German Shepherd Everything You Need to Know

The German Shepherd Dog, sometimes abbreviated GSD is originally from Germany and originally called "Deutscher Schäferhund" also DSH. German Shepherds are known for their intelligence, loyalty an biddability. The are curious, loyal, confident and great companions for the right person. Even though there are several different types of German Shepherds, all stem back to Max Von Stephanitz who is credited with founding the German Shepherd Dog in the late 1800's. Max's belief was that the dog should be bred for working. He started the SV Schäeferhund Verein / The Society for the German Shepherd which today still stands for the proper breeding and continuation of the GSD. The SV has been in operation since 1899. German Shepherds are and have been one of the most popular breeds for many years. As a breed standard they are 70-95lbs and 60-65cm 24-26" for males 55-74lbs and 55-60cm 22-24" for females German Shepherds have an average lifespan of 9-14 years Common health problems German Shepherds face are: hip and elbow displasia bloat epilepsy cataracts degenerative disc disease German Shepherds are classified in the herding group by kennel clubs but are commonly used in obedience and protection sports, SAR as well as military and police work. They are best known for the sport of Schutzhund, IPO / IGP. It is a sport that was made for German Shepherds to harness their 3 primary skills OBEDIENCE, TRACKING and PROTECTION.