Dog picture taken by pablo72.

Dog picture taken by Damian Synnott.

This is a video of my german shepherd.

Dog picture taken by Damian Synnott.

We live in a world where making friends has become a truly difficult thing and keeping one’s friends is not exactly an easy task to accomplish. People surround us all the time and, still, most of us feel alone. Friendship is one of the most beautiful things that we have and, if we are too busy to make friends or to keep contact with our old ones, we can always have a man’s best friend. Dogs are always there when we need companionship and they will never stop being our best friends.

The German Shepherd dog has existed as a distinct breed for ninety years and its ancestors were sheepherding and farming dogs from Germany. The German Shepherd is a middle-sized dog, usually weighing 75-95 pounds. Nowadays, the German Shepherds represent an appreciated breed due to their courage, loyalty and numerous abilities. However, if you consider this breed of dog for your family, you should be aware of the fact that they need love, attention and guidance.

German Shepherds represent one of the most popular and cherished breeds of dogs, due to the fact that they are intelligent, agile and very active. German Shepherds are also large, strong and very faithful. Although most people know that German Shepherds are black and tan, few are aware of the fact that these dogs come in a variety of colors and patterns, such as black and red, black and brown, black and silver, black and cream and blue and ten. These dogs represent ideal companions, watchdogs and guardians.

Before buying your puppy, it is important to do some research concerning puppy breeders. The most important thing is to buy a healthy puppy, from a breeder who is interested in finding a proper home for the puppy and who can provide you certification about its parents. Take a very good look at the puppy before buying it. Make sure it has a proper weight, it is clean and it does not smell, and that it appears to be friendly and playful. Another important thing is to test the puppy, see if it suffers from hip, and elbow dysplasia, which is a very common disease.

If you are considering purchasing a German Shepherd puppy, you should not think twice about it. German Shepherd puppies are very sociable and they need your attention and patience. They are excellent family dogs because they are friendly to all members of the household.

Of course, it does happen most of the times for them to have a favorite person. German Shepherd puppies will begin to be aware of their family after five or six months of age. Raising a puppy with young children will be an effort for the parents, but one that is worth making. The German Shepherd puppies will grow side by side with your children and become their best friends.

The German Shepherd puppy will bond with your family and will become a loyal friend. German Shepherd puppies have a good nature, although they need firm training. The training of your puppy is of utmost importance and it will last a lifetime.

Choosing a puppy requires a lot of research, time and effort, but few dogs have the qualities of a German Shepherd. If you choose such a dog, you can be certain that you will not regret your choice. They make one of the best picks from among the friendly canine beings.

Dog picture taken by Damian Synnott.

The amazing trainability and eagerness to please give German Shepherds both good and bad personalities, as they can be easily trained to do just about anything – including attacking people. German Shepherd dogs worship the people they live with. They need to be active and have a job to do in order to keep them from being destructive. German Shepherds will worship you and need your attention. Any German Shepherd dog trained to do bad things can be retrained with patience.

What qualities would you look for in a friend? You would hope they would stick by your side through good times and bad. You pray that they will never betray your secrets. You wish that they would help you out when you needed help. You can find all of these qualities in a German Shepherd dog. And, as added benefit, they won’t sue you, either.

You need to do your part in this friendship, as well, in order for it to work out. You have to be patient, have a sense of humor and learn all you can about the German Shepherd breed. You have to be committed to exercising your German Shepherd dog every day, with a walk and play. They need to be active, or else they get a bit hyperactive. They also need regular trips to the vet for inoculations and check ups. Purebred German Shepherds are more inclined to have genetically caused problems than many other breeds of dog. You must be willing to pay any and all medical costs for your friend.

German Shepherd dogs worship the human beings they either live with or are ordered to protect. They would rather hang out with their people than with other dogs. The approval and affection of their people is vital to their sense of well-being. These are not dogs that like to be alone, chained out in the yard. Any German Shepherd left to this fate will overcompensate with hyperactivity in order to get his people’s attention. Since they are such large and powerful dogs, even playful boisterousness can possibly hurt someone.

