German Shepherd Puppies and German Shepherd Dogs

German Shepherds were bred to be guardians and the breed still has a very strong protective instinct. A dog that is high strung or nervous should never be bred, as the resulting puppies can be untrustworthy. However, most German Shepherds are wonderful dogs and devoted to their families, including children and other pets. 

The German Shepherd is a fairly large dog, weighing from sixty to seventy five pounds and standing twenty two to twenty six inches tall. This breed has erect ears, dark, intelligent eyes, and a graceful tail. The German Shepherd is most commonly black and tan, although gray and tan or black and gray dogs are also available. A striking all white dog, commonly called an Alsatian, is popular with many people. If you like the look of the Alsatian, be sure you meet the puppy's parents, as these white German Shepherds can sometimes be a bit high strung.

The German Shepherd's coat requires little grooming, although of course, if you have a Long Haired German Shepherd, your dog's coat will require much greater attention than with the short haired varieties. The dense coat is coarse and does not mat easily. Brush your dog once a week to remove dirt and debris. If you live in the city, concrete will probably wear down your Shepherd's nails. However, if your dog lives in a rural area he may need to have his nails trimmed several times a year. 

German Shepherds need to eat a nutritional dog food that is formulated for large breed dogs. If your Shepherd is a working dog, you may need to feed him a high protein food. A good dog vitamin is also a smart idea in order to avoid dog health problems generally.

Whether your preference is black german shepherds, white german shepherds, silver german shepherds, sable german shepherds, or even dwarf german shepherds, you'll be rewarded with many long and loyal years with this wonderful dog breed.