Amy Morford - The German Shepherd Big Book: What Every Shepherd Owner Needs to Know About His or Her Pet

The German Shepherd Big Book: All About The German Shepherd Breed

What Every Shepherd Owner Needs To Know About His or Her Pet

Amy Morford

Copyright 2014 by Speedy Publishing LLC

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-- 1st edition

Manufactured in the United States of America

PUBLISHERS NOTES

Disclaimer

This publication is intended to provide helpful and informative material. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any health problem or condition, nor is intended to replace the advice of a physician. No action should be taken solely on the contents of this book. Always consult your physician or qualified health-care professional on any matters regarding your health and before adopting any suggestions in this book or drawing inferences from it.

The author and publisher specifically disclaim all responsibility for any liability, loss or risk, personal or otherwise, which is incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, from the use or application of any contents of this book.

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Digital Edition 2014

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN IN THIS BOOK

How This Book Will Help You and Why

You love German Shepherds. They are great family dogs exhibiting fierce loyalty, impressive good looks, intelligence, courage, and a highly protective nature. Who can blame you for wanting a German Shepherd as your lifelong best friend and protector? Not so fast! While its true that the German Shepherd is a popular, highly valued and desirable canine companion; the breed, much like all breeds, is not a perfect fit for every person, setting, lifestyle or family situation.

Amy Morford created the The German Shepherd Big Book to help you figure out if a German Shepherd is a good pet for your individual needs as well as determining if you can meet the demanding emotional and physical requirements of the breed.

This book is not intended as a training guide. It was created to familiarize you with the Germans Shepherds background, main characteristics, dominant traits, and health concerns; with tips on selection and care.

MEET THE AUTHOR

Amy & Cozmo

Amy Morford has over twenty years of dog training experience with companion dogs, sport dogs and working breeds. Amys motivation to write about dogs stems from her love for them and their unbiased loyalty and devotion. Amys goal is to provide helpful, accurate information to assist dog lovers with raising and training a well-mannered, good-tempered, happy, healthy, well-adjusted companion, friend, partner and/or family pet.

Be sure to bookmark and subscribe to DogTrainingPlace.net for articles, tips and tail wagging fun.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DEDICATION

I want to dedicate this book to past, present and future

German Shepherd lovers everywhere.

INTRODUCTION

Bringing any new dog into your life is a big decision. If the dog is a German Shepherd the decision is even bigger as this breed comes with a lot of horse power and responsibility.

I often hear people talking about wanting a German Shepherd because they had one as a kid, based on a Shepherd they met once, because of their looks or because of their intelligence.

Most people get caught up in the excitement of getting a new dog or puppy and dont consider the time, energy, money and commitment needed to accommodate a German Shepherd for the duration of its life.

The German Shepherd Dog is a loyal companion and can be a wonderful addition to your family if you have the time and energy to put in. When the right German Shepherd is paired with the right home or owner, the positive aspects of the breed far outweigh the negatives.

This books goal is to help determine if a German Shepherd Dog is right for you. (This book is NOT about training your German Shepherd or correcting behavioral issues.)

If you are ready to commit to this incredible breed, this book will give some background as well as some tips, facts and knowledge that every Shepherd owner should be aware of.

Take the information from this book to help you to find the right German Shepherd to fit your needs and lifestyle.

CHAPTER 1: THE HISTORY OF THE GERMAN SHEPHERD BREED

Captain Max von Stephanitz (1864-1936)

The German Shepherd Dog (GSD) is known also by the titles of Alsatian and Deutscher Schferhund, which is the German translation for the German Shepherd Dog. The GSD is a working dog that was initially developed for guarding and herding sheep. The GSD is a large size dog that was created in Germany and is a relatively new breed of purebred dogs that only dates back to 1899.

The German Shepherd is the product of Captain Max Von Stephanitzs (1864-1936) vision of creating the perfect working dog that would possess the following essential qualities: intelligence, ability, a weatherproof coat, and beauty.

During the 1800s in Europe, many attempts were made to regulate breeds of existing dogs. In Germany, shepherds chose and bred dogs that were perceived to have the characteristics required for herding sheep and protecting them from predators; some of these traits were speed, intelligence, a keen sense of smell, and strength.

Before von Stephanitz standardized the German Shepherd breed, German Shepherd Dogs were just dogs of various breeds that belonged to German shepherds. The early shepherd breeders were only interested in function and not form, thus producing dogs that were capable of performing their tasks, but the dogs ability and appearance varied significantly from one German neighboring community to the next.

The Phylax Society was a club formed in 1891 by dog fanciers who intended to foster and standardize dog breeds in Germany. The club was short-lived and only existed into 1894. The society separated after only three years because of continuing inside disagreements over traits in the dogs that the society wished to promote. Some members believed dogs should be bred exclusively for purposes of working, while other members believed dogs should be bred for appearance.