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Rescue a German Shepherd
German Shepherd Dog Puppies for Sale

German Shepherd Dog
(Alsatian) (Deutscher Schaferhund)

Noah (black and tan) 1 1/2 years, Dax (solid black) 6 years, & Hannah (my golden girl) 1 1/2 years, are pure German Shepherds.

"These are my German Shepherds. Noah (black and tan) 1 1/2 years, Dax (solid black) 6 years, & Hannah (my golden girl) 1 1/2 years, are pure German Shepherds. They are all balanced dogs, because I am a confident pack leader!! : ) They all respect their pack leader. They all enjoy watching me do all the yard work on 3 acres. Dax and Noah love to play ball and swim. Hannah loves to run along side them as they get the ball. I am always watching for new tips from Cesar. He is a natural!"

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Pronunciation

German Shepherd Dog
Description

The German Shepherd Dog is also known as the Alsatian. It is handsome, well proportioned and very strong. The nose is most often black but, blue or liver still do sometimes occur, but is considered a fault and can not be shown. The coat most often comes in black with tan, sable 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, however they are now being recognized as a separate breed, called the American White Shepherd. A piebald color has also occured in a single GSD bloodline which are now being called Panda Shepherds. A Panda is 35% white, the remainder of color is black and tan, and has no white German Shepherds in its ancestry. The GSD has a sturdy, muscular, slightly elongated body with a light but solid bone structure. Its head should be in proportion to its body, and the forehead a little convex. It 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). The eyes are almond-shaped, never protruding, dark, with a lively, intelligent expression. Its bushy tail reaches almost to its hocks and hangs down when the dog is at rest. Its front legs and shoulders are muscular; its thighs thick and sturdy. It has round feet with very hard soles. There are three varieties of the German Shepherd: rough-coated, long rough-coated, and the long-haired.

Temperament

Often used as working dogs, German Shepherds are direct and fearless, and alert. Bold, cheerful, obedient and eager to learn. Known for their tremendous loyalty and courage. Calmly confident, but not hostile. Serious and highly intelligent. They have a high learning ability. German Shepherds love to be close to their families, but can be wary of strangers. This breed needs his people and should not be left isolated for long periods of time. They only bark when they feel it is necessary. German Shepherds have a very strong protective instinct, so they should be extensively socialized. Aggression and attacks on people are due to poor handling and training. Problems arise when an owner allows the dog to believe he is pack leader over humans and or does not give the dog the mental and physical daily exercise he needs to be stable. This breed needs owners who are naturally authoritative over the dog in a calm, but firm, confident and consistent way. A stable, well-adjusted, and trained dog is for the most part generally good with other pets and excellent with children in the family. They must be firmly trained in obedience from an early age. German Shepherds who have passive owners and or who's instincts are not being met can become timid, skittish and may be prone to fear biting and develop a guarding issue. To be successful pets, these dogs should be trained and socialized from an early age with a firm and loving hand. Coercive or angry training does not succeed well with these dogs. Do not treat this dog as if he were human. Learn canine instincts and treat the dog accordingly. To be truly happy, the German Shepherd needs a task in life and a consistent pack leader. The breed is so intelligent and learns so readily that it has been used as a sheepdog, guard dog, in police work, as a guide for the blind, in search and rescue service, and in the military. The German Shepherd also excels in many other dog activities including schutzhund, tracking, obedience, agility, flyball, and ring sport. His fine nose can sniff out drugs and intruders, and can alert handlers to the presence of underground mines in time to avoid detonation, or gas leaks in a pipes buried 15 feet underground. The German Shepherd is also a popular show and family companion.

Height, Weight

Height: Dogs 24-26 inches (60-65cm.) Bitches 22-24 inches (55-60cm.)
Weight: 77-85 pounds (35-40kg.)

Health Problems

Indiscriminate breeding has lead to hereditary diseases such as hip and elbow dysplasia, (be sure both parents have had their hips certified at least OFA good) blood disorders, digestive problems (probably due to nerves), epilepsy, chronic eczema, keratitis (inflammation of the cornea), dwarfism and flea allergies.

Living Conditions

The German Shepherd will do okay in an apartment if sufficiently exercised. They are relatively inactive indoors and do best with at least a large yard.

Exercise

German Shepherd Dogs love strenuous activity, preferably combined with training of some kind, for these dogs are very intelligent and crave a good challenge. They need to be taken on a daily, brisk, long walk, jog or run alongside you when you bicycle. While out on the walk the dog must be made to heel beside or behind the person holding the lead, as in a dog's mind the leader leads the way, and that leader needs to be the human. Most shepherds love to play ball or Frisbee. Ten to fifteen minutes of fetching along with daily pack walks will tire your dog out quite nicely as well as give him a sense of purpose. Whether it is ball chasing, frisbee catching, obedience training, participation in a canine playgroup or just taking long walks/jogs, you must be willing to provide some form of daily, constructive exercise. The daily exercise must always include daily walks/jogs to satisfy the dogs migration instinct. If under-exercised and or mentally challenged, this breed can become restless and destructive. Does best with a job to do.

