How German Shepherd Was Made

The First True German Shepherd Is Made

In 1899, a breeder named Max von Stephanitz found what he considered the perfect shepherd dog specimen. He purchased the dog and named it Horand von Grafrath, deeming Horand the first official German Shepherd dog.

The breed was named âGerman Shepherd Dogâ officially at the beginning. Other herding dogs in Germany were also called German Shepherd, but once Max von Stephanitz came on the scene, the other German Shepherd came to be known as âOld German Shepherd Dogsâ.

Temperament & Intelligence Of The Old German Shepherd Dog

The temperament of the Old German Shepherd Dog can be closely compared with that of the modern GSD, and in this way, the two are similar. The Old German Shepherd Dog is said to be friendlier and more balanced in personality, although this depends on the individual dog. The Old German Shepherd is a hard-working, reliable, and loyal dog that is seemingly constantly on the alert and makes an excellent watchdog. They are also highly independent, a wonderful trait for a working and herding dog to have, but it can present challenges in a more urban setting.

These dogs form powerful bonds with their owners and are supremely loyal, with a protective nature that is unwavering and may even be problematic at times. This can be largely mitigated with proper socialization and training, but youd still be hard-pressed to find a more loyal and protective pooch.

The History And Origin Of The German Shepherd Dog

Other names for the German Shepherd Dog

Alsatian

The German Shepherd Dog is a breed of large-sized dog that originated in Germany in 1899. As part of the Herding Group, German Shepherds are working dogs developed originally for herding and guarding sheep. Because of their strength, intelligence and abilities in obedience training they are often employed in police and military roles around the world.

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Taking Care Of Your German Shepherd Dog At Home

Much of what you can do to keep your dog happy and healthy is common sense, just like it is for people. Watch her diet, make sure she gets plenty of exercise, regularly brush her teeth and coat, and call us or a pet emergency hospital when something seems unusual . Be sure to adhere to the schedule of examinations and vaccinations that we recommend for her. This is when well give her the necessary check-ups and test for diseases and conditions that are common in Shepherds. Another very important step in caring for your pet is signing up for pet health insurance. There will certainly be medical tests and procedures she will need throughout her life and pet health insurance will help you cover those costs.

How Cute Are They

German Shepherds are adorable, good-looking dogs but at times they may look intimidating. They are loyal, fiercely protective, and have very expressive eyes. They are one of the most popular family dogs chosen for this reason! They are playful, agile, swift, and fiercely protective. A German Shepherd puppy may look like a cute ball of fur but as an adult dog German Shepherds make hefty lap dogs. With good care, grooming, and a strict exercise regime these dogs remain adorable forever.

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Types Of German Shepherds

There are five types of German Shepherds that each have unique characteristics and breeding standards. The American Show Line is bred primarily for showing, hence the name. This type generally requires less exercise since they are bred primarily for appearance and not for work. This type also has a more pronounced angulation to their hindquarters. The West German Show Line is bred entirely for beauty and requires a strict healthy report before they can be bred. The West German Working Line is bred for work efficiency. They can be trained to do a number of working jobs and will excel at them. They are the modern representation of the original breed created by Max Von Stephanitz. Finally, the East German Working Lines is rugged, with dark coat pigmentation, a large and muscular figure, and stamina. Due to strict regulations by the government following World War II, this line has developed into quite the powerhouse. They require a great deal of work and are not recommended for the inexperienced dog owner.

German Shepherd Husky Mix Training

When you start training your German shepherd-husky mix puppy, you must begin by choosing a training method that you know you and your dog will like. One good choice would be clicker training its a proven, practical training method that doesnt require much time or effort on your part. Its an excellent choice for most dogs and saves you time as well.

German Shepherd Husky Mix is a perfect family dog. It is a loyal, protective, comfortable pet and extremely easy to train due to its gentle yet firm nature. GSD is a rapid learner and has a natural inclination towards learning. It makes brilliant compared to other dog breeds. How to train a German shepherd husky mix is, therefore, not a very hard process. If you choose the right breeder and spend enough time training your dog, you will be able to raise a healthy and happy dog.

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Why Does My German Shepherd Howl Like A Wolf

You may now be aware of why German Shepherds resemble wolves, but did you know that your German Shepherd may occasionally display wolf-like behavior, such as howling?

