The German Shepherd, sometimes referred to as the Alsatian Herder, Berger Alemand, Schaferhund, or just GSD, is a sweet, lively dog that loves to jump up on visitors and family members. It likes to play and has lots of energy to spare. The Alsatian Wolf Dog, named after the French province of Alsace, was its moniker in the aftermath of anti-German sentiment post World War I. Most people don't know that its primary role was herding sheep. It has uses in the military, army, police force, as a guide dog, guard dog, show dog for obedience and agility contests, therapy aid, and family pet. It's even been used on search and rescue missions. For instance, the German Shepherd was in K9 Cop with Tom Hanks. You might have seen a lot of them because they're in the top 5 of popular dogs in the UK and USA. They need to be heavily socialized at a young age to prevent aggression as a mature dog. They're listed as one of the top 5 most popular dogs in the USA and UK. In some countries, police dog is synonymous for German Shepherd. Tom Hanks knows this better than anyone. Captain Max von Stephanitz first bred the German Shepherd at the turn of the 20th century. The Western world saw them on many battles during World War I. German forces used them extensively. The German Shepherd weighs 75 to 110 pounds, has a height of 24 to 26 inches for males and 22 to 24 inches for females, and it has a short, medium, or long coat. In other words, the coat comes in three varieties. Other breeders classify the coat into rough-coated, long rough-coated, and longhaired varieties. Today, only the short-coated variety is used for dog shows. The breed sheds daily, and it needs a daily brushing to avoid messy hair around the house. Bathe only bi-annually. Once or twice a year is the recommended amount. The Schutzhund trials were created specifically to judge and evaluate the obedience, agility, and guarding abilities of German Shepherds. The German Shepherd is a large dog. Since it's so large, it often gets elbow and hip dysplasia. Most breeders breed the trait out of dogs with X-rays as a puppy. If it passes the X-rays without any problems, it's allowed to go on and be bred. Other diseases it can get include Von Willebrand's disease, skin allergies, Canine Degenerative Myelopathy, bloat, and pancreas problems. The average lifespan is 10 years, but they can reach 12 with good care and genes. The German Shepherd loves a good frolic, jog, or run. It likes to be challenged, to play outdoors, and to be active. Like any healthy dog, it will become destructive and overactive if it's not attended or played with frequently. German Shepherds need plenty of exercise to stay happy.

Also called Alsatian.

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