The Worlds First German Shepherd
In the late 19th century, German officer Captain Max von Stephanitz was captivated by a certain dog he was amazed by how clever the dog was as a herder. He realized that with the least amount of guidance, the dog followed orders well.
Stephanitz bought this dog, naming him Horand von Grafrath. He became the first official German Shepherd dog. He admired Horand for his brilliance, not just his beauty. His motto was utility and intelligence.
The German officer became devoted to breeding the perfect dog, so he bred Horand. He founded the first German Shepherd club and dedicated 35 years of his life for a sole purpose: perfecting the ultimate intelligent breed.
What Is Their Conservation Status
The breeding of white shepherds is done exclusively by owners at their homes. Since they are bred to be sold as pets, the exact count of their existing population number across the world is hard to estimate. Hence, it is an animal that is Not Evaluated by the IUCN or any other international organisation. However, the population of this breed of German shepherd dog is registered by the AKC and the UKC as the American white shepherd.
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West German Shepherds Need A Lot Of Mental Stimulation
Because theyre bred solely for practical purposes, these canines are extremely smart. While this makes them able to pick up on training very quickly, they also need a lot of mental stimulation.
For this reason, we only recommend them for people who have a lot of extra time on their hands. It will take quite a bit of time each day to keep these dogs entertained. Training is a necessity if only because it challenges your dogs mind.
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The White German Shepherd All The Facts About This Magnificent Breed
The White German Shepherd is known for its plush white coat, its athletic body and its high intelligence. This unique dog is bred from German Shepherds and carries many of the same characteristics, yet it also carries the recessive white furred coat gene. So, as long as you dont mind a bit of extra time spent on grooming, youll still get a loving and loyal German Shepherd as your trusty companion.
Read on below to find out more about this special breed of dog and whether they could be the right pup for you.
Giant German Shepherd Lifespan And Health Issues: Are They Healthy Dogs
The lifespan of Giant German Shepherds ranges from 10 to 13 years which is quite the same as the normal German Shepherd.
Crossbred dogs are expected to be healthier than purebred ones. However, although they are quite immune to other health problems due to the benefit of cross breeding, there are still health conditions that are common for Giant German Shepherd breeds.
Nonetheless, both King Shepherd and Shilo Shepherd are just like other dog breeds vulnerable if not well taken care of.
Here are the common health issues among Giant German Shepherds:
- Joint Dysplasia: This is an abnormal formation of joints that can eventually cause lameness, instability, weakness, and pain.
- Von Willebrands Disease: This is the most common inherited bleeding disorder of dogs. With this disease, proper blood clotting is impossible due to the deficiency of a protein that the platelets need.
- Perianal Fistula: This skin disease also known as anal furunculosis is a serious medical condition that most commonly affects German Shepherd dogs both purebred and mixed breed dogs. It is a skin disease that affects the area immediately surrounding the anus.
- Hypothyroidism: This is an endocrine disease that affects the dogs metabolic functions which often result in obesity and canine diabetes.
- Eye Issues: Giant German Shepherds are also susceptible to different eye problems which include irritation, inflammation, watery eye, and pus discharge among others.
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Are There Any Behavioral Problems With German Shepherds
First off, they are very large dogs and can come off very intimidating. Second, their instinct to protect their family or property is strong and can lead untrained German shepherds to becoming very protective, aggressive, and scary dogs. The keyword here is untrained, as any untrained dogregardless of breedcan have the same problems.
How Many Different Types Of German Shepherds Are There
Based on their appearance, coat color, and pattern there are five different types of German Shepherds. While the physical appearance varies from one type to the next, all are considered a part of the German Shepherd Dog breed.
While the breed standard recognizes only medium and longhaired German Shepherds the coat colors can be varied. However, certain color variations arent allowed to compete and some are considered faults and can affect the scoring.
Bear in mind that not all types of German Shepherd are accepted and recognized by major canine organizations. For example, the American Kennel Club and the World Canine Organization doesnt recognize White German Shepherds.
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How Do You Discipline A German Shepherd
How do you disciple your German shepherd whenever you find it doing mischievous behavior? Do you kick or throw things at it? No! This is not the recommendable thing to do.
A good way to disciple your dog is to redirect it from the action its doing to the behavior you desire.
For example, is your dog eating and tearing up your shoe? Then redirect that action by finding a chew toy for him.
Also, if you find a dog peeing in the wrong place, dont punish it by rubbing its nose on the pop. Rather pick it up and take it to where you want it to be popping.
Also, if your dog is barking a lot, dont yell at it your German shepherd may see as if you are enticing it to bark more. Rather than try to grab its attention, try to look at why your dog has this behavior.
