Many people do not understand how a dog, called a German shepherd, may not have a red-black color, a rounded back, and a signature "creeping" step. The fact that there are also German shepherds working breeding, many simply do not know. And those, in turn, show excellent results both in sports and in police and military service.
How did the German shepherd working breeding
For the first time, a German Shepherd breed standard was proposed by A. Meyer and Max von Stefanitz on September 20, 1899 at the first meeting of the German Dog Breeding Union (VDH). According to the decision of the creators, representatives of this breed should be medium-sized dogs with well-developed muscles and strong limbs. Their main advantage was to become character: a strong nervous system, confidence, courage, courage - all these features were mandatory for representatives of the German Shepherd, used for the further development of the breed. In this case, the dog should, with a pronounced fighting instinct, have a good disposition, so that it could be safely used not only as a guard, but also as a companion dog.
In the future, the breed standard was revised several times and by the 90s of the twentieth century, German shepherd breeders were divided into two camps. Those who held the view that the development of the breed should go along the path of development of reference exterior qualities (breeding, or otherwise called show breeding). And those who believed that the physical and mental development of the dog is a priority, and shepherd dogs should be primarily physically active and hardy, as well as easily give in to training and enjoy working with protective standards.
This line was called the working breeding of German Shepherds, and the dogs began to be mainly used for specialized services in the police and the army or for participation in competitions in shootshund sport.
Differences in the exterior of dogs of different lines
German shepherds of working breeding today look exactly like their distant ancestor Horand von Grafart (dog Max von Stefanitz, first used by him for breeding work): a dry physique, with a straight back and high-set straight limbs, low, mostly zoned gray color.
It is this exterior that allows the dog to move at lightning speed, to remain healthy, to be active and motivated even with very heavy loads. Next to the incredibly beautiful brothers from kennels, show-class dogs, they seem to be plain-looking mongrels.
Breeding individuals are always larger, with a bright (often black-red) color, their backs are beveled due to shorter hind limbs, which provides the dog with a soft creeping step when moving in the show ring. The heads of show-class dogs are also slightly larger and more expressive than the skulls of German working-breed shepherds.
Differences in the character of the German shepherd worker and show breeding
But the main difference between the two lines is not even the exterior, but temperament. Show-class dogs are more melancholy; in working breeding, such individuals are rejected in favor of energetic dogs with a bold and even tough character. This is necessary for more effective performance of exercises on training, and the ability to withstand pressure during classes in the protective service. Therefore, it is unlikely that a German shepherd of working breeding can become a simple pet, a rescue dog or a guide dog. Her temperament and rigidity will not allow her to be moderately calm and reasonable. But at the international training championships or when detaining criminals and violators, she will not be equal.
Working German Shepherd Standard
A good German shepherd is a dog of medium height (according to the standard, the height of the German shepherd at the withers of males rarely exceeds 60-63 cm, in females - 55-63 cm) with well-developed musculature. The body length is only 10-15% longer than the height of the shepherd at the withers.
German Shepherd Head Standard
The head of the German Shepherd working breeding, according to the standard, is wedge-shaped, slightly wide between ears and gradually tapering to the nose, which must be black. The forehead when viewed from the side should stand out a bit against the general background.
The jaws of the German Shepherd working breeding should be more powerful and highly developed than that of show-class dogs. The bite is scissor-like, that is, the teeth come together, other options are unacceptable.
The eyes of a German shepherd are most often black, light-eyed dogs are not so expressive.
German Shepherd Lines and Angles - Breed Standard
The neck is necessarily strong and muscular, located relative to the body at an angle of 45 °.
The back, like the neck, should be strong, and the croup should be long, slightly falling (literally 15-20 °), gradually turning into the tail. The latter, in turn, should not be short, but not longer than the metatarsus, and slightly curved.
The limbs of the dog should provide her with a smooth smooth movement, so the front legs should be located at an angle of 90 ° to the body, and the hind legs should be slightly more set back. Correct positioning of the paws allows the German shepherd to move at an incredible speed, moving the hind legs to the length of the hull, and throwing the front legs forward at the same distance.
German shepherd and house security
Remembering the "Germans" of past years, many people assume that the working breed shepherd will be a great friend, and most importantly, a fearless defender for the family. And it's true, working-breeding dogs are incredibly loyal animals. But here numerous reviews of the German shepherd to protect a private house say that a temperamental animal is unlikely to be able to stay idle for a long time in the yard, or in the aviary of a private house, it will be even more difficult for him in the apartment. Its purpose is active training, working with the owner not for a reward, like other dogs, but because of immense love and devotion to him.
Huge excitement and the need to throw out energy moves the shepherd when attacking and fighting the person involved. Without all this, the dog will inadvertently turn into a "home destroyer" and will, at best, simply be isolated from others. Therefore, the representative of "working blood" should be acquired only for the purpose of participating in competitions in jogging sports or for an active specialized service. Moreover, a suitable age for training a German shepherd is only 6 months.
How to get a puppy?
A very small part of such dogs goes into the hands of ordinary inhabitants, therefore, it will be very difficult to find puppies of a German shepherd working breeding on an open sale. In no case should you pay attention to ads on the street or in newspapers - there is too much risk that under the guise of a puppy of a German shepherd working blood, the buyer will be offered ordinary curs. It is better to search the forums for fans of this breed. A similar option will be the gaining popularity of like-minded groups in social networks. Most often, beginners are advised to contact a specialized nursery.
You need to get as much information as possible about the proposed puppies, as well as their parents: photos of the puppy, past achievements of the parents, the presence of hereditary diseases, vaccinations, etc. It should be understood that the price of a German shepherd working breed can be several times the cost of a puppy show class and can reach several thousand euros.
It is better to choose a specific puppy together with a specialist who will tell you which baby will actively train and show excellent results in the future. The main thing you should pay attention to is the puppy's activity and curiosity. He should not be timid, passive and not playful. After all negotiations on the price of the German shepherd have been settled and all necessary recommendations for maintenance have been received, the puppy can be taken home and turned into a worthy representative of the working German shepherd.