Know Your Breed: German Shepherd Dogs

by: JanRyan
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It has been said that the German Shepherd dog (often called Alsatian) act the way all human beings are supposed to act. They are incredibly loyal, highly intelligent and brave. They have been bred for centuries not only to interact with mankind, but also to be an essential life partner. Throughout the world, German Shepherd dogs herd sheep, rescue disaster victims, tackle criminals, guide the blind and star in movies.

But if German Shepherd dogs are so great, how come so many wind up in animal shelters? These incredible animals are abandoned by the thousands every year, not because they have something wrong with them, but that their previous owners lacked the basic German Shepherd information on what life is like with this special breed. If you are considering getting a German Shepherd, please take into consideration what life with a Shepherd is like before you get the dog or puppy.

Daily life with a German Shepherd should include a lot of interaction and fuss with your family and your dog. They love to be in the center of the action and are strong enough to force their way to the center of the action if not supervised. Keeping the dog exercised, including games and playing in the yard will help to keep his or her energy levels down. German Shepherds are not vicious by nature, but they can play rough, just like puppies do.

They need to be active and to find things to do. If they don't get this exercise, they will use their extreme intelligence to find things to do in order to get your attention. These efforts from such a large dog may or may not be destructive.

German Shepherd dogs are highly trainable, providing they get regular exercise and aren't overfed. Too much food for a German Shepherd is like giving too much sugar and caffeine to a child - they can't help being a bit hyper afterwards. They are also more trainable and calmer is you have them spayed or neutered.

This also cuts down in incidences of wandering, aggression and cancers of the reproductive organs. Leave the breeding of German Shepherds to the experts.

Because of their popularity, German Shepherd Dogs have been over bred, which has lead to health problems. Although responsible breeders would not breed an animal with health problems, which can be inherited by their puppies, many still do. The most common health problems with German Shepherds are hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia and cancers.

Even though many of these health problems can be easily treated, the previous owners do not want to or cannot pay the vet bills and instead abandon the dog. When you get a German Shepherd keep in mind that they may need frequent visits to the vet.

About the Author

Jan Ryan is an avid lover of the German Shepherd and owns a popular website that can show you how to have a happy, healthy and well behaved German Shepherd. Among other topics there, you will find out more about German Shepherd Working Dogs plus a whole lot more.  

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