The German Shepherd dog has a relatively short history though it is a well-loved and well-worked dog today. The breed began in Germany in 1899 and was registered with the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 1911. Briefly renamed the Alsatian Wolf Dog due to anti-German sentiment surrounding World War II, the German Shepherd regained popularity so much that over 48,000 German Shepherds were enlisted into the German army. The intelligent and hard-working breed can be trained in a variety of areas. German Shepherd breeders may specialize in German Shepherds trained in a certain line of work or they may be able to refer buyers to specially trained Shepherd kennels. These dogs are commonly trained to be guides for the visually impaired, members of the police force and security for home and business owners. German Shepherds are one of the easiest breeds to train due to their inherent intelligence, desire to work, courage, physical and mental strength and loyalty. German Shepherd dogs excel in jobs that allow them to protect and serve. There is no better protector than a German Shepherd. Purebred German Shepherds have specific characteristics. Max von Stephanitz inbred the first German Shepherds so that certain traits would be guaranteed in the line. The German Shepherd Dog Club of Germany sets the breed standard. It defines characteristics from body measurements to character to gait. German Shepherd breeders should be familiar with the breed standard as well as what health problems to expect and to have dogs evaluated for. For example, German Shepherds are prone to hip dysplasia and other skeletal disorders. Good German Shepherd breeders will also have registration papers or some form of pedigree for each Shepherd they sell, preferably from the American Kennel Club. German Shepherd breeders will also provide medical records and offer a guarantee against the dog developing hip dysplasia at least within the first year. Good breeders have their own kennels, and dogs should receive daily socialization as well as being well fed and groomed. Unfortunately, there are many German Shepherd breeders who may attempt to sell Shepherds with false registration papers. They may also sell unhealthy German Shepherds. It is important to know how to avoid bad German shepherd breeders. Sure-fire signs of bad German Shepherd breeders include the fact that they only sell puppies over the Internet, they have no physical kennel of their own or only broker puppies, they ask for a non-refundable down payment before the litter is born, they do not plan to keep one of the litter, They claim to have a kennel but will not allow a buyer to visit and they have many dogs for sale at one time. Bad breeders also cannot provide adequate registration or certification paperwork, cannot provide medical record information or refer you to only their" veterinarian, and they don't ask the buyer questions about their household. They do not care where their puppies are going. Good German Shepherd breeders have the opposite qualities of the above. Additionally, they are affiliated with other agencies and rescue centers that help promote and care for the breed. Most importantly, good breeders love the breed they raise!
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