The German shepherd breed was originally developed as a working breed and is well known for its intelligence, courage, devotion and loyalty to its owner. They are often called a “Jack of All Trades” because they are very versatile dogs who can perform a variety of different jobs and tasks.

Most people immediately associate a German shepherd as a police dog who fights crime and catches bad guys.  The German shepherd breed also excels as members of the military, drug or bomb detection dogs, search and rescue dogs, service dogs and therapy dogs.  This breed also thrives in sport and performance events such as obedience, agility, Schutzhund, tracking and herding.

The German shepherd has a proud and distinguished heritage.  Characterized by its great adaptability and physical prowess, the German shepherd is one of the most easily recognized, admired and utilized breeds throughout the world.  This breed emanates firmness and a quiet energy.  A sound dog, raised well, will make an owner forget that other breeds even exist.

The majority of German shepherd dogs are sought out to serve the important role of loyal family friend and fearless protector.   A sound temperament is very important when selecting a family companion.  Temperament and health is inherited as a result of the dog’s breeding.  A reputable breeder will gladly (and proudly) share the history of a puppy’s genetics and health history.

A German shepherd needs to be socialized from an early age to prevent it from becoming overly protective of its owner and family.  German shepherds are very sociable dogs and require lots of attention and companionship.  This breed will not do well if isolated for long periods of time from people and other companion animals.

German shepherd dogs are very intelligent, eager to learn new things, love strenuous activity and crave a good challenge.  Their intelligence makes them easy to train and can also make them a mischievous pet if left to their own accord.  Daily exercise is a must and this breed needs to have a “job” or a purpose within your family’s structure to truly thrive.

The German shepherd dog is instinctively a natural guard and a loyal family pet.  If this breed is for you and your family, you will have a faithful protector, a loving companion, and a best friend for life.

Degenerative Myelopathy (DM) of German Shepherd Dogs (GSD) is a disease that a lot of German shepherd owners have never heard of.  Most owners fear hip dysplasia in their German shepherd and are unaware that this breed is also near the top of the list of breeds that are known to develop Canine Degenerative Myelopathy.  Degenerative Myelopathy is progressive and to date, has no cure.

Degenerative Myelopathy was first described as a specific degenerative neurologic disease in 1973.  Since then, steps have been taken to better understand the disease.

Degenerative Myelopathy of German Shepherd Dogs is caused by an autoimmune disease that attacks the nervous system of the shepherd.  It leads to increasing neural tissue damage that culminates in the paralysis and eventual death of the shepherd.

Degenerative Myelopathy is a progressive degeneration of the spinal cord that starts in the rear and works its way forward.    The disease starts out slowly and gets worse over time.  The first signs of Degenerative Myelopathy are usually very subtle; a slight drag of one rear foot, wearing down the back toenails and /or a mild unsteadiness.  Degenerative Myelopathy may start in both rear legs at the same time or may start in one and gradually move to the other one.

As the disease progresses so does the loss of muscle control and coordination in the hind legs.  The shepherd will   begin to lose feelings and control over his back legs causing him to stumble or trip.  He will eventually struggle to get up and move around until complete paralysis in the hind quarters set in.

If you have never experienced this disease, you should consider yourself very lucky.  Most shepherd owners become aware of Degenerative Myelopathy only after a diagnosis has been presented.

If you suspect your shepherd might have Degenerative Myelopathy, your veterinarian should first be checking for a herniated disc in the back, a stroke, an infection, or a tumor which all can give similar signs.  There is no clear cut test for Degenerative Myelopathy and a “diagnosis” is made by process of elimination.  The only accurate diagnosis at this time is with an autopsy.

Degenerative Myelopathy use to be considered an old dog disease, but it is starting to be common in shepherds as young as five to six years old.  There is no cure for this disease and treatment options can be equally frustrating.  Western medicines treatment is aimed at keeping the dog comfortable through pain medication.  Eastern medicines treatment focuses on aggressively slowing the progression of Degenerative Myelopathy and keeping the dog comfortable and functioning for as long as possible through a combination of exercise, diet, supplements and other supportive methods.

