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Know Your Breed: German Shepherd Dogs

by: JanRyan
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It has been said that the German Shepherd dog (often called Alsatian) act the way all human beings are supposed to act. They are incredibly loyal, highly intelligent and brave. They have been bred for centuries not only to interact with mankind, but also to be an essential life partner. Throughout the world, German Shepherd dogs herd sheep, rescue disaster victims, tackle criminals, guide the blind and star in movies.

But a German Shepherd is not the dog for everyone. Their large size, their exuberant nature, their coats and sometimes health problems leave many thousands of German Shepherd Dogs to be abandoned every year. The Humane Society of the United States estimates that a quarter of all strays are purebreds, including purebred German Shepherds. Knowing basic German Shepherd information can help teach you what to expect from them as pets will help you decide if a German Shepherd is right for you and your family.

Daily life with a German Shepherd should include a lot of interaction and fuss with your family and your dog. They love to be in the center of the action and are strong enough to force their way to the center of the action if not supervised. Keeping the dog exercised, including games and playing in the yard will help to keep his or her energy levels down. German Shepherds are not vicious by nature, but they can play rough, just like puppies do.

They need to be active and to find things to do. If they don't get this exercise, they will use their extreme intelligence to find things to do in order to get your attention. These efforts from such a large dog may or may not be destructive.

German Shepherd dogs are highly trainable, providing they get regular exercise and aren't overfed. Too much food for a German Shepherd is like giving too much sugar and caffeine to a child - they can't help being a bit hyper afterwards. They are also more trainable and calmer is you have them spayed or neutered.

German Shepherd dogs need to feel they have a job in order to be well-adjusted. They love company and to be part of the family. They hate being left out of anything. They use their intelligence to find ways of doing things they think you will like and praise them for. Whether you will like these actions is another matter. German Shepherds need supervision and training.

Because of their popularity, German Shepherd Dogs have been over bred, which has lead to health problems. Although responsible breeders would not breed an animal with health problems, which can be inherited by their puppies, many still do. The most common health problems with German Shepherds are hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia and cancers.

If you take on a German Shepherd be committed to taking care of them financially as well as with affection, proper grooming, diligent training and proper nutrition.

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About the Author

About the author: Jan Ryan is an avid lover of the German Shepherd and owns a popular website where you'll discover how to have a happy, healthy and well behaved German Shepherd. Among other topics there, you will find out more about German Shepherd Working Dogs plus a whole lot more.  

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