German Shepherd

Briefly about German Shepherds 

• The German Shepherd is a versatile working dog and is popular within the police, military, search and working dog sports
• The breed is suitable for pulling, agility, splitting and obedience.
• It is suitable for active people and families with dog experience who want to make use of the dog’s good qualities of use.
• It is important to choose a breeder carefully and research background information on parent animals and siblings before purchase.
• Today, the German Shepherd is one of Norway’s and the world’s most popular dog breeds, both as a family dog and as a working dog.

Characteristics and mentality

The German Shepherd is an incredible dog with many wonderful qualities. It is nervous, self-confident, calm and balanced (except when provoked), bold, attentive and teachable, in other words the German Shepherd is a real boss’s dog. These qualities make the German Shepherd an excellent companion and a reliable working dog.

Appearance, size and weight

The German Shepherd is a large and powerful dog breed with a height at the withers of 60-65 cm for males and 55-60 cm for bitches. The weight usually varies between 30-40 kg for male dogs and 22-32 kg for bitches. The breed comes in two different coat varieties: short-haired and long-haired. Both variants have a dense undercoat. The German Shepherd has beautiful colors that include black with maroon, brown, yellow to light gray markings, as well as solid black and solid gray.

Hereditary diseases

Unfortunately, the growing popularity of German Shepherds has led to an increase in health challenges among the breed. Before you make the decision to buy a German Shepherd puppy, it is crucial to carry out thorough health examinations of both the parent animals and the breeding lines. In this context, a pedigree can be a valuable tool.

To ensure that you get a healthy German Shepherd, it is necessary to look beyond the breed’s popularity and aesthetics. Focusing on health and genetic diversity should be the biggest priority. By carefully analyzing pedigrees, you can gain insight into the dog’s genetic history, past health problems in the line and potential risk factors for hereditary diseases. Please note that a well-educated breeder will be able to provide you with information on health checks carried out on the parent animals, and on what precautions have been taken to minimize the risk of hereditary diseases in the breeding line. Taking responsibility for examining the health of the German Shepherd’s parents and breeding background is a crucial investment in the dog’s future well-being and quality of life.

History

The Schäferhunden is a dog breed that originated in Germany at the end of the 19th century. It can trace its roots to various types of dogs that were used as guard dogs for homes and cattle. Through targeted breeding work, the German Shepherd was gradually adapted to the task of herding sheep. The name “schäferhund” comes from the German word “schäfer”, which means “shepherd”.

Advice from the breed club

When considering getting a German Shepherd puppy, it is important to contact the breed club for valuable advice and guidance. The breed club has the expertise on the breed, has an overview of breeders and has deep knowledge of the breed’s health.

We wish you the best of luck in exploring a German Shepherd, a wonderful dog that will enrich your life with loyalty, intelligence and love.

Supporting sources: AniCura , Wikipedia , Dyrebar