders will guarantee against health issues that German Shepherds are prone to and they’ll provide written proof of health records for their dogs.
A good breeder will also be upfront and honest with you about the history of your dog and if they aren’t and you know they’re being dishonest, it’s best to seek out the advice of another breeder.
If you have a male German Shepherd, he’ll weight anywhere from sixty-six to eighty-eight pounds and he’ll stand around twenty-four to twenty-six inches high.
A female German Shepherd will of course, be slightly smaller than the male German Shepherd. She’ll weigh between forty-nine and seventy-one pounds and she’ll stand twenty-two to twenty-four inches high.
The German Shepherd will shed, heavily, every day of the year and they even do something called ‘coat blowing.’ ‘Coat blowing’ occurs twice a year when the German Shepherd “blows” his or her thick undercoat. The undercoat is the thick and dense fur that lies just beneath the top coat. While they require little grooming at the salon, the German Shepherd should be brushed several times a week.
They’ll also need their coat raked during shedding season to make sure they are still comfortable. Raking their coas will also help prevents skin problems from happening.
If you already own a German Shepherd you know how unique they are and if you’re interested in owning one, remember that your puppy or dog will need for you to be devoted to him, or her if that’s the case. They’ll require plenty of time, energy and the ability to understand how to bring one up properly. Knowing all of the above, and maybe more, will give one the opportunity to own ‘the Cadillac of dogs,’ a dog that will be loyal and faithful to you all throughout their life.
Today we would like to thank www.germanshepherdcentral.netfor helping us with this post. Be sure to visit their website to learn all about the German Shepherd, including both the good and the bad, about this breed of dog.
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