Other names Alsatian (UK)
Alsatian Wolf Dog (UK)
Berger Allemand
Deutscher Schäferhund
German Shepherd
Schäferhund
Nicknames GSD
Country of origin Germany
[hide]Traits
Weight Male 30–40 kg (66–88 lb)[1]
Female 22–32 kg (49–71 lb)[1]
Height Male 60–65 cm (24–26 in)[1]
Female 55–60 cm (22–24 in)[1]
Coat Double coat
Colour Most commonly tan with black saddle
Litter size 4–9
Life span 9–13 years

The German Shepherd (German: Deutscher Schäferhund, German pronunciation: [ˈʃɛːfɐˌhʊnt]) is a breed of large-sized working dog that originated in Germany. The breed's officially recognized name is German Shepherd Dog in the English language, sometimes abbreviated as "GSD", and was also formerly known as the Alsatian and Alsatian Wolf Dog in Britain.[/b] The German Shepherd is a relatively new breed of dog, with their origin dating to 1899. As part of the Herding Group, German Shepherds are working dogs developed originally for herding sheep. Since that time, however, because of their strength, intelligence, trainability and obedience, German Shepherds around the world are often the preferred breed for many types of work, including search-and-rescue, police and military roles and even acting. The German Shepherd is the second-most popular breed of dog in the United States and fourth-most popular in the United Kingdom.

[b]Intelligence
German Shepherds were bred specifically for their intelligence, a trait for which they are now famous In the book The Intelligence of Dogs, author Stanley Coren ranked the breed third for intelligence, behind Border Collies and Poodles.He found that they had the ability to learn simple tasks after only five repetitions and obeyed the first command given 95% of the time.Coupled with their strength, this trait makes the breed desirable as police, guard and search and rescue dogs, as they are able to quickly learn various tasks and interpret instructions better than other large breeds.There is evidence that Hitler (who loved German Shepherds for their loyalty) undertook efforts to train the German Shepherd and other dogs during WW2 to talk and read.

Health

Many common ailments of the German Shepherds are a result of the inbreeding practiced early in the breed's life.One such common ailment is hip and elbow dysplasia which may lead to the dog experiencing pain in later life and may cause arthritis.A study conducted by the University of Zurich found that 45% of the police working dogs were affected by degenerative spinal stenosis, although the sample studied was small.The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals found that 19.1% of German Shepherd are affected by hip dysplasia. Due to the large and open nature of their ears, German Shepherds are not prone to ear infections because there is no hair in the outer ear canal to hold debris or moisture.According to a recent survey in the UK, the median life span of German Shepherds is 10.95 years,which is normal for a dog of their size.

Degenerative myelopathy, a neurological disease, occurs with enough regularity specifically in the breed to suggest that the breed is predisposed to it. A very inexpensive DNA saliva test is now available to screen for Degenerative Myelopathy. The test screens for the mutated gene that has been seen in dogs with degenerative myelopathy. A small study in the UK showed 16% of young asymptomatic GSDs to be homozygous for the mutation, with a further 38% being carriers.Now that a test is available the disease can be bred out of breeds with a high preponderance. The test is only recommended for predisposed breeds, but can be performed on DNA from any dog on samples collected through swabbing the inside of the animal's cheek with a sterile cotton swab. Now that there is a test available, prospective German Shepherd buyers can request the test from the breeder or buy from a breeder known to test their dogs.

Additionally, German Shepherds have a higher than normal incidence of Von Willebrand disease, a common inherited bleeding disorder. Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI), a degenerative disease of the pancreas. It is estimated that 1% of the UK GSD population suffers from this disease. Treatment is usually in the form of pancreatic supplements being given with food.

Modern breed
The modern German Shepherd breed is criticized by some for straying away from von Stephanitz's original ideology for the breed: that German Shepherds should be bred primarily as working dogs and that breeding should be strictly controlled to eliminate defects quickly.He believed that, above all else, German Shepherds should be bred for intelligence and working ability.

Some critics believe that careless breeding has promoted disease and other defects.[23] Under the breeding programs overseen by von Stephanitz, defects were quickly bred out. However, In the United States, the Orthopedic Foundation For Animals currently ranks the German Shepherd 40th in incidence of hip dysplasia as the percentage of those affected continues to drop.

Aggression and biting
Well-trained and socialized German Shepherds have a reputation as being very safe. However, in the United States, one 1996 source suggests that German Shepherds are responsible for more reported bitings than any other breed and suggests a tendency to attack smaller breeds of dogs.An Australian report from 1999 provides statistics showing that German Shepherds are the third breed most likely to attack a person in some Australian locales.

According to the National Geographic Channel television show Dangerous Encounters, the bite of a German Shepherd has a force of over 1,060 newtons (238 lbf) (compared with that of a Rottweiler, over 1,180–1,460 newtons (265–328 lbf), a Pit bull, 1,050 newtons (235 lbf), a Labrador Retriever, of approximately 1,000 newtons (230 lbf), or a human, of approximately 380 newtons (86 lbf)).

NB: PHOTO 2; Slant back GSD puppy.