9 Facts About German Shepherd Dogs

[Fitness-Fanatic]

My favorite breed of dog is a German Shepherd.I have had two ,and there isn't another breed i would choose over a German Shepherd

1) Super Intelligent

German Shepherd's are used by the police and military partly due to their agility,and ability to learn commands and tasks very quickly.They have a high level of concentration and they don't need a lot of repetition during training,because they can learn a single command first time round.The kennel club listed German Shepherd's as the third most intelligent breed of dog. German Shepherd's need to be mentally and physically stimulated everyday ,so they aren't the sort of breed to be left on their own for long periods of time.They're active and intelligent dogs, so they get bored very easily .If they are left on their own everyday for hours on end ,they can become mischievous and destructive

2) Bite Force

Depending on their age and size,they have a bite force ranging between 238- 269 pounds of pressure

3) Average Life Span

The average life span is 10-13 years-old

4) German Shepherds & Alsatians Are The Same Breed

German Shepherd's and Alsatian's are the same breed of dog. They aren't separate breeds like some people assume. German Shepherd's originated in Germany.They assisted shepherds in herding and protecting their sheep. Hence, the name "German Shepherd". However, during and after the World War people wanted to disassociate themselves from anything connected to Germany.So the Kennel Club officially dropped the name German Shepherd and renamed the dog , Alsatian (from Alsace in France,borders of Germany) Over time ,breeders protested and campaigned to have the name German Shepherd reinstated and recognized again .So the Alsatian was renamed German Shepherd once again. Although both names are still widely accepted and recognized today

5) First Ever Guide Dog

A German Shepherd named Buddy , was the first ever Guide dog - his owner was a blind man named, Morris Frank

6) Protective & Fiercely Loyal

German shepherd dogs have protective instincts ,so they make great guard dogs. They won’t hesitate to protect their family with their life.They can be too over-protective at times,and their loyalty can take on the form of aggression towards strangers,so they need to be nurtured in the right way. Socializing them with people and with other animals, from a puppy ,can prevent them from becoming overly protective and too aggressive. They bond very easily and quickly ,and they're usually a one-person dog.They often show favoritism to a certain family member ,and they have a desire to please their owner.

7) Dominance Issues

German Shepherd's are territorial dogs, and they instinctively take on the role of the alpha.If they're not trained properly , they can become extremely dominant within the household, and start to exhibit aggressive behavior towards their owner. My German Shepherd views me as an authoritative figure , and he is very submissive around me. I set boundaries for him,and i trained him from a puppy to obey all of my commands. So obedience training from a puppy is a must. If a person doesn't train their German Shepherd to be obedient and submissive ,they are actually encouraging it to dominate. Once a German Shepherd becomes dominant, it can become highly aggressive,making it more difficult to gain control over it.So it is important to set boundaries, and exert authority over it from a puppy .

8.) Double Coat

German Shepherds have a two-layer coat ,double coat - an undercoat and an outer coat

9) Prone To Hip Dysplasia

( I haven't posted an image of a German Shepherd with hip Dysplasia,because it's too disturbing and too heartbreaking to see.)

Hip dysplasia is a hereditary disorder, and it's the result of the malformation of the hip joint.However, it can be made worse through activity levels. Painful arthritis of the joints develops ,causing the dog crippling lameness. Some cases are worse than others though.Not all German Shepherd's go on to develop Hip dysplasia ,but due to extensive poor breeding practices ,some German Shepherd's are at serious risk of hip dysplasia, which they've inherited from their parents. So before buying a German shepherd ,it's best to ensure you buy it from a certified breeder,and ask to see the hip papers to ensure the puppy's parents have good hips.Reputable breeders generally have their dogs certified through OFA or PennHip. Which means that a licensed vet has X-rayed both parents hips, and certified that the dogs are suitable for breeding. Hip Dysplasia is irreversible,but there is preventions, treatments and surgery to explore.

[SaskiaBlueRaySoul]

hey there, im so with you... had a bitch for 13yrs and she lived a varied life just like a human including moving around and living with friends of mine, coolest dog ever... few years later got a solid blue and last year kept her blue and gold son... those dogs can read my mind and pick up on my brain waves the moment i wake up! i of course totally recommend them however i would say for a family with children choose a well bred and raised puppy not a rehome as their early raising will always be in them... xx

[AthenaCykes]

Also don’t forget: German Shepherds are puppies until around the age of 2 years. So, neutering/spaying them before they’re 2 years old actually increases their risk of developing hip dysplasia when they get older. ☺️

[Pink2000]

I had no idea

[AthenaCykes]

@Pink2000 Lol, it’s okay. It’s just that sometimes people adopt a neutered German Shepherd puppy, and when that dog grows to be about 10 years old, they blame its hip dysplasia on genetics when it was actually caused by being neutered so early in life.

