GERMAN SHEPHERD DOGS - THE BEST
GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG
German Shepherd Dogs are considered to be the best dogs int he world - and not without reason. They were selectively bred to be beautiful, strong, highly intelligent, capable and loyal guardians. These dogs have incredibly high drive and perform very well at Canine Snake Avoidance training.
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Official classification: Working Dog
Country of origin: Germany
Size & Weight: Males 60-65 cm Females: 55-60 cm
Males 30 – 40kg, Females 22 – 32kg
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1st photo and most video cover photos are of the beautiful Zuuka Duke, graduate of Canine Snake Avoidance:
German Shepherd Dog
Canine Snake Avoidance
German Shepherds, being as smart as they are, pick up on Canine Snake Avoidance training extremely quickly. Their initial curiosity drives them towards the smell and sight of a snake. However once trained as to the fact that “snakes are bad”, German shepherds quickly adopt to understanding the concepts of Canine Snake Avoidance. This however shows how necessary canine snake avoidance training is for German shepherds as every time I have conducted this training, the german shepherd shows that without it, it would go straight up to, and investigate a snake. Our Canine Snake Avoidance training program is modified to tailor to the high intelligence of German Shepherds. Their natural tracking ability, desire to be near their owner, protect the home and intelligence is used to really advance their understanding to implement Canine snake Avoidance as a lifelong practice.
About German Shepherds
POSITIVE FEATURES OF THE GERMAN SHEPHERD
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Well suited as either a companion, family, working dog (e.g police, security etc).
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Energetic, active, and athletic and very strong.
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Very intelligent intelligence and highly trainable with a range of different training activities.
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Devoted to their family, loyal to their own, and protective
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Can also be very sweet, affectionate, friendly and playful
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Trust their owners.
CHALLENGING FEATURES OF THE GERMAN SHEPHERD
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Can be easily bored and lead to destructive behaviours if not given enough activities.
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Can be boisterous, especially as a younger dog
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Requires socialisation early as can be Overprotective of family and territory and a risk to others.
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Can have an unstable temperament if not bred properly. This can lead to excessive barking, hyperactivity, and/or aggression
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Suspicious of strangers if not properly socialised.
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Should be obtained from a good breeder as can be prone to a number of health problems
History of German Shepherds
With the rise of larger industrialised cities in Germany, there was a decrease in endemic predator populations so sheepdogs became unnecessary. At the same time, people recognised sheepdogs as being versatile, intelligent and adaptable. Germany’s native sheepdogs were gradually transitioned into a new role through selective breeding. German Shepherds became a planned breed of dog which commenced in 1899. It was bred from existing strains of German herding dogs with the final goal of creating a working dog that was predisposed to a high work aptitude, strong physical attributes and required temperament and character. They needed to also be intelligent, loyal and beautiful. This selective breeding program produced a dog that was highly sought after and in only a few decades, became and extremely popular dog. Today, we know them as German Shepherds.
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Due to the incredible strength and multitude of capabilities of the German Shepherd, they were adopted by Imperial and Nazi Germany for police, guard and military work. German Shepherds also played a role in Nazi propaganda. Since then, German Shepherds have been exported to many parts of the world and today, German shepherds are one of the most recognised dogs internationally. They used in police force, for security and military functions, prisons and guard work, tracking, and also make a great family pet.
German Shepherd Appearance
Coat: There are stock coat and long coat versions of the German Shepherd. The stock coat has dense straight harsh and close laying hair that is shorter on the head, front of legs, feet and toes. The long coat and heavier, more noticeable.
Head: Muzzle is strong and fairly pointed with a broad head between the ears. Has scissor type bite with thin lips and a black tip of nose.
Ears: Medium sized ears that are erect and pointed.
Eyes: Medium almond shaped eyes that are pointed.
Body
Well developed chest with good depth and a long trunk and tucked up belly.
