Interesting facts about German Shepherds

1. German Shepherd

   Dog Breed
The German Shepherd (German: Deutscher Schäferhund, German pronunciation: [ˈʃɛːfɐˌhʊnt]) is a breed of large-sized working dog that originated in Germany. The breed's officially recognized name is German Shepherd Dog in the English language, sometimes abbreviated as "GSD", and it also formerly was known as the Alsatian and Alsatian Wolf Dog in Britain. The German Shepherd is a relatively new breed of dog, with their origin dating to 1899. As part of the Herding Group, German Shepherds are working dogs developed originally for herding sheep. Since that time, however, because of their strength, intelligence, trainability and obedience, German Shepherds around the world are often the preferred breed for many types of work, including search-and-rescue, police and military roles and even acting. The German Shepherd is the second-most popular breed of dog in the United States  and fourth-most popular in the United Kingdom.

Higher classification: Dog
Lifespan: 9 – 13 y
Origin: Germany
Temperament: Watchful, Alert, Curious, Obedient, Loyal, Confident, Courageous, Intelligent
Mass: 30 – 40 kg (Adult, Male), 22 – 32 kg (Adult, Female)
Height: 55 – 60 cm (Adult, At Shoulder, Female), 60 – 65 cm (Adult, At Shoulder, Male)

Interesting facts about German Shepherds

Fact 1: Their Guarding Skills Are No Joke

So you've seen them around the train stations or the police station with the cops before--no big deal, right? Actually, as it turns out, it's a very big deal, because the German Shepherd dog is actually hailed as the world's leading police, military and guard dog.

Thanks for all the hard work you do out there keeping us safe, guys!

Fact 2: They're Quite Popular

It's not surprising that dogs like Labrador and Golden Retreivers are really popular, right? Those of us who have ever had a German Shepherd as a pet won't be surprised by this, but according to the AKC registration statistics, this dashing breed is actually thesecondmost popular dog in the United States. Way to go!

Fact 3: The Breed Has Been Around for Quite a While

We have Captain Max von Stephanitz from Germany to thank for the breeding of the first German Shepherd back in 1899. As a mix of old breeds of herding and farm dogs, the first American German Shepherd was exhibited in 1907, and thanks to the loveable sidekicks known as Rin-Tin-Tin and Strongheart, the breed quickly shot up the ranks of popularity.

Fact 4: For a While There, German Shepherds Were No. 1

German Shepherds were the No. 1 most popular dog in the United States in 1925, and stayed that way for the rest of the 1920s before disappearing from the top 10 until after World War II.

Fact 5: They Make Fine Family Companions

While they may be known for their policing and guarding know-how, the German Shepherd is actually a great breed for families with older children, as they are highly trainable, extremely loyal and very committed to their owners.

Other Facts on German Shepherds:

1. German Shepherds were originally bred to herd sheep and protect them from predators.
2. They are now bred to work as police dogs for sniffing out bombs and drugs.
3. German Shepherds make excellent guard dogs and are also used as guide dogs for the visually impaired.
4. The German Shepherd is the third most intelligent dog in the world. 1st is the Border Collie, 2nd is the Poodle.
5. They are also known as Alsatian Wolf Dogs.
6. As can be seen by the name, they originated From Germany in 1899 and were brought across to the USA in 1906.
7. Former US President John Kennedy had a German Shepherd called ‘Clipper’.
8. Rin Tin Tin was a famous German Shepherd that played in 26 movies.