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When you picture a guard dog, the German Shepherd is probably one of the first images that come
to mind.
With their large, athletic build and intimidating features, any petty thief would think twice
before crossing a German Shepherd.
As the perfect example of an intelligent but obedient dog, the German Shepherd was first
bred in the late 1800s by mixing local shepherd dogs to combine their best qualities.
Although they’re mainly known as reliable service dogs, there’s more to this breed
than being your local K-9.
Watch on to find out.
German Shepherds have one of the strongest dog bites.
A German Shepherd’s bite has a force of over 238 lbs.
In other words, this dog’s bite exerts a force much heavier than its average weight
of 90 lbs - and over 3 times the force of the average human’s bite of 86 lbs.
The German Shepherd’s bite can be brutal and inflict severe injuries that will require
medical care or even surgery.
This breed was also known as the Alsatian.
The name Alsatian comes from the German-French border of Alsace-Lorraine, where British soldiers
faced the Germans in a crossfire in World War 1.
During this time, soldiers refused to call the dogs German Shepherds, since they were
fighting the Germans themselves.
The German Shepherd breed is relatively new.
Max von Stephanitz is known as the father of the German Shepherd.
He created the German shepherd by breeding different Shepherds with a wolf-like yellow-and-grey
dog he once saw at a farm.
In 1899, he succeeded and bred the first German Shepherd.
Von Stephanitz named the breed Deutscher Schäferhund,
which literally translates to ‘German Shepherd Dog' in English.
The AKC officially recognized German Shepherds in 1908.
However, it wasn’t until 1913 that the breed was awarded a first-champion status.
This milestone eventually led to the establishment of the German Shepherd Dog Club of America.
The German Shepherd was the first breed to serve as a guide dog.
Although it’s typical to encounter seeing-eye dogs today, it wasn’t always the norm.
The first ever dog to serve as a guide was Buddy, a German Shepherd.
Having lost his sight at 16, then-20 year old Morris Frank trained with Buddy for a
month in Switzerland in 1928.
For most of her life, Buddy assisted Frank as America’s first guide dog.
Eventually, Frank co-founded The Seeing Eye with Dorothy Harrison Eustis, which was America’s
first guide-dog academy.
Will Smith wanted to adopt his German Shepherd co-star from I Am Legend.
While shooting the dystopian thriller, Will Smith got so attached to Abbey
the German Shepherd that he begged her trainer to let him adopt her.
Prior to the film, Will Smith avoided these canines after his own dog got tragically run
over when he was 9.
The U.S. military prefers German Shepherds for their roster.
Due to its aggressiveness, athleticism, loyalty, and intelligence, the U.S. military has a
penchant for enlisting German Shepherds for the battlefield.
This unique combination of traits makes German Shepherds the ideal dog for military duties,
along with the Belgian Malinois and Dutch Shepherd.
German Shepherds can be trained to use parachutes.
During the World Wars, the military trained the German Shepherds to land in parachutes
from an aircraft.
The German Shepherd was Hitler’s favorite breed.
In his childhood, Adolf Hitler got a German Shepherd named "Prinz."
However, the dictator had to let her go in 1921, when his severe poverty kept him from
properly caring for the dog.
Surprisingly, she managed to escape and reunite with her owner.
With this feat, Hitler grew to adore the dog’s loyalty and obedience, which made him love
the breed in general.
German Shepherds have a variety of colors.
Aside from its traditional color of brown and black, this breed has a variety of colors
such as grey, red & black, black & silver, as well as black & tan.
Of all these coats, the liver-colored German Shepherd is considered the rarest.
German Shepherds come in five varieties.
Since it was first bred in Germany in 1899, the 5 varieties of German Shepherds are: the
Saddle coat German Shepherd, Black German Shepherd, Sable German Shepherd, Panda German
Shepherd, and White German Shepherd.
The German Shepherds can learn new things from as little as 5 repetitions.
When done correctly, it’s relatively easy to train German Shepherds.
Although an adult German Shepherd can be trained faster compared to younger ones, it’s best
to start their training as soon as possible.
The German Shepherd is the second-most registered breed by the American Kennel Club.
The American Kennel Club serves as a registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the U.S.
