Search Result

The AKC Standard says the German Shepherd "has a distinct personality marked by direct and fearless, but not hostile, expression, self-confidence, and a certain aloofness that does not lend itself to immediate and indiscriminate friendships. The dog must be approachable, quietly standing its ground and showing confidence and willingness to meet overtures without itself making them”.

That's a great description of an ideal German Shepherd.

When you're talking German Shepherd Dog maturity there are many factors involved.  Bone freeze occurs around 11 months.  There will be no more "growth" after that, but they will "fill out" until the age of 2 and some, beyond that.  In our experience, when they are 3, German Shepherd Dogs are mature mentally and should be considered an Adult.

German Shepherds grow to be big, strong dogs who can be fairly stubborn and will display dominance if allowed to get away with it. They require a firm, consistent and always fair leader to guide them and set them up for success.

German Shepherd training provides the ideal constructive outlet for all of your GSD's energy and focus. German Shepherd Dog training establishes the boundaries which will help your dog to be a reliable and well respected member of society.

Law Enforcement K-9 German Shepherds or K9 is an abbreviation and homophone of Canine. It may refer to a variety of entries, most related to dogs.

The term originated in the military, where designations such as G-2 are common, making K-9 a rare official pun, being similar to "canine".

The term, originally referencing war dogs, has since carried over to police, and sentry and assistance/service dogs as well.

Choke Collar: Choke collars are meant to provide a temporary correction. Tightening the chain around the neck gets your dog's attention. Releasing it implies that your dog is doing what you intended. When used correctly, it is not supposed to cut off her breath. The choke collar fits around the strongest part of your dog's neck. This in of itself can present an issue. The problem with a choke collar is that your dog can literally choke herself to death. Never leave a choke collar on your dog while unattended.

Electronic Collar: Also known as the shock collar, an e-collar needs to be used correctly, or it can cause more harm than good. An electronic collar, when handled properly, provides an immediate correction. Since dogs live in the moment, it is imperative that the shock is administered directly - in the split second - the time the undesired behavior occurs. The duration of the pulse should only be one-fortieth of a second and will feel like a mild electric shock.

Important: Always read your e-collar instructions for proper use! Otherwise, your dog may not understand why she is being shocked. And it may damage the trust between you and your dog.

Halter: Also called the halti, or head collar. A halter is designed to lead an animal by its head. This is the same way humans have managed larger animals much stronger than us, such as horses. A halter is also called a Gentle Leader collar. The halter works best on long-nosed dogs, such as German Shepherds. But, without proper use and fitting, it can be ineffective and uncomfortable. The downside to a halter is that your dog may not like the unusual sensation of a loop around her mouth. It is extremely important to have a halter properly fit so that it does not chafe your dog's nose. With proper fit and effective use, it can become a great training tool.

Harness: Harnesses were designed for pulling or tracking. Not for controlling. Huskies were harnessed to pull sleds over the snow. German Shepherds sported a harness to carry loads. And Saint Bernards wore harnesses to rescue people lost in the snow. A harness allows your dog to leverage its entire weight to perform a task. Remember this the next time your dog pulls you down the street while wearing a harness. While tracking, the harness allows your dog to have full contact with the ground, unlike a traditional dog training collar.

No-Pull Harness: Dogs that do not pull may be fine with a harness, but it may trigger a pulling reflex in other dogs. There are harnesses that are designed to be no-pull or anti-pull. These harnesses place a gentle pressure on your dog's chest when she pulls. The sensation is designed to be uncomfortable to discourage pulling. While they do offer more control than a typical harness, it is not the best idea for a dog that you already have difficulty in handling.

The purpose of Schutzhund is to demonstrate the dog's intelligence and utility. It also measures the dog's mental stability, endurance, structural efficiencies, ability to scent, willingness to work, courage, and trainability.

This working dog sport offers an opportunity for dog owners to train their dog and compete with each other for recognition of both the handler's ability to train and the dog's ability to perform as required.

It is a sport enjoyed by persons of varied professions, who join together in a camaraderie born of their common interest in working with their dogs. Persons of all ages and conditions of life including those with significant disabilities enjoy Schutzhund as a sport. Often, it is a family sport.

The GSD's high intelligence, strong athletic physique and silky smooth movement have seen the breed excel at all kinds of duties.

German Shepherds are trained and considered invaluable in such jobs as seeing eye dogs, police work, search and rescue, herding, protection, bomb and drug detection and as guard dogs. They also relish activities which stimulate their acute senses such as tracking, agility, fly ball, endurance work, schutzhund and German Shepherd obedience training.

