What Causes The White Fur
The white fur of a White German Shepherd is caused by a recessive gene that masks the standard solid black coat color. This gene is always present in all German Shepherds. The white fur, however, does not mean the dog is albino. Albino animals have a lack of melanin, which allows blood vessels to show through the skin. This makes an albino animals skin, eyes, nails, and scales appear pink. White German Shepherds do not lack melanin, they simply have lighter fur.
A White German Shepherd will produce white pups only if both parents are white shepherds. Breeding a non-white shepherd may produce a white pup depending if the other parent carries the recessive gene as well.
Black & Silver German Shepherd
The black and silver German Shepherd is another common color combination. Even though they look more exotic than your average GSD, breeders still breed them, as theyve been growing in popularity.
Most of the time, color distribution may vary from dog to dog. However, they will typically have a silver base on the bottom of their body and black on the top half on their body.
The hue of black can range from a dark gray to a deep black. In some instances, the German Shepherd may have silver with multiple shades of black on the coat.
These dogs are truly spectacular in terms of appearance, and its not difficult to see why theyve been more prevalent among families in the United States .
German Shepherd Temperament: Obedient Curious Alert Family Guardians
The German Shepherd temperament is obedient, curious, and alert. This breed is a wonderful companion that will protect you with their life.
Their temperament is known throughout history and stands the test of time as a loyal guardian and protector of the family.
Keep reading to learn more about these top quality characteristics and how to get the most from your German Shepherds temperament to increase their obedience, entice their curiosity, and keep them alert home guardians.
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What Is A Miniature German Shepherd Anyway
German Shepherds have a lot of appeals. Theyre loyal, easy to train, yet love to play. Their size can put off many potential owners, however. A full-size German Shepherd needs a lot of room to play and run something a lot of people just dont have.;
Thats where the miniature German Shepherd comes in: all of the beauty, loyalty, and intelligence but in a smaller size.;
Before you start searching for miniature German Shepherd puppies, however, make sure you know what youre getting.;
There is no such thing as a purebred miniature German Shepherd.
A mini German Shepherd is usually the result of crossbreeding a German Shepherd with a smaller dog breed.;
The German Shepherds dominant genes usually come out in the form of their coat colors and patterns as well as some physical characteristics like the ears. This is why mini German Shepherds often look just like small versions of their purebred mom or dad.
The type of small dog bred with the German Shepherd will impact what a miniature German Shepherd will look like.;
What Does A Miniature German Shepherd Look Like
If youre thinking about adopting a miniature German Shepherd, youre probably looking for a dog with the distinctive German Shepherd appearance but, well smaller.;
In general, thats what you can expect from a miniature German Shepherd but, because this isnt actually a real dog breed, there is no standard when it comes to the appearance. Every litter will differ a great deal and the pups appearance will depend on what the German Shepherd is crossed with.;
A miniature German Shepherd typically has the colors and markings of a German Shepherd and some of its physical characteristics. In this case, the pup will have a double coat with a slightly wavy outer coat thats tan and black or black and red in color. Your mini German Shepherd may also have the bushy, downward-curving tail and large, erect ears of a German Shepherd.;
Of course, you may end up with a pup that has some characteristics of a German Shepherd like its body type, ears, and face but with a very unique coat, including all white, black, or golden.;
It will all depend on the breed mixed with the German Shepherd. Common breeds used to produce miniature German Shepherd puppies include:;
- Siberian Huskies
- Poodles
- Corgies
- Pugs
- Yorkshire Terrier This is one of the least common mixes but capable of producing the smallest German Shepherd mixes
Your miniature German Shepherd may be up to half the size of a purebred German Shepherd which can grow up to 90 pounds and stand at 26 inches at the shoulder.
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Do German Shepherd Ears Stand Up On Their Own Or Do They Have To Be Cut Or Taped To Make Them Stand Up
Ah, you’re thinking about cropping, a surgical procedure to make the ears stand up. That’s done with Doberman Pinschers, but not with German Shepherds. A Shepherd puppy’s ears prick up naturally they’re never cropped.
German Shepherd puppy with perfectly normal ears at this age. If the pup inherited normal genes, the other ear should come up shortly.
But German Shepherd puppies aren’t born with pricked ears. In some pups, the ears start to prick up at 6 or 8 weeks old, while others don’t start until 12 or 14 weeks old.
Often the ears don’t go up smoothly. In other words, they don’t suddenly pop straight up. Typically one ear will go up halfway, and stay like that for a few days. Then the other ear may start to prick while the first ear straightens all the way up. A few days later, just as the second ear straightens up, the first one suddenly flops back down.
This can be a trying time for new owners who worry that their pup’s ears will never stand properly. Rest assured, it’s normal for German Shepherd puppy ears to go up and down for a month or two, especially during the teething period.
Unfortunately, some puppies do inherit poor genes for ear strength and often those ears will never come all the way up. They’re called “soft ears.” Sometimes taping a weak ear can help it stand erect, but often not.
