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Your Trusted Expert in Breeding and Maintaining Healthy German Shepherds

All About the Breed
Prominent Canines
Breeder Insights
Breed Health
Future Owner Tips

All About German Shepherd Dogs

Breed Name:
German Shepherd Dog
Personality:
Highly intelligent, loyal, alert, protective, confident, and eager to work
AKC Group:
Herding
History and Characteristics:

The German Shepherd Dog (Deutscher Schäferhund; GSD) was developed in late 19th century Germany for herding sheep, but also to be the ultimate utilitarian dog. The breed was widely used in World War I for running messages, carrying supplies, red cross rescue, tracking, and sentry work. Through these activities, the breed became known to the rest of the world. Today GSDs are known for their exceptional intelligence, loyalty, protectiveness, and versatility, making them highly sought after for roles like police work, military service, search and rescue, personal protection, schutzhund sport, guide dogs, and as a companion dog. Key characteristics include a strong, athletic build, a double coat that can be various shades of black and tan, and a keen sense of smell, with a reputation for being alert and trainable, but requiring consistent exercise and socialization due to their high energy levels. Strong self-confidence under control as its temperament is paramount to this breed.

In current times there has been a bit of a split in the appearance of the breed. The broadest split is between show lines and working lines.

Fun Facts About German Shepherds

How Popular Are German Shepherd Dogs?

Service to Humans:
German Shepherds are a popular choice for service dogs because of their intelligence, loyalty, and trainability. They are known to help people with disabilities, including guiding the visually impaired, alert dogs for low blood sugar for people with diabetes, alerting for seizures for people with epilepsy, and as emotional support dogs for people with mental disorders.

German Shepherd Dogs are also used in other significant roles such as search and rescue, police work, military work, and detecting narcotics and explosives.

Prominent Canines

Famous German Shepherds:

New Jersey Task Force One
This team received an award for their search and rescue efforts during the World Trade Center disaster. These animals fearlessly searched through burned debris, ignoring burnt paws, cuts and other obstacles to look for survivors and victims. For their unselfish and courageous efforts, the team earned induction into the Animal Hall of Fame.

New Jersey Task Force One
Photo Credit: New Jersey Task Force One

Trakr
Trakr discovered the last survivor of the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001 and was named one of history’s most heroic animals by Time magazine.

Trakr
Photo Credit: Stephen Cherin | Associated Press

Pascha
Pascha was recognized for his work as a rescue dog in the Oklahoma City bombing, 1995 earthquake in Kobe, Japan, the Edison, N.J. explosion, and Hurricane Opal in Panama City, FL.

Pascha
Photo Credit: Agnes Guardians

Rin Tin Tin
Rin Tin Tin was an international movie star and one of the most famous German Shepherds. He was rescued from a World War I battlefield by an American soldier who nicknamed him “Rinty”. He even has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Rin Tin Tin
Photo Credit: Simon and Schuster

Leader
Leader was a fictional guide dog in the book Follow My Leader by James Garfield, which was a favorite story of Dr. Christensen’s when he was a young boy. It made him wish he could have such a close, intimate relationship with a dog as blind children do with their guide dogs.

Leader
Photo Credit: James B. Garfield
Notable Champions:
Rumor was named Best in Show at the Westminster Dog Show, 2017.

Manhattan won Best in Show at the Westminster Dog Show, 1987.
Rumor
Photo Credit: akc.org
Manhattan
Photo Credit: Covy-Tucker Hill

Breeder Insights

Kokopelli (and Kokopelli-adjacent) German Shepherds in Action:
Dirty
Dirty Jaroslavka IGP3, KKL at IGP Trials Protection
Whisky
Whisky von SentinelHarts HGH
Bosco
(Bosco) V Vilko von der Feuersaule IGP3, KKL Obedience
Local German Shepherd Breeders:

Quote coming soon.

Camilla Hart
SentinelHarts German Shepherds

Quote coming soon.

Redwood Runs
Redwood Runs German Shepherds
What We Love About German Shepherds:
  • The best all-around canine worker
  • Athletic, agile
  • Trainable, intelligent
  • Loyal, steady, devoted, loving…and also confident, courageous, and fierce protectors
Be Aware of...
  • Exercise - these are not low energy dogs and require regular exercise. GSDs bond strongly with their people and will want to be in close proximity to their handlers. They can do well in apartments if the owner is dedicated to getting the dog outside for physical activity daily. They are an agile dog and are suitable for many working venues as well as fun recreational activities. Once physically mature, they enjoy hiking, fetch, tug, and many other activities that demand physical fitness.
  • Grooming - the double coat (soft undercoat, coarse outer layer) should be brushed 3-4 times a week.
  • Shedding - Yep, they definitely shed a lot. They blow out their undercoat approximately twice a year and still drop hair in between cycles. Regular brushing at home helps, but having a high velocity forced air dryer is the best grooming tool for keeping shedding inside your home to a minimum.
  • Stimulation - GSDs get bored easily and miss their people. Leaving them at home alone for most of the day on a regular basis is not a good choice for this breed. Activities where they search for an object, use their nose, problem solve, etc., are equally important as physical activity. They can live in many settings, including an apartment, if the owner includes them in the majority of their life activities, gets them out and about, and provides training, socialization, and physical exercise.
  • Training - GSDs are a lot of dog, and they are sensitive, needy souls. Untrained, they can be uncertain and lack confidence, and are prone to anxiety and fear-based aggression. Make sure you will have time to spend training, socializing, and interacting on a very regular basis with your GSD.
  • Dog aggression - GSDs can be reactive to and dominant towards other dogs. Diligence in proper socialization and upbringing is imperative.
  • General aggression - GSDs require consistent training and socialization. They are a breed that should be relatively indifferent to strangers in public places and protective of their home/territory. Negative experiences as neonates, puppies, or young dogs and lack of socialization can lead to inappropriate aggression with strangers.

