Review author: “ZooVita”
The German Shepherd is a dog breed that is very popular all over the world. She lives next to a person for many years and not only gives him her love, but also helps him in every possible way. This breed has a special friendliness and a sharp mind, so it is often adopted as a family friend and used as a service dog for work in the army, police and the Ministry of Emergency Situations.
Origin of the dog breed German Shepherd
Researchers are convinced that the origins of German Shepherds should be sought in the mists of time. Their evidence suggests that they most likely descended from timber wolves that decided to live closer to the tribes of ancient people.
In the course of evolution, they became similar to herding dogs that protected farm plots from external enemies. By the beginning of the 18th century, there were already two types of such herding dogs, differing in their character and appearance, so the breeders decided to unite to create a new breed.
A great contribution to the breeding of German Shepherds was made by Max von Stephanitz and Arthur Meyer, as well as their followers, who continued the development of the breed even after the death of von Stephanitz, who was breeding German Shepherds from 1884 to 1896.
Their activities were based on maintaining the purity of blood, which had to be proven by documents, and they also sought to develop as much as possible in the breed qualities that would be useful in helping humans.
Appearance of the dog German Shepherd
Dimensions of a German Shepherd: height at the withers is on average 60 cm, and weight can reach 40 kg. According to the standard, purebred German Shepherds have a sloped lower part of the body, since their front legs are much shorter than their hind legs. The dog's body looks strong. The dog's chest is clearly defined, it is long and wide, as is its back.
The neck is quite strong and muscular, almost as long as a shepherd's head. The dog's head is large, and the skull is round in shape, the forehead is convex, the muzzle is not too long, the eyes are round and dark in color.
The ears are straight, almost in the shape of a triangle, have no creases or bends, the distance between the ears is small. The teeth and jaws of the German Shepherd are well developed and have a scissor bite. The tail is quite long, slightly bent.
The color of German Shepherds is dark with reddish-brown, gray, and beige fur underneath. Most often, a photo of a German shepherd is found in a black-and-white color, but there are many more types of color: zonal, just black, pure white, reddish-gray, light gray.
Character of dogs of the German Shepherd breed
The German Shepherd has a fairly balanced character, special intelligence, friendliness, loyalty and calmness. But this is also influenced by proper education, which is very important to give to your pet.
If a shepherd puppy is not given time and taught various rules, then when he grows up, he will become unmanageable.
Such dogs need constant communication and physical exercise, they quickly learn new commands and master games, enjoy going for walks and love to play in nature.
The German Shepherd is incredibly loyal; such dogs are always ready to protect their owners at the cost of their own lives. She also gets along well with children, as she herself is quite affectionate. He loves to show his love and trust to his owners by rolling over on his back and allowing his belly to be stroked.
Despite the fact that the German Shepherd is an almost ideal pet, one should not lose sight of the fact that it will not always be friendly to strangers, since it does not know whether a stranger can harm its owner. Therefore, the owner must immediately show that the stranger has no evil intentions, after which the dog will change its attitude towards him.
Nature of the German Shepherd
The distinctive features of this breed are high intelligence, intelligence, loyalty, perseverance, courage, etc.
Do not limit the activity of a shepherd dog under any circumstances and be sure to persistently train different commands with it, since this is a dog that is ready to work hard and obediently does everything that its owner tells it.
If you do not give her the proper release of activity, this will lead to a deterioration in the dog’s behavior.
With people around her, if they are not familiar to her, she behaves a little distrustfully, but does not attack them. With loved ones she is playful, obedient, willingly follows commands and instructions.
She remains devoted to her owner until the end of her life. Treats children's pranks with patience and is affectionate with them. He behaves friendly and sweet with other animals.
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Vigorously protects loved ones and their property. Perfectly fulfills the duties of your sleep guard.
There is one important advantage that elevates the shepherd dog above other dog breeds - the ability to obey many people, that is, to have several owners.
For this reason, the shepherd is often chosen as a partner by border guards, police officers, and the military, since when the guard changes, it will listen to the next one, when other dogs will serve only one owner.
