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