German Shepherd

The German Shepherd Dog, also known as an Alsatian, is a breed of large-sized dog that originated in Germany.The German Shepherd is a relatively new breed of dog, with its origin dating to 1899. As part of the Herding Group, the German Shepherd is a working dog developed originally for herding and guarding sheep. Because of its strength, intelligence and abilities in obedience training it is often employed in police and military roles around the world. Due to its loyal and protective nature, the German Shepherd is one of the most registered of breeds world wide.

Often used as working dogs, German Shepherds are courageous, keen, alert and fearless. and eager to learn. Others describe them as tranquil, confident, serious and clever. GSDs are extremely faithful, and brave. They will not think twice about giving their lives for their human pack. German Shepherds love to be close to their families, but can be wary of strangers. This breed needs his people and should not be left isolated for long periods of time. They only bark when they feel it is necessary, so if your GSD barks, its a good idea to go and see why. Often used as police dogs, the German Shepherd has a very strong protective instinct, and are extremely loyal to their handler. Socialization of this breed is important, and should start from early puppyhood.

 

This breed needs owners who are naturally authoritative over the dog in a calm, but firm, confident and consistent way. A stable, well-adjusted, and trained dog is for the most part generally good with other pets and excellent with children in the family. They must be firmly trained in obedience from an early age. German Shepherds who have passive owners and or who’s instincts are not being met can become timid, skittish and may be prone to fear biting and develop a guarding issue. German Shepherds will not listen if they sense that they are stronger minded than their owner, however they will also not respond well to harsh discipline.

German Shepherds are one of the smartest and most trainable breeds. With this highly skilled working dog comes a drive to have a job and a task in life, they need somewhere to channel their mental and physical energy. The breed is so intelligent and learns so readily that it has been used as a sheepdog, guard dog, in police work, as a guide for the blind, in search and rescue service, and in the military. The German Shepherd also excels in many other dog activities including schutzhund, tracking, obedience, agility, flyball, and ring sport. His fine nose can sniff out drugs and intruders, and can alert handlers to the presence of underground mines in time to avoid detonation, or gas leaks in a pipes buried 15 feet underground. The German Shepherd is also a popular show and family companion.

Physically GSD’s are well proportioned and very strong. They are enerally between 55 and 65 centimetres (22 and 26 in) at the withers, with an ideal height of 63 centimetres (25 in) according to Kennel Club standards.Weight is 30–40 kilograms (66–88 lb) for males and 22–32 kilograms (49–71 lb) for females. They have a sturdy, muscular, slightly elongated body with a light, solid bone structure. The head should be in proportion to its body, and the forehead a little rounded. The nose is most often black however, blue or liver still do sometimes occur, but is considered a fault and cannot be shown. The teeth meet in a strong scissors bite. The dark eyes are almond-shaped, and never protruding. The ears are wide at the base, pointed, upright, and turned forward. The ears of puppies under six months may droop slightly. The bushy tail reaches below the hocks and hangs down when the dog is at rest. The front legs and shoulders are muscular and the thighs are thick and sturdy. The round feet have very hard soles.

German Shepherds can be a variety of colours, the most common of which are tan/black and red/black. Most colour varieties have black masks and black body markings which can range from a classic “saddle” to an over-all “blanket.” Rarer colour variations include the sable, all-black, all-white, liver, and blue varieties. The all-black and sable varieties are acceptable according to most standards; however, the blue and liver are considered to be serious faults. White is not an acceptable colour for the German Shepherd, however they are now being recognized as a separate breed, called the American White Shepherd. A piebald colour has also occured in a single GSD bloodline which are now being called Panda Shepherds. A Panda is 35% white, the remainder of colour is black and tan, and has no white German Shepherds in its ancestry.

German Shepherds have a double coat. The outer coat, which is shed all year round, is close and dense with a thick undercoat. The coat is accepted in two variants; medium and long. The long-hair gene is recessive, making the long-hair variety rarer. Treatment of the long-hair variation differs across standards; they are accepted under the German and UK Kennel Clubs but are considered a fault in the American Kennel Club.

Origin

In Europe during the 1800s, the ancestral GSD’s were bred to preserve traits that assisted in their job of herding sheep and protecting flocks from predators. In Germany this was practiced within local communities, where shepherds selected and bred dogs that they believed had traits necessary for herding sheep, such as intelligence, speed, strength, and keen senses of smell. The results were dogs that were able to perform admirably in their task, but that differed significantly, both in appearance and ability, from one locality to another.