The only good thing about this horrifying disease is this: the nerves that control pain disappear along with the nerves that control movement.  Your German shepherd will not be in physical pain due to Degenerative Myelopathy.

People who are familiar with Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS) will notice the similarities of Degenerative Myelopathy.  Both experience progressive loss of muscle function, weakness, paralysis and eventual death.  Researchers at the University of Missouri recently found a genetic link between these two diseases.  A study funded by the American Kennel Club Canine Health foundation (and participating breed clubs) revealed that dogs with Degenerative Myelopathy have a mutated SOD1 gene that resembles amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

More good news about this disease; there is now a DNA test that can be done to determine if dogs carry the Degenerative Myelopathy gene.  The test is easy to do in the comfort of your home and results will determine the following:

• N/N = Normal or Clear
• N/A = Carrier
• A/A = At-Risk or Affected

Shepherds diagnosed as “At-Risk” may develop Degenerative Myelopathy later in life, while others will never show any clinical signs of the disease or may die of something else before they develop Degenerative Myelopathy.  Owners should watch for the early signs of Degenerative Myelopathy as their shepherd ages.

A shepherd diagnosed as a “Carrier” should not develop Degenerative Myelopathy but could pass it to offspring depending on their breeding partner’s status.

Shepherds diagnosed as “Normal” should not develop Degenerative Myelopathy, or pass it off in any offspring regardless of the breeding partner’s status.  For breeding purposes; if a shepherd is a carrier or affected, they should only be breed to a partner who is clear.

Breeder’s will hopefully take advantage of this DNA testing to make better breeding decisions, by properly choosing the best breeding partner, and lessen the frequency of Degenerative Myelopathy in future generations.  Degenerative Myelopathy is an agonizing disease for an owner and their dog to experience.  DNA testing is an easy way to prevent Degenerative Myelopathy and assist in breeding for the healthiest German Shepherd Dog possible.

If you have no intentions of breeding your shepherd, you still may want to consider testing your dog to learn their status.

The DNA test is a kit that can be ordered from the following sites:  OFA, DDC Veterinary and Animal Genetics.  When the kit arrives, follow the simple directions which consist of using the swabs provided and swirling them around inside your dog’s cheek.  Send the swabs and required information back to the provider and wait for your results.

To read about my personal experience with Degenerative Myelopathy check out Bruno’s Blog.

The titles on this page are used by German shepherd dog clubs and show ring organizations to assign categories to the German shepherd and to reward German shepherd owners, breeders and their dogs.

Working Titles

AD:  Aus Dauerprufing – Endurance Test

BH:  Basic Companion Dog – Traffic Sureness

B or BH Begleithunde:  The preliminary and prerequisite test for a dog going on to get his/her Schutzhund titles.  A combination temperament and obedience test.  B and BH are used interchangeably.

BIH:  Blind Leader Dog

BpDH1 2:  Railroad Police Dog

BPDH I, II – Bannpolizeidiensthund I or II:  Railroad Police Service Dog I or II

Bundeslestunggssieger:  German National Working Dog Champion awarded at the Bundessiegerprufung.

CD:  Companion Dog – The first of five working qualifications, each of increasing difficulty, awarded to dogs gaining a certain percentage of total marks at working trials.

CDX:  CD Excellent

DH:  Service Dog

DH:  Dienshund – Service Dog

DPH:  Service Police Dog

FH:  Fahrtenhund – Tracking qualification.

FH1:  Advanced Tracking

FH2:  Superior Tracking Qualification

Gebrauchshundklasse:  Working Dog Class – The only class available for animals over two in Germany.

GrH – Grenzen Hund:  Border Patrol Dog

HC:  Herding Champion

HGH:  Herdengebrauchshund, Herding Dog – A qualification of dogs working with flocks.