Dogs have their own set of behavioral problems. Lack of proper training methods may badly affect your dog's behavior and turn your beloved pet into a disobedient, aggressive or unruly dog. As a dog owner you should be aware of these problems and train your dog accordingly.

If your dog bites or tears up your furniture, this is not the dog’s fault. These are types of behavior problems that most dogs show signs of having and it’s up to you, the owner, to train your dog to know what is acceptable and what is not.

Aggression related dog behavior problems include biting, jumping, barking uncontrollably and not obeying commands.

Once a dog ages from a puppy to an adult, it will become much harder to train. Training should start from an early stage, so that these tendencies do not become dog behavior problems.

Adopt A German Shepherd and you will never be disappointed. German Shepherds are extremely social and loyal. German Shepherd Rescue groups are located all over the world.

     You can list German Shepherd Rescue Dogs and Groups on GSDsite at no charge and you can place a free Pay Pal Button for Donations (Non Profit Rescue Groups only).     

Bi-color German Shepherds are often defined as being predominantly black Bi-color German Shepherds, Sable German Shepherds, Panda German Shepherds, Blue German Shepherds, Liver German Shepherds, Blue/ and Liver German Shepherds, Black German Shepherds, Tri-Color Panda German Shepherd, Solid Liver German Shepherds, Liver and Tan German Shepherds with markings on the bottoms of their legs, and sometimes above their eyes and around their muzzles.

Trained German Shepherd dogs have a significantly higher value than puppies. They are a wonderful asset to people who are not able to put in the time necessary to train a dog or raise a puppy.

Hundreds of training hours are needed before a dog can pass the stringent requirements of a training degree. They require obedience training and training should be ongoing and consistent. Trained German Shepherds can be used for protection, service dogs, schutzhund, IPO, and K9 German Shepherds.

Just like any proud and responsible dog owner, you would always work for the best to maintain that your dog is always healthy and well-groomed.Tip Number One: Nutrition plays a big role in maintaining your furry friend's fur. Your Shepherds are strong carnivorous which means that the food they eat must be rich in protein, fat and in vitamins. Foods like Beef, Lamb and Chicken are perfect. And if you ever plan to create your own dog's diet, make sure that your mix would be high in these.Tip Number Two: Avoid Vegetables. Unlike humans, dogs' stomachs are straight and not curved. Thus, this makes digesting vegetables hard for them. Stay clear of the vegetables and stick to the high protein regimen above.Tip Number Three: Brush your dog's hairs regularly. By brushing your dog's hair, you contribute in distributing your dog's natural oils. Aside from that, you help prevent matting of the fur and aid in removing dead skin cells.Tip Number Five: Bathe your Dog. Obviously, bathing your dog contributes to maintaining its hygiene. But did you know that a dog should be bathed once or twice a month? German shepherd's natural oils are there for a reason, that's why your dogs shouldn't be bathed more than twice per month. However, frequency of bathing varies depending on the nature of where your dog hangs out. Surely a dog that stays outside will require more baths than one that stays inside.Tip Number Six: Do you See Dust? If you stroke your dog and see dust that means your dog is already due for its bath.The attractive coat of the German Shepherd can unfortunately be quite attractive to parasites too. Beneath the coat on the skin itself, hot spots can be created by skin infections, which can arise from a poor diet or from an infected cut.

When to muzzle your dog

Leather Adjustable Dog Muzzles for German shepherd, basket dog muzzle for gsd , best dog muzzle, training dog muzzle, walking dog muzzles, padded dog muzzle, large dog muzzle, dog with black muzzle, dog black muzzle, metal dog muzzle, types of dog muzzles, buy a dog muzzle, comfortable dog muzzle,  humane dog muzzles, dog muzzle to prevent, Hund einen Maulkorb, Hunde maulkörbe gsd, shepherds Hundemaulkörbe, police muzzle, Schutzhund muzzle, dog training muzzle, k9 muzzle

By and large, muzzles are used to keep a dog from biting or causing injury. There are two types of muzzles: nylon (also referred to as the "groomer's muzzle") and basket.

Nylon muzzles consist of a wide strip of nylon that surrounds the dog's own muzzle, and two nylon strips that attach behind the ears to hold it in place. The nylon muzzle keeps the mouth in an almost completely closed position. Since their design restricts dogs from panting, nylon muzzles should not be used in hot weather for more than very short periods.

The basket muzzle resembles a basket that fits over the dog's own muzzle, and is normally constructed of wire or heavy plastic. Unlike nylon, the basket muzzle allows a dog to open and close his mouth. However, a dog who is wearing a basket muzzle can still cause harm by jabbing his mouth (called "muzzle punching") at a person or another dog.