Your German Shepherd may howl like a wolf:

• As a form of communication
• To warm you of danger
• When responding to another dog howling
• To get attention or to relieve boredom
• As a reaction to high pitched sounds such as a police siren
• When suffering from separation anxiety
• Due to medical issues

Although wolves and dogs display similar behavior, there are also many differences between the two species. To find out more, check this out, German Shepherd vs Wolf: Whats the Difference? Youll learn about differences in physical features, behavior traits, running speed, sexual maturity, trainability, diet, and bite force.

Bone And Joint Problems

A number of different musculoskeletal problems have been reported in German Shepherd Dogs. While it may seem overwhelming, each condition can be diagnosed and treated to prevent undue pain and suffering. With diligent observation at home and knowledge about the diseases that may affect your friends bones, joints, or muscles you will be able to take great care of him throughout his life.

Intervertebral disc disease. Note how the cushion of the disc materal has extruded and puts pressure on the spinal nerves.

Intervertebral disc disease is a common condition in Shepherds. The disease is caused when the jelly-like cushion between one or more vertebrae slips or ruptures, causing the disc to press on the spinal cord. If your dog is suddenly unable or unwilling to jump up, go up stairs, is reluctant to move around, has a hunched back, cries out, or refuses to eat or go potty, he is likely in severe pain. He may even drag his back feet or be suddenly paralyzed and unable to get up or use his back legs. If you see symptoms, dont wait. Call us or an emergency clinic immediately! For less severe cases, rest and medication may resolve the problem. In many cases involving paralysis, well recommend surgical removal of the ruptured discs . As with so many other diseases, weight control helps to prevent this problem. You should also use ramps or steps from puppyhood on so that your dog doesnt spend a lifetime stressing his back by jumping on and off of the furniture.

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Grooming And Supplies At Great Prices

At GS Geek we provide quality pet care products to care for your GS dogs every day needs.

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Be prepared all the time and carry your pet-essentials with you whenever you take them on a trip out on the weekend. This very specialized pet-friendly foldable water bottle will make things so much easier for you when they don’t have to lap up water at an unhygienic public place.

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It’s extremely necessary to plan your trips around the supplies you have ready for your pets and if not, then make a list of getting them as soon as possible. This, here, is an all-efficient automatic dog feeder that requires just the push of a button to start feeding your dog. Extremely handy during trips or long work days when you’re not home to look after them.

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Beautiful Ceramic Double Pet Bowls

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It’s extremely necessary to plan your trips around the supplies you have ready for your pets and if not, then make a list of getting them as soon as possible. This, here, is an all-efficient automatic dog feeder that requires just the push of a button to start feeding your dog. Extremely handy during trips or long work days when you’re not home to look after them.

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The Basic German Shepherd Temperament

Your dog can be characterized by different sets of temperaments. However, some cannot be changed.

The following are the most basic German shepherd temperament that we can say are always present to the breed.

• Courageous and Fearless: German shepherds are courageous, which can be seen from the heroic deeds of dogs during World War I.They are also fearless, except of course when it comes to their trauma. Thats why they are suited to extreme tasks. This is also the reason why they were the perfect dogs for soldiers.

• Strong and Energetic: German shepherds, are and will always be energetic dogs. However, its already given that their stamina might deteriorate as they age.Regardless, they are still stronger and more energetic than most breeds. This makes these dogs perfect for fitness-oriented people. After all, both the owner and dog will be energetic and eager to exercise.

• Protective and Loyal: German shepherds are protective and loyal. Eight German shepherds reportedly performed heroic deeds in America along with their owners.However, they can be dominant sometimes. So a strict trainer is suitable for them so they wont develop poor behavior due to their alpha tendencies.

These German shepherd traits are pretty basic, even a kid knows about them.

However, as previously said, the advanced breeding method for dogs brought a change in the German shepherds personality. This led to several types of temperament.

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Homemade Dog Food For German Shepherd Adults And Puppies Recipes

Before putting your chefs hat on to make any homemade dog food recipe, you should first consult your vet and run the ingredients by them to get it approved for your German Shepherd.

They can even help you create a feeding schedule and give you insight into foods your dog can or cant eat .

Also, note that we didnt include serving size in the following recipes since the portions will change depending on the weight, age, activity level, and general health condition of your German Shepherd.

That being said, lets get down to business!