[Pink2000]

The pound neutered my dog when he was one. You’d think they’d know that

[AthenaCykes]

@Pink2000 I’m not surprised. That’s why they always say to adopt puppies from breeders, not from puppy mills, the pound, or pet stores. I suppose those working in that pound didn’t have much knowledge on Sheppies. Veterinarians will still neuter GSD puppies because of profit, not so much morality.

[Pink2000]

I did adopt him from a Breeder. He ran away from me the same day and ended up at the pound the next day.

[AthenaCykes]

@Pink2000 My mistake— reputable breeders. Lol. There are some bad ones.

[Pink2000]

She was reputable. She had him for a year and gave him to us for free cause she was moving.

[AthenaCykes]

@Pink2000 The pound neutered your dog, right?

[Pink2000]

Yes they did.

[AthenaCykes]

@Pink2000 Yeah, so back to square one. The pound doesn’t know much about Sheppies. Your breeder is innocent. Lol.

[MysteriousDarkness]

Loved the one my family had years ago. He was around fir 16 years. He was a long haired German Shepherd. If mom was home he would be waiting for me by himself at the bus stop when I was in high school. You could not even see our house from the bus stop. I still miss him to this day.

[MarkRet]

We had a German Shepherd puppy for a year as part of a seeing-eye program. She was a long-haired Shepherd, which is more rare. She was smart, and always had to position herself so she could watch EVERYTHING that was going on.

We're usually more into Golden Retrievers.

[AthenaCykes]

Awww. 😍

[Jjpayne]

That was very heartfelt! Thanks for sharing that! and that was a great and well put together MyTake!! Keep up the Mytakes and I hope you get the award for Mytake next mouth too! Keep up the good work!!

[wankiam]

just to round it up to ten facts. the name was changed to alsatian during world war 2 here in the uk because we were not the biggest fans of germany. a lot of people here still use that name... not me

[Eva323]

My boy

[MemeSupreme]

my german shepherd is a life saver because literally whenever i get panic attacks he seems to help calm me down and just makes me happy

[sarahhcmarie]

aww the part about the hip dysplasia made me so sad, but honestly i would adopt dogs with that, because they ALL deserve the most love!!

[CasaNorba]

yeap and very aggressive too!

it can't be a coincidence that so far few dogs that have snapped and barked at me without even making eye contact with them were actually German Shepherds

[Kaneki05]

Smart yeah sure that's why they will hump you and breed with you.

[Hidden_P]

Personal experience?

[Kaneki05]

@Hidden_P nope but it is what dogs do they do this to humans all the time and i just don't get why people would say good stuff about them so i get a tad annoyed so it probably sounded like a personal experience.

[Hidden_P]

I’ve met plenty of German shepherds among other breeds who don’t jump. The only breed I am predujuice against is Rottweilers because my neighbour burst through the fence, attacked my dad and was closely followed by the dogs. I’ve met them since who are nice but I’m always somewhat scared.

What I’m saying is a sweeping statement isn’t true. Rottweilers will eat your fence and attack you even if you are 4 is the same as all German shepherds hump your brains out.

As the take owner said many police dogs are German shepherds. Ever had a police dog jump you?

[pooper89]

I like the way they look but I don't like shedding. If they made a German Shepard that doesn't shed I'd be all for it.

[NEOTUNIA2U]

Very interesting facts about the dog breed. Thanks!

[Pink2000]

I have a German Shepherd. His name is prince. Prince is a really bad dog. He just doesn’t know how to behave. I still love him though

[Salmon4056]

Cool mytake. If possible could you do one on beagles

[hasrett]

I don't really like dogs, but if I ever decide to have one, I'd probably consider German Sheperd.

[LeaLee]

I love German Shepherds. One of mine was noticed by the police and they wanted him to go work for them

[Jack_L_andTurn]

Bravo! Mine are more loyal than any partner I have ever had, by far.

[Muhammad1999]

i like kangals more.

[zagor]

My best friend from age 7-18 was a snow white (but not albino) German Shepard.

[ImSoSquishy]

i still like huskies more :D

[larry69]

Awesome dogs. I like pit bulls slso

[Lance1965]

Yes they are great dogs.

[JustCallMeLeon]

Loved the gif with the dog fighting the flower.