About German Shepherd Dogs

According to AKC registration statistics, the German shepherd is always one of America's favorite breeds. With proper socialization and training, they make wonderful family pets. German shepherds also are believed to be the top military and police dog in the world.

  1. History

    • The original German shepherd was bred in 1889 in Germany resulting from a cross of farm and herding dogs. The first German shepherd was brought to America in 1907, and has continued to gain popularity ever since.

    Types

    • Three main bloodline types are bred into a German shepherd. These are German show lines, American show lines and working lines. A properly bred German shepherd will be of one blood type only.

    Features

    • Breed standard German shepherds weigh 70 to 80 pounds. Black and tan are the most common colors. Pale dogs are the least desirable. While a white German shepherd can be quite striking, it is barred from AKC shows.

    Function

    • German shepherds were originally canine sheep herders. While they still are in some areas, they also are trained as seeing yye dogs, rescue dogs and police dogs.

    Famous Ties

    • Rin Tin Tin, the famous German shepherd of TV and movie fame, was portrayed by many dogs from 1922 to 2008.The very first dog is rumored to have saved Warner Brothers Studios from bankruptcy after making 26 "Rin Tin Tin" films. The first Rin Tin Tin died on his owner's lawn in the arms of Jean Harlow. His grandson, Rin Tin Tin III, was used to train 5,000 dogs for the newly formed U.S. Military K9 Corps during WWII.