Gait: Master of the trot travelling gracefully from rear to front.
Legs: Legs are perfectly straight at the front and hind quarters markedly angled with short feet and curved toes.
Tail: Tail of the german shepherd hang slightly at rest and raises when moving. It is well covered.
German Shepherd Care
Health & Lifespan
German shepherds have the potential to develop genetic health problems including hip dysplasia, degenerative mylopathy (similar to multiple sclerosis in humans), a variety of heart diseases including murmurs, valve disease and enlarged hearts. German shepherds can also suffer from epilepsy, vision problems, bleeding disorders, immune mediated diseases, digestive problems and more. Most problems however can be associated with genetic breeding. Finding a good breeder is essential to preventing health problems with German shepherds. develops one of these diseases despite good breeding practices. Advances in veterinary medicine mean that in most cases the dogs can still live a good life. If you’re getting a puppy, ask the breeder about the ages of the dogs in her lines and what they died of.
German Shepherd Dog Character
German shepherds are renown for their direct, fearless and confident character. They are highly intelligent, easy to train, devoted and protective of their family. That being said, German shepherds can be great with children, as family pets and are fun loving dogs. German shepherds will always alert owners to intruders or strangers but well socialised ones will welcome guests into the home that you too have welcomed. They can be best friends with fellow pets if trained properly.
German shepherds require a job of function to perform to be happy. They need to have interesting tasks, a lot of exercise and mental stimulation. They thrive at learning tricks, can help around the home and more. German shepherds are used for a range of purposes if they have the right temperament and character. If not, they can develop problematic behaviours such as digging, barking, and undesirable behaviours. Because of the size and capabilities of these dogs, socialisation is essential to help develop good character.
It is important to understand that while German shepherds are great at protection, they don’t need to be trained harshly or put through “protection” training. These dogs size, body language, reputation and instinct towards protection are usually enough. They have a tendency to keep you within sight and sound, never letting you out of view. This comes from their heritage as a herding dog.
Genetic breeding is also a major factor with German shepherds. They come from working lines and can have an extremely strong drive to work and as a result, German shepherds are often a challenge for novice owners.
Exercise & Training Considerations
The most important factor to consider is that German shepherds are a working dog with high drive. They were created this way and their genetic make up tells them to act accordingly. This is why they are used and thrive in police, military and search and rescue work. German Shepherds are the opposite of a lap dog. While they can live indoors successfully, if they have become family dogs, German shepherds need to regularly stimulate their mind by learning tricks, helping around the house, going for regular walks, hikes, chasing the ball or getting involved in dog sports.
German Shepherds are extremely intelligent. Often their intelligence is underestimated by novice dog owners as to what German Shepherd dogs are truly capable of. German shepherds are very smart and active dogs who require focused attention, exercise and high level training. They are famously trainable so if you own or are considering owning a German Shepherd, get lots of books about dog training and book in with a trainer as soon as you can to see what your dog is truly capable of.
German Shepherd Dog
German shepherds have a typical wolf life appearance, with a very powerful long body. They are highly adaptable and very obedient proving to be invaluable as a guard dog. There is a reason that German shepherds are adopted by police and armed forces world wide which becomes evident to any who spend time getting to know this highly intelligent breed. German shepherds have also been used as search and rescue dogs and guide dogs for blind people. German shepherds have a reputation for being fierce but rather, they simply need to be bred well and handled in a calm assertive and authoritative manner so that they will not become over dominant.
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USES: Protection, guard dog, police work, military, scent and tracking, companion dog, therapy dog, family dog, prison and security work.
German Shepherd Grooming
Grooming
German shepherds typically have medium length double coat consisting of a dense and harsh close lying outer coat with softer undercoat. They are easy to maintain requiring brushing every few days to remove loose hairs. At shedding time, more frequent brushing will be of assistance. Because German shepherds are mostly a cleaner dog, they do not require regular baths but still require regular nail trims.
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