After the Labrador Retriever, the German Shepherd is the second-most registered breed by the
American Kennel Club.
German Shepherds can run fast.
A German Shepherd at its prime can run close to 50 kilometers per hour.
Even though they are not the fastest runner, it is still very impressive in par with its weight.
German Shepherds are born extremely light.
A German Shepherd puppy weighs a little over 500 grams at birth, which is about the weight
of a can of soup.
However, fully-grown German Shepherds can measure up to 90 lbs for the males
and 70 lbs for the females.
German Shepherds can be aggressive or passive depending on their environment.
When it comes to aggression, the German Shepherd breed is among the worst breeds.
However, a German Shepherd that has not been trained as a guard dog would often be sweet
towards children.
Socialization is important to keep German Shepherds from aggression.
To prevent the aggressive and overprotective behavior of German Shepherds, they should
be exposed to socialization from an early age.
It is ideal for a German Shepherd to be in the presence of its family and learn the rules
for appropriate behavior.
People name Shepies after strange things.
Naming dogs is important because they recognize and respond to it.
The most popular names for German Shepherds are: Dollar, Ace, Barney, Caramel, and Doughnut.
The German Shepherd and Siberian Husky can mate for a Shepsky.
The Shepsky is a medium sized crossbreed.
Inheriting both of its parent’s genes, Shepskys tend to be vigorous and loyal.
They are classified as working dogs and also often called the Gerberian Shepsky.
The average German Shepherd sells for $800.
In the United States, the price for a German Shepherd ranges from $500 to $1,500.
German Shepherds have floppy ears while teething.
For a period of their teething stage, German Shepherd puppies’ ears turn floppy.
This usually lasts between 16 to 20 weeks, until the cartilage in the ears hardens enough
to achieve its upright appearance.
German Shepherds can live over 13 years with proper care.
In general, the lifespan of a German Shepherd lasts around 9 to 13 years.
However, the longest a German Shepherd has ever lived is 18 years.
You can keep your Shepies around longer with regular veterinary care, weight maintenance,
and proper diet and hygiene.
German Shepherds also come in a short-haired variety.
The short-haired German Shepherd’s hair measures approximately 1 inch in length, whereas
a typical German Shepherd has longer than 2 inches.
German Shepherds can be sweet and loving towards their owners.
As with any dog breed, proper training and socialization makes German Shepherds more
affectionate toward its owners and family members.
This breed was used during the first and second World War.
In World War 1 and 2, these dogs worked as messengers, trackers, explosive detectors,
rescue respondents, and surveillance scouts.
German Shepherds are one of the best guard dog breeds.
For average-sized homes, the German Shepherd ranks as the first choice for security dogs.
Generally speaking, they dislike strangers, which is why they make such good guard dogs.
A trained German Shepherd can herd livestock on a farm.
From the name itself, a trained German Shepherd can handle livestock like it’s nothing.
Despite being popular as attack dogs in the US, German shepherds mainly work for farms
throughout Europe.
Their intelligence and alert nature makes them excellent herd dogs who can keep livestock
from harm.
German Shepherds helped find 9/11 survivors.
Amid the tragic 9/11 attacks, Appollo the German Shepherd worked for the search and
rescue K-9 unit of the NYPD.
Eventually, Appollo received the Dickin Medal, which is the animals' equivalent of the Victoria Cross.
Some German Shepherds can be affected by pituitary dwarfism.
German shepherds can be prone to pituitary dwarfism due to an inherent,
recessively hereditary disorder.
Common clinical symptoms include stunted growth, the retention of its puppy coat, and hair loss.
Modern German Shepherd tend to be more prone to ailments.
The Kennel Club in the UK has criticized the physiological complications of the modern Shepie.
While adhering to dog show standards, breeders have unwittingly released a generation of
Shepies with a problematic bone structure.
These German Shepherds usually exhibit a downward-sloping spine,
which adds unnecessary stress to its hind legs.
Orthopedics even described these new Shepies as half dog, half frog for its unnatural,
almost-squatting posture.
The German Shepherd may be one of the most versatile working breeds, but there’s more
to these dogs beyond their practical uses.
As with any dog breed, a German Shepherd owner carries the responsibility of providing a
Shepie’s physical and emotional needs for its whole life.
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