In 1899, Von Stephanitz was attending a dog show when he was shown a dog named Hektor Linksrhein. Hektor was the product of few generations of selective breeding and completely fulfilled what Von Stephanitz believed a working dog should be. He was pleased with the strength of the dog and was so taken by the animal’s intelligence, loyalty, and beauty, that he purchased it immediately.After purchasing the dog he changed its name to Horand von Grafrath and Von Stephanitz founded the Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde (Society for the German Shepherd Dog).Horand was declared to be the first German Shepherd Dog and was the first dog added to the society’s breed register. Von Stephanitz’s strong, uncompromising leadership of the society led to a defined type and he is credited with being the creator of the German Shepherd Dog.

Health

Many common ailments of the German Shepherds are thought to be a result of the inbreeding practiced early in the breed’s life.One such common ailment is hip and elbow dysplasia which may lead to the dog experiencing pain in later life, and may cause arthritis.  A study by the University of Zurich in police working dogs found that 45% were affected by degenerative spinal stenosis, although the sample studied was small.The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals found that 19.1% of German Shepherd are affected by hip dysplasia.Due to the large and open nature of their ears, Shepherds are prone to ear infections.German Shepherds, like all large bodied dogs, are prone to bloat, and should be fed several smaller meals a day rather than one large one.

In Europe, the average lifespan of a German Shepherd is 9.7 years,which is normal for a dog of their size. Degenerative, a neurological disease, occurs with enough regularity specifically in the breed to suggest that the breed is predisposed to it.Additionally, German Shepherd Dogs have a higher than normal incidence of Von Willebrand Disease, a common inherited bleeding disorder.

Controversy

The UK Kennel Club is currently embroiled in a dispute with German Shepherd breed clubs about the issue of soundness in the show-strain breed.The show-strains have been bred with an extremely sloping topline (back) that causes poor movement in the hind legs. Working-pedigree lines, such as those in common use as service dogs, generally retain the traditional straight back of the breed. The debate was catalyzed when the issue was raised in the BBC documentary, Pedigree Dogs Exposed, which said that critics of the breed describe it as “half dog, half frog”. An orthopedic vet remarked on footage of dogs in a show ring that they were “not normal”.

The Kennel Club’s position is that “this issue of soundness is not a simple difference of opinion, it is the fundamental issue of the breed’s essential conformation and movement.”The Kennel Club has decided to retrain judges to penalize dogs suffering these problems.It is also insisting on more testing for hemophilia and hip dysplasia, other common problems with the breed.

Breed clubs have typicallyresponded that they feel they are being vilified for issues they were already aware of and attempting to address before the media storm erupted.

The German Shepherd Dog, also known as an Alsatian, is a breed of large-sized dog that originated in Germany.The German Shepherd is a relatively new breed of dog, with its origin dating to 1899. As part of the Herding Group, the German Shepherd is a working dog developed originally for herding and guarding sheep. Because of its strength, intelligence and abilities in obedience training it is often employed in police and military roles around the world. Due to its loyal and protective nature, the German Shepherd is one of the most registered of breeds world wide.

Often used as working dogs, German Shepherds are courageous, keen, alert and fearless. and eager to learn. Others describe them as tranquil, confident, serious and clever. GSDs are extremely faithful, and brave. They will not think twice about giving their lives for their human pack. German Shepherds love to be close to their families, but can be wary of strangers. This breed needs his people and should not be left isolated for long periods of time. They only bark when they feel it is necessary, so if your GSD barks, its a good idea to go and see why. Often used as police dogs, the German Shepherd has a very strong protective instinct, and are extremely loyal to their handler. Socialization of this breed is important, and should start from early puppyhood.

This breed needs owners who are naturally authoritative over the dog in a calm, but firm, confident and consistent way. A stable, well-adjusted, and trained dog is for the most part generally good with other pets and excellent with children in the family. They must be firmly trained in obedience from an early age. German Shepherds who have passive owners and or who’s instincts are not being met can become timid, skittish and may be prone to fear biting and develop a guarding issue. German Shepherds will not listen if they sense that they are stronger minded than their owner, however they will also not respond well to harsh discipline.

German Shepherds are one of the smartest and most trainable breeds. With this highly skilled working dog comes a drive to have a job and a task in life, they need somewhere to channel their mental and physical energy. The breed is so intelligent and learns so readily that it has been used as a sheepdog, guard dog, in police work, as a guide for the blind, in search and rescue service, and in the military. The German Shepherd also excels in many other dog activities including schutzhund, tracking, obedience, agility, flyball, and ring sport. His fine nose can sniff out drugs and intruders, and can alert handlers to the presence of underground mines in time to avoid detonation, or gas leaks in a pipes buried 15 feet underground. The German Shepherd is also a popular show and family companion.

