German Shepherd Facts
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.