German Shepherd Dog

1 German Shepherd Dog Breed Introduction

The German Shepherd Dog (German Shepherd Dog) was developed in Germany in 1899. After six revisions, its breed standard was adopted at the WUSV conference in May 1991. Classified by the AKC in the herding group, it was valued in WWI for scouting, capturing prisoners, and rescuing wounded, and is now widely used as a police, drug-detection, and guide dog, while also a very popular family companion.

2 German Shepherd Dog Physical Characteristics

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The German Shepherd Dog is a large breed giving a first impression of seriousness, boldness, fierceness, confidence, and obvious aloofness that keeps people away, but it is not so scary; with outstanding ability it can be a companion, watchdog, guide dog, herding dog, or guard dog, excelling at any work.

The male ideal height is about 24-26 inches, female 22-24 inches. This is the ideal for shows and training, but heights up to 30 inches occur occasionally.

The body length is slightly greater than height, ideal ratio 10/8.5.

Males are about 60-65 cm tall, 33-38 kg; females about 55-60 cm, 26-31 kg.

The head has clean, strong lines. Eyes are medium, generally almond, slightly slanted.

Ears droop in puppyhood, usually standing up around 4-6 months. If they stand too early it may signal a larger future size. Ear shape is slightly pointed, proportionate to the head. If ears remain dropped or become ‘pricked’ (arrow-shaped) in adulthood, it may be human-caused (frequent ear petting as a puppy) or puppy malnutrition; such dogs can never show, but working ability is unaffected.

The forehead is generally arched, the muzzle long and strong, its outline parallel to the skull’s; the nose is usually black. Lip lines are strong and graceful; the jaw is firm. 42 teeth (20 upper, 22 lower), like other dogs, change once in puppyhood. You often see a German Shepherd puppy spit out its baby teeth.

The neck is muscular with clear outline, usually extended forward supporting the head above the shoulders, held high when happy.

The ‘West German’ Shepherd has a sloping, very stable back; the ‘East German’ Shepherd has a level back.

The chest is full and broad, giving heart and lungs enough room; it protrudes slightly forward, giving a majestic look.

The loin is strong, the croup long and sloping. The tail is long, dense-coated, set low.

The coat is generally short, straight, dense, coarse, and close-lying. Ears and forehead have shorter hair; front and hind legs slightly longer hair.

Common colors: head, face, back, and tail black; lower body yellow or brown. Many other colors exist, including solid. Odd colors like white, or too-long/ hairless coats are congenital defects but generally do not affect working ability.

Common coat-color faults are white paws (one or more white claws). Although excluded from shows and competitions, this does not affect working ability, so such ‘defective’ dogs are often seen in police and military work.

The gait is a trot, elastic, very relaxed, smooth, and rhythmic, with a large stride and low frequency. When trotting, the lengths and angles of the limbs must coordinate; the head slightly forward, tail slightly up to keep balance, forming an unbroken graceful curve from neck through back to tail tip.

3 German Shepherd Dog Temperament

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The German Shepherd Dog’s English name is (German Shepherd Dog). A good German Shepherd gives the impression of a strong, stable, confident character, natural and fearless, with a fierce, intelligent, and combative nature, a strong, muscular, energetic body. German Shepherds are widely used as military and police dogs, contributing to public security, but many are also kept as family companions.

4 German Shepherd Dog Care Tips

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The German Shepherd Dog is an excellent working dog, now widely used in barracks and police forces, and more as a family companion. For a large working dog, diet and care under training are key; it must have a healthy, strong body to be trained.

Care tips:

1. Rules for defecation: hygienic keeping prevents odor; do not get angry even if rules are broken.

2. Rules for walks: do not let the dog walk ahead of the owner; let it walk on the left. Vary the time and route daily.

3. Socialize the dog: teach it social rules to win people’s and other dogs’ affection; do not over-indulge; contact it with the same mood as raising a child.

4. Crate training: once learned, travel or alone time is worry-free; do not give the impression of being locked up.

5. Stop roadside eating: prevent eating rotten or toxic things; when the dog reaches for food on the ground, tighten the leash. Do not make eye contact with the dog.

6. Stop barking at the doorbell: to avoid disturbing neighbors, record the doorbell with a tape and have a friend press it, so the dog learns barking is futile.

7. Teach it rooms it must not enter: to avoid bad impressions on disliked guests, scold when it enters a room.

8. Do not let it bark randomly: to avoid troubling neighbors and let dog and people coexist, find the cause of barking.

9. Stop the bad habit of chewing things: to prevent the dog damaging things.

10. Rules for eating: giving the dog everything it wants to eat harms its health.

11. Manners in apartments: considering people who dislike dogs, do not let it roam free.

12. Rules when alone: so the dog does not mischief with room items (like trash bins).

13. Defecation discipline: make the dog firmly learn the toilet rules.

If keeping a dog indoors, train the puppy’s defecation habits. Dogs are clean and will not soil their own den, so tell the puppy where the toilet is and let it relieve there once on arrival.

At first the puppy may not use the designated spot; take it to another room, clean the soiled area out of its sight, and spray deodorizer. Now with advanced technology, a scent attractant makes the dog relieve in that spot; pet stores sell it.

5 German Shepherd Dog Feeding Guidelines

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The German Shepherd Dog is famous in military and police; its dignified temperament is loved by young people. It is a hardworking working dog and an obedient companion. When keeping such a fine dog, feeding must not be careless.

Feeding guidelines

Nutrition cannot be lacking

Nutrition is the substance maintaining growth and life activities. Mainly protein, fat, carbohydrates, minerals, and vitamins. Protein is the main component of the body and an indispensable nutrient; animal protein has a wide range of amino acids and proper proportions, while plant protein has lower value and long-term plant-only feeding causes dysfunction like anemia, slow growth, weight loss, and poor coat. So animal protein should be 1/3 of dietary protein.

Fat dissolves in body tissues but not in water; it stores energy. Lack of fat causes growth arrest and reproductive disorders, and vitamin A, D, E deficiency causing dry skin, keratinization, and poor coat.

Carbohydrates are the largest proportion of the diet: sugars, starch, fiber, the main heat source. Need varies with workload. Less fat means more carbohydrates; in summer carbohydrates can partly replace fat.

Water is essential

Water is a required nutrient of all tissues. Blood is over 80% water, muscle 72-78%, bone 45%. Content varies with age and nutrition; puppies have more, decreasing later; lean dogs more, obese less. Drinking, food, and metabolic water are the main sources, excreted via kidneys, skin, lungs, and digestive tract.

Types of feed

Dog feed is divided into animal, plant, seasoning, additive, and commercial. Animal feed is the staple: beef, milk, eggs, fish, organ meats. Beef is best. Plant feed is mainly rice: rice, millet, wheat, sorghum, corn, plus vegetables like spinach and cabbage.

Seasoning is mainly salt, but excess causes sensitivity and poisoning.

Additives include minerals, vitamins, and trace elements.

Commercial feed is dog-specific; sold in pet stores and online.