German Shepherd

The German Shepherd, as some call it, is one of the most handsome dogs around. Their agility and good looks made them the first canine stars. This may come as a surprise to some but in the 1920s Warner Bros was on the verge of bankruptcy.

A film featuring a German Shepherd called Rin Tin Tin saved them. The film name is Where the North Begins. This movie was such a hit the breed becam very popular. Rin Tin Tin received more than 10,000 fan mails in a week.

German Shepherd aka Hektor Linksrhein came into existence in the year 1899 in Germany after a man’s search for an intelligent, loyal and working dog came to a fruitful end.  The first name that this beautiful German Shepherd was christened with was Horand and he was the first entry in the society for German Shepherd started by Von Stephanitz.

The funny thing is that for decades German Shepherd was referred to as an Alsatian Wolf dog especially in the U.S because of anti-German sentiments which dominated the world after the world wars. The name was changed back to German Shepherd after a series of protests led by groups across the world.

This breed falls under the medium to large category and weighs around 35 to 40 KG. It’s lifespan is about 11-12 years and this beauty looks great in its double coat which is mostly tan/black and red/black in color.  It isn't too furry which saves a lot of vacuuming trouble.

This breed was bred originally as dogs which would work hence the Shepherd in their names. Living true to their name they can still be seen toiling, most recently with the Delhi Metro Personnel. This breed of dogs are fiercely loyal and stay true to their nature by guarding their owner’s property with their life.

German Shepherds are also famous for their intelligence and they pick up things rather quickly. You know the phrase curiosity killed the cat, most probably it was a German Shepherd which had a hand in it (due to its curious nature). These curious dogs may look threatening but they are protective and a great friend to have.

German Shepherds also have a keen nose and hence are used in lot of places as sniffer dogs. German Shepherds are also friends with the cops as they help them in a lot of dirty police work.  This breed is adaptable, it doesn’t mind the cold or the heat as long it is trained properly and put to work. 

A German Shepherd is also a great exercise companion, it loves working out and going for runs.  German Shepherds can give cold vibes to strangers but once assured that the stranger means no harm to its owner, it quickly become friends with the stranger.

The best word to describe a German Shepherd is Protector. Its majestic stature, smooth coat and vigilant eyes coupled with its strong nose and loyalty proves him to be one of the best companions to have.

It will show its love by protecting you and being loyal to you. GSDs are one of the most intelligent dogs and it is a common sight to see them being used a lot in the armed and police forces. There are more than 8000 Shepherds employed in the US police force. 

Their intelligence and training ability made them an integral part of both World Wars. The story of the origin of German shepherd dates as back as early 1850’s, where people across Europe were looking for ways to make sure that dog breeds are standardized.

The purpose of the new age dogs was twofold – to help guarding the sheep’s that people around that time had along with slight assistance on other tasks of sheep herding. On a community level this was taking place in Germany where in local villages cross breeding between different kinds of sheep dogs was taking place.

There were certain traits that were kept in mind while breeding these kinds of dogs, the traits were that of Intelligence, for quick action; loyalty to make sure that the guard didn’t sway easy; speed to ensure that the dogs were always on their toes and a certain amount of basic strength.

There were many cross breeds that came up in various villages around Germany, all of them differing in slight ways from each other but more similar because they were supposed to fill the same purpose of being a guard dogs. To overcome these differences of breeds, there was a society by the name of Phylax which was formed.

This society was one of a kind as it proved to be the pioneer for the revolution which asked for standardization of dog breeds. The Phylax society had certain ongoing conflicts about the aim of dog breeding, the conflicting sides being – dogs need to be bred for solely work or certain emphasis needs to be paid to how it looks as well.

These conflicts led to its dissolution after three years.  An ex member of the Phylax society at this time when there was a growing administration for an intelligent sheepdog started looking for that perfect breed. His name was Max von Stephanitz and he was strongly opinioned that dogs should be bred solely for working purposes and the biggest problem that he faced was that he couldn’t decide upon a dog which he believed would be suitable.

In 1899 Max von Stephanitz went to a dog show and came across the breed that was for him, love at first sight.  His name was Hektor Linksrhein and we were a product of a number of cycles of cross breeding. For Stephanitz, he checked all boxes and hence he brought the dog who in modern day is known as a German shepherd.

After the first German shepherd dog was brought he was christened to the name Horand Var Grafrath, so the first dog of the German shepherd generation was called Horand. Stephanitz went on to form a society for German Shepherds and Horand was made to mate with a number of dogs which displayed likely traits that were wanted.

The most successful of the cross breeding was a dog called Hektor von Schwaben. Horand then mated with pups from Hektor and hence there were a substantial number of Pups produced through Horand. A lot of credit is though given to Stephanitz who through his tenuous efforts gave birth to the society and ensured that there is healthy breeding of the German shepherd dogs. 

The qualities that inspired Stephanitz in this medium sized dog was how protective he was and his curiosity was inspiring along with his intelligence. Horand was a beautiful dog and loyal to the core, which led to the dog being such a hoot.

There were about 57 thousand German Shepherd’s by the year 1923 all due to the efforts of Stephanitz. Parallel to the time when this breed was getting developed there was also this crisis where the need of breeding dog was lessening.

There was a downfall in sheep raising which led to the downfall in needing guarding dogs which would take care of the sheep. Later because if the heightened sense of sense in the breed, he was promoted as a police dog. He was also promoted as a helper for the blind people. German Shepherd today is a dog of service which finds his use in many places. 

Their strong, protective instincts made them a superstar with security and armed forces; and ever since then, there has been no looking back. Their loyalty and amazing intelligence have made them the perfect service dog. Impressed by their loyalty and bravery, this breed was taken to the USA in 1906.