Most dog behaviorists and trainers can confirm yelling or throwing things at your German shepherd has never worked as a way to punish a dog.
What Is The Best Method Of Training A German Shepherd
Even though there are various training methods, the best one that most dog experts recommend is positive reinforcement. This type of training entails rewarding your German shepherd when he does a recommendable action and not doing so if he does not follow your commands.
When using positive reinforcement, you should use a highly valued reward that your dog likes. If your dog likes baby carrots, reward him with them if he does something remarkable.
Also, when it comes to positive reinforcement, consistency is crucial- dont reward your dog if he does do what you dont desire- he will be confused.
Whats important with this positive reinforcement is that its a humane way to train your dog rather than use harsh methods.
Although sometimes it can be slow before you get results, its one of the best training methods that wont fail you.
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Saddle Coat German Shepherd
The saddleback Shepherds are by far the most common type of German Shepherds. They will have two colors black and tan is the most common color combination, but some can be black and red.
Dogs with this coat pattern will have a large black patch of fur, in the shape of a saddle, on their backs. However, a lot of people call this the blanket pattern since it looks like someone put a black blanket over a dogs back.
Saddleback German Shepherds also have distinctive black face masks and black muzzles. This coat pattern is preferred in Canadian and American show line German Shepherds and desired by most breeders.
Work That German Shepherds Do:
The German Shepherd dog has been used by the police for over 100 years. So what makes this breed so great at work? Well the breed stays calm under pressure. They are also highly intelligent, easy to train, and just enjoy work over all. That being said, this dog breed is well-suited for stressful situations. We have already stated the work these dogs do which includes police, military, search and rescue, and disability assistance but lets go further in to how these dogs have saved lives.
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Why Is My 11 Year Old Sheltand Sheepdog Dribbling
Our 11 year old female Sheltand Sheepdog recently started dribbling in the house, especially at night. I also noticed that she is always begging for food. Recent labs: Alt 140, AlkPhos 451, urine sp grav 1.020, protein 2+. Our vet suggests DES for urinary problem and an Ultrasound to check her gall bladder.
When Did The German Shepherd Mix Come Out
There is no set date as to when and where this mixed breed was first bred.cHowever, as both the German Shepherd and Labrador Retriever are popular breeds then they have probably been around for a while. The German Shepherd is one of the worlds most popular dog breeds. They originated as a working dog in Germany in 1899.
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The White German Shepherd Dog History
The first white German Shepherd to appear on the show circuit was a dog named Greif, who was shown at two shows in Hanover in 1882 and 1887. Years later, Max von Stephanitz, the father of the German Shepherd Dog as a recognized breed, saw and fell in love with a German Shepherd named Hektor Linksrhein. Von Stephanitz purchased him immediately. This dog, which von Stephanitz then gave the name Horand, became the first dog registered in Germanys German Shepherd Dog Registry. This dog was also the grandson of Greif, carrying the white recessive gene. White German Shepherds appeared in subsequent litters, with Horands grandson Berno v.d.Seeweise registered as the first white Shepherd in the German national registry. Von Stephanitz, in his well-known book on German Shepherds, decisively concluded:
The coloring of the dog has no significance whatsoever for service.
Max von Stephanitz
In later years the Nazi party took over leadership of the German Shepherd registry, quickly moving to discourage all efforts to breed white German Shepherds. They believed there were two major problems that resulted from continuing to breed white German Shepherds. First, they thought that the white gene was responsible for causing genetic issues within the breed. Second, they also believed that the white gene was responsible for causing a general lack of dark pigmentation in the breed, thus fading the coat colors of the tan and black shepherds.
History Of A German Shepherd Dog
German Shepherds are the descendants of a German Herding Dog family. The credit for the existence of this great breed goes to one man named Captain Max Von Stephanitz. He was a career captain in the German cavalry in the late 19th century and he had an aim to introduce a German breed for herding dogs. After retiring from the military in 1899, Stephanitz began his second mission of ding experimentation with dog breeds. He studies the British techniques of breeding and went through the different cities of Germany in search of a good breed of dog in the dog shows.
His search ended one day of 1899 when he saw a wolf-like dog. The dog was large, strong, and sharp. Stephanitz bought that dog, named it as Hector Lingshein, and formed a society to find a breed out of its ancestors.
Stephanitz intended to breed this dog as a herding breed but in those days, industrialization started growing fast in Germany and the need for herding dogs started reducing. Therefore, he decided that this breed will be a working dog that will work for the military and police.
He had strong connections being in the army. So, he convinced the government to accept and use this breed. In World War 1, German Shepherd worked as a messenger, guard, Red cross dog, and supply carrier. After this war, German Shepherd got famous in the USA and was taken home by many soldiers. So WW1 became the reason for the popularity of the German Shepherd.