German Shepherds excel when given specific jobs to do. This is why they are often one of the first breeds of choice for police dogs, search and rescue dogs, assistance dogs and for working in entertainment. Throughout the centuries, they have also played the roles of sheepherders and draft animals as well as their more familiar roles as guard dogs and military dogs.

A German Shepherd dog needs regular exercise, attention and grooming. Getting them spayed or neutered will also not only lengthen their life span, but also make them more willing to pay attention to you. German Shepherds really are not suitable for apartment life, unless they get a lot of outdoor exercise. They learn to leash train very well (and can often be voice trained), whether their owners are walking, jogging, riding a bike or riding a horse.

Hopefully, armed with this German Shepherd information about their basic personality, you will know if a German Shepherd dog is right for your home and lifestyle. There are variations in each dog’s individual personality, as there are with each dog’s physical traits. Some are more timid than others. Some are more serious than others. Some seem more psychic than others. But they need a lot of activity and attention in order to really become a member of your family.

Who hasn’t passed a pet store and noticed the cute, sad-eyed puppies behind the glass? What most don’t know is the history behind those puppies and the pet store itself. Unfortunately, pet stores are not the best place to purchase puppies. This article will explain the reasons why. Pet buyers shopping for purebred German Shepherd puppies must take care in where they buy their desired pet. Thorough research into German Shepherd breeders and other sellers must be done. Additionally, pet buyers must research the breed they are buying and be prepared to care for its specific needs.

The German Shepherd is a large sheep-herding dog breed. The breed’s history is recent. The first German Shepherd breeder, Max von Stephanitz, founded The German Shepherd Dog Club of Germany which classified the German Shepherd in 1899. The American Kennel Club (AKC) registered the breed in the herding group in 1911. Though German Shepherds come from one of many versions of German sheep-herding dogs, they perform many other functions today.

The German Shepherd dog has a large body and is wolfish in appearance. Stephanitz initially inbred the line to retain its lupine beauty, intelligence and utility. Unfortunately, inbreeding also caused genetic defects. German Shepherds are highly prone to hip dysplasia and other skeletal disorders. It is recommended that any potential buyer ask for a warranty from the breeder that their dog has been evaluated and cleared for hip dysplasia.

There are many places where a buyer can acquire a purebred German Shepherd. These include breeders, brokers, the Internet, the newspaper (private owners), pet stores, shelters and rescue centers. Simply put, the best place to buy a purebred German Shepherd is from a certified, ethical German Shepherd breeder. These breeders have their own kennels and often work in tandem with rescue centers or house rescues within their own kennels. All other sellers of German Shepherds cannot provide a full history and put buyers at risk of purchasing dogs with health and behavioral problems as well an uncertain ancestry.

A bad German Shepherd breeder only breeds dogs for cold hard cash and nothing more. They see the puppies and the parents as merchandise, not as living creatures. The term puppy mill or backyard breeder is the name given to these illicit breeders. The females are bred each and every season leading to shorter life spans and ill health. They are confined to very small cages and have no socialization of any kind. The puppies are kept in the same kind of conditions, which can lead to physically and emotionally unhealthy litters. These are the kind of puppies found at pet stores.

The best advice is to find a reputable German Sherperd breeder that really cares about the puppies they produce. This kind of breeder will ask questions of potential buyers to ensure the well being of the puppy in it’s new home. They will have all the appropriate paperwork such as American Kennel Club registration and veterinarian health reports as well as plenty of care information to pass on to the new family.

Dog picture taken by robdray.com.

