General Information
- German Shepherd is a breed of working dog developed in Germany from traditional herding and farm dogs
- It is a medium-to-large dog that stands 22 to 26 inches tall and weighs 75 to 95 pounds
- The breed is known for its intelligence, obedience, loyalty, courage, and guarding instincts
- German Shepherds have a dense coat consisting of coarse, medium-long, straight or slightly wavy outer hair and soft short inner hair
- They were originally bred as herding dogs for sheep
- German Shepherds are used as guard dogs, police dogs, military dogs, guide dogs for the blind, and search and rescue dogs
History
- The breed was founded by Max von Stephanitz in 1899 using various traditional German herding dogs
- He admired the intelligence, strength and ability of Germany’s native sheepdogs, but could not find any one single breed that satisfied him as the perfect working dog
- He was shown a dog named Hektor Linksrhein at a dog show and was impressed by his appearance and temperament
- He bought the dog and renamed him Horand von Grafrath, who became the first registered German Shepherd
- He formed the Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde (Society for the German Shepherd Dog) and used Horand as the foundation sire for the breed
- He also crossbred Horand with other herding dogs to create a uniform type of working dog with desirable traits
- He promoted the breed as a versatile service dog for various fields of work
Origin
- Germany
Breed
- Working
Group
- Herding
Litter
- 4 to 9 puppies
Other Names
- Alsatian
- Alsatian Wolf Dog
- Berger Allemand
- Deutscher Schäferhund
- Altdeutsche Schäferhunde
Coat Length
- Medium-long
Life Expectancy
- 7 to 10 years
Weight
- Male: 30 to 40 kg (66 to 88 lb)
- Female: 22 to 32 kg (49 to 71 lb)
Height
- Male: 60 to 65 cm (24 to 26 in)
- Female: 55 to 60 cm (22 to 24 in)
Maintenance
- High
Grooming
- German Shepherds shed heavily throughout the year and need regular brushing to remove loose hair and dirt
- They also need occasional bathing, nail trimming, ear cleaning and dental care
Nutrition
- German Shepherds need a high-quality diet that meets their energy and nutritional needs
- They should be fed according to their age, size, activity level and health condition
- They should not be overfed or given table scraps as they can become obese or develop digestive problems
Natural Home Made Food
- Some natural home made food options for German Shepherds are:
- Cooked chicken or turkey with brown rice and vegetables
- Boiled eggs with oatmeal and cottage cheese
- Lean beef with potatoes and carrots
- Salmon with quinoa and broccoli
- Yogurt with fruits and honey
- Peanut butter with banana and oats
- Pumpkin with rice and chicken broth