German Shepherd Dog Information

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European farmers developed dogs to tend their cattle and sheep. Ancestors of the breed exhibited the characteristics of fearlessness, intelligence and service ability. The short lived Phylax Society was founded in 1890 and their sole achievement was to create a standardized German Shepherd Dog.

One of the earliest all breed dog shows in Germany was at Karlsruhe in 1899. In attendance was a German calvary officer named Max von Stephanitz and his friend Herr Artur Meyer. They noticed a medium sized yellow dog that exhibited exemplary behavior as well as having an admirable appearance. Upon being told that it was not a show dog but a true working dog, they immediately purchased that dog. They understood that they had just purchases a dog of great potential and the two men began the Verein Fur Deutsche Schaferhunde with von Stephanitz becoming the first president. The Verein immediately began keeping a stud book of their own and initiated the Seiger (championship) where one male and female were selected as the Seiger and Seigerin. The modern German Shepherd Dog had been born.

German Shepherds are very intelligent and easy to train. They are a loyal family protector and exhibit stable and sound temperaments. They have been used for herding, search and rescue, police dog, leader dog for the blind, agility, schutzhund and even therapy dogs.

They do need a great deal of socialization beginning at an early age or they can become overly shy and possibly aggressive. Fear biting is a big issue with them if not well socialized. Once your German Shepherd puppy has had his vaccinations, start taking him to explore new sights, sounds, and people.

Males should stand at 24 to 26 inches tall, females slightly smaller. Their coat is medium length and can be solid black, black and tan or black and cream. There is also the White Shepherd, however they are not able to compete in AKC sanctioned conformation events.

It is extremely important to research a reputable breeder when considering a German Shepherd. There are numerous pet stores and backyard breeders that have German Shepherds, most do not have the true German Shepherd structure, health or temperament, and may have missed key socialization times during their young development (taken from mother or litter too early, etc).

Health concerns in the breed include Hip Dysplasia, bloat, seizures, low thyroid, panosteitis, Allergies, autoimmune disorders, and digestive upsets are common.

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The German Shepherd Dog

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