Breed Health

Health Predispositions:
  • Allergies
  • Cauda Equina Syndrome and Lumbosacral Syndrome/Disease
  • Dilated Cardiomyopathy
  • Degenerative Myelopathy
  • Gastric Dilatation and Volvulus (GDV) or Bloat
  • Hip and Elbow Dysplasia
  • Perianal Fistula or Anal Furunculosis
  • Progressive Retinal Atrophy
Health Clearances Recommended for Breeding a German Shepherd (more on each of these below):
  • Hip and elbow dysplasia OFA
  • Temperament testing
  • Companion Animal Eye Registry (CAER)

Future Owner Tips

Kokopelli Support for Breeders:
The mission of Kokopelli Assisted Reproductive Services at Kokopelli Veterinary Center is to fully support responsible breeders in creating the healthiest puppies possible. Part of that mission is advising breeders in health testing and advising potential puppy buyers on what they should be considering when looking at adopting a puppy.
What to Ask the Breeder if You are Considering Bringing a German Shepherd into Your Home:
The top goal of every responsible breeder is not to make money on a litter, but to produce the healthiest puppies possible. Dedicated, responsible breeders are passionate about their breed and want to contribute to the continuation of their breed by placing healthy puppies into caring homes. As such, responsible breeders will only breed dogs with the appropriate temperaments and who have also been tested for diseases of concern for their specific breed. The sire and dam of your prospective puppy should have been tested minimally for hip and elbow dysplasia and temperament (see health clearance section on each of these below) and those records should be available to you. Ideally breeders will also be performing other appropriate health clearances (also described below). You can use the list below to have an informed conversation with the breeder of your prospective puppy to try to make it as likely as possible that you will be adopting as healthy a German Shepherd Dog as possible, or that at least you are aware of the potential health risks and challenges your new puppy may face.
Breed Health Certifications:
  • Hip and elbow dysplasia are orthopedic conditions that can be debilitating for dogs by making every step they take painful and difficult. The conditions are caused because the bones of the hip or elbow joints are not formed and seated appropriately. Eventually, they wear away at the cartilage and bone will rub on bone, which is painful. Signs that a dog will eventually become dysplastic can be detected early in life through radiographs (x-rays). Three testing options exist for hip dysplasia for GSDs: Hip dysplasia OFA , PennHIP, and SV hip (Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde; German registration), all of which are available by appointment at Kokopelli Veterinary Center. Elbow dysplasia OFA and SV testing is also by radiographs and also available by appointment at Kokopelli Veterinary Center. Since the predilection for these conditions is genetic, breeding affected dogs together increases the risk that the resultant puppies will have bad hips or elbows, often necessitating expensive and difficult surgical corrections at some point in their lives. It is recommended that dogs with poor conformation not be bred and dogs with moderate changes be bred to dogs with excellent joints. OFA testing for hips and elbows can be done in dogs that are 24 months of age. PennHip can be performed in dogs as young as 16 weeks. Sedation is strongly recommended for all OFA testing and required for PennHIP. Please call our front desk to schedule an appointment.
  • Temperament testing: It may seem strange to include this in “health testing,” but having the right temperament is absolutely essential from a mental health perspective for a GSD. From the breed standard, “the breed has a distinct personality marked by direct and fearless, but not hostile, expression, self-confidence and a certain aloofness that does not lend itself to immediate and indiscriminate friendships. The dog must be approachable, quietly standing its ground and showing confidence and willingness to meet overtures without itself making them. It is poised, but when the occasion demands, eager and alert; both fit and willing to serve in its capacity as companion, watchdog, blind leader, herding dog, or guardian, whichever the circumstances may demand. The dog must not be timid, shrinking behind its master or handler; it should not be nervous, looking about or upward with anxious expression or showing nervous reactions, such as tucking of tail, to strange sounds or sights. Lack of confidence under any surroundings is not typical of good character.” The AKC has a temperament test for GSDs with defined parameters and elements. It is essentially an obstacle course that includes walking on a strange substrate (plastic tarp) and passing “scary” obstacles including a rapidly opening umbrella, someone shooting blanks from a pistol into the air, a friendly stranger approaching, and a threatening/weird stranger. The dog must exhibit confidence and courage consistent with the traits quoted in the breed standard in the face of these challenges to pass the exam and be certified. It may seem strange to require this for breeding animals, since genetics only partially contributes to temperament. The learned component of confidence, however, is hugely influenced by the first 4 months of life in puppyhood. Breeders are responsible for BOTH nature (genetics) and (early) nurture; dogs exhibiting fear and lack of confidence are a reflection on the kennel, since the temperament of an adult dog is the product of genetics, early socialization, and subsequent training.
