Dogs 101 - GERMAN SHEPHERD - Top Dog Facts About the GERMAN SHEPHERD

Dogs 101 - GERMAN SHEPHERD - Top Dog Facts About the GERMAN SHEPHERD

The German Shepherd Dog is one of the most popular breeds of dogs across the world. It owes its origin to efforts made over many years in Europe to develop dogs that fulfilled all the requirements of the perfect sheepdog – intelligence, speed, stamina, strength, obedience, and a keen sense of smell. Such efforts were particularly popular in Germany in the mid-1800s, resulting in dogs that matched these requirements in varying degrees, but differed widely in looks. In 1899, at a dog show, a well-known expert came across a dog that was a result of several generations of selective breeding. The expert was so impressed by the dog’s strength, intelligence and beauty that he purchased it, declared it the first German Shepherd Dog, and set up a Society to create a proper bloodline. This dog was bred with a few other German dogs with desirable traits, and its offspring were further inbred to create a gene pool from which all future purebred German Shepherd Dogs are drawn. Very soon, use in the World Wars and in popular culture made the dog admired the world over, including in the US.

Time for some Ruff Trivia:
- Two of the three dogs to have stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame are German Shepherds. If one of them is Rin Tin Tin, which is the other?
o A: Strongheart
o B: Braveheart
o C: Lionheart
What do you think, give it your best guess in the comments below before we get to the answer! Hang on tight and we’ll get back to this Ruff Trivia Question toward the end of the video.

The adult male has a height of 24 to 26 inches, while the female’s height is typically between 22 and 24 inches. The weight range for all adults is 75 to 95 pounds. The dogs have a long muzzle, strong jaws and black nose. The ears are large, parallel and erect, open towards the front when standing. The bushy tail adds to the wolf-like appearance. The coat is double-layered, with a thick undercoat. Dogs can be long-haired or short-haired, but the long-haired variety is much rarer. Most common colors are black-tan and black-red, with rarer shades being sable, pure black, pure white, liver and blue.

Grooming: A German Shepherd requires brushing pretty much everyday, and its shedding can get worse in the shedding season. An occasional bath, followed by thorough drying, is recommended. Regular nail trimming, ear cleaning and teeth brushing are necessary.

Environment: A German Shepherd is popular with families because of its loyalty. It is not known to make friends easily. But, when it does, it does for life. Its curiosity, courage and aloofness make it a great guard dog. Some dogs can be very protective of their house and adopted family. The breed is gentle with kids and other pets, and aggressive with dogs the same size.

Training: The German Shepherd is one of the most intelligent breeds of dog, as reflected in their use for a wide variety of purposes. The breed has a natural eagerness to learn, and can be trained easily. In fact, early obedience and socialization training is highly recommended for a domineering breed like this. It is a moderately active breed, and requires a long walk on leash or a training session to keep it stimulated. The dog should be kept indoors in warm climates during the day.

Health: The life expectancy of German Shepherds is 10 to 12 years. Many of the common health problems seen among pure German Shepherds are because of the inbreeding done in the breed’s early days. These include von Willebrand disease, a bleeding disorder, and hip and elbow dysplasia. Its open ears are prone to ear infections. Other illnesses seen are cataracts, skin allergies and pancreas related problems.

Royal in its nature and workman-like in its abilities, the German Shepherd Dog is intelligent, faithful and respectful. Perfect as a cuddly family dog in an apartment or an efficient sheepdog on a farm, it is built to provide life-long company and act as a guardian to those in its custody.

Find out if the German Shepherd would be a good addition to your home. Now you can visit Brooklyn’s Corner.com to take our quiz and find out which dog would be the best match for you.

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Music by Kevin McLeod - Royalty Free

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