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Health Concerns When Breeding German Shepherds
Breeding German Shepherds means you must ensure your breeding dogs are cleared of any known health condition to date. Every dog breed has its own bunch of diseases particularly found in its specimens, and GSDs are no exception.
Below is a list of the most common health conditions in German Shepherds so you can DNA test your dogs for as many conditions as possible before breeding two GSDs.
Captain Max Von Stephanitz Founds A New Breed
In 1889 Captain Max von Stephanitz began the standardization of the breed. It all started at a dog show in Karlsruhe in western Germany. A medium-sized yellow-and-gray wolflike dog caught his attention. The dog was of the primal canine type, supple and powerful, and possessed endurance, steadiness, and intelligence. He was a working sheepherder, requiring no training other than direction and finish to become proficient at the task. This dog, Hektor Linksrhein, was purchased by von Stephanitz, renamed Horand von Grafrath, and became the first registered German Shepherd Dog.
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German Shepherd Behaviour And Temperament
German Shepherds can be a little shy with strangers on first meeting. However, once they get to know you they can be sweet and goofy. They are as loyal as can be to their family, and their protective nature makes them a great guard dog.
Female German Shepherds are a little more patient with rough play than males. As such, you might consider a female if you have small kids. Regardless, these dogs need proper socialisation and training from a young age. Doing so will make your German Shepherd a lot more easy-going when meeting new people and dogs.
These dogs need to use their brains to be happy – whether in learning, playing or performing tasks. As such, this isnt the right breed for you if you arent home much. Leaving a German Shepherd home alone for long periods of time will lead to problem behaviours, such as chewing and barking.
The Character Of Biggest German Shepherd On Record
The biggest german shepherd on record, like many other large breeds, requires a lot of time and attention to it. biggest german shepherd on record is better to live in a private house to have access to the street, garden or yard.
The biggest german shepherd on record has a well-developed instinct to protect their loved ones. These dogs get along well with children and other animals, provided that the first acquaintance occurred in the puppy age. An adult biggest german shepherd on record is unlikely to accept a new four-legged family member, although the intervention of a professional cynologist and this problem can be solved.
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Amazing Facts About German Shepherds
Lynn is a writer and long-time Learning & Development Manager at a large PNW retailer. She’s also mom to 3 dogs & 2 cats!
- Lynn Guthrie
- Can Dogs Eat Blueberries? Yep, Heres Why!
Theres no wonder the noble German Shepherd is the AKCs second most popular dog. This breeds intelligence, bravery, and loyalty have made them excel as police and military dogs, service dogs, and protective family pets. Its clear we love them and for so many reasons.
Here are some amazing facts about the German Shepherd breed you may not know.
1. German Shepherds are natural herders
Originally, German Shepherds were tasked with watching over flocks of sheep and herding them from field to field. That job required lightning-fast reflexes and an ability to run at top speed when needed. This breed proved perfect for the job.
German Shepherds can reach speeds of up to 32 miles per hour at full sprint. However, when herding, they trot rather than run, clocking in at around 20 miles per hour. They became the go-to-dog for herding sheep but there was so much more this breed would come to excel at.
At some point, a German Cavalry officer noticed this impressive work dog and its wolflike appearance. He purchased a dog for himself and the official history of this breed began.
2. The father of the German Shepherd breed
In 1895, Max Von Shlephanitz purchased the first Shepherd Dog at a dog show, naming him Horand Von Grafath. Horand was the genetic basis for the German Shepherd breed.
East German Ddr Working Lines
This type of German Shepherd has continued to be developed and maintained after the end of WWII.
The establishment of the Deutsche Demokratische Republik meant strict government-controlled pedigree registration.
And 40 years of closed breeding.
From this developed a distinctive looking dog. With dark pigment, a big head, deep chest, athletic body, supreme intellect, and stamina to boot.
This type of German Shepherd has a sound temperament and a high work drive .
They must have plenty of mental and physical stimulation and an experienced handler.
Check out this infographic and learn some fun facts about the German Shepherd Breed!
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Are German Shepherds Indoor Or Outdoor Dogs
German Shepherds are incredible social dogs, they thrive on affection from their human partners and enjoy spending time with active kids so keeping them indoors is a good choice. However, they also have a high security alert and may prefer sleeping outdoors to guard their owners home and prove their loyalty.
Where To Adopt Of Buy A German Shepherd
If you think you’d like to adopt a German shepherd, start by contacting one of the following organizations:
These groups will be able to provide guidance and next steps for adoption. If you aren’t certain the breed is right for you, you may be able to try foster care to test if a GSD is a good fit for your home.
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