German Shepherd Dog

Among the popular breeds of dog the German Shepherd Dog or the Alsatian is the most famous one. The German Shepherd Dog is one of the most recognizable dog breeds in the world. This is because they have certain features which are very specific. They have been bred for these features. The German Shepherd Dog has been used in the modern times in a variety of roles. Their diversity of skill and their adaptability have made them very popular. This breed has its origins in Germany. It was basically used to herd sheep.

The German Shepherd Dog is a highly intelligent dog. It is large in size. It grows to a height of about 55 to 65 cms and weighs around 22 to 40 kilograms. They have a domed forehead, their muzzle is long and square cut with a black nose. Their eyes are large and lively showing themselves as alert and ready. The ears are large and erect and open in the front. They are usually pulled back during movement. They have a peculiarly long neck which is raised when excited and lowered while running. The tail is bushy. They have a variety of coat colors. It has a double coat. The coat is thick and wavy, and it sheds it hair all the time, hence it needs maintenance. They come in a range of colors. The most popular color is tan. They also have black red varieties.

The German Shepherd Dog is a highly intelligent and alert dog. They are very self assured. They are eager and willing to learn. Their smartness levels are legendary. They have a lot of stories surrounding their bravery and attachment to their masters. They are easily trainable. They will become very aggressive if they are not trained properly. Their guard dog instincts are primal and need to be handled with a good firm hand. Even though they look good and gentle this breed has a streak of aggression which is its Achilles heel. It has a tendency to bite if they are not trained well. They have also been understood to be the third most likely breed to bite their masters. But since they are so popular, they have been over represented in these statistical analyses.

The German Shepherd Dog is very popular as a work dog. It has found a large role to play as a police dog and sniffer dog. They are also used widely as a rescue and safety dog. They have a very keen sense of smell and hence find a very good role in the narcotics arm of major police forces and border patrol agencies. They are a fixture in airports and also used for containment of violent criminals. They are very popular as guide dogs for the blind and the aged. They are also surprisingly good with babies and small children much more than other breeds. The German Shepherd Dog is also very popular in the entertainment field and has been featured in many movies and T.V shows.