German Shepherd Dog

Perhaps never in the history of any breed has such concerted effort been put into improving a dog, mostly due to the formation in 1899 of the Verein fur Deutsche Scharferhunde SV, an organization in Germany devoted to overseeing the breeding of the German Shepherd.

Breeders sought to develop not only a herding dog but also one that could excel at jobs requiring courage, athleticism, and intelligence.

During World War I, they were the obvious choice for a war sentry. At the same time, the AKC changed the breed’s name from German Sheepdog to Shepherd Dog, and Britain changed it to Alsatian Wolfdog, both attempts to dissociate the dog from its unpopular German roots.

The Wolfdog was later dropped as it caused many people to fear the dogs. In 1931, the AKC restored the breed’s name to German Shepherd Dog.

How big do German Shepherd Dogs get?

Shepherds are considered a medium-to-large- sized dog, reaching a between 22” and 26” and weighing up to 95 lbs. fully grown

Do German Shepherd Dogs shed?

The double-coat, with a thick undercoat that sheds twice annually, loses hair continuously but can be maintained with regular brushing one or two times weekly.

What are the German Shepherd Dog colors?

Black, tan, solid black and solid sable.

How long do German Shepherd Dogs live?

Lifespan: 10–12 years

What are some German Shepherd Dogs facts and information?

Facts

German Shepherds are best known for:

• Wolf-like appearance
• Agility, herding and guarding
• Police dog and guide dog
• Intelligent and fearless companion and guardian

Information

Despite an outward appearance slightly resembling a wolf, the German Shepherd Dog is a fairly recently developed breed and, contrary to naíve beliefs, it is no more closely related to the wolf than any other breed of dog.

The greatest boon to the Shepherd’s popularity came in the form of two dogs, both movie stars: Strongheart and Rin Tin Tin. The German Shepherd held the number one spot in American popularity for many years.

Although presently it has dropped from the top spot, the German Shepherd remains as one of the most versatile dogs ever created, serving as a police dog, war dog, guide dog, search-and-rescue dog, narcotics- or explosives-detecting dog, show dog, pet—and even shepherd.