Steven Seagal Trains German Shepherd Attack Dogs on his TV show ‘Steven Seagal Lawman’. Airs Wednesdays at 10PM on A&E. Visit the official website at the following link: bit.ly

If you want to train working dogs, there are several breeds that you can teach tricks or special tasks. These include beagles, bloodhounds, Dobermans, Rottweilers, American Bulldog, Welsh Collie, and several other canine breeds. The German Shepherd is one of the most common working dogs. This is due to the great characteristics of a working German Shepherd. This dog breed is generally obedient and loyal, making it easy to train. It can be the gentlest working dog, employed to guide a blind individual. It can also be the fiercest trained dog for the police force.

German Shepherds are among the most popular breeds of working dogs all over the world, with several lines fit for different work areas. The Alsatian, or German Shepherd, is originated by a man named Max von Stephanitz during the late 1800s. The ability of the working German Shepherd to be trained and its intelligence is owed to the captain, who desires working dogs that are helpful in different working fields. This capability is hugely observed in German Shepherds.

A German Shepherd is employed to perform different kinds of tasks. They are working dogs that specialize in a variety of work areas. Examples of these are search and rescue, police chores, military chores, guard, and handicap and blind assistance. Compared to other canine breeds, the working German Shepherd is capable of dealing with different types of owners. It can be a suitable pet for children and families because of its loyalty and emotion. It can also be a perfect addition to a task force unit, with its aggressiveness and fierceness.

There are different color varieties for the hair of German Shepherds. There are some lines that are a mix of black and brown. On the other hand, a working German Shepherd may have a mix of brown and cream hair colors. This breed is distinguished through its behavior and skills. German Shepherds that are employed as working dogs specialize in various services. There are also some German Shepherds that are hired as show dogs, with great emphasis on appearance. Because of the popularity of this breed within the police force and the military, a working German Shepherd is said to be violent and dangerous.

This is a common misconception among German Shepherds that are used as working dogs. Like all dogs, a working German Shepherd may only be violent if it is not trained well, or dealt with cruelty. The proper training of this dog breed includes daily exercise. If Alsatian working dogs are not exercised regularly, they will end up losing their energy.

If you are an owner of a German Shepherd and you want to learn how to train it, you can watch training videos over the web. You can check out Working Dog Videos where you can find clips on the proper steps of training a working German Shepherd and other breeds of working dogs. Working Dog Videos is also suitable for trainers who are looking for dogs to train. Aside from viewing dog training clips, you can also share your videos privately or publicly.

Through breeding experiments, breeders have been able to create variations of the German Shepherd. Such experiments gave way to new kinds of German Shepherd dogs, one of which is the white German Shepherd. But in spite of these great results, there are some people who wish to stick to its roots by breeding old-style German Shepherds which are larger than your usual German Shepherd. These purists argue that though these experiments can produce German shepherds with special attributes, the qualities which gave the breed its reputation such as intelligence may disappear.

The different lines of German Shepherds

For those who do not know anything about German Shepherds, you may think that all of these dogs are one and the same. They are not. In fact, there are many lines of this breed and the old-style is just one of them. Each line was created for a specific purpose and these are:

- International working line. This line of German Shepherds is bred mainly to gain the working traits rather than the looks. Because of this, the appearance of these dogs may differ.

- International show line. This line was designed for breeders who are after the appearance of the dog rather than its working traits.

- North American show lines. This line was designed also more for the looks of the dog but with certain variations. These include sloped backs and sharper angulations. There are now debates on whether this line should be considered as a different breed of dog altogether. But breeders of this line argue that though there are great changes in the appearance of the dog, the working attributes have not been changed.

Appearance

Aside from the lines stated above, there is also another line which is called the old-style German Shepherd. The goal of the breeders of this line is simply to bring back the German Shepherd dogs to the way it was before. They aim to produce a line of dogs that looks and acts the same as its first ancestors. The old-style German Shepherd differs from the regular German Shepherd simply by its sheer size. A normal German Shepherd is around 24 to 26 inches tall. The old-style German Shepherds dwarf them by four more inches.

