German Shepherd

What Dog Show Judges Look For In A German Shepherd

The body that establishes standards of dog breeds in the United States is the American Kennel Club (AKC). The American Kennel Club decides what qualities make a dog a show quality German Shepherd. German Shepherds in dog shows are judged against these standards, and the dog that comes the closest to matching all the standards of the breed wins the dog show. German Shepherds that win certain prizes in American Kennel Club dog shows can earn the rank of American Kennel Club champion, a designation that appears on a dog's pedigree. The categories that make up the standard of the German Shepherd breed include: appearance, temperament, size and proportion, coat and color and gait, the way the dog moves. A German Shepherd who meets the appearance standard of the breed gives the impression of a strong animal, alert and full of life. A good German Shepherd looks substantial and muscular, with an expression of nobility and quality breeding. The standard of the German Shepherd breed calls for a confident personality, slow to make friends. German Shepherds are alert and eager, ready to be report for duty as guide dogs, guard dogs, police dogs, herding dogs or loyal family companions. The standards require that German Shepherd males should be twenty four to twenty six inches tall at the shoulder; females should be twenty two to twenty four inches tall. The German Shepherd head is noble, strong, and in proportion to the body. Males should look masculine, and females should look feminine. The face includes dark eyes, moderately pointed ears and a long, strong muzzle. A dog with cropped or hanging ears will be disqualified from competition, as will a dog with a nose that is not predominantly black. The neck should be strong, muscular and relatively long, carrying the head high and forward. The body should be deep with long ribs, a firmly held abdomen and a high, bushy tail. The forequarters are well muscled, with short, compact feet. The upper thigh should run parallel to the shoulder blade. The hindquarters are broad, with dewclaws removed from the hind legs. The German Shepherd standard of the breed calls for a short, double coat with an extremely dense outer coat on the main body and a short coat on the head, legs and paws. German Shepherds with soft, silky, wooly and curly coats are disqualified. Variations in color are permissible, although a white dog must always be disqualified. Rich colors are preferred, and a tan face with black body is a commonly accepted color combination. A good German Shepherd, according to the American Kennel Club, trots without effort while smoothly covering territory with minimal effort. Faults of the gait are serious and can lead to disqualification. These are the American Kennel Club standards of the German Shepherd breed against which show dogs are judged. Many of these traits have no bearing whatsoever on what kind of pet a German Shepherd will make. Usually, German Shepherds who don't meet American Kennel Club standards make excellent pets and working dogs. American Kennel Club standards encourage breeders to use best practices that produce healthy, robust German Shepherd puppies. German Shepherd breeders strive to maintain the qualities that make the breed so special. Having good German Shepherd information about these standards is vital to keeping the breed unique.

The Incredible Versatile German Shepherd Dog

The personality of the German Shepherd (or Alsatian) is one of the biggest reasons why they are so popular – for the right reasons and the wrong reasons. Since they make great police and military dogs, some people rush to get a German Shepherd thinking it will make a vicious guard dog. The German Shepherd is so eager to please, that it can be easily taught to attack. But the German Shepherd is not a vicious dog by nature – they are just doing what they've been taught to do. People who get German Shepherd dogs for the right reasons also keep the German Shepherd's personality in mind. They are serious, active, highly intelligent dogs that need a job to do in order to stay calm and healthy. If they are trained to do anything (good or bad) and are rewarded for learning this, they will keep on doing the behavior. However, if you are patient and persistent, German Shepherds are intelligent enough to unlearn a behavior. German Shepherd dogs worship the human beings they either live with or are ordered to protect. They would rather hang out with their people than with other dogs. The approval and affection of their people is vital to their sense of well-being. These are not dogs that like to be alone, chained out in the yard. Any German Shepherd left to this fate will overcompensate with hyperactivity in order to get his people's attention. Since they are such large and powerful dogs, even playful boisterousness can possibly hurt someone. German Shepherds excel when given specific jobs to do. This is why they are often one of the first breeds of choice for police dogs, search and rescue dogs, assistance dogs and for working in entertainment. Throughout the centuries, they have also played the roles of sheepherders and draft animals as well as their more familiar roles as guard dogs and military dogs. A German Shepherd dog needs regular exercise, attention and grooming. Getting them spayed or neutered will also not only lengthen their life span, but also make them more willing to pay attention to you. German Shepherds really are not suitable for apartment life, unless they get a lot of outdoor exercise. They learn to leash train very well (and can often be voice trained), whether their owners are walking, jogging, riding a bike or riding a horse. Hopefully, armed with this German Shepherd information about their basic personality, you will know if a German Shepherd dog is right for your home and lifestyle. There are variations in each dog's individual personality, as there are with each dog's physical traits. Some are more timid than others. Some are more serious than others. Some seem more psychic than others. But they need a lot of activity and attention in order to really become a member of your family. It takes a special person to adopt a German Shepherd and do a lot of research about the breed to ensure proper care. Libraries and the Internet are the best places to find the latest in German Shepherd information.

