German Shepherds, like all dogs, are primarily carnivores. Their digestive systems are relatively straight and some parts are shorter than even other large breeds. That makes digesting vegetable or plant matter more difficult. As a result, the German Shepherd’s diet should be chiefly meat-based. That doesn’t mean German Shepherds have to be fed nothing but…
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German Shepherds are strong, agile and intelligent. Those attributes create special needs when you’ve made the decision to train your dog. A collar is fine for ordinary walking. But during training, a chest harness will work out better for both dog and trainer. They’re made of leather or very strong nylon with either metal or…
As with any breed, individual behavior will vary. But, also as with any breed, there are common characteristics that are typically shared by all members. Among German Shepherds those behaviors revolve around their ‘instinctive’ patterns, patterns that reveal a dual personality. Bred at the end of the 19th century to serve, as the name suggests,…
Within dog lover circles there is an ongoing controversy about whether it’s better to acquire a pure bred German Shepherd or one of mixed ancestry. The issue may never be settled to everyone’s satisfaction. But where you stand may depend heavily on the reason you acquired your dog. For show dogs, police dogs and other…
German Shepherds can suffer from any number of common skin problems, often lumped under the title ‘Pyoderma’, which is technically a skin infection. Those infections are usually the result of a bacteria (often some kind of staphylococcus). The infection can be limited primarily to the outer skin layer, or may penetrate deeper into the subcutaneous…