So an old-style German Shepherd is about 30 inches in height and would weigh around 124 lbs. or 54 kg. Though the features on the face are the same with regular German Shepherds, the old-style dogs have larger heads. The other physical attributes of this kind of breed include a straighter back, big bones, and no extreme angulations on the legs, giving it a noble and more poised look.

The body that establishes standards of dog breeds in the United States is the American Kennel Club (AKC). The American Kennel Club decides what qualities make a dog a show quality German Shepherd. German Shepherds in dog shows are judged against these standards, and the dog that comes the closest to matching all the standards of the breed wins the dog show. German Shepherds that win certain prizes in American Kennel Club dog shows can earn the rank of American Kennel Club champion, a designation that appears on a dog’s pedigree.

The categories that make up the standard of the German Shepherd breed include: appearance, temperament, size and proportion, coat and color and gait, the way the dog moves. A German Shepherd who meets the appearance standard of the breed gives the impression of a strong animal, alert and full of life. A good German Shepherd looks substantial and muscular, with an expression of nobility and quality breeding. The standard of the German Shepherd breed calls for a confident personality, slow to make friends. German Shepherds are alert and eager, ready to be report for duty as guide dogs, guard dogs, police dogs, herding dogs or loyal family companions.

The standards require that German Shepherd males should be twenty four to twenty six inches tall at the shoulder; females should be twenty two to twenty four inches tall. The German Shepherd head is noble, strong, and in proportion to the body. Males should look masculine, and females should look feminine. The face includes dark eyes, moderately pointed ears and a long, strong muzzle. A dog with cropped or hanging ears will be disqualified from competition, as will a dog with a nose that is not predominantly black. The neck should be strong, muscular and relatively long, carrying the head high and forward. The body should be deep with long ribs, a firmly held abdomen and a high, bushy tail. The forequarters are well muscled, with short, compact feet. The upper thigh should run parallel to the shoulder blade. The hindquarters are broad, with dewclaws removed from the hind legs.

The standard for German Shepherds require a double coat, with a thick, short outer coat on the main part of the body and shorter coat on the head, legs, and paws. A slight wave may be acceptable to some judges, but silky, wooly and curly coats are faults that require disqualification from judging. The health of the dog shows in the coat, so a German Shepherd’s coat should be glossy and well groomed. The classic German Shepherd is a deep tan with black saddle and facial features. Variations in color are permissible, although a white dog must always be disqualified. The German Shepherd moves in a trademark trot, covering ground quickly and steadily. A good German Shepherd trots effortlessly, as gait faults nearly always result in disqualification.

These are the American Kennel Club standard for breeders and dog show judges. As the saying goes, your mileage may vary. German Shepherd dogs who fall short of these standards make loyal, loving companions, so don’t overlook dogs offered for adoption through German Shepherd rescue organizations when selecting a German Shepherd as a companion animal.

The Alsatian, commonly known as the German Shepherd Dog, is a working dog breed that often acts as military dogs, guard dogs, police dogs, or search and rescue dogs. They are used because they can be trained in protection and obedience easily and they like to please their owners.

German Shepherd Dogs are large, strong dogs that have coats with either long or short hair. Their coats’ colors vary, but are mostly seen in tan and brown. However, there are some German Shepherds who are completely black or white. German Shepherds’ ears stand up erect and they also have long tails.

There are several lines of German Shepherd, all of which have different looks, behavior and skills. The international working line of German Shepherds are bred as working dogs. They are quite tough but their appearance varies. The North American show line of German Shepherds are bred for their appearance, which is unique to them. Their backs are more angled than a typical German Shepherd’s and unfortunately this can be bad for their backs. They are also believed to not have the working dog traits of the other lines. The international show line of German Shepherd Dog also is bred more so on appearance, so they typically look the same.

