Protection Dog Breeds we offer For Sale:

German Shepherd Dog | Boxer Dog | Doberman Pinscher | Belgian Malinois

Bouvier des Flandres | Giant Schnauzer | Dutch Shepherd Dog | Rottweiler | Airedale Terrier

(Click on the above links to learn about each breed)

German Shepherd Dog

AKA: (Deutsche Schaeferhunde) (Alsatian)

Pronunciation of 'German Shepherd Dog':

GER-man shep-ERD dog pronunciation

The German Shepherd Dog in Short:

German shepherd, breed of large, muscular working dog perfected in Germany at the turn of the 20th century. It stands about 25 in. (64 cm) high at the shoulder and weighs from 60 to 85 lb (27.2–38.5 kg). Its double coat is composed of dense, woolly underhair and a medium-length, harsh, straight or slightly wavy outercoat. Although it may be any color except white, it is usually black and tan, black, or gray. Developed over centuries from sheepherding and farm-dog stock, the German shepherd has been trained in a variety of specialties other than herding, e.g., as a police dog, as a carrier of messages and a patrol dog in war, as a personal protection dog, and as a leader of the blind. It is also very popular as a pet. The German Shepherd Dog is noted for intelligence, alertness, and loyalty, it is used as a guide for the blind, as a watchdog/security K9, personal protection dog, and in police and military work.

Temperament of the German Shepherd Dog:

Often used as working dogs, German Shepherd Dogs are direct and fearless, eager and alert. Bold, cheerful, obedient and eager to learn. German Shepherd Dogs are known for their tremendous loyalty and courage. German Shepherd Dogs are calmly confident, but not hostile. A well bred German Shepherd Dog is serious and almost human in his intelligence. German Shepherd Dogs have a high learning ability. German Shepherd Dogs love to be close to their families, but they are very wary of strangers and show very high levels of Family Protection when encountering a threat. The German Shepherd Dog breed needs it's Family and should not be left isolated for long periods of time as he will tend to become more independent. German Shepherd Dogs only bark when it is necessary. German Shepherd Dogs have a very strong protective instinct, so they should be extensively socialized to prevent over-aggressive behavior when they are an adult. Unwarranted aggression and attacks on people are largely due to poor breeding, handling and training. A well bred, well-adjusted, and trained German Shepherd Dog is for the most part generally good with other pets and excellent with children in the family. The German Shepherd Dog must be firmly trained in obedience from an early age to mold them into a well trained adult. It is extremely important to purchase your German Shepherd Dog from a reputable, knowledgeable provider. Some German Shepherd Dogs are timid and skittish and may be prone to fear biting due to under-socializing and/or poor or abusive training. If buying a puppy, research it's lineage carefully, if buying an adult that is already trained find out what exactly the dog has been trained to do, and what his full capabilities are. To be successful Family Protectors and Pets, these dogs should be trained and socialized from an early age with a firm and loving hand. Coercive or angry training does not generally succeed well with the German Shepherd Dog. To be truly happy, the German Shepherd Dog needs a task in life. The German Shepherd Dog breed is so intelligent and learns so readily that it has been used as a Sheepdog, Guard Dog, Personal Protection Dog, as a Police K9, a Guide Dog for the blind, in Search and Rescue Service (SAR) and in the Military (to name a few). The German Shepherd Dog also excels in many other dog Sporting activities including Schutzhund, Hunting, Man Tracking, Competition Obedience, Competition Agility, Flyball and European Ring Sports. The German Shepherd Dog's fine nose can sniff out drugs and intruders, and can alert Military handlers to the presence of underground mines in time to avoid detonation, or Workers of gas leaks in a pipes buried 15 feet underground. The German Shepherd Dog is also a very popular show and family companion.

Description of the German Shepherd Dog:

The "German Shepherd Dog" is also known as the "Alsatian". It is handsome, well proportioned and very strong. The German Shepherd Dog's coat most often comes in black with tan, sable, bi-color or all black, but also can come in blue, liver and white, but those colors are considered a fault according to most standards. White is not an acceptable color for the German Shepherd Dog, however they are now being recognized as a separate breed, called the "American White Shepherd". The nose is black most often black but, blue or liver still do sometimes occur, both those colors are considered a fault and a dog with those faults can not be shown. The German Shepherd Dog has a sturdy, muscular, slightly elongated body with a light but solid bone structure. The German Shepherd Dog's head should be in proportion to its body, and the forehead a little convex. The German Shepherd Dog has a strong scissors bite, ears wide at the base, pointed, upright, and turned forward (the ears of puppies under six months may droop slightly and/or flop forward or to the sides). The German Shepherd Dog's eyes are almond-shaped, never protruding, dark, with a lively, intelligent expression. The German Shepherd Dog's bushy tail reaches almost to its hocks and hangs down when the dog is at rest. The German Shepherd Dog's front legs and shoulders are muscular; its thighs thick and sturdy. The German Shepherd Dog has round feet with very hard soles. There are three varieties of the German Shepherd Dog: rough-coated (Stock Hair), long rough-coated, and the long-haired.

Height, Weight of the German Shepherd Dog:

Height: Dogs (Males) 24-26 inches (60-65cm.) Bitches (Females) 22-24 inches (55-60cm.)

Weight: 70-85 pounds (35-40kg.)

Health Problems of the German Shepherd Dog:

Indiscriminate breeding in the German Shepherd Dog has lead to hereditary diseases such as hip and elbow dysplasia, (be sure both parents have had their hips certified at least an equivalent to "OFA GOOD") blood disorders, digestive problems (probably due to poor nerves & stress), epilepsy, chronic eczema, keratitis (inflammation of the cornea), dwarfism and flea allergies.

Living Conditions of the German Shepherd Dog:

The German Shepherd Dog will do okay in an apartment if sufficiently exercised. They are relatively inactive indoors and do best with at least a large yard. Kenneling is adequate if they are taken out to exercise several times daily. They handle both heat and cold well if they are allowed to adjust as the seasons change as they will naturally shed or grow their coat to handle whatever weather they are exposed to on a consistent basis.

Exercise of the German Shepherd Dog:

German Shepherd Dogs love strenuous activity, preferably combined with training or duty of some kind, for these dogs are very intelligent and crave a good challenge. The German Shepherd Dog is very routine in nature and will adapt extremely well to whatever task he is given.

Life Expectancy of the German Shepherd Dog:

13 to 17 years.

Grooming of the German Shepherd Dog:

The German Shepherd Dog breed sheds bits of hair constantly and is a seasonally heavy shedder. A quick daily brushing is best unless hair in the house is not a problem. The German Shepherd Dog should be bathed rarely, only once or twice a year to avoid skin oil depletion.

Origin of the German Shepherd Dog:

Using long-haired, short-haired, and wire-haired local Shepherd Dogs from Wurtemberg, Thurginia, and Bavaria, Max von Stephanitz and other dedicated breeders produced a responsive, obedient, and handsome German Shepherd Dog. In April 1899, Police Capt. Max von Stephanitz registered a dog named Horan as the first "Deutsche Schäferhunde", which, when translated from German means "German Shepherd Dog" in English. Until 1915, both long-haired and wire-haired varieties were exhibited. Today, in most countries, only the short coat is recognized for show purposes. The German Shepherd Dog breed was presented at Hanover in 1882, and the short-haired variety was first presented in Berlin in 1889.