German Shepherds are an amazing dog breed. They are described as “direct and fearless, but not hostile, expression, self-confidence and a certain aloofness that does not lend itself to immediate and indiscriminate friendships” on the American Kennel Club (AKC) website. You will see German Shepherds in the conformation show ring, herding sheep, serving as guard dogs, scent work, obedience show rings, agility events and most often, taking a walk with their owner. Before you purchase your first German Shepherd please seriously investigate the requirements a new pup will need, including home facilities,
Before you purchase your first German Shepherd, please seriously investigate the requirements a new pup will need, including home facilities, yard and training. They are very smart dogs and you need to be prepared to spend time training (as with all dog companions). They can fit in most families and it is best to plan ahead and prepare for helping your new family member fit in.
The American Kennel Club has a “standard” for all breeds. The standard describes what they have agreed what is the desired qualities of the breed. The German Shepherd standard is broken down by various dog qualities including
- general appearance
- temperament
- size, proportion, substance
- head
- neck, topline, body
- forequarters
- hindquarters
- coat
- color
- gate
- disqualifications
In 2012, the German Shepherd moved up from third most popular breed to second most popular, only behind the labrador retriever. See the Top 10 Most Popular Dog Breeds here.