Physically GSD’s are well proportioned and very strong. They are enerally between 55 and 65 centimetres (22 and 26 in) at the withers, with an ideal height of 63 centimetres (25 in) according to Kennel Club standards.Weight is 30–40 kilograms (66–88 lb) for males and 22–32 kilograms (49–71 lb) for females. They have a sturdy, muscular, slightly elongated body with a light, solid bone structure. The head should be in proportion to its body, and the forehead a little rounded. The nose is most often black however, blue or liver still do sometimes occur, but is considered a fault and cannot be shown. The teeth meet in a strong scissors bite. The dark eyes are almond-shaped, and never protruding. The ears are wide at the base, pointed, upright, and turned forward. The ears of puppies under six months may droop slightly. The bushy tail reaches below the hocks and hangs down when the dog is at rest. The front legs and shoulders are muscular and the thighs are thick and sturdy. The round feet have very hard soles.

German Shepherds can be a variety of colours, the most common of which are tan/black and red/black. Most colour varieties have black masks and black body markings which can range from a classic “saddle” to an over-all “blanket.” Rarer colour variations include the sable, all-black, all-white, liver, and blue varieties. The all-black and sable varieties are acceptable according to most standards; however, the blue and liver are considered to be serious faults. White is not an acceptable colour for the German Shepherd, however they are now being recognized as a separate breed, called the American White Shepherd. A piebald colour has also occured in a single GSD bloodline which are now being called Panda Shepherds. A Panda is 35% white, the remainder of colour is black and tan, and has no white German Shepherds in its ancestry.

German Shepherds have a double coat. The outer coat, which is shed all year round, is close and dense with a thick undercoat. The coat is accepted in two variants; medium and long. The long-hair gene is recessive, making the long-hair variety rarer. Treatment of the long-hair variation differs across standards; they are accepted under the German and UK Kennel Clubs but are considered a fault in the American Kennel Club.

Origin

In Europe during the 1800s, the ancestral GSD’s were bred to preserve traits that assisted in their job of herding sheep and protecting flocks from predators. In Germany this was practiced within local communities, where shepherds selected and bred dogs that they believed had traits necessary for herding sheep, such as intelligence, speed, strength, and keen senses of smell. The results were dogs that were able to perform admirably in their task, but that differed significantly, both in appearance and ability, from one locality to another.

In 1899, Von Stephanitz was attending a dog show when he was shown a dog named Hektor Linksrhein. Hektor was the product of few generations of selective breeding and completely fulfilled what Von Stephanitz believed a working dog should be. He was pleased with the strength of the dog and was so taken by the animal’s intelligence, loyalty, and beauty, that he purchased it immediately.After purchasing the dog he changed its name to Horand von Grafrath and Von Stephanitz founded the Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde (Society for the German Shepherd Dog).Horand was declared to be the first German Shepherd Dog and was the first dog added to the society’s breed register. Von Stephanitz’s strong, uncompromising leadership of the society led to a defined type and he is credited with being the creator of the German Shepherd Dog.

Health

Many common ailments of the German Shepherds are thought to be a result of the inbreeding practiced early in the breed’s life.One such common ailment is hip and elbow dysplasia which may lead to the dog experiencing pain in later life, and may cause arthritis.  A study by the University of Zurich in police working dogs found that 45% were affected by degenerative spinal stenosis, although the sample studied was small.The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals found that 19.1% of German Shepherd are affected by hip dysplasia.Due to the large and open nature of their ears, Shepherds are prone to ear infections.German Shepherds, like all large bodied dogs, are prone to bloat, and should be fed several smaller meals a day rather than one large one.

In Europe, the average lifespan of a German Shepherd is 9.7 years,which is normal for a dog of their size. Degenerative, a neurological disease, occurs with enough regularity specifically in the breed to suggest that the breed is predisposed to it.Additionally, German Shepherd Dogs have a higher than normal incidence of Von Willebrand Disease, a common inherited bleeding disorder.

Controversy

The UK Kennel Club is currently embroiled in a dispute with German Shepherd breed clubs about the issue of soundness in the show-strain breed.The show-strains have been bred with an extremely sloping topline (back) that causes poor movement in the hind legs. Working-pedigree lines, such as those in common use as service dogs, generally retain the traditional straight back of the breed. The debate was catalyzed when the issue was raised in the BBC documentary, Pedigree Dogs Exposed, which said that critics of the breed describe it as “half dog, half frog”. An orthopedic vet remarked on footage of dogs in a show ring that they were “not normal”.

The Kennel Club’s position is that “this issue of soundness is not a simple difference of opinion, it is the fundamental issue of the breed’s essential conformation and movement.”The Kennel Club has decided to retrain judges to penalize dogs suffering these problems.It is also insisting on more testing for hemophilia and hip dysplasia, other common problems with the breed.

Breed clubs have typicallyresponded that they feel they are being vilified for issues they were already aware of and attempting to address before the media storm erupted.