German Shepherd Working Breeding

From ancient times, German shepherds were human companions: they guarded the dwelling and grazed cattle, were loyal assistants. The recognizable appearance and character of the breed made them very popular among breeders.

Today, German Shepherd puppies are in demand in the military, anti-terrorism and security field.

Even in the XII century there were dogs that resemble the current German shepherd. They had a high devotion to the owner, hard work, distrust of strangers and moderate malice. They were used as shepherds and house guards.

Max von Stephanitz and his friend Arthur Meyer were the progenitors of the working-breeding shepherd dogs that proposed the breed standard that is being used now. Stephanitz had a great love for animals: refusing military service, he chose to breed dogs. In addition, Max dreamed of ever breeding a dog that could be used for service purposes and possessed strength, courage, endurance, intelligence and devotion.

In the spring of 1899, at one of the dog shows, Stephanitz purchased a new pet.

It was a large male of a red-gray color with a powerful body and developed muscles, proportional to the structure of the body and balanced psyche. The dog was brought into the breeding book of the breed as a standard for subsequent followers of the working species.

A few weeks later, the German Shepherd Club was founded (existing to the present day), during which annual exhibitions were held.

Here, Max had the opportunity to select the ideal candidates for breeding and breeding pure breed that meets the working standards. He was concerned not with the external data of the animal, but with its physiology and character traits.

Adults tend to be of medium height. Males are not more than 63 cm at the withers, and females - no more than 55-63 cm. The weight of a healthy dog ​​for males is no more than 42 kg, for females - 32. These standards are justified by the fact that the service dog should react to the current situation with lightning speed, be quick and agile in its actions. The body is elongated, 10-15% longer than the length of the individual at the withers, with well-defined muscles.

In the German Shepherd, the head should be wedge-shaped - this is a slightly extended prominent forehead, which gradually tapers towards the tip of the nose (only a black lobe is acceptable). Ears straight, erect and turned forward. Dogs of this breed should have well developed jaws with a scissor bite. The teeth are even, without obvious defects. Eyes almond-shaped, close-set, color acceptable from golden amber to dark brown.

The cervical area should be well developed, with pronounced musculature, and smoothly go to the withers, forming a certain slope. The paws are strong and muscular. The front limbs should be flat and straight, while the rear limbs are usually set back a little, there are strong muscles to ensure a quick reaction and running.

Less common are individuals with a zoning and completely black color.

Having come to the breeder to select a puppy, it is necessary to examine the entire litter, highlighting for yourself the one you like.

In order not to be mistaken with the choice, you should pay attention to the following aspects.

• A puppy should have a moderate fatness (the main thing is that the stomach should not be swollen), shiny hair, pink mucous, lively and bright eyes. The body of the pet, when probing, is elastic, with strong bones, slightly elongated, with a straight back and a long neck.
• A puppy should have wide and massive paws (the presence of dewclaws on the hind limbs is considered a defect) with black pads and claws. On the tail should be no bumps and kinks.
• The muzzle of the puppy is not sharp, with a well-marked transition from the forehead. Up to 3.5 months, the tips of the ears should not be straight. The presence of straight tips indicates problems with phosphorus-potassium metabolism and the presence of ossification of the skeleton.
• The color of the puppy's eyes is dark brown. You should refuse to purchase puppies with bright eyes or heterochromia.
• A working sheepdog puppy should have a correct bite - a scissor. Or the gap between the teeth is allowed no more than 1-2 mm. Teeth must be even and free of defects (grown or double teeth).
• Attention should be paid to the health of the mother of the puppies. The lack of bald patches, discharge from the eyes and a chapped nose is an important indicator that the pet will be healthy.
• Healthy puppies, as a rule, are mobile, energetic and inquisitive. They should be free from any signs of developmental defects: birth and / or postpartum injuries, rickets.
• A swollen abdomen and faded dull coat indicates the presence of parasites in the baby.
• Very carefully required to examine the eyes and ears of a puppy. Eyes should be clean and wide open, without any discharge. Ears should also be clean, without foreign smell. Its presence may indicate otitis media. In such a situation, the animal will be aggressive and restless, shake his head and try to comb his ear.
• It should be understood, what character has a puppy. To do this, it is enough to observe how he behaves with other babies and what is his attitude towards the world and strangers.
• Pedigrees of the mother and father of puppies are also an important point when choosing a puppy of pure litter.

Anyway, if the puppy is shy and avoids contact or is too angry and aggressive, it is better to find another pet.

Choosing a breed of German shepherd working breeding, you need to remember that a pet, in addition to positive qualities such as endurance, dedication, and unpretentiousness in grooming and feeding, will require a lot of attention and time for training and proper education.

The future owner must be active and disciplined, possess sufficient physical strength.

As mentioned above, German Shepherd dogs are unpretentious in grooming.

When placing an animal in an apartment, frequent and long walks with intensive training and team training will be necessary. You will also need regular brushing of the hair, cleaning the eyes, teeth and ears, and preventive visits to the vet are important.

With regard to feeding, due to the high activity of the animal, the diet should contain sufficient amount of protein (about 50% of the daily food intake). A variety of cereals, herbs and dairy products are also necessary for the health of the pet. Avoid fatty meats, smoked meats, sweet, salty and spicy foods.

Shepherd puppies are fed more often (from 3-4 times a day to 6); two meals are enough for adults.

According to foreign dog handlers and dog breeders, weaning a puppy from a mother is best done after reaching 2 months. By this time he will get stronger, the psyche and the main character traits will be formed.

For proper development and health of a puppy, you should adhere to the following rules.

• Determine the feeding time.
• Do not scold and do not punish the fact that the puppy went to the toilet in the wrong place. Simply, he needs to walk more often, and praise for the fact that he endured and went to the toilet on time.
• Teach your baby to the collar.
• From 4 months you should start training teams (the first and most important team is “to me”), referring to the puppy by name.
• At first, avoid visiting places too noisy.
• When performing a puppy's undesirable actions, say “no”, raising your voice slightly. So he will understand that they are unhappy.
• Acquaintance with other people and animals should proceed in a mild form in order to form an adequate relationship with society.
• It is necessary to bathe the puppy only when necessary, with special shampoos (frequent bathing can harm the animal).
• When buying puppies in the spring, it is necessary to provide them with good nutrition and frequent walks, while the autumn babies need additional intake of vitamin D.

When purchasing a German shepherd working breeding, you should pay attention not to the external data of the pet, but to their working qualities.

These dogs have good endurance and ability to work in the most difficult conditions. You should not acquire such dogs for the role of companion, because they require great physical exertion, strict discipline and proper upbringing from an early age.

More visual and detailed information about the German Shepherd working breeding can be obtained from the video.