HT:  Herding Tested

Huntesieger:  Herding Dog Champion at the German Herding Dog Championships

INT Internationale Prufungsklasse:  International Training Degree

IPO1:  International Novice Schutzhund Trail Qualification

IPO2:  International Intermediate Schutzhund

IPO3:  International Masters Level Schutzhund

Kr.H. krigshund:  War Dog

LwH Lawinen Hund:  Avalanche Dog

M.H. militar hund:  Military Dog

PH Polizehund:  Police Dog

PFP I, II – Polizeifaehrtenhund I, II:  Police Tracking Dog I or II

PSP I, II – Polizeischutzhundprufung I, II:  Police Protection Dog I or II

SchH1:  Novice Schutzhund – Qualification in tracking, obedience, and protection.

SchH2:  Intermediate Schutzhund – Qualification in tracking, obedience, and protection.

SchH3:  Masters Level of Schutzhund – Qualification in tracking, obedience, and protection.

SchHA:  A Limited SchH Title – Similar to SchH1 but without the tracking portion.

S.H. sanitats hund:  Red Cross Dog

TD:  Tracking Dog – Qualification title for nose work.

UD:  Utility Dog – Working Qualification

WH:  Watch Dog

ZH:  Zollhund – Dog trained to work with customs police.

Confirmation Titles:

ZB-Zuchtbewertung:  Confirmation Show Rating followed by:

VA – Vorzuglich Auslese:  Excellent Select – the highest attainable award by a German show dog and granted only at the annual Sieger Show.

V – Vorzuglich:  Excellent

SG – Sehr Gut:  Very Good – An official German show grade and the highest obtainable by dogs under two.

G – Gut:  Good

A – Austreichend:  Sufficient

M – Mangelhaft:  Faulty

U – Ungenugend:  Insufficient

Juguendklasse-ruden:  Youth class for males of twelve to eighteen months at German shows.

Sieger or Siegerin:  Title given to the top Male and Female at the German National Show.

Weltsieger:  World Sieger title awarded to the top dog at the FCI All Breed Show.

Europasieger:  Conformation winner at the European All Breed Show.

Bundeszuchtsieger:  Conformation winner at the German National All Breed Show.

Other Terms:

AKC:  American Kennel Club

Angulations:  The angles at which bones of shoulder and upper arm meet at the shoulder joint, and those of upper and lower thigh meet at the knee joint.

Bloodline:  Animals sharing a specific family relationship over several generations.

CGC:  The dog has a Canine Good Citizen Certificate

CKC:  Canadian Kennel Club

Cow Hocked:  The dog stands and moves with the point of hock turned inwards.

Croup:  The pelvis together with covering of muscle and coat.

Dew Claws:  Additional toes on inside of the leg above the foot and making no contact with the ground.  Many puppies are born without them on the rear legs.

Entire:  Having both testicles in the scrotum.

High Withered:  When the area where the neck runs into the back is definite, long and well filled in with muscle over the vertebrae between the shoulder blades, and slopes into the back, rather than being on the same horizontal with it (flat-withered).

Inbreeding:  Deliberate mating together of close relatives.

KK1:  Korklasse – Survey Breed

KKLI:  Korklasse I – Breed surveyed recommended to breeding, Koer Class rating which states that the dog has been breed surveyed and found to be breeding quality.

KKLII:  Korklasse II – Breed surveyed suitable for breeding.

Korung:  German breed survey to select animals for breeding – Class 1 animals recommended, Class 2 animals suitable.

Lbz – Lebenszeit:  Lifetime Rating

Monorchid:  A dog possessing one testicle.

OFA:  Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (Hip Certification in U.S.)

OVC:  Ontario Veterinary College (Hip Certification in Canada)

Penn HIP:  Developed at University of Pennsylvania (USA).  The procedure measures hip joint laxity; it does not grade a passing or failing score.  Loose hips are more prone to developing degenerative joint disease.  (See OVC, OFA, “a stamp”).