German Shepherds tend to develop great loyalty and are very obedient towards their owners. Due to their strong teeth and jaws, they can be trained to attack. Unfortunately, they can also become too aggressive or become fearful if not bred properly. Many of these types of dogs, who are either poorly bred or have owners who don’t train them properly, end up in puppy mills. Since German Shepherds are frequently used as attack and police dogs, they have received an image of being quite dangerous. However, most German Shepherds make great pets for families and are not aggressive.

German Shepherds are very emotional dogs and are quite loyal. They are sometimes used as guide dogs, but that is on the decline as they can get separation anxiety and trauma. As stated earlier, different lines of German Shepherds vary in temperament. Working dogs have more energy and are more obedient. They are intelligent and become upset if they do not get enough exercise. They like to have a job to do, which is why they are often used as rescue dogs. North American lines of German Shepherd Dogs are more fitted for the role of companions.

Due their large size, German Shepherds can suffer from elbow problems and hip dysplasia. They may have skin allergies or have von Willebrand’s disease. The average life span of a German Shepherd is twelve years.

German Shepherd Dogs were discovered in the late 1800s by Captain Max von Stephanitz and were meant to be a diverse working dog. American and British soldiers of World War I then brought German Shepherds to their homes and they became popular dogs. They were used as family pets and as working dogs.

German Shepherds are very versatile in the type of things they can do. They are highly intelligent and like to please and protect their owners. For this reason, they can become great guard dogs, rescue dogs, or police dogs and also make good pets for families.

Dog picture taken by ashley rose,.

German Shepherds are one of the most intelligent and versatile dog breeds in the world. But you need to know basic German Shepherd information to discoverwhat to expect from them before you bring one home. German Shepherd dogs are not satisfied until they are the center of attention. They are not vicious, but don’t know their own strength at times. German Shepherds are smarter than most people, which may get them into mischief in order to get your attention. They also can get more health problems than other breeds, especially hip and elbow dysplasia.

When anyone says the word dog, the image that pops up in most people’s mind is that of the German Shepherd. Also known as Alsatians (from the province in France where the breed was developed), the German Shepherd is one of the most popular dogs in the world. With their distinctive look, incredible intelligence and remarkable personalities, you would think the German Shepherd would be the perfect dog.

But a German Shepherd is not the dog for everyone. Their large size, their exuberant nature, their coats and sometimes health problems leave many thousands of German Shepherd Dogs to be abandoned every year. The Humane Society of the United States estimates that a quarter of all strays are purebreds, including purebred German Shepherds. Knowing basic German Shepherd information can help teach you what to expect from them as pets will help you decide if a German Shepherd is right for you and your family.

The incredible popularity of the German Shepherd has led to it being over bred. To keep up with the market for German Shepherd puppies, some breeders and puppy mills breed to death any German Shepherd they can find, no matter what it’s health. Responsible breeders and caring dog lovers are trying to stop this indiscriminate breeding and only breed healthy dogs. But German Shepherd can often seem to develop more health problems than other breeds.

The most common problem is hip dysplasia, which makes the hind legs crippled. This is a treatable condition that often involves X-rays and surgery. Many German Shepherds are abandoned just because the owners were not willing to pay the vet bills. You must be committed to caring for the dog’s health over luxuries for yourself. Many older German Shepherds also become blind, but dogs deal with blindness a lot better than people. The companionship of a German Shepherd should not have a price tag placed upon it.

German Shepherd dogs need to feel they have a job in order to be well-adjusted. They love company and to be part of the family. They hate being left out of anything. They use their intelligence to find ways of doing things they think you will like and praise them for. Whether you will like these actions is another matter. German Shepherds need supervision and training.

Because of their popularity, German Shepherd Dogs have been over bred, which has lead to health problems. Although responsible breeders would not breed an animal with health problems, which can be inherited by their puppies, many still do. The most common health problems with German Shepherds are hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia and cancers. Even though many of these health problems can be easily treated, the previous owners do not want to or cannot pay the vet bills and instead abandon the dog. When you get a German Shepherd keep in mind that they may need frequent visits to the vet.

