The German Shepherd is the second most registered breed by the American Kennel Club and also has the distinction of being No. 4 on the list of top breeds in American shelters.
The German Shepherd is a relatively new breed of dog dating back to 1899. They are a working dog, originally bred to herd sheep; however,they are moderately active dogs and are described in breed standards as self-assured.
They are highly intelligent and willing to learn; and like most working dog breeds, they are eager to have a purpose.
Because of their strength, intelligence, trainability, and obedience, they have become the preferred breed for many types of work, including disability assistance, search-and-rescue, police and military working dogs.
Well-trained and socialized German
Shepherds have a reputation of being very safe; however the breed can be very over-protective of its people which makes them a perfect dog for family protection but it emphasizes the need for proper training of the dog and education for the German Shepherd pet parent.
As with a lot of large breed dogs, the German Shepherd is prone to hip and elbow dysplasia which may lead to the dog experiencing pain in later life and may cause arthritis and they have a higher than normal incidence of Von Willebrand disease, a common inherited bleeding disorder and exocrine pancreatic insufficiency a degenerative
disease of the pancreas. Happily they are not prone to ear infections due to there being no hair in the outer ear canal to hold debris or moisture. A German Shepherd’s life span is about 11 years.
German Shepherds are considered a “wash and wear” dog. They have a double coat which consists of a downy type undercoat next to the skin with longer, coarse guard hairs as an outer shell. Regular brushing is a must to keep their coats looking great. They do shed year round — and more so with the changing of the seasons so a vacuum made to clean up dog hair is a must-have. As long as your German Shepherd is on a high-quality food and regularly
brushed, they should only be bathed a couple of times a year to prevent their skin
from drying out. And it is always recommended to use a good shampoo specifically made for dogs as it is formulated for their specific pH balance. If they run on pavement or other hardscapes, they usually will
not have a problem with their nails; however, regularly checking their nails will keep broken and chipped nails in check.