Sable:  A gray, brown or fawn foundation color with black shaded guard hairs (Wolf like colorings).

SV:  Schaferhund Verein – GSD Society of West Germany.

SV Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde:  (German Shepherd Dog Club) The original GSD breed club and breed registry, based in Germany.

TC:  Temperament Certified

TSB Triebveranlagung:  Fighting Drive

TT:  Temperament Tested

Washed Out:  Marked palling of color and pigment in nose and nail.

ZW Zuchtwert:  ZW Value, Zuchtwert Evaluation – A Breed Value Assessment, a number assigned that gives an indication of the genotype of the dog for breeding purposes.

German Hip Ratings

“a” – Zuerkannt:  Certified hips that fell within the following three categories:

• “a” – 1 Normal – Certified Normal Hips
• “a” – 2 Fast Normal – Certified Near Normal Hips
• “a” – 3 Noch Zugelassen – Certified Still Permissible Hips

A German shepherd is gifted with the ability to understand commands very easily.  It likes to work closely with people and can be trained to do various tasks.  Since these dogs are naturally bred to work, you need to provide them with something to do otherwise they might create their own.

A German shepherd is also very intelligent.  They can actually do things without your supervision, and they can be great problem solvers at times.  They have loads of energy and sometimes if they don’t have anything to do they might get mischievous.  For example, it is not a surprise to see a German shepherd chasing a car or a motorbike in the middle of a road.  You need to be careful because these dogs can even chase running children and nip them just for fun.

It can’t be denied that a German shepherd is a versatile animal.  It is up to you to train them either to be polite or the other way around.  You can make them as your best friend too, since they are capable of being great companions.

Although a German shepherd is an intelligent animal, in the beginning it is best to give them professional training.  The most common things being taught by a professional trainer may include socialization, body movements and receiving commands.  These dogs are rather shy when they are puppies, so you need to develop their skills in order to make them more confident to face the world.

It is best to neuter your dog unless you want them to breed.  You need to neuter them because they have the tendency to over breed and this can really affect their health.  If you neuter your German shepherd, it will usually be calmer and the males are less likely to leave their ‘scent’ everywhere in the house.

German shepherds are very intelligent so you can easily use any dog training techniques to teach them various forms of tricks.  Therefore, it is perfectly alright if you just teach them on your own at home because they can understand commands very quickly.  However, it is even more helpful if you use special dog training techniques so that you can speed up the learning process.  Here are some of the different methods for you to utilize.

The clicker training is one of the popular dog training techniques. When you use this particular technique, you teach the dog to relate the clicking sound with his reward.  This method is very effective for German shepherds because they can understand new behavior very quickly.  Make sure that you give the reward to your dog immediately after he hears the clicking sound.  The reward can be something of his favorite like dog biscuits or a chewing bone.

The simple reward training is also considered as one of the popular dog training techniques.  This method is often used if you don’t have a clicker or if you are more comfortable with a traditional way of training.  The way to do this is by giving him a command and making his body move by using your hands.  When your dog has understood the movement, immediately give him a compliment and reward him with a treat.  You shouldn’t wait when giving the reward because German shepherds are very clever and they might associate a second behavior with the reward.

In short, teaching a German shepherd using different dog training techniques is not difficult at all.  You just need to have a bit of knowledge on how to teach an ordinary dog and you will be fine.  Since German shepherds are so brilliant you can actually make them learn from various dog training techniques in just a few days.

German shepherd puppies are adorable, fuzzy little creatures that are very tempting to take home on impulse.   There may be no breed of dog more versatile than the German shepherd who can learn nearly anything you attempt to teach them.  German shepherd puppies are cute and cuddly but quickly grow into big, bold, clever and headstrong adults.  To some, the German shepherd is the ideal dog, but is it the right breed for you?

