About the German Shepherd
The German Shepherd is a breed that is very well proportioned and extremely strong. They are also very sturdy dogs and very muscular. They have an elongated body have a light and solid bone structure. The head of a German Shepherd should be in direct proportion to its body with the forehead being slightly rounded. The nose should always be black, however, there are cases where the nose is blue or liver colored. If looking for a purebred this is often considered a fault of the breed. Their teeth should meet and have a strong scissor type bite. The German Shepherd has dark almond shaped eyes and never protrude. Their ears are wide at the bottom, uprights, pointed with a forward turn. German Shepherd puppies that are younger than six months may have ears that droop slightly getting stronger as they mature. Tails should almost touch the hocks and hang down when the dog is resting. The front legs of a German Shepherd and their shoulders should both be muscular with the thighs being thick and very sturdy. Their feet should be round with hard soles.
The three varieties of German Shepherds are the rough coat, longhaired and long rough coat. The most common colors and color combinations are the black and tan, all black and sable. However, there are also other color combinations such as liver, blue, and white that are not as common. Again, if you are choosing a dog that is a purebred or for show, these colors are considered faults. White while starting to be a common color for German Shepherds is not a color that is acceptable according to AKC standards. The white German Shepherd has recently started to become recognized as a completely separate breed known as the American White Shepherd. A color combination that has been seen recently is the Panda or Black and White Shepherds. Their markings are a quarter white with the rest being black and tan. This breed does not have any American White Shepherds in its lineage.
German Shepherds are working dogs and have temperaments that are keen, courageous, fearless and alert. They are very cheerful, eager to learn and are very obedient. They are also very clever dogs, confident, serious and tranquil in nature. They are a great family dog and are faithful and very brave. This breed will give their life for their human owners. They are extremely intelligent and need to be close to their owners and their families. They are also very wary of strangers and are prone to protecting their families closely when strangers are around. German Shepherds should never be left along for a long time. They are not chronic barkers and only bark when they believe it is necessary.
It is extremely important that this breed be socialized when they are puppies. Any time there has been aggression and attacks on people by this breed has been due to lack of training and poor handling. If an owner of a German Shepherd is very passive, the dog will reflect that and become timid and at times a bit skittish.
German Shepherds only have one color, which is the most common that is black and tan. There are several other colors also along with many different types of coats. Many people believe that German Shepherds and Alsatians are two completely different breeds. This is a myth. Shortly after World War II, the German Shepherd dog started becoming the Alsatian and was registered as such. This was mainly due to the war with the Germans. This continued until the early 1970’s then the Alsatian name was dropped and became German Shepherd.
The most common and the most popular color is the black and tan. The black covers the back and hindquarters of the dog with the tan cover the lower part. The black is usually in the shape of a “saddle” meaning it covers just the back and the sides of the dog. The black can also cover the dog like a blanket meaning only the upper half of the body. There is also another combination of the black being intermingled with a tan or yellowish hair, however, this is usually on German Shepherds that have shorter coats. The short coat German Shepherd has that coat because of its ancestry and how the dog developed through the years.
Another color is the jet black German Shepherd which is not common. There are some breeders, however that are currently breeding two blacks to produce black German Shepherds. The results are not true blacks and the puppies have more black on them than normal.
One of the most uncommon colors is liver. This is a very rare color indeed and are considered to be a genetic aberration and not because of cross breeding.
There are also German Shepherds that are pure white and are as rare as lived colored German Shepherds. There are many kennel clubs that assume white German Shepherds are as the result of a mix of colors in the dog’s ancestry. This is simply not the case. German Shepherds came from other breeds of sheepdogs, which have no white colors in the ancestry. So to assume that white is from the German Shepherd’s ancestry is not the case. White German Shepherds have the exact same intelligence and temperament as all other colors of German Shepherds.
If you prefer a certain color of German Shepherd, for example, solid black or black and tan your best bet is to contact an AKC registered breeder or look for them in German Shepherd magazines. You can also consult your local vet to see if any German Shepherd breeders have the colors you are looking for. Your local vet may also have a list of breeders in your local area that you can contact to schedule an appointment to see their puppies. You can also go online and Google German Shepherd breeders for listings of reputable breeders in your area.
Always remember that color does not indicate that a German Shepherd is a purebred. The only way to prove that is with the proper documentation that proves the dog’s lineage.
The German Shepherd is one of the most loved breeds in the United States. While the name German Shepherd is the most common name for the breed, it is also known as an Alsatian especially in Europe.
This breed is extremely active and is rather slow to reach full maturity. This breed can also be quite a handful for any owner who is not familiar with German Shepherds. The breed is part of the working class of dogs meaning they need a lot of room to roam around and get plenty of exercise. German Shepherds are not vicious which is contrary to the myth. However, they do need to be trained as puppies and need to be socialized with people as well as other dog’s especially smaller dogs. A German Shepherd that is well trained is very obedient, loyal, and an excellent family pet. They are very good with children and are fiercely protective of them as well as other members of their family. This can be a good trait and a bad trait since there can be problems in situations such as parents disciplining their children. However, for the most part German Shepherds will accept strangers but are very slow to bond with people they are not familiar with or have only met once or twice. The large percentage of dog bites in the United States are from German Shepherds. One must always remember that there are more German Shepherds around than any other breed. People also tend to remember when a German Shepherd bites them over any other breed. German Shepherds are approachable because of their fearless demeanor. This gives the imopression that they are submissive. This is not true of the breed. German Shepherds are approachable yet demand respect.
