German
Shepherd Dog
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 Description:
Considered an extremely capable dog, the German
Shepherd Dog owes its existence to the vision
of Captain Max von Stephanitz. In the 1890s, the
German Cavalry officer set out to create a dog
with excellent herding and guarding capabilities.
This work required a breed with intelligence,
loyalty, endurance, strength and a willingness
to be trained and worked; and so, it was developed
with German herding and farm dogs. By 1899, The
Society for German Shepherd Dogs had created and
laid out the breed standard, set up a system for
breed registration and issued strict breeding
regulations. The breed is now extremely popular
throughout the world. It has excelled at more
jobs than any other breed, including use as a
war dog, sentry dog, tracker, herder, drug dog,
and search-and-rescue dog, guide for the blind,
to name a few. This German Shepherd Dog requires
plenty of room for exercise and activity; obedience
training is also recommended.
Height:
The height for a German Shepherd is 25"
(63.5cm) for dogs, 23" (58.4cm) for bitches.
Weight:
The weight for a German Shepherd is 75
- 90 lbs (33.5 - 33.5 kg) for dogs, 60 - 70 lbs
(26.8 - 26.8 kg) for bitches.
Coat Type:
The double-coat of the German Shepherd consists
of an undercoat which protects against temperature
extremes, bugs and water, as well as a straight
outer coat which lies flat against the body.
Colors: The
color of the German
Shepherd's coat is preferably deep and rich, range
from black and tan, all black, or varying sandy
shades. Regular brushing is required.
Temperament:
The German Shepherd is a loyal protector
to its family and home. They are confident, intelligent,
fearless, and poised yet eager and willing upon
invitation. While the German Shepherd should be
approachable and friendly, he does not make immediate
friendships with strangers. You can and should
begin obedience training with a German Shepherd
while it is still young.
Health Problems:
When buying your German Shepherd, be
sure to check the breeder's reputation; due to
its popularity, this breed has been subject to
less-than-perfect breeding practices in some cases.
Common problems to be aware of include hip dysplasia,
and epilepsy which is proven to be genetic, or
inherited in this breed.
Special
Interest: These dogs
are poised and calm, and the first seeing-eye
dog was a German Shepherd Dog by the name of Buddy.
The German Shepherd is also brave and fearless,
and as a result was used extensively during WWI
with over 48,000 of them seeing active service.
These dogs are very strong and agile: the record
for the highest jump by a dog as reported in the
Guinness Book of World Records was a jump of 11'9"
(3.6 m) by a German Shepherd Dog.
Classifications:
AKC: Group 7 - Herding Dogs
ANKC: Group 5 - Working Dogs
CKC: Group 7 - Herding Dogs
FCI: Group 1 Section 1 Sheepdogs
KC: Non-Sporting - Working Group
NZKC: Working
UKC: Herding
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