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DOGS BY BREED :: GERMAN SHEPHERD
German Shepherd
The German Shepherd Dog comes from Germany and was bred originally for herding and guarding sheep . Its origins can be dated back to the 700's. The German Shepherd Dog is also known by the other names of Alsatian and Deutscher Schaferhund. The advent of the two World Wars influenced the history of this dog. The association with Germany was unpopular following the wars and the breed was therefore given the name of the Alsatian Wolf Dog after the German-French border area of Alsace-Lorraine. The term 'Wolf Dog' was then dropped as it was believed that this would also prove to be unpopular. Finally, in 1977, the breed name was changed back to the German Shepherd Dog. This dog is classified as one of the Herding Dog Group which we go on to describe in detail in the section at the bottom of this page. The German Shepherd Dog was first Registered by the AKC (American Kennel Club) in 1908. Name Facts and Dog Names: This dog's name is often misspelled as the German Shepard Dog.
Coat and Colors information
The German Shepherd Dog's coat is normally a shade of solid black, grey, tan, gold and white. The coat is normally medium, straight and hard.
Potential Health Problems
All owners of dogs and puppies are concerned about the health care of their pets and just as with humans dog health issues arise from time to time. Resolving dog health problems, including those of the German Shepherd Dog, can prove to be costly and it would be wise to consider the benefits of obtaining dog health insurance. Diseases in dogs may occur because of trauma, infection, immune system abnormalities, genetic factors, or degenerative conditions. Common health problems and questions occur in relation to the Bones, Joints, Muscles, Nerves, Ears, Eyes, Teeth and the Mouth. Other, more serious, issues can relate to the Digestive System, Heart & Respiratory Systems, Immune & Blood Systems, Reproduction and Urinary Systems. Potential health problems of the German Shepherd Dog can include:
- Hip Dysplasia (abnormal development of hip joints)
- Skin disease
- Congenital heart disease
- Bloat
- Panosteitis (an inflammation of long bones in the legs.)
Grooming and Care
The German Shepherd Dog requires weekly care and grooming. All dog breeds require a certain amount of grooming and care is necessary to keep dogs and puppies looking at their best. Grooming consists of not only brushing out the coat and bathing but also giving attention to the eyes, teeth, ears, feet and nails. A regular routine also ensures that any potential health problems are identified as quickly as possible, especially important in puppies and older German Shepherd Dogs.
Life Expectancy Information
The life expectancy for this particular breed is 12 Ð 14 years.
Age comparison between the German Shepherd Dog Breed and a Human
Age comparisons between dogs and humans are always a matter of debate - we hope that the following information clarifies the situation. After the first year of life, a dog is equivalent to sixteen human years. After two years, they are equivalent to a 24 year old, at three years a 30 year old, and each year after, add 5 human years to determine a dog's age.
Herding Dog Breed Information
Dogs in the Herding Group ( sometimes referred to as the Pastoral Group ) include the German Shepherd, were developed to perform a variety of tasks relating mainly to the herding of livestock. The types of livestock that these dogs are associated with are quite diverse and include sheep, cattle, reindeer and any other cloven footed animals. The Herding groups of dogs are eminently suited to these pastoral tasks as many of the breeds have a weatherproof double coat to protect them from the elements when working in severe weather conditions. Their natural abilities have been fully recognised and the initial livestock herding function have been extended to include police work and Search & Rescue amongst other duties.
Herding Dog Breed Duties and Tasks
Characteristics and features of Herding Dogs, including the German Shepherd, have been introduced and strengthened by breeding with animals who already demonstrated the desired traits. Breeding for appearance was only introduced in the 19th Century. Before this time dogs and puppies were bred to increase useful abilities and traits helpful for the duties they were intended for. Herding Group dogs share the amazing ability to control the movement of other animals. They also have great stamina reserves which allow them to work from dawn to dusk. The dogs are tenacious creatures who have the ability to herd animals such as cattle which are many times their size. They leap, run around frantically and nip at the heels of any animals that they are herding. Add this behaviour to aggressive barking and steely eye contact and their ability to influence much larger animals is fully understood. Thus, the various Herding breeds, including the German Shepherd, were bred and introduced to help man according to his specific requirements such as:
- Herding or Droving various animals including cattle and reindeer
- Police work
- Tracking
- Providing a service to handicapped owners
- Performing Search & Rescue
- Acting as sentries and couriers for the Armed Forces
In this day and age not every German Shepherd might be called to undertake these tasks, but nevertheless, they still harbour the skills and characteristics that made the original German Shepherd breeding program successful.
The Herding dogs are medium to large in size. They are intelligent, active, courageous, and determined dogs who make excellent companions and respond well to firm training. Their instincts are very strong and given half a chance they will try to herd, or round up, the family. They enjoy work and look to their owners to provide tasks to enable them to meet their instincts and be rewarded accordingly.