Other Names of The German Shepherd Dog:  Alsatian, Deutscher Schaferhund, GSD.

German Shepherd Dog Temperament

The German Shepherd dog is amongst the most intelligent of dogs and its versatility and excellence in performing all manner of activities has secured its eternal position in the hall of fame when it comes to policing duties, search and rescue, military functions such as bomb sniffing and even as sight-seeing dogs for people who are blind or those with impaired eyesight. The German Shepherd is a quick study and due to their innate high intelligence are very easy to train.

These dogs are active, alert and like many other animals of a high intelligence and active nature the German Shepherd needs to be constantly challenged and stimulated both physically and mentally to avoid becoming a nuisance. That said, this dog breed makes a great companion and is both brave and loyal. Though some dogs tend to be somewhat aloof and wary by and large this dog breed makes for a great family pet and they generally get on well with children. Occasionally certain dogs may become a tad domineering with children which may manifest in the form of the German Shepherd trying to herd them about; in keeping with its breeding pedigree.

German Shepherd dogs have excellent watchdog ability and are typically wary of both strangers and other dogs. Early socialization is a must if your dog is going to be around other animals. As far as climate tolerance is concerned these dogs adapt fairly well to moderate cold as well as moderate heat, though extremes in either direction don’t go down well.

German Shepherd Dog Grooming & Exercise Requirements

The German Shepherd boasts a high energy level and thus this dog breed requires plenty of exercise on a daily basis. Its grooming requirements however are not quite as demanding and its coat only requires brushing once or twice a week. The German Shepherd is a moderate to heavy shedder and thus is perhaps not the best choice of dog for allergy sufferers.

German Shepherd Dog Appearance

The body of the German Shepherd dog is typically longer than it is tall and in the modern variant when the animal is standing the body slopes downwards as though the dog is poised to spring off of its hind legs. This was not always the case, the early variant of the German Shepherd dog having a squarer body and less slanting haunches. The tail is usually bushy and hangs with a slight curve.

This dog breed boasts an athletic build and erect ears atop a head with a pointed snout which enhances the alert appearance of the dog. Coat color may vary and includes the following: black, black and tan and sable. From a show dog perspective white-coated dogs are not allowed although of recent there is a movement for such specimens to be represented in their own sub-category.

This dog breed has a double coat with a thick outer coat comprised of close lying medium-length hair that may be straight or slightly wavy.

Weight:  Males:  75 – 100 pounds

            Females:   60 – 80  pounds

Height:    Males:  24 – 26 inches

             Females:  22 – 24 inches

German Shepherd Dog Health Issues/Life Expectancy

This dog breed on average has a lifespan of 10 – 12 years. Due to rather intense in breeding over the years the German Shepherd dog suffers from a number of genetic disorders which include the following:

Major Concerns: 

CHD

Elbow Dysplasia

Minor Concerns:

Panosteitis

vWD

Degenerative Myelopathy

Cauda Equina

Skin Allergies

Hot Spots

Neoplasms

Pannus

Cataract

Gastric Torsion

Perianal Fistulas

Cardiomyopathy

Hemangiosarcoma

German Shepherd dogs are also extremely susceptible to a potentially fatal systemic infection from the fungus Aspergillus.

German Shepherd Dog History

The modern German Shepherd dog is the end result of a concerted effort in the late 19th century to breed the perfect German sheep herding dog. Up until that time each district boasted its own distinct herding dog. To achieve the perfect herding dog various dog breeds from the north were crossbred with those from the central district ultimately resulting with the forbearer of the modern German Shepherd.

The goal of the German Shepherd dog breeding program was to produce a dog that could watch out for and control straying sheep from the rest of the flock without spooking the entire flock. Thus unlike cattle herding dogs it was undesirable for the German Shepherd dog to exhibit leg nipping and neither could it control its wards by barking at them because either one of those attributes would more than likely cause the entire flock to panic!

