Different Kinds of German Shepherd Dogs

The German shepherd dog was bred into existence in Northern Europe and was originally used as a flock protector. The German shepherd has been bred for show purposes and highly useful tasks like sheep herding, police K9 units and Seeing Eye dogs. The German shepherd is a loyal, dedicated, protective and assertive breed of dog.

  1. North American Show Lines

    • North American lines are very different from the original German shepherd. While they have ancestry with the original German shepherd, they have come into their own and are specifically bred for show purposes, with a large emphasis on appearance. Particularly, they have a pronounced, sloped back and a sharp angulation of the hock joint. Besides the looks, the movement of the dog is given precedence. North American German shepherds are usually larger, softer in coat and have a lighter bone structure than the working line German shepherds. This type of dog can be nervous with a high tendency toward anxiety.

    White German Shepherds

    • White German shepherds are typically employed with the police force. They work in bomb and drug detection and also work in customs or trade trafficking. White German shepherds are also used as attack dogs. White German shepherds can spearhead search and rescue expeditions as well with their keen sense of smell. White German shepherds are not considered an albino but rather occur as the natural recessive gene trait found in this species. This type of dog is not used in shows and since it has a smaller gene pool, it often exhibits less quality than the other types of German shepherds that are used to show.

    Show Line German Shepherd

    • Show Line German shepherds were bred for their structure and appearance. These types of German shepherds have lower work drives than working line types. These dogs are usually easygoing, calm, trainable and loyal. Physically, Show Line German shepherds look homogeneous with colorations of black and red, black and tan or sometimes sable. Show Line German shepherds need maintenance and require exercise, proper training and socializing with humans and other dogs.