The German Shepherd came to the United Sates in 1908 with soldiers impressed by the courage and abilities of this dog. German Shepherds will reach an average height of 22 to 26 inches, weight of 77 to 85 pounds and live an average of 13 years. There are a wide variety of coats in this breed. Some German Shepherds are longhaired and some are shorthaired. The color is most often black and tan, but can also be sable, all black, blue and liver and white.

The one thing all German Shepard coats have in common is that they shed profusely, and shed worse during their shedding season. Daily brushing usually helps combat the shedding, and German Shepherds should only be bathed occasionally. Almost all German Shepherds are described as self-confident and loyal.

German Shepherds are highly intelligent and often times used as police dogs, rescue dogs and guide dogs. German Shepherds make excellent guard dogs and are very loyal to their family. They make excellent protectors, barking when someone unfamiliar is approaching. German Shepherds do make good family pets and will guard the children of ‘their’ family. They will tolerate the poking and prodding children are prone to do. However, they are sometimes unaware of their size and power relative to a small child and may indiscriminately knock them over.

A German Shepherd and child should always be watched to avoid this. German Shepherds can survive apartment living if given enough exercise regularly and given enough activities. If left alone too long or not stimulated enough, German Shepherds will become bored and destructive. They enjoy being in the company of their human family but not other pets.If you are not able to take your German Shepherd out for regular exercise, consider getting a dog treadmill.

As a working dog that likes to please, a German Shepherd will do very well with obedience training. German Shepherds are prone to some genetic disorders including hip and elbow Dysplasia, blood disorders, digestive problems, epilepsy, chronic eczema, keratitis (inflammation of the cornea), dwarfism and flea allergies.

Pay Attention To Energy Levels

There are many different breeds of dogs in this world today, and they can differ not just in their looks but in their temperament and their energy level as well. This is important to be aware of when looking into getting a large dog such as the black Labrador. High energy dogs are often very enjoyable to the person or the family that likes a lot of outdoor activity, but this type of dog might not be as good of a choice for the person that works all day or lives in an apartment. This does not mean that the black Labrador would not make a good pet, but it is not healthy for the dog to be closed up in an apartment all day and could result in destructive behavior simply because the dog would be bored. Big Dogs Need Big Spaces For those that are interested in owning a black Labrador, space must be considered. Those who live in apartments either do not own dogs or only own small dogs because large dogs with a lot of energy are often unhappy in an apartment all day. However, for the family that has space for a large dog, a black Labrador would be a good choice because they make good guard dogs yet are gentle and affectionate with people that they know including small children. This is an excellent source for Pet Supplies

The German Shepherd came to the United Sates in 1908 with soldiers impressed by the courage and abilities of this dog. German Shepherds will reach an average height of 22 to 26 inches, weight of 77 to 85 pounds and live an average of 13 years. There are a wide variety of coats in this breed. Some German Shepherds are longhaired and some are shorthaired. The color is most often black and tan, but can also be sable, all black, blue and liver and white.

The one thing all German Shepard coats have in common is that they shed profusely, and shed worse during their shedding season. Daily brushing usually helps combat the shedding, and German Shepherds should only be bathed occasionally. Almost all German Shepherds are described as self-confident and loyal.

German Shepherds are highly intelligent and often times used as police dogs, rescue dogs and guide dogs. German Shepherds make excellent guard dogs and are very loyal to their family. They make excellent protectors, barking when someone unfamiliar is approaching. German Shepherds do make good family pets and will guard the children of ‘their’ family. They will tolerate the poking and prodding children are prone to do. However, they are sometimes unaware of their size and power relative to a small child and may indiscriminately knock them over.

A German Shepherd and child should always be watched to avoid this. German Shepherds can survive apartment living if given enough exercise regularly and given enough activities. If left alone too long or not stimulated enough, German Shepherds will become bored and destructive. They enjoy being in the company of their human family but not other pets. As a working dog that likes to please, a German Shepherd will do very well with obedience training. German Shepherds are prone to some genetic disorders including hip and elbow dysplasia, blood disorders, digestive problems, epilepsy, chronic eczema, keratitis (inflammation of the cornea), dwarfism and flea allergies.

There is a website that has great information on German Shepherds and most other breeds of dogs. It has details that pertain to a dog breeds health, grooming, living conditions, best food choices and more, the website is called: Dog And Cat Facts, and can be found at this url:

http://www.dogandcatfacts.com

By Robert W. Benjamin

Copyright

I have trained my very own Labrador Retriever and I will share a few important tips with you. Firstly let me say that you own a very intelligent dog and if you train your Lab correctly from the start, you will have many hours of enjoyment during the whole process.

Tip 1 – Lots of positive reinforcementThink about it for a moment, when you are learning something new, you are pretty ordinary at it at first, right? So how can you expect your puppy or dog to be any different. You have seen dogs sit, or stay or heel many many times, but your dog has never seen or heard of it ever. Be patient with your Labrador and when he/she does what you want, then give him/her a treat. Never give a treat for a half hearted attempt by your dog, or when your dog just doesn’t do as its told.

Tip 2 – Don’t hit your dogDogs respond to body language or the tone of your voice. It’s enough for you to say “No” in a short deep voice for the dog to get the hint. They will also notice your body language isn’t as friendly as usual. Hitting or kicking your dog will just cause the dog to rebel and you will not get the best out of him/her, it could possibly bring out an aggressive side. The best way to discipline dogs is to catch them in the act, and deal with it then, firmly but fairly. This way they can associate the discipline with the act. I realize that dogs can be very trying at times, especially when they have just chewed up your best shoes – again. However, hitting the dog hours after the event, will just confuse him/her.

Tip 3 – Make sure your dog know who’s the bossThis one is a common mistake. Believe me, you are not doing your dog any favors at all by treating them as an equal. Simple things such as making the dog sit, before it is fed. Going through a door first before the dog or not stepping over your dog, if it happens to be in the way, the dog needs to move in order for you to pass through. All of this will send the message to your dog that you are the “Top Dog” and they will not challenge you, knowing that you are the boss.

Keep your lessons short, you will get to know how long before your dog loses concentration, but try about 5 – 10 minute lessons, depending on the age of your dog, 3 – 4 times per day. This is more than enough for you to train your dog.