German ShepherdsBy Cooper Zimmer

Appearance

• They have long bodies, pointed ears, and long, bushy tails.

• Most adults weigh 75 to 85 pounds, and measure 22” to 26”.

• Some German Shepherds have black and tan, black and gray, all white or all black coats.

Behavior

• German Shepherds are smart, loyal, energetic, and have lots of courage.

• They work well with others and are safe to be with.

• Not enough play time can cause messes and trouble.

History

• Max Von Stephanitz bought the first German Shepherd.

• His name was Horand, and Max Von Stephanitz wanted more dogs like him.

• A female German Shepherd had babies and Max Von Stephanitz was very happy.

• It is now the second most popular dog breed in the United States.

Max Von Stephanitz with Horand

Popularity

• In 1919, the Kennel Dog Show had 54 German Shepherds registered, and then seven years later in 1926 there were over 8,000 German Shepherds registered!

• The first registered dog in the United States was Queen of Switzerland.

Popularity Continued

• Queen Of Switzerland’s babies had birth defects, which was caused by poor breeding.

• Since that occurred, their popularity dropped in the late 1920s.

German Shepherds Today

• Even though about 100 years has passed, few changes were made to German Shepherds.

• Now they work in K-9 units (which is an officer and a dog paired together).

• They help blind, disabled, sick people, and are alert, easy to train, and have a great sense of smell.

Bibliography

• Schuh, Mari. German Shepherds. Minneapolis: Bellwether Media, 2009. Print.

• “German Shepherd.” Wikipedia. Web. 16 April 2015.