German Shepherd Dog – Some of his Dogs Characteristics.
Other Names of The German Shepherd Dog are: Alsatian, Deutscher Schaferhund, GSD.
German Shepherd Dog Temperament
The German Shepherd dog is amongst the most intelligent of dogs.
Its versatility and excellence in performing all manner of activities have secured its eternal position of number 1!.
That is the hall of fame regarding:
- policing duties,
- search and rescue,
- military functions,
- bomb-sniffing,
- sight-seeing dogs.
for people who are blind or those with impaired eyesight.
These dogs are active, alert.
Like many other animals of high intelligence and active nature.
Due to their innate high intelligence, the German Shepherd is a quick study and is very easy to train.
The German Shepherd needs to be constantly challenged and stimulated both physically and mentally!
That to avoid becoming a nuisance, this dog breed makes a great companion and is both brave and loyal.
Though some dogs tend to be somewhat aloof and wary by and large, this dog breed makes for a great family pet and generally gets on well with children.
Occasionally certain dogs may become a tad domineering with children.
Which may manifest in the German Shepherd form trying to herd them about; that in accordance with his breeding pedigree.
German Shepherd dogs have excellent watchdog ability and are typically wary of strangers and other dogs.
Early socialization is a must if your dog is going to be around other animals.
As far as climate tolerance is concerned, these dogs adapt fairly well to moderate cold as well as moderate heat>
Whatever extremes climate in either direction doesn’t go down well.
German Shepherd Dog Grooming & Exercise Requirements
The German Shepherd boasts a high energy level, and thus this dog breed requires plenty of exercises daily.
However, its grooming requirements are not quite as demanding, and its coat only requires brushing once or twice a week.
The German Shepherd is a moderate to heavy shedder and thus is perhaps not the best choice of dog for allergy sufferers.
German Shepherd Dog Appearance
The German Shepherd dog’s body is typically longer than it is tall.
In the modern variant, when the animal is standing, the body slopes downwards as though the dog is poised to spring off of its hind legs.
This was not always the case; the German Shepherd dog’s early variant had a squarer body and less slanting haunches.
The tail is usually bushy and hangs with a slight curve.
This dog breed boasts an athletic build and erect ears atop ahead with a pointed snout that enhances the dog’s alert appearance.
Coat color may vary and includes the following: black, black and tan, and sable.
From a show dog perspective, white-coated dogs are not allowed, although there is a movement for specimens to be represented in their own sub-category.
This dog breed has a double coat with a thick outer coat comprised of close-lying medium-length hair that may be 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 dog breed, on average, has a lifespan of 10 – 12 years.
Due to rather intense inbreeding over the years.
The German Shepherd dog suffers from many genetic disorders, see hereafter!
Major Concerns:
- CHD
- Elbow Dysplasia
- Panosteitis
- vWD
- Degenerative Myelopathy
- Cauda Equina
- Skin Allergies
- Hot Spots
- Neoplasms
- Pannus
- Cataract
- Gastric Torsion
- Perianal Fistulas
- Cardiomyopathy
- Hemangiosarcoma
Minor Concerns:
German Shepherd dogs are also extremely susceptible to a potentially fatal systemic infection
from the fungus Aspergillus.
German Shepherd Dog History
The modern Shepherd dog resulted from a concerted effort in the late 19th century to breed the perfect German sheep herding dog.
Up until that time, each district boasted its own distinct herding dog.
To achieve the perfect herding dog, various dog breeds from the north were crossbred with those from the central district.
What ultimately resulting in the forbearer of the modern German Shepherd Dog.
The German Shepherd dog breeding program’s goal was to produce a dog that could watch out for and control straying sheep from the rest of the flock without spooking the entire flock. Thus unlike cattle herding dogs, the German Shepherd dog shouldn’t have exhibited leg nipping. Neither could it control its wards by barking at them because either one of those attributes would more than likely cause the entire flock to panic!
In essence, the German Shepherd dog breeding program had to develop an extremely intelligent, versatile, swift, and independent thinking breed of dog that executed its duties in a precise, swift, calm and steady manner.
And there is more!
Between 1899 and 1901, a specialist breed club was established and was originally headquartered in Stuttgart before moving to Munich and then finally ending up in Berlin. This club was known as Der Verein Fur Schaferhunde (SV for short). This organization’s primary goal and purpose were to oversee the continued positive development of the German Shepherd dog breed.
Within a decade of its breeding, the German Shepherd dog had soon become one of the most popular dog breeds!
Its rising star in popularity was slightly marred by the occurrence of the two world wars.
When it was considered prudent in both Britain and France to refer to the dog breed as either an Alsatian or simple the Shepherd Dog.
That to avoid the inevitable backlash at the time associated with the word German incorporated in the dog breed’s name.
More about the dog
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