History Of The German Shepherd Dog

Max von Stephanitz embraced all the credits for the development of this extraordinarily intelligent, reliable and subservient dog. Extensively it was von Stephanitz's idea that inspired a wide variety of sheep herding dogs into an individual breed of the best quality. He conceptualized a dog of dutiful character, huge working ability, loyal and incredibly trainable. In the 18th and 19th centuries, shepherd dogs were solely contributing their talents as working dogs. For them it was their working efficiency that was in high demand, not their appearance. However these dogs lacked a definitive origin.

Later in 19th century, the movement begun in the method of guiding sheep, in which Captain von Stephanitz played the leading role with his plan to form his upcoming endeavor Verein fur Deutsche Schaferhunde for breeding a dog with maximum potential. In his concept, the breeding techniques were not only limited to the improved working abilities of the German Shepherd, but he also put emphasis on the improved appearance, however, never underestimating the primary priority.
One of the early problems involved in the timeline of the development of the German Shepherd was when there was an apparent decline in the demand of shepherd dogs. By that time, it was again von Stephanitz who trained the German Shepherd as a police dog, which turned out to be a great source of service to mankind in general. During late 19th century and early 20th century increasing number of dog shows led the breeders to consider both the appearance and the efficiency of their dogs equally.

In 1899, with the persistent guidance of von Stephanitz, the concept of the modern German Shepherd took its place in reality with the establishment of Verein. During the First World War, England discovered the German Shepherd and brought this dog under the name of Alsatian home. By that time the overall control of all breeding in Germany was done by Verein fur Deutsche Schaferhunde. In the post Word War II phase, Germany was destroyed and in ruins, so was the breeding organization as well as the breeding policy. It was typically assumed that the best German Shepherd was bred in North America during that phase.
During late 19th century, von Stephanitz implemented his extensive knowledge, expertise and breeding experience into new experimentations. He adopted different concepts used in the German Shepherd breeding techniques advocated in England during that period. In 1899, von Stephanitz purchased Horand von Grafrath while he was attended a dog show. Horand was awarded as the first registered German Shepherd in the studbook. It was the great range of qualities of this breed that made Captain von Stephanitz so elated.

Horand, a medium sized dog, was the symbol of the perfect combination of vivacity and physical activity. His beautiful lines all over the body made his very attractive. A dog of obedience, bravery, defense and energy was extensively admired for its mental alertness. The perfect blend of these exquisite qualities and boldness are all that made the German Shepherd so valuable worldwide. In today's world, imported German Shepherds are in high demand for their outstanding sense of smell, excellence in obedience, sound temperament and brilliant physical structure and working efficiency.

The German Shepherd has gained a worldwide popularity due to its excellence in obedience, outstanding working ability and physical fitness. This article offers all the basic German Shepherd information including its history.