Nothing would make more sense than to start by talking about one of the most beloved races of all of us.

And proud owners we confess, because the German Shepherd is one of the most human-friendly breeds.

provenance

As the name implies, this is a breed from Germany.
This dog was used for herding flocks.
Nowadays, we see them being the dogs of choice to be guard dogs or even police dogs.

History

In Germany, in the 19th century, there were 3 varieties of herding dogs, which emerged through crosses between dogs and wolves.

At the end of that century, the first German shepherd club appeared, founded by a former German cavalry captain named Max von Stephanitz.
The club's first dog was chosen for his great work skills.
This first dog served as the primary breeder and role model for German Shepherd Dogs.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the breed began to be used as a police dog, and the Schutzhund test (IPO) was created to assess the quality of dogs for service.
Known as good messengers, scouts and porters, German shepherds served the German army in the first world war, having been successful with enemy armies, which took some copies at the end of the war.

Features

Size and Weight:
The German Shepherd is a large dog.
A male can measure between 60 and 65 cm and can weigh up to 40 kg.
Females, on the other hand, usually measure between 55 and 60 cm and weigh between 22 and 32 kg.

Color:
German Shepherds often have dark or almond-shaped eyes.
Their coat colors can vary from reddish with a black cape, completely black or with a “gray-gray” color.

Coat:
The most common are short-haired, and there are also long-haired German Shepherds.

Temperament:
It is known for being an attentive, confident, self-confident, balanced and intelligent dog.
It is considered one of the easiest breeds to train, a good dog for a family where there are children and even other dogs.
Dog is suspicious of strangers and is always alert, which makes him a good guard dog.

Average age of life:
A German Shepherd can reach, on average, 13 years of age.

We can therefore say that, within the German Shepherd, there are 3 recognized breeds:

German Shorthaired Shepherd beauty line	Longhaired German Shepherd beauty line	German Shepherd Wolf Line of Work

Activity

This is a very energetic dog, so we must be aware that having a German Shepherd at home means that he will need to spend a lot of energy during the day.

If you stay at home all day, you are likely to engage in activities that are not to our liking, such as chewing furniture, digging holes in the backyard,…!

It is important to be aware that a dog of this size needs exercise, in order to spend the accumulated energy.

There are sports that are specific to this type of dog:

• Schutzhund , is a sport where dogs have to overcome various challenges that put their physical and olfactory abilities to the test,

• Agility , where the dogs have to complete a course as quickly as possible, passing through tunnels, jumping fences, among other things.

These are activities that contribute to the physical and mental development of this breed.

If we have an outdoor space where he can be and play, even better.

Walking or jogging with our dogs will also increase our closeness with our puppies, making them associate the time they spend with us with their favorite time of day.

Health

There are some problems common to German Shepherds that we should be aware of.

A common problem not only for German Shepherds but for large dogs is stomach twisting .
To prevent the occurrence of the problem, we should not let dogs do a lot of physical activity right after eating. In the same way, it is not advisable to eat right after having done some kind of activity.
Nor should we give too much at once. The best thing is to divide the dog's daily dose into 2/3 times and give it at different times of the day.

Other problems that appear frequently in German Shepherds are hip and elbow dysplasia and joint problems . To reduce the risk of these problems, we must always pay attention to the weight of our dogs, as heavy dogs are more likely to develop joint problems.

In case of dysplasias we must give supplements that help to protect the joints, in order to improve the quality of life of our German Shepherd, and reduce the physical activity of our animal. Long walks or runs are not advisable for dogs with these problems. We should take shorter walks and on a flatter path.

We must also pay attention to the possible appearance of skin diseases . One way to try to reduce this risk is to bathe less frequently, in order to prevent the skin from losing its natural oiliness. It is also essential to brush frequently, daily if possible, to remove the dog's dead fur.

Another care to be taken, common to any dog, is its oral hygiene .
Although undervalued by owners, dental plaque and bad breath often pose problems for the health of dogs.
We must be aware that regular oral hygiene reduces the risk of problems in the mouth, such as periodontal disease, which, in addition to affecting the teeth, can extend to other organs, such as the kidneys, heart or liver.
Daily brushing is the most effective method of preventing the development of plaque and the formation of tartar. But to be able to brush our dogs teeth, we must start from a young age, so that they get used to being moved in their mouths from an early age.
An alternative to washing can be gel products, sticks and snacks that help with hygiene and are easier to please our animals.

famous dogs

It was on screens that German shepherds were most prominent. Its ability to learn made it one of the most chosen breeds to participate in series and movies.

One of the most famous series, where the main protagonist was a German shepherd, was the Austrian series: Rex, the police dog .

Also in Portugal, a series with a very similar format was successful and highlighted the German shepherd: Inspector Max .

Much older, still in the 1920s, the first famous German Shepherd Dog appeared: Rin-Tin-Tin .
He was rescued and trained by the American Lee Duncan, who later had his dog chosen to participate in several films. He later ended up having a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Rex the Police Dog	Rin-Tin-Tin	Inspector Max