There is perhaps no dog breed that has a more regal bearing than the German Shepherd. Which when you stop to consider, is a bit ironic for a dog that is one of the hardest working of all breeds. German Shepherds have been used for herding animals, guarding buildings and people, sniffing out drugs, gas leaks, missing people and bombs. They can be trained to lead the blind and as helper dogs for those who are wheelchair bound. They also make great family dogs.
If dogs were royalty, German Shepherds would be knights of old as they are strong, agile and well muscled. Standing at between 24 and 26 inches on average and weighing between 75 and 90 pounds these dogs seem to be all muscle. Slightly longer than they are tall with their head held high and their ears standing at attention, they give every indication of a dog that is composed and alert, both characteristics that this breed is known for.
Their head is cleanly chiseled and in proportion with body. Their features are either distinctly masculine or feminine depending on the sex of this dog. Their almond shaped eyes are usually dark in color as is their nose.
These dogs can come in a variety of colors, the most common being black and tan. However, they also have coats of silver and tan, gold and tan, as well as both pure white and pure black.
Temperament
German Shepherd dogs are known to be composed and fearless but not hostile; they are confident and will meet most overtures without making any of their own. They are slow to warm up to strangers but not overly aggressive unless the family they love is threatened. Extremely loyal this breed of dog has been known to give its life to protect his family who he loves without reservation.
German Shepherds are highly intelligent and one of the most trainable breeds there are. However, they do need a gentle but firm owner who is in control. They need both mental and physical stimulation on a daily basis and plenty of socialization.
When properly trained and exercised, a German Shepherd is happy and content and they are excellent with children.
One of the greatest pleasures of owning this breed of dog is that they are easy and fun to train. Owners who have back yard space enjoy setting up agility training for these dogs because they perform agility tasks almost flawlessly. They also do well at obedience training and love to play catch with a ball or Frisbee. You can teach a German Shepherd a variety of tricks and giving them such tasks to perform gives them the mental challenges they love.
They enjoy spending time with their human families and look forward to daily walks or runs with the people they love. When well exercised these dogs are calm and collected in the house showing none of that large dog clumsiness of some other breeds.
They make a perfect addition to any family who has the dedication and energy to keep up with these beautiful, regal and high-energy dogs.
