German Shepherd Facts For Kids
The German Shepherd is a swift, muscular dog with a loyal spirit and superior intelligence. When viewed in profile, the German Shepherd Dog can be as tall as 26 inches at the shoulder, it seems like a picture of rounded, flowing curves rather than sharp angles. Although their regular gait is a carefree and happy trot, they can move things along and move at very fast speeds.
Among the most prestigious breeds, German Shepherds are among the most prestigious breeds of dogs for various reasons. Experts agree that their character includes loyalty, bravery, confidence, and readiness to risk their lives to protect those they love. They make loving family dogs and dependable protectors. However, according to the breed standard, German Shepherds have a “certain aloofness that does not lend itself to rapid and indiscriminate friendships.”
Let’s look at some interesting facts about german shepherds!
12 Exciting German Shepherd Facts for Kids
German Shepherds will use their noses to investigate everything
German Shepherds are well-known for their work in search and rescue, tracking, and detecting bombs and drugs, among many other tasks. Their extremely thorough smell is evident everywhere, including on walls, doors, windows, and more. Because they have millions more scent receptors than humans, dogs have a sense of smell that is 10,000 to 100,000 times better than ours. They naturally make excellent police and detection dogs, so it makes sense. German shepherds have 225 million scent receptors, making them one of the few species with the best overall sense of smell. They can detect odors up to 80 feet underwater, 40 feet underground, and over a mile away on land. The only animal with more scent receptors than them is the bloodhound, which has 300 million!
German Shepherds are extremely intelligent
German Shepherds are known for their intelligence; many can quickly pick up a new behavior/skill. They’re also willing to work with humans. It makes sense why this breed is highly obedient and thrives in so many other activities. According to canine psychologist Stanley Coren, they are the third brightest breed of dog regarding obedience and job intelligence. Nevertheless, their intellectual instincts and capacity for adaptive learning make them more intelligent than almost all canines. Since German Shepherds are one of the most intelligent breeds, their owners must make use of positive reinforcement-based techniques and provide their pets with various toys that stimulate this dog’s mind.
German Shepherds were discovered in 1899
The German Shepherd Dog was developed in Germany in 1899. German Shepherds are working dogs created initially for herding and protecting sheep and are a member of the herding group. They are frequently used in police and military jobs worldwide due to their strength, intelligence, and aptitude for obedience training. Humans raised the dogs to maintain characteristics that aided their function as herders and predator guardians of flocks. Breed standardization efforts were underway throughout Europe in the 1850s. Local shepherds in Germany chose and bred dogs they thought possessed the abilities required for herding sheep, including intellect, speed, strength, and excellent senses of smell. The result was German Shepherds, canines that could perform these tasks but varied greatly in appearance and skill from one region to the next.
German Shepherds are enormous
The German Shepherd is regarded as a massive breed. Males can reach heights of 24-26 inches and weigh 65-90 pounds. Females are smaller and weigh 50–70 lbs., standing 22–24 inches tall. Although they have a few inherited health issues, German Shepherds are generally healthy canines. Their lifespans range from 7 to 13 years, assuming they’ll get regular veterinarian care, frequently exercise, and consume nutritious, well-balanced meals.
German Shepherds are notoriously known to be a mouthy breed
Gnawing on things comes naturally to dogs. When they’re playing, they’ll playfully nip their owners’ hands and other dogs’ paws. German shepherds typically use their lips as though they are simply an extension of their bodies. Therefore, it isn’t uncommon for a German shepherd to mouth or chews any object or body part that fits in its mouth. Still, even though it might seem adorable, it isn’t something that pet owners should normalize. German shepherd owners must train these dogs when they are puppies and prevent them from biting hands or furniture and must train them to use their biting instincts in a safe manner.
