Breed Bio: German Shepherd
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Stoic, Athletic, Highly Intelligent and Incredibly Loyal. These are just a few characteristics that make the German Shepherd such a beloved breed.
First bred in the late 19th Century, the German Shepherd was the creation of Captain Max von Stephanitz, a German Cavalry Officer who devoted himself to creating the perfect herding dog.
At the turn of the Century, the use of herding dogs was waning. Captain von Stephanitz saw this as an opportunity to highlight the other valuable traits of the German Shepherd, including their superior intelligence and balanced demeanor. These characteristics made the breed an ideal K-9 Officer, an occupation many German Shepherds hold to this very day.
The German Shepherd became immensely popular in America during the early 1900s, due in large part to the Adventures of Rin-Tin-Tin movie series. Much like the Dachshund, the breed suffered from Anti-German sentiment during the height of World Wars I & II. This negative connotation resulted in the breed being temporarily re-named the Alsatian - a moniker still informally used by many lovers.
Despite facing this adversity, the breed persevered to become one of the most popular dogs in western society - both as a working dog and a beloved family pet, known for their loyalty, resiliency and protective nature.
FUN FACTS ABOUT THE GERMAN SHEPHERD
- Most of us think of black and tan colors as standard for German Shepherds, but the AKC recognizes 11 colors as standard. These colors are Black and Tan, Sable, Bi-Colored, Black, Black and Red, Black and Cream, Steele Blue, Gray, Panda, White, and Liver.
- Stanley Coren, author of the book “The Intelligence of Dogs,” states that German Shepherds will learn a new task after only five repetitions and respond to commands correctly 95% of the time.
- In 1980s Holland, theatre director Whim Schipper staged a play starring six German Shepherds, sending the dogs to drama lessons and giving them treats for acting well. Despite the adorable actors, the play was a flop.
- Famous German Shepherd owners include Jake Gyllenhaal, Reese Witherspoon, Kristen Stewart, Miley Cyrus, Claudia Schiffer, Jennifer Aniston and Enrique Iglesias.
- An animal bite is measured in pounds per square inch or PSI, which is the force of the bite. Tail and Fur recently reported that a tiger shark has a bite force of 325 and the gray wolf boasts bites with a PSI of 406. The bite of a German Shepherd also is very powerful, about 238.
- Have a German Shepherd 12 years or older? Be sure to sign up for the Thirteen Club! This is a special club through the German Shepherd Dog Club of America and all it takes to join is to fill out the application.
- During the German Shepherd's teething stage, their ears can become floppy. Their floppy ears usually last between 16 and 20 weeks, and by then, the cartilage in the ears will soon become hard enough to achieve its signature look.
- After the Labrador Retriever, the German Shepherd is the second-most registered breed by the American Kennel Club.
- A female German Shepherd named Buddy was the first seeing eye dog. In 1928, after training for a month in Switzerland, she came back to the U.S. with her blind owner, Morris Frank. She faithfully served her owner for a number of years, helping him navigate the busy streets of New York City.
- Over the years, German Shepherds have been crossbred with several other dogs or wolves in order to create varying breeds. These breeds include the Czechoslovakian Vlcak, the King Shepherd, the Shiloh Shepherd, the White Swiss Shepherd and the East-European Shepherd.
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One of the most intelligent, devoted, and adaptable breeds, German Shepherd dogs can be trained as police, military, search and rescue dogs or as fantastic companions. The German Shepherd breed is thoroughly covered in PetCareRx article, including with purchase advice, breed traits, grooming advice, diet suggestions, and other interesting tidbits.