The German Shepherd is considered by many to be the best dog breed, either because it is a loyal dog, an excellent guardian, a defender of its own, or because of its popularity, as it appears in movies or as a police dog.
Where does the German Shepherd Dog come from?
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As early as the 7th century, there were several ancestors of the German Shepherd Dog in Germany and throughout Europe.
As the name "Shepherd" already suggests, these strong animals were used for herding and driving flocks and also for guarding their owners' possessions.
Detail of the German Shepherd's head
The German Shepherd breed appeared at the end of the 19th century in Germany and was first exhibited at a show in Hannover in 1882. Max von Stephanitz and other breeders produced a sensitive, obedient and lean dog breed using local herding breeds of long-haired, short-haired, and farm dogs from the Bavarian, Württemberg, and Thuringia areas. The goal was to create a working dog to guard grazing herds that were capable of trotting for long periods following the livestock.
The dogs were first presented in Hanover in 1882, although the short-haired variety was not presented until 1889 at an exhibition in Berlin, and in April of this year, Von Stephanitz registered "Horan " as the first "Deutsche Schäferhunde ", which means "German Shepherd" in English. Until 1915, both long-haired and short-haired varieties were shown. Today, however, in most countries, only the short-haired variety is recognized as an authentic German Shepherd breed.
However, those dogs were not exactly like today's specimens, and the German Shepherd Dog as we now know it did not appear until after World War II.
Since then, the breed has grown enormously in popularity and is now one of the most popular pedigree breeds worldwide as a pet, as well as a favorite working dog breed for many fields, such as herding and especially police. They are widely used for security purposes due to their strong protective instincts.
What is the character of the German Shepherd Dog?
The German Shepherd Dog's character is well-balanced, very resistant to nervousness, and self-confident.
The German Shepherd Dog is known throughout the world for its virtues such as loyalty, reliability, perseverance, and courage. It is a dog that is always ready to work and intelligent and is therefore suitable for almost any task assigned to it.
The German Shepherd lives for his family is loyal, protective, and attentive. With strangers, he behaves mostly neutral, but is always vigilant.
To this end, the breed of this sheepdog is distinguished by its good character, pronounced protective instinct, as well as its loyalty, and attachment.
German Sheepdogs are very intelligent and attentive animals that are easy to guide.
If the dogs are well socialized, raised with a lot of empathy, patience, and loving consistency, then they can fully develop their caring nature.
For example, the German Shepherd dog continues to maintain a playful nature throughout its life and enjoys guarding the house and yard.
It is a working dog, to be used accordingly. A well-mannered and busy shepherd is also a very good family dog and is also compatible with other pets.
The guarding instinct of a German Shepherd Dog
The German Shepherd is widely used as a guard dog in all kinds of situations, such as police and security companies, as well as within rural homes and farms. This breed of dog is very territorial and soon becomes familiar with the boundaries of their area, and will often independently patrol their territory, watching for any signs of intrusiveness from strangers, other dogs, or other potential problems! If they see something they don't like, they will bark and make a fuss, both to inform that they are coming and see what is going on, and to act as a deterrent.
This means that in the domestic home, the German Shepherd should be well socialized with people and other animals from an early age, and be well trained on the boundaries of what is acceptable behavior when they come in contact with someone or something new!
Is the German Shepherd a family dog?
A well-behaved and socialized German Shepherd can also be used as a working dog for a wide range of activities, such as a family pet in a household with children.
In this respect, aspects such as his nerve control, obedience, pronounced protective instinct, as well as his loyalty, and affection, are particularly beneficial for integration into the family environment.
As a family dog, however, he must also be treated appropriately, for example, he must be exercised regularly and be able to access wide open spaces. If we want our German Shepherd to be happy we must ensure that he gets regular exercise, nothing better than taking him for daily walks in wide-open spaces, going for a run with him, or keeping him on an estate with plenty of room to run.
Once a German Shepherd is bonded to his family, he will become protective when strangers or friends approach. This protection may be appropriate or inappropriate, depending on the situation, and the dog may not always be able to discriminate between these situations. This is why it is very important to train him to recognize welcome guests and unwelcome strangers. A German Shepherd may bark when strangers or friends approach your home, but proper socialization and training from an early age will help this intelligent and proud breed integrate properly into a normal social routine.
A very intelligent dog
The German Shepherd is among the top five most intelligent dog breeds, this factor is essential to making an effective working dog! Only the most intelligent breeds of dogs are efficient at performing jobs, so the German Shepherd became a natural choice for a working dog.
The high levels of intelligence exhibited by the German Shepherd mean it can be trained to retain and repeat a wide range of tasks, but high intelligence does not make the German Shepherd easy to train! Intelligent dogs can be complex and challenging, and can be one step ahead of the trainer in terms of picking up bad habits or learning things by mistake! They are also likely to get bored easily from repetitive training, and will not thrive unless they stay active. That's why it's important to follow the right guidelines in training.
The education of the dog
The shaping of a dog's character should be worked on from puppyhood, but you should not expect too much from your puppy too quickly.
Impatience and quick success will not lead you to achieve your goals in educating and training your dog. It is not very difficult to housebreak a German Shepherd, as the breed is very capable of learning. But you must be careful: the dog's trust must never be betrayed!.
The dog is not a machine that has to work when you press a button.
Education means patience, following a plan, but also acting consistently on the dog. Force should remain in the background and should (if necessary) be used only in small, and very considered doses. With love, consistency, and, above all, positive reinforcement - for example with food rewards - the German Shepherd will quickly become a partner and develop all his talents.
The control and training of "obedience " are vital when it comes to achieving a balanced dog. This is less about peak physical performance and more about concentration, self-control, and absolute social compatibility of the animal. Harmony and trust between the dog and the dog's trainer or owner are reinforced by obedience exercises.