Before welcoming a German shepherd puppy into your home there are some important facts to consider.  Getting a puppy of any breed is a long term commitment to that animal.  The commitment includes an emotional and time commitment as well as a financial one.  You must be willing to care, love and provide for any new pet.

A German shepherd puppy will thrive in a loving home but they need more than just love.  They require lots and lots of attention.  German shepherds are a pack animal which means that they will want to be with you as much as possible.  From feeding to quality time to lounging around and everything in between, your German shepherd puppy will need and want to be a part of your family unit.

A German shepherd puppy needs proper socialization beginning as soon as possible.  The German shepherd breed is instinctively protective of their pack and can easily become over protective if not socialized from a very young age.  Expose your puppy to all types of people, dogs, animals and experiences ensure they become a well adjusted adult dog with a stable temperament.

German shepherd puppy behavior is typically headstrong and stubborn.  Early obedience training is a must before your puppy comes larger and more difficult to control.  German shepherds need owners who are naturally authoritative leaders who will be calm, firm, confident and consistent with training methods.

Fortunately, German shepherds are one of the smartest and most trainable breeds.  Your puppy will love the challenge, mental stimulation and attention they receive from obedience training.  Time spent training your German shepherd puppy will establish bonding and boundaries to help your adult dog become a reliable, well mannered and well liked member of your family and community.

The German shepherd is an active breed.  Your puppy will require vigorous daily exercise that will continue well into adulthood.  This is not a breed that will happy simply laying around your living room or left locked out in the back yard.  If under exercised and not mentally challenged, this breed can become restless and destructive.  German shepherds need a purpose or a job within their pack.  Obedience training, constructive play, sport work, etc. provides an ideal constructive outlet for your puppies energy and focus.

A grooming routine should be established early with your German shepherd puppy to get them accustomed to being brushed, having their paws and ears checked regularly and nails trimmed.  This breed sheds all year around.  It is recommended they be brushed on a daily basis, or every other day, to reduce the amount of hair in your home.  Bathe only when necessary as over bathing can cause skin irritation from oil depletion.

The German shepherd’s lifespan averages between ten and thirteen years. Health issues common to the breed are hip and elbow dysplasia, degenerative myelopathy, Von Willebrand’s disease, pannus, and gastrointestinal problems such as malabsorption syndrome, pancreatic atrophy and bloat.  Obtaining your puppy from a well known, credible breeder will reduce the risk of health issues.

This breed has now been one of the top ten most popular breeds for the last fifty years.  They are extremely loyal, clever and smart, and naturally protective of their pack members making them an excellent choice for a family companion.  Before bringing a German shepherd puppy into your home please assess your lifestyle, routines and habits to ensure this breed is right for you.

The best way to maintain the well being of your German shepherd is by performing dog obedience training.  A German shepherd is an intelligent breed and they are very loyal, thus it is not very difficult to train them.  By exposing them to constant dog obedience training, you will also give them the opportunity to develop their full potential and become a good companion to you and everyone else in your family.

It is best to expose your German shepherd to dog obedience training as early as possible.  This is due to the fact that it is rather difficult to teach an old dog to do new tricks.  The best age for a German shepherd to start receiving trainings is when it reaches the age of four months.  You can’t teach them when they are too young because these dogs are not ready yet and they might just create a lot of mess instead of learning new tricks.

The first time you want to expose your pet to dog obedience training, it is recommended that you register in a dog club.  There are professional trainers available in the club and thus you can be sure that your dog is receiving the right kind of lessons.  Your dog will be taught to be disciplined and to mix around with other dogs.

It is important to include grooming into the dog obedience training sessions. Grooming is vital to German shepherds because they have thick hair and they shed a lot each day.  If your dog is used to being groomed you can clean them easily and you don’t have to chase them around just to give them a bath.

In conclusion, training a German shepherd can be a very exciting experience and you should do it on a daily basis.  When you perform regular dog obedience training, you will be able to teach them more things and they would definitely become more intelligent.