So when is muzzling appropriate? Some dogs snap when having nails clipped, being brushed, or being vaccinated. A nylon muzzle is a good idea with a dog who is likely to bite when being handled by a groomer or veterinarian. Muzzles may also be used during training sessions for behavior modification. For example, if a trainer is working with a dog who has handling issues, a muzzle is used in order to ensure the trainer's safety.

The brand I recommend has horizontal slats through which slices of hot dog or other food can be passed. The design is useful for classical conditioning--pairing something delightful (slices of hot dog) with something the dog does not necessarily love (being handled)--to modify behavior.

Regardless of which type of muzzle is used, the dog should be acclimated to it before use. This can easily be accomplished by pairing food with the muzzle. For the nylon muzzle, stick a small treat through the bottom and let the dog place his nose into the muzzle to take the treat. For the basket muzzle, place a treat into the basket and let the dog take it.

Repeat a few times, and as the dog becomes more comfortable, gradually begin to place the muzzle on the dog, using incremental steps. For example, dog takes treat, hold for five seconds, release; as dog becomes comfortable, dog takes treat, move muzzle back over dog's muzzle, release; next step, bring straps up behind ears, release; eventually, as dog becomes comfortable, attach straps, feed through muzzle, release.

Important: Muzzling an aggressive dog can be a good management solution in a particular situation, but a muzzle should not be used as a substitute for behavior modification.

Deutscher Schäferhunde

Many people say at 2 years is considered to be Adult GSD and fully mature at 3+ years old. Some people say the fear period as puppy GSD ends at 18 Months of age, meaning he is qualify to be as self-confident GSD like an adult dog.

When you're talking maturity there are many factors involved. Bone freeze occurs around 11 months. There will be no more "growth" after that, but they will "fill out" until the age of 2 and some, beyond that. In my experience, when they are 3, they are mature mentally.

Dogs will consider puppies as just that until about the age of 6 months, then all bets are off. This is when you may start to see aggression from an older dog toward the youngster. Sometimes, it will be just to put them in their place, but it can lead to injury and even death.

Physically, 2...mentally 3...to another dog, 6 months

A solid black GSD is a very acceptable color in the German Shepherd Dog breed, but not seen as often as their sable or saddle back counterparts.

German Shepherd Dog Agility Training

Agility training and dog obstacle courses were shaped after a Steeplechase in England. The first debut was in the UK at Crufts in 1978, and has become the fasted growing dog sport among both spectators and competitors because it is fast and entertaining. Dogs, too, love the sport; it lets them run, jump, and climb, exercising many of the behavior they enjoy. The sport also allows the dogs to have close contact with a handler, giving them all the attention they want. Agility is a great way to help build confidence in shy dogs, but only if you are supportive and enthusiastic.

If you've never tried German Shepherd agility work, or as we like to call it "play", you're missing a lot of fun. Don't get me wrong, though, it is also a lot of hard work, but well worth it. Much like a combination Doggie Obstacle Course, agility training is comprised of multiple types of various obstacles that the dog must complete.

The dog sport of agility was originally developed by combining the sport of stadium jumping (with horses) with many of the different challenges that are unique to dogs.

The most important factor in this type of "work" is enthusiasm and positive reinforcement. Why should the dog cross the high walk or go through that collapsed tunnel? It is your job to convince your German Shepherd during agility training that it is okay to follow commands and that nothing will harm it by completing the agility obstacles.

Owner devastated, Please help locate our missing German Shepherd Dog. We have posted a description of our faithful family member.

Basic Listing Postings on GSDsite for missing/lost German Shepherd Dogs are free for 60 days.

German Shepherd Dog Digestive Tract Care

German Shepherds are notorious for digestive problems, especially chronic diarrhea caused by food intolerances, colitis (inflammatory bowel disease), hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, or pancreatic insufficiency. This breed should be eating real food for sure, not an artificial diet of kibble or canned food.

As with all deep-chested breeds, German Shepherds are at higher-than-normal risk for the emergency gastrointestinal syndrome bloat.

Pet owners who feed their companion pets correctly can save a lot of money. Many dogs are taken to the vet, suffering from nutritionally related problems, and the vet bills can be huge. i.e. dry/itchy/flaky skin, hot spots, yeast infections in the ear, thyroid - liver - kidney problems, just to name a few, cost the average dog owner hundreds of dollars every year.

The food should contain: (#1) nutrient sources that are similar to those found in the native environment of the breed's ancestors (sources which are not foreign to the digestive and glandular systems of today's German Shepherd Dog and which are easy for them to assimilate) and (#2) the proper balance of protein, carbohydrates, fatty acids, vitamins and minerals that match the breed specific nutritional requirements - those which have been passed on by their ancestors.