The phrase “man’s best friend” can be exemplified by the most impressive behaviors of the most intelligent dogs. Not so much because of what they are capable of doing as an undeniable display of intelligence, but because of the way some react in times of need to aid or help their owners in times of need, or other people in general. Added to the ties of unconditional fidelity that they can forge with some individuals, and the tender innocence that many of them show, it would be a difficult debate to win for anyone who considers an idea that contradicts that phrase, if there is a race that has that description without doubt is the German shepherd.
With countless examples of being intelligent, faithful, innocent, and very helpful in various tasks, that’s one of a popular European dog. Today you will know everything you need to know about the German shepherd and its characteristics.
Origin of the German shepherd
The German shepherd is a dog of relatively recent origin, dating back to 1890, when cavalry captain Maximilian von Stephanitz wanted to achieve his goal of creating a working dog breed. He met what would become the founding dog of the breed at a dog show, named Hector Linkrshein. Later he was renamed Hoard von Gareth, and would be the first dog of the German Shepherd Club created by von Stephanitz and a friend of his.
Hoard was a very brave and audacious animal, with a well-formed character, gray fur and a wolf like appearance that proved to have all the characteristics that the captain was looking for. Those admirable traits were passed on to successor dogs, and were strengthened by the careful standards of crossbreeding between members of the same selective lineage from this first breeder. This practice that tries to highlight and highlight the desirable characteristics by means of genetic management.
The German shepherd had an outstanding participation as a tracking dog in the past world wars, and its first use as a help dog was herding cattle, hence its name. But due to its high level of intelligence and outstanding learning ability, today it can be used for practically any purpose, as it easily adapts to commands and training in general.
Characteristic
- Height at the Cross: The males reach up to 64cm and the females 58cm.
- Weight: 45kg males and 30kg females.
- Coat: Shaggy cinnamon, gray or brown and black,
- Skills: Police, Pet, Therapy, Guardian, Working, Tracking, Defense, Hunting, Herding Dog.
- Size: Large.
- Life expectancy: From 12 to 16 years.
How to recognize a German Shepherd
Its general appearance should be dry and moderately wide in the middle of the ears. Its head is wedge-shaped and is in proportion to the length of the torso, appearing neither coarse nor elongated. Seen from the front and from the sides, the forehead of the canine is subtly arched and may or may not have a slightly marked furrow. The eyes, arranged obliquely on the head, expressing stability and firmness, and are of a very dark color.
The strong teeth that the German shepherd has are strong, healthy and complete, with 42 teeth, which gives it an intense bite. When they have been disciplined correctly, they have a powerful and homogeneous bite. Its body is longer than it is tall, and from its head to its tail, its lower back is in a slightly noticeable diagonal line. The loin is wide and stocky, its chest is broad and deep.
The tail is long, hangs down when the shepherd is at rest, and rises when active, but never but never with the tip towards the back, above the horizontal. Its nose is black, the coat has up to three varieties but none of them have long hair, and the colors vary from black, dark reddish, light or dark brown, and even various shades of gray. White fur does not exist in the official breed standard.
How to take care of a German Shepherd
- You should be careful to take him to the vet approximately every 6 months (or when necessary)
- It is not difficult to keep his coat well cared for, but since he sheds very easily, it is important to brush him constantly.
- Unlike other breeds, it is not recommended to bathe a German shepherd often unless it is very dirty, as it could affect the natural protection of the hair.
- Daily exercise is recommended for the German Shepherd.
The health of the German Shepherd
Unfortunately, the great popularity of the breed has led to the indiscriminate breeding of German Shepherds, for purely commercial purposes. This has caused a very negative impact on the health of the German Shepherd. That is why this breed is prone to contracting various hereditary diseases such as hip or elbow dysplasia, digestion problems, epilepsy, chronic eczema, keratitis and dwarfism. That is why the corresponding semi-annual visits to the veterinarian, his correct vaccination and proper care will allow us to enjoy him for a long time, since his life expectancy is around 13 years.
Living with a German Shepherd
The German Shepherd is stable, steady and reliable. The value of these dogs is known, and their defensive instincts are also known, they do not cower easily. That is why they are highly required as guard and protection dogs, because they have an innate predisposition to carry out these activities. Although this dog tends to be distrustful of strangers, it is not an aggressive or violent dog by nature, unless it is recurrently bothered, in which case the aggressor will discover the hard way it’s highly esteemed defense instinct.
Of course, it is essential to socialize him as a puppy to avoid future problems, since you cannot acquire a dog with a genetically assured character. The German shepherd is a relatively simple dog to train and fits very well with any training method. He manages to reach his full climax when trained properly. Due to its outstanding versatility and adaptability, this breed performs very well in a wide range of activities.
Conclusion.
At home, it is an excellent companion dog that gets along well with the whole family, especially with children. A great advantage is that although he is an energetic dog, he does not require much daily activity to stay healthy. So people who are a bit sedentary, or who don’t have much time to spend with their pet, would appreciate having one at home.
Even if you are not a security officer, a firefighter, or a professional hunter. You can train a specimen of this breed to assist you in multiple tasks thanks to its learning and intelligence capacity. Even if it’s just for fun, you will find yourself teaching him tricks or even researching professional training to test his innate gifts and exploit his potential. In any case, you will have a lot of fun with the company of a dog as faithful, beautiful, diligent, tender and functional as this one.
Having detailed this breed, we hope that it has been useful for you to know everything you need to know about the German Shepherd and its characteristics. As well as that you have come out convinced that it is a very popular breed worldwide for very good and dog reasons.