German Shepherds are very protective
Since they are descended from pack animals, they also protect the family raising them. A Pug, for instance, wouldn’t be a good security dog. Breeds differ in their capacity to defend, which makes their protective instinct significant. German Shepherds are guardians because they were explicitly developed to herd sheep and maintain a protective instinct. They are recognized for their confidence and fearlessness. Depending on the situation, German Shepherds can be either watchdogs or guardians and will tenaciously defend their territory. Although they are not antagonistic, they can be distant from outsiders. German Shepherds differ in alertness, agility, and protective initiative, but they can provide guardianship without formal training because of their ingrained impulses to protect their masters.
German Shepherds shed a lot!
The ideal German Shepherd Dog, has a dense outer coat and a medium-length double coat. They shed their coat twice a year, during fall or spring, and lose their undercoats. German Shepherds shed all year long, though they tend to shed more in the winter and summer. Their upper coat shields them from the elements, including wind, ice, and water. Their thinner underlayer aids in keeping them warm. Regular brushing of a german shepherd dog will assist reduce shedding. However, people will occasionally discover flying fur in their homes.
German Shepherds are very active
German shepherds are an athletic, high-energy breed that requires many hours of activity every day. Owners can’t rely on one lengthy walk being sufficient because, in general, the dog will want to play and burn off energy several times during the day.
German shepherds need a daily routine because they can only flourish with enough frequent exercise to burn off all that surplus energy. German Shepherds require at least two hours of daily exercise. With additional playtime and instruction on top to give them a nice variety, this should also include walks and off-leash training in a secure environment.
German Shepherds are the second most popular dog breed in the world!
The popularity of the German Shepherd doesn’t appear to be decreasing. They rank second among all dog breeds in popularity worldwide and are the third-most registered breed in the United States. The German Shepherd has several applications today. It is a good candidate for K9 employment in police and military teams due to its trainability, temperament, drive, and build. They are incredibly successful in search and rescue operations thanks to their keen sense of smell.
German Shepherds were part of World War 1 and World War 2
German Shepherds served as Red Cross dogs, rescuers, security dogs, couriers, and sentries in World War One, displaying their bravery on the battlefield alongside their German army counterparts. They also guided injured and blind soldiers to safety for medical attention and even carried ammo. In 1917, a dog named Filax of Lewanno was recognized as a military hero after guiding 54 soldiers to safety. They excelled at directing visually impaired warriors to safety. The US military established German Shepherd dog training facilities during World War 2, using them in units known as War Dog Platoons to assist soldiers on the front lines. There were a total of 15 of these platoons, with 7 in Europe and 8 in the Pacific.
German Shepherds come in 12 colors
The AKC considers 11 colors standard, but most of us conceive of German Shepherds as having black and tan coats.
White, blue, and liver are the undesired or disqualifying hues. These colors are regarded as significant flaws under the American Kennel Club standards. Although these dogs are allowed to register, they cannot participate in confirmation classes at dog shows. White German Shepherds are consistently excluded from conformation classes by judges. Dogs with undesired colors, however, can participate in obedience and agility competitions, as these events don’t require confirmation testing. The breed’s colors are Black and Tan, Sable, Bi-Colored, Black, Black and Red, Black and Cream, Steele Blue, Gray, Panda, White, and Liver.
German Shepherds are being trained to detect coronavirus
Coronavirus shook everyone from its core when it first started in 2020. Everything stopped, and everyone lost hope, but today, we all have battled the virus and are making conscious efforts to stop its spread.
The coronavirus appears just when you believe the German Shepherd has mastered all the activities we could think of. The mighty german shepherd comes to save the day and its human counterparts again! Finland started a training program in September 2020 where German Shepherds are currently taught to recognize the coronavirus in human beings.
Conclusion
German Shepherd dogs are not for the weak of heart or inexperienced dog owners. They are big dogs and need structure and exercise every day. They will protect their loved ones and coworkers, cuddle up for a movie on the couch, watch their human siblings, and show unwavering affection.
A German Shepherd is incomparable as a family dog, best friend, or working dog.