I had a German Shepherd with one soft ear. It flopped sideways on top of his head, while the other ear stood up beautifully. Of course I loved him dearly anyway!
German Shepherd Pug Mix: Is A Shug The Perfect Designer Dog
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The German Shepherd and the Pug dog. Can you think of two dog breeds that are so different from each other?
Well, okay, maybe you can, as theres such a wide variety of dogs out there! But, you have to admit, these two are really different in terms of shape, size, history, and background.
Whether you love them or not , designer dogs are here to stay. Although theyve technically been around for thousands of years, often created by accident, crossbreeds suddenly became popular in the 1990s after the creation of the Goldendoodle. Since that time, hundreds of new hybrids have been produced as the demand for these unusual dogs has increased. The German Shepherd Pug mix is one of these unique designer dogs, but you might not know much about it as it is so new.
Were here to put that right!
Well begin by looking at the two parent breeds to see what qualities they might bring to these unique designer dogs.
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How Much Exercise Do German Shepherds Need
German Shepherd puppies and adolescents should have moderate exercise only multiple walks, fetch games, or playing with another dog.
But the growing bones and ligaments in a young dog can be irreparably damaged by too much exercise or the wrong kind of exercise. At this age, there should be no forced running . Restrict jumping as much as possible.
Once the dog is mature, the amount of exercise needed will vary according to the dog’s energy level. But all German Shepherds, to maintain fitness, need brisk walking every day and all-out running in a safe, enclosed area as often as possible.
Dogs from working lines typically want a lot more exercise.
Mental exercise is even more important for German Shepherds. Mental exercise means the dog gets to participate in interesting activities that keep his intelligent mind stimulated.
This might be a dog sport such as agility, rally obedience, musical freestyle, tracking, flyball, herding, or schutzhund. It might be interactive dog toys, or a homemade obstacle course, or learning tricks, or playing games such as Hide ‘n Seek.
Some of these activities are included in my training book, Teach Your Dog 100 English Words.
Handsome black German Shepherd, attentively awaiting your next words.
Adapting To Social Routine
Since German Shepherds are capable of barking at friends that visit until they become more comfortable with guests, it is wise to socialize your GSD immediately upon arriving home for the very first time when they are a puppy.
If you happen to adopt an adult GSD, you should slowly introduce friends and relatives to your dog.
How to socialize your GSD puppy:
It is rare, but if you notice that your pup is experiencing extreme stress, anxiety, fear or anger in social situations seek help from a trained professional.
Licensed dog training specialists have the ability to focus on the behavior problems and offer a solution.
They will teach you how to correct your dogâs behavior by providing you with helpful tips and tools. Following the professional dog trainerâs advice is essential to your GSD pupâs behavior improving.
If you find that the training is not helping, visit the veterinarian for further assistance.
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Training A German Shepherd
This dog was bred to be trained. If you read the bit about their history, then you know what were saying. While a German Shepherd can be trained at home, its incredibly beneficial to send this canine to puppy classes, or to a trainer that specializes in the breed .
Theyre docile, hyper-intelligent, and starving for direction and a job. They love to learn and be challenged, and in turn love to challenge when given the opportunity. Thats why obedience classes are so important with this breed, as theyre intelligent enough to get into trouble, and also to challenge you at every learning curve. At home you need to establish yourself as the alpha, and this is one of those breeds that benefits from the owner holding a firm hand.
Early-socialization is a must, too. Expose them to other dogs, people, and environments right from the get-go. These dogs have a tendency to be extremely guarded, and that temperamentwhile appropriate in some situationsneeds to be ironed out early, or a German Shepherd can be dangerous. To that last point, theyre not as dangerous as some of the bigger breeds known for aggressive outbursts , but any dog with this size and power needs to know when its appropriate to show their hand.
How You Can Influence Your Dog’s Temperament
As mentioned throughout this article, puppies learn through experience. They dont inherit abilities that were taught to their parents by humans and adult dogs can’t articulate these learnt abilities to their puppies.
Instead, dogs inherit genes. And the genes are what give a puppy the ability to learn.
For example:
If a mother’s ability to learn is high, this gene will be passed down to her puppy.
And if a mother’s ability to learn is low, that gene would be passed down to the puppy too.
The ability to learn is passed from parent to puppy, but as an owner you must put your puppy in a wide variety of different environments so they can learn as much as possible and develop stable temperament.
Influencing your dogs temperament is as simple as varying their environment and life experiences as much as possible. If you use this idea as your framework when raising your puppy, you’ll be ahead of the game.
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The Physical Appearance Of Czech Gsd
The Czech dog breeds are characterized by typical German shepherd traits. They have strong jaws, thick skull, pointed ears, and such.