There are a lot of people who believe that this breed was bred from the wolf but it is not true. The Dutch breeders tried interbreeding wolfs in the 1920s but the dog could not be domesticated.

The majestic breed is a softie at heart. These deputy sergeants are ready to take a bullet for their partners or family. They are one of the most loyal pets around and are highly protective of their family members.

GSDs are very athletic dogs and their intelligence makes them unique. You can train them to do anything and their ability to stop at command makes them one of the easiest breeds to train. Their wolf like muzzle helps to track offenders in the police force or sniff out drugs or any contraband products. Even as a pet you can train them to be the perfect guard dog.  

You will be surprised to know that their fatal scissor grip is only second to the Rottweiler. So, if there's a trespasser this handsome breed will bite and exert a pressure of over 238 pounds per square inch, which if not fatal can leave the intruder gravely injured.

Fun Trivia

German Shepherds are one of the first canine movie stars in Hollywood. The breed gained fame with Rin Tin Tin. Their training ability has made them superstars ever since then. Here is a brief mention of some of the famous movie stars and celebrity pets you share your pet with.

Movie Character

After its debut in the silent movie, Rin Tin Tin has been a regular feature in various Hollywood movies. A few of them are Reservoir Dogs, I Am Legend, The Happening and Bruno just to name a few. There are numerous movies starring this handsome dog.  

Celebrity German Shepherd owners

This intelligent breed has caught the fancy of many Hollywood and Bollywood celebrities alike. The list includes some former White House members such as Franklin D. Roosevelt and Jacqueline Kennedy. Also, they were favorites with Adolf Hitler. Currently, Ben Affleck, Roy Rogers and Rudolph Valentino have them at pets. Closer home, Tara Sharma owns this majestic breed.

Vital Stats:

Dog Breed Group: Pastoral

Ear Type: Erect

Guard Dog: Yes

Life Span: 11 to 12 years

German Shepherd Maintenance & Effort

Your German Shepherd has a double layer coat i.e an undercoat and a topcoat. This breed sheds heavily for those who have them at home would know that hair can be seen everywhere. They are heavy shedders. The easiest way to avoid this is to brush them everyday this will restrict the hair flying all over your place.

German Shepherds have a thick coat, they come with a substantial amount of hair and that needs to be groomed properly to ensure that there isn’t too much hair fall. There are a couple of things that can be done such as brushing their coat daily, this would reduce the shredding of hair drastically.

These dogs don’t require a bath daily, they should be washed as need arises. They can be washed when they get dirty while playing. It is slightly difficult to wet the undercoat while bathing. 

The nails of German Shepherd’s  need to be cut occasionally though there needs to be caution while cutting the nails as they are black and can lead to cutting the vein which is present near the nail.  Unless a person is experienced in nail cutting, they should be taken to the vet for nail cutting. Their ears need to be maintained as they have deep ears which require regular cleaning.

German Shepherds have a variety of coats but the most common characteristics to these coats are thickness and undercoated fur. German Shepherds have different types of coats, such as thick coats, medium coats and short coats which all come with an undercoat. All these have undercoats, it is difficult to wet the undercoat at the time of bathing.

Undercoats are thick and hard while the coats on top are softer. The thickest coat is on the neck and thinner coat is everywhere else.

German Shepherds come in a variety of colors such as black, tan, red, sable, gray, blue, white etc. The most common among these is black with a tan coat. There are other color combinations which are equally popular, they are black and cream, black and silver, red and black, black and red etc. Even pure black.

The best accessory for your pet will be a short tooth grooming rake that helps to remove the dead undercoat of your Shepherd while maintaining a smooth and lustrous topcoat at all times. If not brushed regularly then your pet can develop mats and clumps of dirty hair, which will not only make the coat look dull but can be a breeding ground for infections. In addition to this follow the regular grooming regime of checking the dog for presence of any ticks and fleas. This is integral for working dogs such as police forces.

Feeding and Nutrition

German Shepherds are large dogs who consume a lot of food, they also have enhanced energy levels which makes their appetite even more potent. German Shepherds are also prone to certain genetic diseases and it is necessary for them to be fed proper food and get enough exercise to prevent them from getting fat and to avoid them getting the genetic diseases.

While hunting for food which is suitable for a German shepherd, It is important to focus of food which is good for their coat and isn’t tough to digest. German Shepherds are prove to have stomach problems, so while feeding them it Is necessary to see that the food is not too hard on the stomach.

There is a certain amount of calories that these large dogs need, a young active German shepherd would need anything between 1700 to 2000 calories per day. Little older dogs would need anything between 1300-1500 calories per day.

German Shepherds have to be given puppy specific diet for the first 6 months of their life as compared to other dogs which are fed puppy specific food for up to a year. It is very important to feed a German Shepherd a diet that is full of power as these dogs are active and energetic, lack of a proper diet can make them weak and their energy levels can drop to an all-time low.

Ensure that the diet is rich in proteins and fat. Fat helps in keeping the coat of the dog healthy. It also helps with the hair fall.  Young Puppies need to be fed smaller portions often and puppies cannot limit how much they eat so to prevent vomiting and over eating, their portions need to be regulated.

There should be minimum 18 percent fat and 30 percent protein in each of the meals served to the German Shepherd. There are certain packaged foods that are available specifically for this breed. Dry food is more economical than wet or semi wet food. In case of a pregnant female the fat content should be minimum 8% and 5% in case of an adult. Protein level should be 22%.

German Shepherd is one breed which is most prone to food allergies and suffers greatly because of it, so there needs to be caution when choosing food for this breed. 

There aren’t common foods that all German Shepherd’s would be allergic to but it through observation one can find out what suits your dog and what does not. This breed also has sensitive digestion, this should be kept in mind while preparing meals for the breed.