Meet the German Shepherd. Dog Fancy Magazine

      German Shepherds possess a natural drive to herd other animals—or people if the job calls for it.

       HERDING COUSINS

      The German Shepherd Dog belongs to the Herding Group, the category of dogs that includes the shepherd’s assistants. The GSD is the most popular of these breeds in the United States, but other highly regarded and recognized breeds in this group include the Australian Shepherd, Border Collie, Collie, and Shetland Sheepdog. In appearance, the Herding breeds vary significantly, from the Pembroke Welsh Corgi and the mop-like Puli to the tousled Bearded Collie and the rough-coated Bouvier des Flandres. The GSD appears most similar to its Belgian herding cousins—the Belgian Malinois, Belgian Shepherd, and Belgian Tervuren, all of which excel in similar disciplines. All of the shepherd breeds were developed in continental Europe and were designed to work independently and alongside the shepherd to control, protect, and move—or herd—livestock such as sheep, goats, and cattle.

      A PIECE OF HISTORY

      The American Kennel Club registered the first German Shepherd Dog in 1908, a female by the name of Queen Switzerland, registration number 115006.

      The GSD in Brief

      COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:

      Germany

      ORIGINAL USE:

      Herding sheep and other livestock

      GROUP:

      Herding

      AVERAGE LIFE SPAN:

      12 to 14 years

      COAT:

      Double coat of medium length, consisting of a dense outer coat with straight, harsh, and close-lying hair and soft undercoat.

      COLOR:

      Strong rich colors are preferred, including sable, black, and black and tan. Pale, washed out colors are undesirable, and white is disqualified from the show ring.

      GROOMING:

      Once or twice weekly brushings recommended; daily brushing required during twice-annual shedding periods. Bathe whenever necessary. Ears, teeth, and nails should be attended to weekly.

      HEIGHT/WEIGHT:

      Males, 24 to 26 inches at the shoulder; females, 22 to 24 inches.

      TRAINABILITY:

      Very high

      PERSONALITY:

      Confident and approachable; direct and fearless, not prone to indiscriminate friendships; willing to meet new people and to excel in role as companion and working dog.

      ACTIVITY LEVEL:

      High; thrives with a job to do, and can do just about anything!

      GOOD WITH OTHER PETS:

      Yes, with proper introductions and training

      NATIONAL BREED CLUB:

      German Shepherd Dog Club of America; www.gsdca.org

      RESCUE:

      American German Shepherd Rescue Association; www.agsra.org

      The German Shepherd is the most popular of the Herding Group dogs.

       POPULAR FROM THE START

      Unlike the histories of many dog breeds, the German Shepherd’s genesis is well documented. When Max von Stephanitz decided to launch a standardized program for the ideal working sheepdog, he set his eyes and heart upon a canine named Hektor von Linkshein, whom he renamed Horand von Grafrath, and deemed him to be the foundation dog for his new breed, the Deutsche Schaferhund or German Shepherd Dog. So impressed with this hard-working herding dog was von Stephanitz that he founded the Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde (SV), the German breed club. The SV went on to become the largest specialty club in the world; today it boasts 1,600 local clubs and almost 80,000 members. Von Stephanitz made lasting and far-reaching strides with his new breed and was able to exert great influence over the German breeders thanks to the success of the SV.

      The German Shepherd quickly became the “it” dog for both military and police work, as well as for families seeking companionship and protection. A decade into the breeding program, the GSD made its way to America and was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1908.

       SOCIAL BUTTERFLY

      The best GSD owner’s home and lifestyle should be able to accommodate a big, active dog. This breed wasn’t built for apartment-dwelling. Having a large, securely fenced yard is a must, as it is much easier to provide the German Shepherd Dog with opportunities to exercise freely. However, a GSD can adapt to living in an apartment if his owner is willing to spend at least 30 minutes twice a day taking the dog for a brisk walk.

      The German Shepherd is a working dog with a drive to get up and go. If not exercised enough, he will get out of shape both mentally and physically. In addition to the time spent exercising your dog, you must be willing to find an activity that you both enjoy doing, then do it on a regular basis. GSDs need a “job” to do; otherwise they get bored and unruly. When the dog is young, his job should be to attend obedience classes and practice daily. Later, there are many interesting and enjoyable activities to choose from.

      The GSD will fit into any human social group, whether a single-owner household or a family with several children. In families, older children and spouses can take on some of the responsibility to keep the GSD busy and happy. If the children are instructed on “dog etiquette” (that is, how to interact with the GSD calmly and in a non-threatening manner), the dog will be a willing and devoted playmate, protecting the children with his life if necessary. With a large breed like the GSD, it is imperative that parents supervise all dog-child interactions. No dogs, even small ones, should be left alone with a young child, as accidents do happen.

      A Visionary for the Blind

      Dorothy Harrison Eustis (1886–1946) was born in Philadelphia and today is remembered as the founder of The Seeing Eye, the first school for guide dogs in the United States. The organization, founded in 1929, was based on principles Eustis observed at a school in Germany that trained dogs to assist blind veterans. For a while, Eustis bred German Shepherd Dogs in Switzerland. The use of assistance dogs was unknown in the United States during this period, and the mission and success of The Seeing Eye changed the lives of many visually impaired individuals. By the time Eustis died in 1946, more than 1,300 blind individuals had been matched with guide dogs. The success of The Seeing Eye (www.seeingeye.org), based in Morristown, New Jersey, has spawned other guide dog schools around the world. Today assistance dogs are used for many other disabilities, including hearing loss, epilepsy, autism, and more. Eustis’s life is celebrated in the book Independent Vision by Miriam Ascarelli, published in 2010 by Purdue University Press.

      If you own a farm of any size, the German Shepherd would make a wonderful addition to help keep your menagerie in order.

       OWNER SUITABILITY

      Successful German Shepherd owners (meaning people who can raise a mentally and physically sound German Shepherd Dog for many years) have certain personality traits and characteristics in common. Emotional stability is a cornerstone of this breed’s personality, and the dog thrives with an equally calm and levelheaded owner. You must be predictable to the dog, or he will become insecure, and the relationship will lack the necessary trust and result in the dog developing anxiety.