German shepherd dogs make excellent pets because of their energetic nature and friendly disposition. This breed of dogs is slightly longer in shaper rather than being tall. German shepherd dogs are not bulky at all, and their body is quite muscular. The size of the head is in proportion to the size of the rest of the body. The male dogs of this breed have distinctively masculine features whereas the female dogs have slightly feminine despotion and facial features. The ears of German shepherd are erect and their eyes are almond in shape and medium in size. They come in a variety of colours and are usually covered in hair around neck followed by short length hair around head, legs, and paws.
German shepherd is an obedient and brave breed of dogs. They are also excellent to keep as working dogs and are hardly lazy or aggressive. They have amazingly marvellous learning abilities and are very much loyal to their master. They behave in a very friendly and intimate manner around family members but are distrustful of strangers. If trained properly and carefully, this breed is hardly found to show aggressive behaviour. They are extremely lovable and playful with children and are highly protective in nature. German shepherd is found to be extremely good to be kept as watchdogs due to their energetic, confident, and careful nature.
The average size of German shepherd is 22 to 26 inches, and they weigh about 77 to 85 pounds. Their life span is about thirteen to sixteen years on average.
German shepherd is prone to health problems such as hip and elbow dysplasia. They are also found to suffer from blood disorder and digestive issues. Other health problems found in this breed include dwarfism, persistent eczema, inflammation of the cornea, and flea allergies. It is very important to make sure that the puppy you got from a puppies for sale shop does not get any of these diseases.
It is really important to make sure that you do not feed large amount of food and water to German shepherd in one go because they are highly prone to swelling and bloat issues. Therefore, it is recommended to feed four small meals in a day so as to avoid bloating in them. Also, it is important to keep a check on them and if they show any signs of bloat they must instantaneously be taken to the vet as bloat can prove to be lethal within hours. Other health issues common to German shepherd include spinal degenerative myelopathy and kidney problems. Degenerative myelopathy causes weakening of their legs followed by complete loss of function over the period of time. This disorder is not curable and results in their ultimate death.
It is extremely important to brush their coat daily when they are puppiesand when they grow older, as this breed continuously sheds all through the year. However, including raw meat and bones in their diet may help in reduction of the excessive shedding in them.