Mary Allen
A well-trained German Shepherd makes a great pet and a reliable and loyal partner – smart, tolerant, energetic, and confident. Characteristics that have made him popular worldwide. He proves his talent both as a guide dog, sniffer dog, and police and protection dog.
Because this intelligent dog will do as he pleases with a weak-willed owner, this breed is not for the inexperienced or easygoing owner. As his name suggests, he was bred to be a sheep herder and needs a lot of training, both physical and mental, to be happy.
German shepherd – a faithful companion
This dog is natural for any obedience and agility training and, with proper handling, a companion that will go with you through thick and thin.
Bred in the 19th century from a number of different German shepherds, by the early 20th century he took on the elegant form we are familiar with today. Due to his extremely good ability to learn and his flexibility, he became popular in many roles from police dogs to guide dogs.
Its strong physique and sheer size make it imperative that the dog be trained from an early age. Good, consistent training also eradicates any tendency to anxiety. Friendliness and self-confidence are the main character traits of this breed, in which the appearance differs according to gender: males look clearly “masculine”, bitches more “feminine”.
The breed standard prescribes a strong appearance and a balanced character for the German Shepherd Dog. The head is carried stretched forward on a relatively long neck. The shoulders fall in a gentle arc to the muscular, straight back.
The forelegs and the chest are what make the stature so powerful. The shape of the dog also gives the impression of strength and balance in the profile.
The German Shepherd needs to be kept busy – long, arduous walks are a must and plenty of time should be devoted to training. It is too large for small spaces, so a large, safe run area is desirable. This dog is particularly suited to a mentally strong owner. Well brought up, he is a great family dog who always stands up for “his” people and also protects them.
Appearance
The German Shepherd is a wolf-like dog with an attractive and sturdy build and excellent musculature. Its building is in the shape of a rectangle.
This means that its body length must exceed the height at the withers. The head is strong, rather broad between the ears, with a not very pronounced stop and an elongated, slightly conical snout.
The bridge of the nose runs straight and ends in a black nose mirror. He has a scissor bite. The high-set, medium-length ears rise vertically from a broad base. The medium-length, rather coarse but smooth top coat lies over a dense undercoat.
Coat coloration ranges from black, solid gray, or gray with brown or light markings. In addition to a harsh, compact coat, the standard also allows animals with a long and thick or thin coat in rare cases. His back is straight, the abdominal line is moderately tucked up. The medium-length, bushy tail has a low base. At rest, it hangs straight down and is carried slightly raised when moving.
Care
The coat of this dog needs comparatively little maintenance. It is usually sufficient to brush out the loose hair. However, the dogs often find brushing very pleasant.
Temperament
The German Shepherd is an intelligent animal that, when properly selected and raised, will grow into an even-tempered and trustworthy friend. Early and adequate training will ensure that he is a loyal, obedient, honest, and courageous companion to the whole family.
Rarely does anything escape his watchful and perceptive nature? Due to his spontaneous temperament, both mentally and physically, he needs a lot of exercises and also attention from his owner. Shepherds can therefore become very jealous, especially when a new member joins the family. They can be a cat, another dog, but also children.
Upbringing
The German Shepherd is one of the most widespread dog breeds worldwide. He fulfills a wide variety of tasks, such as guide dog, avalanche dog, sniffer dog, guard, and protection dog, or police dog.
The diverse areas of application have meant that it is popular and used worldwide. When it comes to obedience tests, the German shepherd dogs usually put the other breeds in the shade. Actually, it is almost unnecessary to describe here what possibilities this breed offers – it is well known.
The animals learn quickly and they love the work and absolutely need a task. They develop a close bond with their owner and therefore need a lot of contact with their family. So if you only have a little time, it is better not to get a German Shepherd.
For all large dogs – and thus also for the German Shepherd Dog – the young dog needs sufficient nutrients for the development of bones, tendons, and muscles, especially during the growth phase.
Incurable damage can result if the young dog is subjected to too much stress during this time or is given food of inferior quality. Therefore, German Shepherds (like all other dogs) should have a balanced diet.
Compatibility
With good training, German shepherds get along excellently with conspecifics, other animals, and children. However, uninvited visitors are immediately barked at or even stopped.
Movement
Even people who want to keep German shepherds as house dogs cannot ignore the fact that these dogs are extremely willing to work.
It is not doing these dogs any good by keeping them around the house for a company without giving them any real occupation or task. Then shepherd dogs like to look for a task themselves (usually to the chagrin of the owner).
Fortunately, however, there are numerous shepherd dog clubs where the dog can be brought into shape in terms of obedience, training, or agility, which is good for him both mentally and physically.
For all large dogs and dog schools, which offer a wide range of activities. The German therefore also has the best prerequisites for the German Shepherd Dog – it is true that the young dog has enough nutrients for agility, obedience, the development of bones, tendons, and protective work, especially during the growth phase.
Particularities
The German shepherd dogs are the only breed for which there is a transnational organization that represents the interests of this breed worldwide: It is the W.U.S.V in Germany, with over half a million members in over 60 countries.