The German Shepherd breed is registered with the AKC and is part of the Herding group of dogs. They have a lot of muscle, are very alert, and very agile and nimble. When you watch a German Shepherd, you get the impression of strength and balance as you see them in motion. They are a trotting dog that has a very smooth stride. When a German Shepherd trots, they cover a good bit of distance in a few minutes. They look like they cover a lot of distance with only a few trots.
The average height of a German Shepherd is between 24 and 26 inches from the shoulder. Females are usually 2 inches shorter. They have a longer than they are tall and usually dark in color with the darkest being one of the better show qualities. They have pointed ears and the muzzle is wedge shaped and long. When the German Shepherd is alert, they hold their head upright. When moving their head will thrusts forward. They appear long in conformation when in reality they have a rather short back and long withers, hindquarters and forequarters, which is most of their body length. Their feet and legs are short which adds to the appearance of them being. Also, when in motion they carry their bushy tails horizontally this again adds to the appearance of them having a long body.
All breeds have certain foods they require in order to have a good diet and a nutritionally balanced diet. These are passed from generation to generation for example the appearance of the coat, body size and temperament. How a particular breed is fed does change the genetic makeup of a breed.
As for German Shepherds, the owners have to feed them the foods that give them their exact nutritional requirements, which keep them healthy.
Foods that have the proper nutrition which are similar to what is found in the dog’s native environment, which means foods that are not foreign to their diet and are easy to digest. The German Shepherd must also be fed nutritional foods that help their glandular system. German Shepherds need a diet that is equally balanced and consists of carbohydrates, protein, vitamins and minerals and also the right balance of fatty acids. Their diet should be nutritional.
When feeding a German Shepherd the right diet it helps them to stay healthy and avoids unnecessary vet bills resulting from an unbalanced and improper diet. Examples of conditions that result from an improper diet are flaky, itchy or dry skin and hot spots on the skin as well as yeast infections in the ears. It is crucial that German Shepherds are fed nutritionally balanced diets to avoid skin and ear infections and to keep them healthy.
Experts have proven that the best diets for German Shepherds are foods that are fresh and free from preservatives. Many owners cook their dog’s food, which is not only healthier but also less expensive than canned or dried foods. Most dog foods that are on the market today do not contain the proper nutrients essential for the overall health of any breed. German Shepherds are part of the working class of dogs and must have diets that are high in energy.
Most German Shepherds can easily consume at least 40 pounds of dry dog food every month. Of course the greatly depends on each dogs metabolism and how active they are. If you decide to feed your dog canned dog food or dry dog food be sure to add vitamin supplements that contain essential nutrients for a healthy coat and a good body. You might also want to add mean and coat conditioners as well. There are several different brands of supplements on that market that are excellent for German Shepherds.
The best way to make sure that your German Shepherd has a properly balanced diet is when you cook their food yourself. Many owners make casseroles for their dogs that consist of meat equal to 500 grams as well as potatoes, green beans, carrots, celery and Gravox. It takes about an hour to cook and German Shepherds really love it. Another favorite is what is called a dog pie containing approximately six ounces of broth, wheat flour and approximately eight ounces of meat scraps.
You can find a wide variety of recipes for your German Shepherd by checking out websites for the German Shepherd breed.
Finding a reputable German Shepherd breeder should be easy right? Well, not always. Even though German Shepherds are the third most popular dog in the United States, finding a reputable breeder can be very difficult.
If you do your homework and are confident that you can give a German Shepherd the proper exercise and keep their mind stimulated then search on for the puppy of your choice.
When you look for a puppy, you are so excited and can’t wait to bring the little cutie home. All of a sudden, you see an ad that reads “German Shepherd Puppies for sale”. This is not the time to be impulsive. Don’t rush and call the first ad you read. Do all of your homework and research thoroughly every breeder you encounter.
Be sure to buy your puppy from only German Shepherd breeders that are reputable and of high quality. You don’t want to buy a puppy that has a poor temperament or a lot of health issues. This would be painful to you especially once you have bonded with your puppy. Be sure to take time and find a puppy that has a sound and alert mind, good body and good temperament. The only way to get these qualities is by buying your puppy from a reputable German Shepherd breeder.
Beware of ads that say “German Shepherd for Sale”. These are usually puppy mills and less than reputable backyard breeders. People that casually breed German Shepherds are motivated to do so for the wrong reasons including money. Many breeders just breed dogs so that their children can witness the miracle of birth or they believe they have a great dog and want their dog to have puppies. There are two wrong reasons to breed dogs especially German Shepherds.
Breeds that are reputable and responsible and care about the future of the German Shepherd breed normally do not advertise in the classifieds of your local newspaper. Many of these breeders have waiting lists and announce they have puppies for sale by word of mouth or through an organization associated with German Shepherds.
If you are looking for a reputable breeder check out veterinarians, German Shepherd organizations, kennel clubs, or pet supply outlets. You can also buy magazines such as The German Shepherd Quarterly. Of course, you will pay a cheaper price for a puppy from a backyard breeder, however, the puppy may not be a purebred German Shepherd or may have many health issues from poor breeding.
Always ask questions about the breeder and the quality of the puppies. Reputable breeders will have you sign a contract that states you must spay or neuter the puppy when it is of age. This is to prevent backyard breeding in the future. There are also German Shepherd breeders that will give you an AKC limited registration that states the lineage of the puppy. A limited registration means that if the puppy is bred in the future those puppies will not be eligible for AKC registration.