Life Expectancy

Around 13 years.
Grooming
This 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. They should be bathed rarely, only once or twice a year to avoid skin oil depletion.
Origin
Using long-haired, short-haired, and wire-haired local shepherd dogs from Wurtemberg, Thurginia, and Bavaria, von Stephanitz and other dedicated breeders produced a responsive, obedient, and handsome German Shepherd. In April 1899, Capt. Max von Stephanitz registered a dog named Horan as the first Deutsche Schäferhunde, which 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. It was presented at Hanover in 1882, and the short-haired variety was first presented in Berlin in 1889.

Group

Herding, AKC Herding
Recognition
CKC, FCI, AKC, UKC, KCGB, CKC, ANKC, NKC, NZKC, GSDCA, APRI, ACR
   

CKC = Continental Kennel Club
FCI = Fédération Cynologique Internationale
AKC = American Kennel Club
UKC = United Kennel Club
KCGB = Kennel Club of Great Britain
CKC = Canadian Kennel Club
ANKC = Australian National Kennel Club
NKC = National Kennel Club
NZKC = New Zealand Kennel Club
GSDCA = German Shepherd Dog Club of America
APRI = American Pet Registry Inc.
ACR = American Canine Registry

DBI Recommends To EVERY Dog Owner
Cesar Millan DVD's
Cesar Millan Books

My purebred German Shepherds Hannah (my golden girl) 1 1/2 years, Dax (solid black) 6 years, & Noah (black and tan) 1 1/2 years.

"My purebred German Shepherds Hannah (my golden girl) 1 1/2 years, Dax (solid black) 6 years, & Noah (black and tan) 1 1/2 years."

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Female German Shepherd dog named Wolfy, at 3 years and 8 months old

"This is my purebred female German Shepherd dog named Wolfy, at 3 years and 8 months old. She was born on April 28, 2005. She is 28 inches in height, with a bulky body and double coat hair. She has a good temper, and is friendly to anyone. She also has a good food appetite."

 

Female German Shepherd dog named Wolfy, at 3 years and 8 months old

Female German Shepherd dog named Wolfy, at 3 years and 8 months old.

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German Shepherd Dogs

Meika (right) and her friend Gwen (left), who is a service dog, playing at the lake.

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Title: Police Dogs on Parade
German Shepherd Posters and Prints!

German Shepherds (Alsatians) (Deutscher Schaferhunds)
  Photo Courtesy of Vom Haus Drage Kennel & Pet Resort

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Lupo, the long haired German Shepherd at 9 months

Lupo, the long haired German Shepherd at 9 months. See Lupo Growing-up

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Kaiser, the black German Shepherd Dog at 11 months old

Kaiser, the black German Shepherd Dog at 11 months old.

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A German Shepherd Family
Pajdo and Linda with their litter of puppies

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Prudy, the German Shepherd is about 5 years old in this picture and, as always, chasing a tennis ball

Prudy, the German Shepherd is about 5 years old in this picture and, as always, chasing a tennis ball.

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"Milo waiting to come in after our 3 hour hike with his new backpack. Milo is a semi-rescued, 3-year-old, GS. I took him from my brother off the Onondaga Nation Reservation in New York and have provided him an apartment setting as opposed to the Rez setting where he was tied up on a 5 ft. run or roaming with the local Rez pack. Milo is a loving, playful, energetic and stubborn GS whose favorite toy is his "bad cuz" squeak toy. He loves to play chase with me chasing him around the apartment as he proudly prances with his "Mr. Squeakers" in his mouth. He hates the doorbell, loves people and children. He has yet to be an off leash dog due to his roaming habits of old. Consistent training and exercise have, according to his Vet, saved his life . . . he was a red flagged dog, his vet file marked with red aggression stickers, he is now neutered, exercised and given limitations and boundaries. I have watched Cesar Millan and agree with his structure. I exercise, discipline/challenge and provide love and affection in the order Cesar suggests and Milo appears to be a well-balanced dog."

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Riza a German Shepherd going for an off lead walk in an open field.

Riza (left) at 1 year and 6 months old and Hitman (right) at 6 months old.

Riza (left) at 1 year and 6 months old and Hitman (right) at 6 months old. Hitman is what is called a Panda Shepherd. It is a color mutation in the purebred German Shepherd dog occuring in a single bloodline.

  Riza (left) a German Shepherd Dog at 1 year and 6 months old and Hitman (right) a Panda German Shepherd Dog at 6 months old.

Riza (left) a German Shepherd Dog at 1 year and 6 months old and Hitman (right) a Panda German Shepherd Dog at 6 months old.

 

 

 

German Shepherd Pictures 1

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