In essence the German Shepherd dog breeding program had to come up with an extremely intelligent, versatile, swift and independent thinking breed of dog that executed its duties in a precise, swift, calm and steady manner.

Between 1899 and 1901 a specialist breed club was established and was originally headquartered in Stuttgart before moving to Munich and then finally ending up in Berlin. This club was known as Der Verein Fur Schaferhunde (SV for short), and this organization’s primary goal and purpose was to oversee the continued positive development of the German Shepherd dog breed.

Within a decade of its breeding the German Shepherd dog had soon become one of the most popular dog breeds in the world. Its rising star in popularity was slightly marred by the occurrence of the two world wars, when it was considered prudent in both Britain and France to refer to the dog breed as either an Alsatian or simple the Shepherd Dog to avoid the inevitable backlash at the time associated with the word German incorporated in the dog breed’s name.

More about the dog

The German Shepherd dog is one of the most beloved and honored dogs in the world. Though this breed is classified by the American Kennel Club (AKC) in the herding group and began as a herding dog, German Shepherds perform many other jobs today. Because of their inherent courage, work ethic, intelligence, loyalty and overall trainability, German Shepherd dogs are commonly used in police work, as escorts for the blind, and as security for many families and businesses. There is no better protector than a German Shepherd.

German Shepherds are native to Germany. The first of the breed was a sheep-herding dog. This dog, given the name Horand von Grafath, became the first German Shepherd registered in the German Shepherd Dog Club of Germany in 1899. The breed was registered with the AKC in 1911.

German Shepherd breeders are common in North America due to the high demand not only for purebred German Shepherds, but for Shepherds with specific training. A German Shepherd breeder may specialize in training this breed for the visually impaired, for the police, and for use in tracking and protection. The Germans have a special training program for Shepherds to become “Schutzhunds,” or protection dogs.

There are a few precautions any potential German Shepherd buyer should take before making a purchase of a purebred German Shepherd dog. First, know what you are looking for. Second, know what purpose you plan to utilize the German Shepherd for. Third, know what it takes to care for a German Shepherd. Fourth, know where to find a reputable breeder.

Purebred German Shepherds have specific characteristics. They should also have registration papers or some form of pedigree, preferably from the American Kennel Club. Because German Shepherds are trained in various tasks and graduate from training programs, their lineage should reflect the rankings and accomplishments of their parents. The German Shepherd breeder should have his or her own kennel, and dogs should receive daily contact, grooming, socializing and training.

Unfortunately, a German Shepherd breeder may attempt to sell faulty German Shepherds. Make sure you obtain a complete copy of your German Shepherd’s medical records including health history, immunization records, results of blood tests, and any other relevant health information. This breed is prone to hip problems and a reputable German Shepherd breeder will give you some form of warranty or guarantee that your German Shepherd has been evaluated.

Now that you know basic German Shepherd traits and medical conditions, how to care for your Shepherd, what to look for in a German Shepherd breeder, and what purpose you will utilize your Shepherd for, it is time to find the perfect German Shepherd. Though many buyers want a purebred puppy, buying a purebred adult dog can be a good alternative. Adults are already trained, housebroken and socialized. Also, there are many adult German Shepherds who are far less likely to find homes than the adorable puppies sold by breeders.

German Shepherd rescue centers save Shepherds from abusive, neglectful or uncaring environments. There are bad breeders who try to sell fake dogs and there are even worse breeders who sell purebred, but often unhealthy, dogs out of puppy mills. Puppy mills are kennels where dogs are housed in small cages, constantly bred and provided with little to no socialization. Rescue centers re-socialize the dogs and foster or adopt them out to loving homes. Consider a rescued German Shepherd as an alternative when buying your dog.

Dog picture taken by Mrs Logic.

This is our 12 year old white german shepherd dog saying hello. How does a dog understand what “repeat” means.