15 Top Pinterest Boards Of All Time About Purebred German Shepherd Dog
The Purebred German Shepherd Dog
The GSD is the perfect blend of strength and speed. Their exceptional training capabilities and the ability to protect make them cherished family pets.
When shopping for purebred german shepherd dogs, look for breeders who practice ethical breeding and prioritize the health of their dogs. You can determine reputable breeders by requesting documents on pedigrees and prior health clearances.
Characteristics
German Shepherds are smart, powerful dogs that are easy to train. They are incredibly loyal to their family members and can be fearless protectors of them. The breed standard states that a GSD should be self-confident, courageous, and have a calm and steady temperament. It must also be able to be handled and willing to be a pleasure to.
The breed is medium in size with a slight elongation and is muscular. Read Homepage has a distinctive 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 wide and pointed at the base. When the dog is resting on its back, the tail becomes bushy. It reaches below the hocks. The dog's long, slightly sloping neck is a characteristic. The chest is wide and deep. The ribs are well-sprung, and the spine is strong.
In general the breed is healthy However, it has some serious flaws. These include roached backs as well as long pasterns that hinder proper movement. The hindquarters of the dog should be strong but not exaggerated. The rear leg should never extend beyond the point where the foot makes an impression.
As working dogs, GSDs naturally possess high-energy drives. These are behaviors and desires that involve territorial protection and the pursuit of prey. If these high-drives aren't satisfied in some way through play or work, it can lead to aggressive behavior. Show-type German Shepherds have been created to help reduce these urges. However, they still need lots of positive reinforcement, physical exercise and mental stimulation in order to keep their lives in balance.
GSDs are generally shy and cautious towards strangers initially. This is a characteristic that makes them excellent guard dogs, but requires proper training to avoid overreactions. When properly socialized early in life, they make wonderful family pets. They also make great children.
The GSD is a resilient species to illnesses and has a high threshold for pain, however certain health conditions can impact the quality of its life. These include epilepsy/seizures and bleeding disorders. By taking precautions, such as limiting the dog's exposure UV rays and ensuring that it is regularly vaccinated will reduce the chance of developing these conditions.
Temperament
German Shepherds are smart and eager to learn and extremely trainable. They are a working breed that excel in a variety of tasks, including herding police work including search and rescue drug and bomb detection and guiding blind. They also make great family companions. This strong and confident breed requires a clear and precise goal as well as the attention and focus of a confident owner to harness their energy and strength in a positive manner. They require plenty of exercise and room, and may not be suitable for smaller living spaces.
The ideal German shepherd is well-balanced and confident with a strong and stable temperament. They are loyal and alert and they are sceptical of strangers. If they are not socialized properly and trained, this protective and watchful behavior could turn into aggression. These dogs are often intelligent, independent and easily bored. They need to find a way to satisfy their natural curiosity.
Max von Stephanitz, the founder of the breed, employed longhaired and shorterhaired German Shepherds in his breeding program. This led to an animal that is friendly and obedient. Max von Stephanitz was not one of those who wanted German Shepherds to be used as a showcase and ensured that his dogs had stable temperaments, strong herding instincts, and solid body structure. He even resisted breeding with dogs that had temperaments that were unstable or had steep angles in their croups and front and rear pasterns as he believed these traits could hinder the ability of the breed to perform its work.
German Shepherds can also be prone to cancers. Hemangiosarcoma is a common cancer that affects the spleen and liver, organs with heightened blood supply. They may 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 healthy diet and regular exercise. You should allow him plenty of time to play and run around in a safe place free of traffic. Keep him clean by brushing his dense double coat regularly, using a de-shedding tool or undercoat rake to remove loose hairs. Also, make sure that you visit the vet regularly to have regular health check-ups.
Health
German Shepherds are typically very healthy dogs, however they do have some health issues. They are prone to ear infections, and can develop conditions that affect their eyes and ears like degenerative amyelopathy. Female and male dogs can suffer from hereditary von Willebrand disease, a genetic condition that limits their ability to clot the blood.
As a working breed GSDs are often involved in strenuous training and they can suffer from joint problems as a result. Hip dysplasia is a common condition that can cause pain, lameness and other signs. It is not a major condition, but it can be painful for the dog.
Reputable breeders X-ray their dogs and utilize the results to make breeding decisions. The x-rays can help determine the health of the puppy and its genetic history, including the probability that it will develop dysplasia. Dogs who are at a high risk of developing dysplasia do not breed.
Panosteitis can be a problem for German Shepherds. The condition causes bones to grow rapidly and unevenly. This can lead to pain and stiffness. This condition is more prevalent in German Shepherd puppies or dogs younger than 18 months old who are experiencing an increase in growth speed.
They require an diet rich in protein, and a large amount of omega fatty acids and balanced vitamins to support a healthy skin and coat. They can benefit from food that contains joint support, such as glucosamine or chondroitin. Dogs who are less than 18 months should be given moderate exercise like walking or playing with a dog if they're compatible. However it is not recommended to run at full speed as this could damage the joints they are developing.
Foods that are table-based or contain animal bones should be avoided as these can cause vomiting, digestive upset anorexia, pancreatitis, and vomiting. Adult dogs and puppies may benefit from a probiotic supplementation to aid digestion, and from digestive enzyme supplements to assist in the breakdown of proteins. A well-formulated AAFCO approved diet should contain the appropriate amount of vitamins and minerals.
Training
German Shepherds are intelligent and highly trainable dogs that thrive under the supervision of a skilled handler. They are a great choice for police, military, search and rescue and therapy dog roles. Their inexplicably loyal nature makes them a wonderful pet, if they are properly trained and socialized.
Socialization is the first step towards raising a well adjusted GSD. Introduce your puppy to a range of people and animals from an early age, taking them for frequent walks, playing games, and going to local dog parks. This will help them feel confident and comfortable in a new environment and help them develop trust in humans from an early age.
It requires patience, perseverance, as well as positive reinforcement to train a German shepherd. It is important to avoid negative reinforcement methods such as yelling and physical punishment because they can cause fear-based aggression. Use clicker training and rewards-based training to teach your German Shepherd the basic commands.
It is also essential to give your German Shepherd with daily enrichment. Mental stimulation exercises can be just as important as physical exercises for the GSD especially in a hectic or busy household. This will help keep their attention and focus so that they are less likely to be distracted by street noises or thunderstorms or other dogs in the park or crowds at sporting events and other public events.
Certain health conditions that are specific to German Shepherds are hemangiosarcoma and cancer of the bones lung, lungs, and the intestinal tract, and pannus (superficial keratitis). All of these ailments are preventable with responsible breeding practices and the right lifestyle adjustments.
Despite their reputation for being a savage breed German Shepherds are loving family pets. They are generally affectionate with children and gentle with smaller pets, like cats, when they are exposed to them from the age of. Nonetheless, their size and strength make them formidable guardians and they should be observed around children who are younger. They may also show signs of a hereditary tendency towards aggression if not exposed to appropriate training and socialization opportunities. Enrolling your German Shepherd into a puppy school or obedience class will ensure that he is getting the education and socialization he requires to flourish.