  • Companion Animal Eye Registry (CAER): Eye diseases are often progressive and some are not detectable until a dog ages. It is recommended that breeding dogs have annual CAER examinations, which must be performed by a board-certfied ophthalmologist. Eye disease OFA clinics are held a few times a year at Kokopelli Veterinary Center. Please call our front desk to schedule your dogs for our next clinic.
  • Degenerative Myelopathy (DM): This is a heart-breaking disease that results in the degeneration of the spinal cord starting at the hind end of the dog and then progressing forward, usually manifesting in older dogs (8 years or older in many cases), but sometimes striking the young. The first clinical sign is weakness progressing to paralysis of the hindlimbs. In the past, it has been a diagnosis of exclusion by ruling out other causes of weakness and paralysis. This involves blood and cerebral spinal fluid tests, MRI, and CT scans to rule out things like injury, intervertebral disc disease (IVDD), or cancer and is expensive and somewhat invasive. We now have a DNA test for an affected gene. A dog with hindlimb weakness or paralysis can be tested to see if they have both copies of the affected gene, which would make a diagnosis of DM highly likely. As there is no treatment for DM, most owners will opt for euthanasia before the disease progresses to affect all four limbs. While the disease does not cause direct pain, the dog will experience distress at its inability to stand, walk, move, or posture for urination or defecation, and will be prone to developing pressure sores. This is an autosomal recessive condition with incomplete penetrance. This means that a dog must have two copies of the defective gene to develop the disease (and then it is still not 100% certain it will develop the disease; that’s what the “incomplete penetrance” means). Especially because of the late onset of this disease, it is recommended that all potential breeding GSDs have a DNA test and that carrier dogs only be bred to clear dogs. Breeding two carrier or affected individuals together will make it highly likely that some of the puppies will be affected by this condition.
  • Progressive retinal atrophy, progressive rod-cone degeneration (PRA-prcd): This condition causes the degeneration of the rods and cones of the retina. Night blindness and loss of peripheral vision happens first, but the disease eventually progresses to full blindness in most cases. Onset is usually later in life, between 3 and 5 years of age. Because of the later onset, it is possible that untested parents with the genetic condition could be bred before they themselves show any signs of disease, and pass it on to puppies. Because of this potentiality, it is of paramount important that all dogs are tested prior to breeding. DNA tests for both types of PRA are available and are both autosomal recessive traits. This means that at least one parent must be clear of the mutated alleles in order for all puppies to be unaffected. In other words, it is OK if one parent is a carrier (has only one copy of a mutated allele), so long as the other parent is completely clear. If one parent is a carrier, then it is likely that some of the puppies will also be carriers. Single-allele carriers of autosomal recessive diseases do not exhibit signs of the disease, and this is the case with both early and late-onset PRA.
  • Glycogen Storage Disease type II (GSD II; Pompe Disease): One of the ways that our bodies store sugar is in the form of glycogen in organs including the liver, heart, kidneys, and muscles. Dogs with this condition suffer signs consistent with damage to these organs, including progressive weakness, vomiting, enlarged heart, dilated esophagus, change in bark, excessive panting, and difficulty breathing. The disease is progressive and there is no treatment for it. We do have a genetic test for the disease which, like the ones described above, is autosomal recessive. This means, again, that the disease will only manifest in dogs that have two copies of the gene. All breeding dogs should be tested and carriers should only be bred to clear dogs.
  • Thyroid OFA: Hypothyroidism is a condition where the thyroid gland does not produce enough of the hormone thyroxine. This has negative effects on the metabolism and dogs tend to gain weight, even if food intake does not increase. They may also suffer from hair loss and skin conditions. The condition is easy to diagnose with a blood panel and is easily treated with thyroid supplements. The condition usually manifests later in life, but can start at any time. General recommendations are to test annually until 4 years of age, and then every 2 years after that. At Kokopelli Veterinary Center, for medical cases, we generally recommend screening for free T4 hormone first. If that is low, then we recommend a full thyroid panel sent to Michigan State University. For the thyroid OFA certification, a full panel must be submitted to MSU.
Links for Further Information:

View our educational webinar series and learn more about how to raise healthy animals.

Please reach out to us for any questions or help. Nothing makes us happier than helping create situations where the human/animal bond can flourish.

Schedule your pet’s consultation today.

(916) 683-4029

Kokopelli Support for Breeders

View our educational webinar series and learn more about how to raise healthy animals.

Please reach out to us for any questions or help. Nothing makes us happier than helping create situations where the human/animal bond can flourish.

Schedule your pet’s consultation today.

(916) 683-4029
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