Dog training German Shepherd
In the first months of a puppy’s life, with the help of simple games and tasks, you need to teach simple rules of behavior and do not forget to give them a reward in the form of treats.
From the very beginning, the owner must demonstrate his authority, but this must be done carefully, without using brute force. If you can’t do this on your own and the puppy’s behavior deviates from the norm, you can contact a dog handler.
It is important to teach the puppy at least basic commands, and when he grows up, he should be taught to walk with a leash and muzzle and, of course, be rewarded for this with a tasty treat.
However, you need to be careful about stress, as even the best German Shepherds are susceptible to nervous breakdowns due to overtraining.
How to choose a puppy
When choosing a puppy of any breed, you should approach it as responsibly as possible and not lose your head over the charming appearance of the fluffy, clumsy little ones.
If you do not plan to participate with your dog in exhibitions and competitions, then you do not have to look for an animal with an excellent pedigree and an exterior that matches the canons of the breed.
In this case, you should pay attention to the puppy’s health and find out in advance how a dog should behave at a given age. Also, do not forget about the animal’s passport indicating all the nuances, vaccinations and features.
If you want to purchase a purebred puppy to participate in various exhibitions and further create a kennel, you will have to not only carefully choose a dog, but also first study the history of the breed, standard and exterior, fully understand and feel this breed.
Many dog lovers consider the German Shepherd breed to be the best for many reasons. Well, perhaps you will join their ranks!
Caring for a German Shepherd
The long-haired German Shepherd needs careful care, this includes not only food, but also regular training of the pet, and especially walks. Of course, it is better if the owners of the shepherd live in a private house, so active recreation and stress will be constant.
The dog is completely comfortable sleeping in the kennel, especially if it is insulated with hay in winter. The coat of the German Shepherd is very dense, so it will not allow it to freeze. Also, dense wool will often need to be combed, and the long coat on the hips in the hot season is better to be cut.
It is recommended to bathe when soiled, but not very often. It is enough to soap the dog, and then rinse everything off with clean water, the pet will do the drying itself: it will begin to shake off the remaining water and actively move.
Nutrition for German Shepherd dogs
The German Shepherd eats both natural food and commercial food, the main thing is that the diet is balanced. From birth, you need to make sure that the puppy receives amino acids and proteins in its food, otherwise its health will not be strong, and the puppy itself will grow up weak.
The diet of a German Shepherd must include such foods as: lean meat; buckwheat, wheat and rice porridge; vegetables; milk; dairy products; berries.
You should also carefully monitor the amount of food you eat, as an excess of it will have a bad effect on your dog’s health. It is strictly contraindicated to feed raw fish, exotic fruits and leftovers from the common table, because this can lead to gastrointestinal upset.
Diet
Dogs of this breed expend a huge amount of energy due to their activity and size. Therefore, their daily diet should contain a sufficient amount of proteins, fats, complex carbohydrates and vitamins.
The main part of the diet should be meat products, for example, with vegetables. You should not overuse cereals - they are poorly digestible. Also be careful with dry foods that may cause allergies in your dog.
Remember a few simple rules:
- The main part of the diet is meat;
- Don't overfeed your dog;
- Don't feed your dog table scraps;
- Do not give your dog anything too sweet, salty or fried, as well as foods with a lot of small bones and fresh bread.
Health of German Shepherd dogs
The lifespan of a German Shepherd is from 10 to 15 years, and it is far from a weak dog, but it can also be susceptible to various diseases. Most often, due to poor nutrition, diseases of the digestive system occur; they may also develop allergies, dermatitis, and dysplasia.
It is especially important to regularly take your dog to the veterinary clinic for routine examinations, get the necessary vaccinations on time, and carefully monitor your pet’s health.
Content Features
German Shepherd dogs are quite easy to keep even in the most modest conditions. They adapt painlessly to everything new and are not particularly picky.
But still, for full and timely development, both puppies and adult dogs need care. They have thick, long fur that requires constant grooming. It needs to be combed 1-3 times a week depending on the time of year.
German Shepherds also require daily long walks and other physical activity aimed at developing strength, agility and endurance.