Their weight is also similar, with males ranging from 30 to 40 kg and with females from 22 to 32 kg. Theres also not much difference with their height. A male Czech GSD can be as short as 60 cm or can be as tall as 65 cm. Females, however, are shorter weight heights from 55 to 60 cm.
Czech GSDs are police dogs and therefore have a powerful-looking structure. Unlike standard GSDs, they have thick paws and a deep chest.
They often have a sable coat with mostly the Agouti pattern. This gives them a black appearance like that of a wolf.
So they have unique AND similar physical traits. What about there personality?
German Shepherd Health Issues
German Shepherds, like most other purebred animals, suffer from a relatively predictable range of dog ailments.
Elbow and Hip malformations during their growth phase can make a number of them prone to early arthritis and pain.;German Shepherd Hip D is one of the most common issues for this breed.
They also tend to be more likely than the average dog to have:
- Heart problems,
- Degenerative Myelopathy ,
- Hemangiosarcoma ,
- Issues with their eyes
- And Perianal Fistulas .
Discuss these issues with your veterinarian. If you acquire your German Shepherd from a breeder, ask a lot of questions about the health of your dogs lineage.
Also, for starters, if you go the breeder route then ensure that you get your pup from a reliable GSD breeder who has used smart breeding practices to limit the probability of many diseases affecting your pup.; More on how to prepare and approach GSD Breeders below.
Like all dogs, your German Shepherd should visit the veterinarian at least once per year for an annual checkup and vaccinations.
It is crucial for your German Shepherd to receive heartworm and flea prevention every month without fail.
Spaying and neutering are highly encouraged for health reasons as well as to avoid contributing to the dog overpopulation crisis.
With good care, the German Shepherd lifespan is 7 to 10 years.
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What Are The Most Common Health Problems Among German Shepherds And King Shepherds
Both German Shepherds and King Shepherds are predisposed to some health conditions. Of course, not all dogs will have these issues, but its always a good idea to be aware, so you can seek immediate veterinary care when something does go wrong.
Here are some of the most common health problems you may encounter in King Shepherds and German Shepherds:
- Hip Dysplasia
- Von Willebrands disease
German Shepherd And Golden Retriever Mix Appearance
Male German Shepherds stand between 24 and 26 inches at the shoulder and weigh 65 to 90 pounds.
Females are between 22 and 24 inches tall and weigh 50 to 70 pounds.
Male Golden Retrievers are 23-24 inches tall and weigh 65-75 pounds.
Females are updating inches tall and weigh 55-65 pounds.
Based on the parent breeds, you can expect a German Shepherd Golden Retriever mix to be a big dog!
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Are German Shepherds Friendly
The German Shepherd is a dignified dog that can be aloof, and somewhat antisocial.
However, a huge part of this breeds personality is their unconditional love and loyalty.
They adapt well in a family setting and typically get along well with children.
Early socialization and training are important when it comes to German Shepherd temperament. This reduces the chance of them being antisocial,;or cautious around other animals or the unfamiliar.
However, despite early socialization or training, this breed is naturally standoffish. Generation upon generation of training and breeding has created a natural guard dog in this breed.
This doesnt mean that the German Shepherd is aggressive or unwelcoming towards strangers. It simply means that they are cautious of them and like to stay distant before deciding to trust.
Some owners say there is no bond like a German Shepherds bond with their family. The German Shepherds protective and sometimes hard nature is replaced with cuddly love within the home.
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How Much Exercise Does A Shug Need
As weve seen above, the Pug doesnt even need a full hour, while the German Shepherd requires at least two!
What about the Shug?
Well, it depends on which parent it takes after. If it has a longer snout like the GSD, then it may be able to cope with between 30 and 45 minutes of daily exercise. If it has a flatter face, then you need to go easy, as your doggy friend will struggle to cope with too much exercise. Still, try to keep it around 30 minutes, but always watch them for signs of exhaustion or breathing difficulties. You can find more information about this in the section on health problems.
Neither the GSD nor the Pug can cope with extreme temperature, so youll need to avoid taking your Shug pup out when its too hot or too cold.
Any exercise should be a mixture between brisk walks and vigorous playtime, ideally broken into two or three sessions throughout the day. This should also include some kind of mental stimulation to keep their brain active and occupied.
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Pros And Cons Of German Shepherds
The Good
- Thrives on challenging activities and exercise
- Loyal to his own family
- Looks imposing and has a reputation that bad guys don’t want to fool with, so makes an effective deterrent
- Highly intelligent and versatile can learn almost anything
The Bad
- Can be hard to find one with a family-oriented temperament and a decent chance of staying healthy
- Needs plenty of exercise and interesting things to do
- Needs careful socialization
- Destructiveness when bored or not exercised enough
- Potential aggression toward other animals
- Constant shedding 365 days a year
- Legal liabilities
- High risk of serious health problems
Keep in mind that the inheritance of temperament; is less predictable than the inheritance of physical; traits such as size or shedding. Temperament and behavior are also shaped by raising and training.