German Shepard is one of the most intelligent breeds of dogs. GSD are known for their services in police and military, herding, search and rescue, dr.ug detection and many more. They are a wonderful family dog and need constant training and attention from their masters. They can be a wonderful pet if you want to give them time and energy.

They loved their owners and safeguard the house from foreign intruders. Unlike other dogs, they have high energy levels and apt for playing with children. Although not so friendly with the strangers GSD is extremely emotionally attached to their keepers and family members.

In American history German Shephard plays a very vital role.  They are fiercely loyal, a wonderful family pet, great supporter of their owners and highly intelligent breed. They have a strong zeal for life and their mental capabilities are beyond comparison to any other dogs. According to a survey, every year four to five million dogs and cats were left in the streets. So, if you are planning to adopt one then you should get it from a shelter home.

Highlights: top attributes to adopt a German Shepherd

• • Highly Intelligent: They are so far the most intelligent dog breed all over the globe.
  • Social skills: When they are small, they need a good training to socialize with humans and other pets so that when they grow up, they become adaptive to their environment.
  • Regular exercise: They are highly active dogs. You need to play with them and invest quality time to be playful because they easily get bored and start to bark. If you have kids at home then you should go for adopting a German Shepherd, both have high levels of energy.
  • Towering prey drive: They are mostly raised on farms to safeguard farmland from wild animal. So, before you buy or adopt them makes sure you know their history because you cannot make this dog as a couch potato. They need open areas to play and run around.
  • Playful toys: Please invest in toys such as West paw and jolly balls and many more to make the dog busy and entertain
  • Teething and early life: If you are thinking to buy a puppy then be aware that they need more care and attention during these days. They start teething at five months and require consistent care and command training routines.
  • Adoption: There are so many American shelters where you can easily adopt a German Shepherd and give them a family life which they have been missing. Try to adopt a young dog so that your kids and the dog can grow together.
  • Health issue with GSD: Always go for a health insurance if you are adopting a mature age German Shepherd. They are prone to genetic diseases, so do your research properly before you adopt them. Never buy a backyard breeder.
  • Furry: They shed a lot of fur during their entire lifetime. So be ready to clean up the mess.
  • Excellent watchdog: GSD are best known as watchdog. They can be trained rigorously for watching homes and farms.

   

  They are the most popular top 10 dog breeds of the USA.

American Shephard Vs German Shephard – Comparison and facts

American breed German Shepherds are calmer than German breeds. They are mostly known as show dogs and are prone to behavioral disorder such as separation anxiety issues. Whereas German Shephard raised in Germany are more personality-driven and active.

History of the German Shephard and it’s background

Rin Tin Tin, a pup discovered in a World War I battle zone, became the world’s first canine movie star, this makes German Shepherd Dog as one of the most famous dog breeds. Earlier these dogs were raised for farming but slowly they have proved their names as a police and military dog, guide and assistance dog, search and rescue dog, and detector dog.

As per the name, The German Shepherd originated in Germany, where he was created by Captain Max von Stephanitz in the nineteenth century, primarily for police and army personnel. In 1912, they came to the USA when the American Kennel Club registered as a German Shepherd.

Temperaments and intelligence skills of GSD

They are highly obedient and curious to learn new things which makes them excellent guard dogs. If not trained properly in the early stages, they might hesitate to meet strangers and new members of the family. Whenever the new person comes and interact with the dog makes sure they engaged with them in games like bubbles, tug games, freebees and many more

Physical attributes of GSD and their characteristics

The German Shepherd has a very thick undercoat and a dense outer coat. Hair colors are tan and black, or red and black, are medium in length. Other rarer color variations include all-Black, all-White, liver and blue.

The German Shepherd’s has a long body between 22 and 26 inches — in proportion to its height. They are very strong and heavy.

Health and heredity disorders in German Shepard’s

Like other breeds, GSD is also prone to genetic diseases. Some common disorders found in this breeds are hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, gastric dilatation-Volvulus, degenerative myelopathy, exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency, and allergies ranging from contact allergies to food allergies.

They are also known as “German Shredder” because of their high tendency of losing hair. They shed heavily during spring and fall. They required to bath frequently and brushed regularly.

Care and grooming of your dog, a part of your family.

They are highly energetic dogs. They need to train properly otherwise they get bored and start to bark. “Obedience training” of this dog should include the “quiet” command. They have sharp jaws and teeth. They can chew almost anything in the house.

The outer coat of body is dense, coarse, and straight with flat hair that lays close to the dog’s body. The undercoat is thicker and softer than the guard coat. The fur is longest and thickest near ears.

German Shepherds can have four different coat lengths:

• Short coat with an undercoat
• Medium length with an undercoat
• Long length with an undercoat
• Long length without any undercoat

The outer coats are very thick and to dry them it takes several hours, if we don’t dry properly, we cannot groom their hair. So, it’s vital to dry after bath. There are lots of hairdryer available in the market for this. Investing in these tools is a good option. Dogs which are indoors do not shed as much as outdoor dogs.

Feeding routines and guides of German shephard

The dietary supplements are one of the essentials. Their nutritional needs change as they grow from puppyhood to adulthood and senior age. It’s advisable to consult a veterinarian before deciding on the food charts. Overeating can lead to poor weight gain.

German Shephard puppies required to gain 1 to 2 grams per pound daily. You should give feed in small quantities but regular intervals. Also feed your pup 4 to 5 meals every day, at six months of age their feeds need to be thrice in a day. Always buy a quality product because this is affecting their eating habits and weight gains

They grow very fast when they are eight months old and continue to grow when they are 18 months after that their growth is not rapid as earlier. This is the reason they require high quality nutrients for strong muscles, bones and immunity. Large breed puppy formula is must for this breed of dogs. Low calorie food will make them malnourished. Overeating may leads to bloating so be very careful.

No matter what brand or supplements you use make sure to record weight gains and watch overall appearances.

Rescue group to opt for adoption

As per US Humane Society, every year there are six million dogs and cats are left by their owners to enter in to shelter homes. Also 25% of these animals are purebreds. GSD are fourth most popular breeds in America, around 4,50,00 are purebreds’ German shepherds left in shelter homes waiting for adoption. Please adopt dogs from foster homes because they need care and support.

There are rescue organization all over the country where from you should adopt. Before getting a fuzzy buddy, you should consider few points:

1. Lookout a German Shepherd to rescue, there are so many organisations to help
2. Bringing your German shepherd home. (Follow all the legal process and paperwork)
3. Adjusting with your new German shepherd.

You to work on the above points before getting yourself into adoption. Because it is a life changing experience for you and you family.

Always try to adopt a German Shepard from a trusted source. There are many organizations in the world which help in the rescue and adoption of these dogs. Please check out this list of German Shepherd Dog rescues organized by state. Or you can also visit the website of American German Shepherd Rescue Association, Inc.