The Purebred German Shepherd Dog

The GSD is the perfect balance of strength and speed. Its high trainability and natural instincts to protect make them loved family dogs.

If you are looking for purebred german shepherd dogs Look for breeders who have a commitment to ethical breeding and who are concerned about the health of their animals. Requesting pedigree papers and prior health clearances can help determine reputable breeders.

Characteristics

German Shepherds are intelligent, powerful dogs that are easy to train. They are extremely loyal to their families and are fearless guardians of them. The breed standard states that the GSD must be stable of temperament, confident, and courageous. It must also be obedient and willing to obey.

The breed is medium in size slightly elongated, and muscular. It has a distinct double coat that consists of a hard outer layer and a soft undercoat. Its almond-shaped eyes are dark and slightly set. The ears are large at the base and pointed. The tail is bushy and extends to below the hocks when the dog is lying down. The dog's long neck with a slightly sloping slope is characteristic. The chest is wide and deep. The ribs are well-sprung, and the spine is strong.

The breed is generally healthy, but it has serious faults such as roached-backs and long pasterns, which hinder the proper movement. Its hindquarters must be powerful but not overexaggerated. The rear leg should never go beyond the point where the foot leaves a mark.

As working dogs As working dogs, the GSD has naturally high drives (behavioral propensities and desires toward things like territorial protectiveness and the pursuit of prey). When these high drives aren't fulfilled in some way through work or play, it can lead to aggressive behavior. Show-type German Shepherds are bred in a manner that can help reduce these urges, but they still require lots of positive reinforcement training, physical exercise, and mental stimulation in order to maintain a balanced life.

GSDs are generally cautious and suspicious of strangers at first. This protective trait makes GSDs excellent guard dogs, however it requires proper training to avoid overreactions. When properly socialized at a young age they can make great pets for families. They're also great with kids.

The GSD is a resilient species to illnesses and has a high threshold for pain, but certain health conditions can negatively impact the quality of life. These include seizures, epilepsy and bleeding disorders. The best way to prevent these diseases is to limit your dog's exposure to UV rays, and ensuring it is vaccinated regularly can help.

Temperament

German Shepherds are intelligent and eager to learn, and extremely trainable. They are a working breed that excel at a variety of jobs, including herding, police work, search and rescue as well as drug and bomb detection, and guiding the blind. They are also excellent pets for families. However, this strong and confident breed needs an unwavering sense of purpose and the attention of a confident owner to harness their energy and strength positively. They require plenty of exercise and space, and may not be a good fit for smaller living spaces.

The ideal German shepherd is well-balanced and confident, with a firm temperament. They are loyal, alert and sceptical of strangers. This watchful and protective behaviour can become aggressive when not properly trained, socialized, and supervised. These dogs are often intelligent and independent, yet easily bored. They must find an avenue to satisfy their natural curiosity.

Founder Max von Stephanitz used herding and farm dogs, longhaired and shorthaired German Shepherds, in his breeding program to create the kind of dog that was obedient and responsive that we see today. Max von Stephanitz did not agree with those who wanted to use German Shepherds to be a showpiece. He ensured that his dogs had stable temperaments, strong herding impulses, and belgischer schäferhund Welpen kaufen österreich solid body structure. He also refused to breed certain dogs that had temperaments that were unstable or had sharp angles in their croups as well as front and rear pasterns, because he believed that these characteristics could hinder the ability of the breed to perform its traditional work.

In addition to the hereditary disorders that affect every breed of dog German Shepherds are also susceptible to cancers such as hemangiosarcoma, which most commonly affects blood-rich organs like the spleen and liver. They can also develop lung, bone, or intestinal cancers.

You can avoid these ailments by maintaining the physical well-being of your German Shepherd. This means providing him with a nutritious diet and regular exercise. Make sure he gets plenty of opportunities to run and play outside, in a safe area free of traffic and deutscher schäferhund kaufen schweiz other hazards. Keep him clean by scrubbing his dense double coat regularly by using a de-shedding tool or a rake undercoat to remove loose hairs. Also, make sure that you take him to the veterinarian regularly to have regular health check-ups.

Health

German Shepherds have a good health history, however some health issues do exist. They are prone to ear infections, and they can develop eye conditions and ears, including degenerative myelopathy. Both male and female can be affected by hereditary von Willebrand disease, a genetic disorder that affects their ability to clot the blood.

GSDs are a working breed, and as such, they go through intense training. This means that they may develop joint issues. Hip dysplasia is a typical condition that causes pain, lameness and other symptoms. It's not always a serious condition however it can be painful for the dog.

Breeders who are trustworthy X-ray the dogs they breed and use the results to make breeding decisions. The x-rays can help determine the health and genetic history of the puppy, which includes the likelihood to develop dysplasia. Dogs with a high risk of developing dysplasia are not breed.

Like all large breeds, German Shepherds also suffer from panosteitis, which causes bones to grow rapidly and unevenly, which causes stiffness and pain in the limbs. This condition is most frequent in German Shepherd puppies and dogs younger than 18 months who are experiencing a large growth spurt.

These dogs require an enriched diet rich in protein with a generous mix of omega fatty acids and balanced vitamins to maintain a healthy coat and skin. They may benefit from joint-support in their diet, such as glucosamine and chondroitin. Dogs who are less than 18 months old age should be exercising moderately including multiple walks and, if compatible with other dogs, playing together, reinrassiger schäferhund but should not be allowed to run at a high speed, as this could cause damage to joints that are growing.

Feeding table food or reinrassiger Deutscher schäferhund welpe animal bones should be avoided since they can trigger digestive upset, vomiting, anorexia, and pancreatitis. Adult dogs and puppies could benefit by a probiotic supplementation program to aid digestion, as well as digestive enzyme supplements to aid in breaking down proteins. A properly-formulated AAFCO approved diet should have the proper amount of vitamins and minerals.

Training

German Shepherds are smart high-trained dogs who thrive when they're under the direction of a knowledgeable handler. As such, they are ideal for military and police tasks in search and rescue as well as therapy dog roles and many other specializations. Their inexplicably loyal nature makes them a wonderful pet, if well-socialized and properly trained.

The first step in establishing a well-adjusted GSD is socialization. From an early age expose your puppy various animals and people. Take them on frequent walks and reinrassiger deutscher schäferhund welpe play games. Visit local dog parks. This will make them feel comfortable and secure in a new environment and help them learn to trust humans at an early age.

It requires patience, consistency as well as positive reinforcement to train to train a German shepherd. Avoid methods of negative reinforcement such as yelling or physical punishment, which can cause fear-based aggression. Use clicker training or rewards-based training to teach your German Shepherd the basic commands.

Daily enrichment is crucial for your German Shepherd. Exercises for mental stimulation can be as important as physical exercise for an GSD especially in a hectic or busy household. This helps them remain focused and less likely to be distracted by noises or storms as well as other dogs at the park, or crowds at competitions and public events.

Some of the health issues that are specific to German Shepherds include hemangiosarcoma, cancer of the bones lung, lungs, and the intestinal tract, as well as pannus (superficial keratitis). All of these diseases are preventable with responsible breeding practices and appropriate lifestyle accommodations.

Despite their fearsome reputation German Shepherds are loving family pets. When they are around children from a young age, they can be tender and loving towards smaller animals like cats. They are extremely effective guardians due their size and strength however, they must be monitored when they are around children. If they're not exposed enough to training and socialization, they may show signs of aggression. Enrolling your German Shepherd into a puppy school or reinrassiger deutscher Schäferhund welpe obedience class will ensure that he is getting the education and socialization that he needs to be successful.