The German Shepherd Dog is a strong, agile, well-muscled dog,
alert and full of life. They are extremely intelligent and make a wonderful companion, show or obedience dog. The German Shepherd
is exceptionally trainable and works well as a police, guide, or search and rescue dog. German Shepherds are one breed that
becomes truly bonded to their family and may suffer from separation anxiety when apart from their people. They are lively,
intelligent and very strong. They are excellent in agility and obedience tests. They excel in serving their masters, and they
are continually responsive. Well-mannered German Shepherds should be calm, consistent in attitude, obedient and alert. Some
lines of the Alsation have become nervous and aggressive due to poor breeding tactics and the popularity of the breed. Overall
and generally though, the German Shepherd is an ideal breed. They are large and alert enough to protect, and are loving and
friendly towards friends and family. Knowledgeable training and handling are required, however, due to the German Shepherd's
natural instinct to protect their owners. Alsatians are large, powerful dogs that are lean enough to have great agility. They
have a handsome look, with prick ears and an evenly dispersed weight. They have perpendicular hocks when they stand, rather
than angled, which makes them look as if they are posing for a photo. Some have long hair and some have short, and either
can be black, gray, tan, gold or white, although whites and golds are not accepted by some associations. German Shepherds
make an ideal pet-fun, friendly, and desiring to serve.
Height: Males are 24-26 inches;Females
are 22-24 inches
Weight: 60 - 140 lbs.
Color:
Solid black or grey:black saddle with tan or gold to light grey markings;grey with light brown markings(sable).
Coat: Length is medium,straight and hard and close lying with a dense undercoat,and
a full outer coat which may be slightly wavy.
With Children: Yes,
love their owner's children,but may be suspicious of other children.
With
Pets: Yes, if trained as a puppy to accept other pets.
Watch-dog: Very
high,aware of their surroundings.
Guard-dog: Very high,extremely protective
Life Span: 10-13
years
Litter Size: 5 - 10 puppies
Country of Origin: Germany
First registered
by the AKC: 1908
AKC group: Herding
History: The German
Shepherd`s roots are in the mountain sheepdog of Germany. German Shepherds date back to as early as the 7 th Century, A.D.
It is said that the breed descended from the bronze age wolf. In the 7 th Century, there was a German dog similar to
the Shepherd,but lighter in coat.By the 16 th century,however,the same breed had darkened in coat color.About 1880 the German
army modified this breed for work as a military dog.The first German Shepherd exhibit was in 1882 in Hanover. 48,000
of these dogs served in the first world war, and thus became hugely popular.They have been used for search and rescue,police,army,
and sentry, scent discrimination and as a guide dog. One German Shepherd was said to have scaled a wall 11 feet , 8 inches
tall. Today they are still among the most popular dogs .
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