Max Emil Friedrich Von Stephanitz Shares His Experience

Max von Stephanitz had determined that a working dog needed several common characteristics, including intelligence, loyalty, and tireless devotion to completing the tasks required of him. It had taken him years to achieve his goal of creating a standard for the German Shepherd breed as a whole. He committed to sharing his knowledge and experience in writing. He published his book, calling it The German Shepherd Dog in Word and Picture. Written in 1925, translated by J. Schwabacher, and reprinted in 1994 by Hoflin Publishing, Von Stephanitzs reference to the ideal dog is the following:

Untiring, always zealous for duty, always attentive, always ready to serve, such is the character of our shepherd dog.

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Coat Color And Grooming

The German Shepherd was originally bred to herd flocks in harsh climates, and their medium-length double coat fits the job perfectly, acting as protection the dog from rain and snow and resistant to picking up burrs and dirt.

The coat types of the German Shepherd are as varied as their color. Some German Shepherds are longhaired. However, the “ideal” German Shepherd has a double coat of medium length. The outer coat is dense with straight hair that lies close to the body, and is sometimes wavy and wiry.

The coat comes in variety of colors and patterns including black black and cream black and red black and silver black and tan blue gray liver sable and white. The American Kennel Club doesn’t recognize white as a color for this breed, however, and won’t let white German Shepherds compete in conformation shows, although they’re allowed in other competitions.

Sometimes jokingly called “German shedders,” the breed sheds year-round, and generally “blows”sheds a lot of hair at once, like a snowstormtwice a year. If you want a German Shepherd, be prepared for hair on your black pants, on your white couch, and pretty much all over the house.

There’s no magic solution to shedding, and we just have to accept it. However, brushing two to three times a week will help more of the hair come out in a brush, rather than on your furnishings. And a sturdy vacuum cleaner doesn’t hurt either.

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Are These Dogs Good For Families

The Old German Shepherd Dog is said to be more mellow, calmer, and easy-going than their modern cousin, which makes them perfect for families. They have a higher threshold for irritation and are said to be much harder to upset, but they should still not be left unsupervised with young children. Still, they make excellent playmates and supreme protectors for families.

Maintaining The German Shepherd As A Family Dog

Max von Stephanitz believed that the ideal breeders of German shepherds would be families with only a couple of breeding dogs in order to facilitate daily contact with the dogs as a way of carefully choosing the dogs which would enhance the breed in the future.

He argued,

All the wonderful qualities of character possessed by a good shepherd dog will therefore only be brought to light when he remains in the same hands for a very long time, preferably from puppyhood, where having obtained a footing in the house, he shares the joys and sorrows of the familyand our dog is completely ruined in mind and body wherever he is treated only as merchandise.

Along these same lines, Max von Stephanitz did not believe in maintaining dogs in kennels on a regular basis and pointed out that such would necessarily result in dogs that would be unable to perform to their utmost ability.

Whenever the dog is kept in an enclosed kennel, he will not only degenerate physically, becoming stiff, sluggish and lazy but will also become mentally torpid and lose all his sharpness and vim.

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Society For The German Shepherd Dog

Von Stephanitz cannot be credited with single-handedly creating the foundation stock of the newly emerging German Shepherd Dog since Horand was himself the product of generations of selective breeding before von Stephanitz bought him. However, von Stephanitz was able to spot the dogs qualities from among all of the many specimens he saw regularly and calculate his potential as a breeding animal.

On April 22, 1899, von Stephanitz was inspired to form a new organization, which he called Verein fur Deutsche Schaferhunde, or the Society for the German Shepherd Dog, commonly known as the SV. Along with long-time friend and co-founder Adolf Meyer, von Stephanitz recruited three sheep masters, two factory owners, an architect, an innkeeper, a mayor, and a magistrate to the SV.

Von Stephanitz became the first president of the organization. He established the first criteria for the recognition of the breed. His motto was Utility and Intelligence. He devised a blueprint that dictated the overall morphology, gait, and temperament, which became the primary identifiers for the breed.

Right away, the SV established a breed standard against which all German Shepherd Dogs would be judged, along with a Breed Register to record bloodlines. The dog that von Stephanitz purchased earlier, Horand von Grafrath, was recorded as the first German Shepherd Dog in the new registry.

Foreseeing New Work For The German Shepherd

Von Stephanitz also had the foresight to see that as industrialization began to replace the farms across the German countryside, there would be less need for dogs who could herd sheep.

With that concern, von Stephanitz set about working with police forces and working dog clubs to develop a set of training techniques that taught the dogs to track by scent and to perform protection duties. Over time, he succeeded in getting the dogs placed in various branches of government service.

During World War I, German shepherds were used as Red Cross dogs, messenger dogs, supply crriers, sentinel, tracking and guard dogs.

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