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Everything you need to know about the German Shepherd


Everything you need to know about the German Shepherd

The German Shepherd Dog is one of the world’s most well-known and popular dog breeds. With their fluffy appearance, the German Shepherd puppies will quickly turn your head. Originally, the German shepherd had two jobs: herding livestock and protecting the home. At the end of the 19th century, breeders crossed the Central and Southern German breeds of the herding dogs known in this country with one another so that they could do this job as well as possible.

About the nature of the German Shepherd Dog
If you are thinking about having or buying a German shepherd dog, you must know about its nature first. This will help to take the best decision about it. The German shepherd dog must have a balanced personality, have strong nerves, be self- confident, absolutely at ease and (when not in a stimulus situation) good-natured, and be attentive and docile.” In addition, he must have drive behavior, resilience and self-confidence to be suitable as a companion, guard, protection, service and herding dog. Of course, this is the ideal image of a German shepherd that you can achieve with consistent, enduring, loving, and understanding training. Otherwise, the self-confidence typical of the breed can suffer if the four-legged friends are not properly socialized or raised incorrectly. Or the strong protective instinct of the German shepherd shows up where it really shouldn’t be, and the animal reacts aggressively at an inopportune time.

This is what you should know if you want to own a German Shepherd Dog

This breed is fond of children and fits well into a family structure. Despite this, the German shepherd is not well suited to beginners. Because he is a demanding four-legged friend who wants to be brought up consistently. This breed does particularly well with experienced owners who are willing to put in a lot of work with their canine friends. This breed is ideal for active people with time and patience. Ideally, you keep your dog in a house with a garden. He can romp around between regular walks. The German Shepherd needs a lot of exercises. Therefore, taking him into the countryside is important, for example, in the forest, park or lake.

Especially if you live in an apartment without a garden, you should walk him several times a day and choose a dog sport to keep the animal physically and mentally busy. If you offer all this to your German Shepherd, you will gain a loyal companion who enjoys being with and working with his owner.

A fit, active and persistent breed Even if the shepherd dog has become bulkier over the years through breeding and losing some of its agility – it still needs a lot of exercise. So combine the walk with little games. Let the animal fetch. Or go for a walk with other dog owners so the animals can romp and work out. Dog sport is a good way to encourage and utilize the German Shepherd Dog. This is of great importance for this intelligent breed. But which dog sports are suitable?

1. Obedience
2. Tracking work
3. Dog-Dancing
4. Agility is a special case: This sport is well suited for shepherd dogs. However, you should avoid jumping for the most part, as this breed of dog is known to be prone to joint damage.

How to train German Shepherd puppies?

Here are some tips for training your young German Shepherd:
1. Be consistent but loving.
2. Be patient and use positive reinforcement.
3. Always give clear instructions.
4. Socialize him early, such as at puppy playtime.
5. Challenge him physically and mentally.
6. But also give him enough time to relax because puppies still need a lot of rest.

Easy care
You should brush it regularly—slightly more often on long-haired animals than on short-haired ones. This makes sense as the German Shepherd tends to shed hair. This care is particularly during the shedding season in spring and autumn. If your four-legged friend has gotten dirty while playing or doing sports, you can clean his fur with lukewarm water. Bathe him only when necessary and use special dog shampoo. After all, the natural pH value of his skin should not be impaired.

Keep checking your companion’s eyes, ears, paws, and teeth. You should also keep a close eye on your pet. Do you notice behavioral changes or pain symptoms? Consult a veterinarian if you find anything suspicious. Breed-typical diseases are the following:

1. Hip or elbow dysplasia
2. Inflammation in the ears or cornea
3. Allergies
4. Skin problems
5. Cancer

Now that you have got to know the breed of dog, you know what you should consider when you get a German Shepherd. He is a loyal, loving companion who challenges you in sports – an enrichment, especially for active people or those who want to become one.

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