Precision is paramount in obedience. Obedience exercises are multiple, diversified, and intensify the bond between humans and animals through permanent communication. Such training can be given without hesitation to any dog that enjoys new tasks and mental exercises.
The German Shepherd, a working dog
The German Shepherd is a very active breed of dog, which needs constant exercise and loves to overcome challenges. And not only does he love it, but it will also help him to socialize and become a better dog.
Sport and work create balance in the German Shepherd.
Active and sporting German Shepherds are not only more robust and healthy than physically inactive dogs, but they are also generally more balanced and have a calmer disposition. Working dog sport with its three sub-disciplines of tracking, obedience, and protective service also provides sporting and, at the same time, a controlled outlet for an active and energetic German Shepherd, as these traits are part of the nature of their breed, to want to face challenges and be stimulated with new goals. In this respect, neither training as a working dog nor for sporting activities presents any danger to their environment.
German Shepherds are dogs with a strong character and great physical toughness.
The prerequisite for the training of a German Shepherd as a working dog - especially for the protection dog - is that he is a completely healthy, capable, and hardy dog. Character traits such as self-confidence, driving predisposition (not to be confused with aggression) and pleasure in work should be hallmarks of a future working dog.
Advice on how to get a good working German Shepherd Dog
The dog owner and trainer can determine whether a young dog meets these requirements after trial training and/or character and behavior exercises, and whether it is suitable for demanding protective service training. If the veterinarian also agrees, then the dog and owner are free to begin dog sports.
The training directors of the local SV groups are available to the dog owner with advice, preparation of the animals, and handlers for the working dog trial to be judged by the SV trial judges.
How should the breeding of the German Shepherd be?
The breeding of German Shepherd puppies is a responsible and beautiful task in which one can collaborate in the development of a dog breed in a goal-oriented way.
Apart from idealism and love for the animal, breeding German Shepherds mainly requires extensive experience and clear objectives. Ample kennel space and a neighborhood of understanding are required as other basic conditions. Apart from the training of breeding dogs and their presentation in breeding programs, the puppies need to be constantly cared for and looked after. The financial side of breeding does not have to be taken into account.
The financial side of breeding cannot be forgotten. Among the costs are, for example, the costs for facilities, food, veterinarian, and all costs related to the registration of the dogs for breeding and the maintenance of the German Shepherd puppies until they are sold.
The prerequisite for a successful breeding is the quality of the parents and their ancestors. The choice of a suitable puppy for the individual bitch depends on the advantages (and also the mistakes) of the breeding partners.
Additional criteria: degree of parentage, type, line, type of coat, quality of already existing progeny, and finally also the breeding willingness of the considered dog. It is recommended that you consult with experienced breeders and breed wardens of the German Shepherd Association.
The German Shepherd bitch must be at least 20 months old before she can be covered for the first time.
An important principle for every breeder: it must be ensured that puppies sold later are of better quality than their parents.
Responsibility inbreeding
Dog breeders have a great responsibility. They form the basis for the development of the dog during the first weeks of life. This imprinting by the breeder forms the basis for the later human-dog relationship. They are also an irreplaceable consultant for buyers.
What is the life expectancy of the German Shepherd?
The German Shepherd normally lives between 10 and 13 years, although there will be dogs that have a shorter life span and others that are longer-lived.
Several factors can influence life expectancy within a breed such as attitude, diet, health conditions, medical care, or exercise.
Responsible breeding can also help to extend life expectancy, e.g. breeding with sick animals or dogs with hereditary problems should be avoided.
Selection is, therefore, an important factor and underlines the importance of controlled breeding in the constant improvement of the German Shepherd breed.
However, some hobby breeders or large-scale dog productions are often not subject to any control, and therefore, more likely, dogs are born more susceptible to disease or are already sick, which can present problems later.
The pedigree
The "Certificate of authenticity of inheritance ": is the most important document that a buyer of a German Shepherd must-have. Only an association recognized by the World Canine Organization (FCI) and the German Kennel Club (VDH) can issue this certificate. No dog can be classified as a purebred German Shepherd without this verification. In contrast to the pedigree, which goes back four generations, the family tree leads back to the origin of the breed - back to the parent.
The pedigree is drawn up and issued by the SV (more than 2 million dogs are currently registered) and records the 30 direct ancestors of the animal.
Diet of German Shepherds
A German Shepherd is an extremely mobile and agile animal, and tends, in principle, not to be overweight, however, it does not imply that we should not take care of our German Shepherd Dog's diet.
As an owner, but often tend to humanize the dog and even share food with him, which can lead to significant imbalances in his diet.
This in turn can cause major health consequences for the animals, as the accumulated fat can be difficult to eliminate even by following a proper diet.
A healthy diet and good feed can greatly affect the life expectancy of your pasture. Therefore, the right choice of diet is very important.
Some consider wet feed or BARF natural feeding to be best while others prefer dry. Those who wish, can combine both types of feeding and combine the advantages of both styles. The dog is happy when it has a little variety in the dining room.
Summary of characteristics of the German Shepherd Dog:
The characteristics of this impressive breed are summarized here, in a brief description:
- Size or height at the cross: up to 60 cm.
- Weight: according to sex: from 22 to 40 kilograms
- Age: up to 15 years
- Country of origin: Germany
- Usage: Family, use, guard, companion, service, protection, rescue, and herding
- Colors: different (black, gold, white)
- Coat: Abundant coat. It is weather-resistant, easy to maintain, and defies heat as well as cold and rain.
- Character: Nerve-proof, balanced, unprejudiced, willing to learn, loyal, and self-confident.
