The German Shepherd is a breed of dog initially bred for herding sheep.� It is sometimes known as the Alsatian, and it is one of the most popular breeds of dogs in the world today. German Shepherds are popular as loving and loyal pets in worldwide homes today, but they are also excellent working dogs.� You can find them working as guide dogs for the blind, guard dogs, police dogs, working in the search and rescue field, as therapy dogs or even in the military.
The typical German Shepherd is sturdy and muscular, with a slightly elongated build.� They have a light but solid bone structure. They can typically weigh between 55-110 lbs., the males being larger than the females, and stand about 22-26� in height.�
Their coat comes in three varieties: short, medium length or long-haired. Their coloration can be black with tan, sable or all black, and there is also a white variety. Although the blue, liver and white colors (the white is considered to be from a recessive gene) are considered a fault in the AKC Registry, these dogs can have silver points.� The typical working German Shepherd is bred in the black and tan coloration with the typical �saddle� markings.
A German Shepherd�s tail is fairly long and bushy, hanging down almost to his hocks when he is relaxed.� His front legs and shoulders are muscular, and he has fairly heavy thighs.� The soles of his feet are round with very hard soles.� German Shepherds typically live between 10-12 years on average.
German Shepherds are intelligent, agile dogs with a strong work drive making them ideal for police work, guard dogs, military applications and the like. They are fearless and protective by nature and make excellent watch dogs.
The German Shepherd breed is especially good at detecting scent and is one of the most widely used breeds for scent-work roles, such as detecting drugs, cadaver detection or finding explosives. They are also extremely good in the line of obedience, herding and tracking.
This breed of dog requires proper socialization as a puppy in order to make it suitable for the family environment. If properly trained and socialized, they can be an excellent family pet. Sometimes, though, genetics can play a major part in their final temperament and this factor cannot be ignored as it can lead to aggressive tendencies.
As can be common with larger breeds of dogs, German Shepherds can be susceptible to hip and elbow dysplasia. Other health problems with this breed can be: von Willebrand�s disease, which is a heredity coagulation (blood) abnormality, skin allergies, and canine degenerative myelopathy, a neurological disease that can result in lameness. Like all larger dogs, German Shepherds can also be prone to bloat, which can be a serious condition of gas build-up in the stomach. Some German Shepherds can also be prone to pancreas deficiencies.
As mentioned, German Shepherds are one of the most popular breeds of dogs today and you can often finding them in home or working situations where their intelligence, loyalty and spirit come into play.