What Is A German Shepherd?

Are you interested in getting yourself a four-legged friend to add to your family? If so, then you’re making a fantastic choice to consider a German Shepherd!

Described as being one of the world’s most perfect “working” dogs, the German Shepherd is a large breed dog that is characterized by being loyal, extremely intelligent and poised.

Alongside those traits, the German Shepherd is also known for being friendly, protective, warm, loving and excellent family pets.

As for their temperament, as we have already touched upon above, the German Shepherd is a large breed dog that will typically reach to around 25 inches in length at the shoulder, and occasionally even more than that!

As for the shape of the body, the German Shepherd has a strong and sturdy yet graceful appearance with a long sloping gait.

Nevertheless, despite the natural gait of the German Shepherd appearing paced and elegant, the German Shepherd also has the ability to spring into action whenever required, and can move at incredibly high speeds in just a matter of moments.

This means that German Shepherds require plenty of activity to keep them stimulated, and also makes them excellent work dogs – especially in the police force. 

To follow, besides being excellent hard workers, German Shepherds are a super-intelligent breed of dog that can be taught a variety of different commands and skills after just a few attempts.

In addition to that, besides being a quick and natural learner, the German Shepherd is known to be a highly considerate dog that aims to please its owner, so if you happen to introduce one into your home, you can expect your German Shepherd to have a willingness to please you – no matter whether you’re asking your dog to sit, or teaching him to shut the door for you!

The German Shepherd is also known for having a steadfast loyalty that’s entirely unwavering – to both its owner and other members of the family/pack. This means that, besides making awesome work dogs that can serve in a variety of areas, the German Shepherd also makes a fantastic companion due to their affectionate nature towards their owners.

Plus, given the fact that German Shepherds are extremely gentle with children, it also means that they make fantastic family dogs, especially as they are so protective. 

What Does A German Shepherd Look Like?

The German Shepherd is a large breed of dog that is characterized by a distinct black and tan marked coat that is typically double-coated. The thicker undercoat is usually very thick and can either be straight or wavy, while the undercoat is usually soft and fluffy to offer a layer of insulation.

They have thick bushy tails that extend nearly the length of their body, while the ears are typically triangular and large in size. The face usually has distinctive black markings across the face, with large brown eyes. 

How Long Does A German Shepherd Live?

If you’d like to get a German Shepherd, then the average lifespan for a German Shepherd is around 9-13 years, although do keep in mind that this figure can vary depending on a variety of different factors including biological and situational.

The German Shepherd is at risk of developing a variety of different health issues, including hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, epilepsy, canine degenerative myelopathy, different eye diseases as well as hemophilia A and B. 

Which Type Of German Shepherd Is The Best?

To help you gain a better understanding of which German Shepherd might be right for you, here’s a breakdown of the differences between the most common types:

• Working lines – these German Shepherds have the closest resemblance to the original breed standard.
• American/Canadian show lines – these German Shepherds are bred for show work, although you should be sure to check that you are buying for an ethical breeder that is following safe practices to ensure no health/temperament problems due to poor breeding. 
• American pet lines – these German Shepherds are specifically bred to be pets and family animals. 

Is It Worth Getting A German Shepherd?

If you’re currently on the lookout for a dog and you’re currently interested in adding a German Shepherd to your family, then you’re making the right choice to make sure that you’re doing a little bit of research prior to making the decision.

Even though all dogs are great, a German Shepherd might be the best choice for your family if you’re looking for a family dog that will offer you the following: 

• Loyalty: As we’re sure you might already be well aware, German Shepherds are extremely loyal and affectionate dogs to their owners, as well as other memes of the family. However, despite the fact that German Shepherds are unwavering in their loyalty to their family, it’s very important to keep in mind that German Shepherds can be a little more aloof towards strangers and friends – which is something that you should keep in mind prior to getting one. 

• Energy! Initially bred to be a working dog, the German Shepherd is known for having extremely high levels of energy – which means that, besides infusing playfulness and bounds of energy into your life, your German Shepherd will need to be regularly taken on consistent walks, as well as given plenty of exercises to prevent them from becoming bored.
  
  Plus, in addition to this, you will also need to make sure that you are regularly engaging in lots of playtimes with your German Shepherd, so if you happen to have any little ones, then you can bet that your German Shepherd will love nothing more than spending hours on end playing with them! You will even be able to take your German Shepherd out on jogs, hikes, and anything else outdoors.

• Protective: Here’s another reason why you should consider getting yourself a German Shepherd – they’re extremely protective and make for an excellent guard dog. Despite the fact that they can be quite aloof towards people that they don’t know, German Shepherds are extremely affectionate and kind dogs towards their family, which means that besides making a wonderful family dog, they#r also fantastic guard dogs, too.

How Much Does A German Shepherd Cost?

If you’re interested in buying yourself an adorable German Shepherd puppy, then it’s important to keep in mind that the German Shepherd is a breed of dog that typically tends to come with a relatively high price tag, so it’s important to make sure that you are able to take on the financial responsibility of owning a German Shepherd before you go through with the process.

Even though the price of a German Shepherd can vary on a variety of different factors, including the discretion of the breeder or person you are buying from, you can expect to spend anywhere from between one to three thousand dollars with papers. 

However, if you’re interested in buying a German Shepherd and want to try and save some money, then it’s worth keeping in mind that it may be possible to pick up a German Shepherd puppy without its papers.

If you’re interested in buying a German Shepherd puppy without its papers, then it’s important to keep in mind that, even though you’ll likely be able to find a puppy for less than five hundred dollars, you won’t have any breeding information to go off, which means that you won’t have any prior knowledge of whether your dog has any underlying health or temperament issues.

For that reason, if you would like to purchase a German Shepherd puppy and are currently researching your options, we recommend that you try to opt for a German Shepherd puppy that comes with all of its papers if possible, as this will ensure that you have all of the necessary information regarding its health, temperament, and genetics. 

To follow, if buying a puppy isn’t overly important to you, then a fantastic alternative to purchasing a German Shepherd puppy is to rescue a German Shepherd from a dog shelter. 

Even though German Shepherds saved from a dog shelter will likely be an adult at the time of adoption, rescuing a dog is a fulfilling way to show yourself and your family what it means to respect animals and will help to teach your children the importance of taking care of others and having responsibility.

In addition to that, most dog rescue shelters are typically run by a charity organization, which means that you will be helping to support them, too.