German Shepherd Dogs

Yes, as they are first on my list of Favorite Dog Breeds, I post about them first. German Shepherd Dogs (GSD) were bred to be well, German Shepherds, but dogs. In Germany, they are taught to be protective and great herders. In America, we teach them to do things like police work, bomb sniffing, Search And Rescue, and MANY, MANY more jobs. Also, some GSD's work as military dogs. My GSD was being trained to be a military dog, but we adopted him and now he is a guard dog. The difference between American bred GSD's and German bred GSD's is that the American GSD's are more friendly, more playful, and WAY more energetic. My GSD, yes, is an American bred GSD. German bred GSD's are a lot more serious about their jobs and are more protective. Yes, American bred GSD's ARE protective, but in Germany, their roots stay firm. German Shepherds are GREAT with kids and are VERY smart. I like GSD's as they are a family dog and are great to be around little kids. As I said, they are smart, which makes training a little easier, BUT habits a little harder to break. GSD's may seem scary to little kids, so I suggest introducing little kids and the dog to each other BEFORE adopting the GSD.GSD's are great all weather outside dogs and great apartment dogs. They adapt to nearly everything, but they need a dog house and plentiful food and water if outside dogs. If apartment or inside dogs, they need regular excercise and attention. Oh! That reminds me! German bred GSD's are less of attention seekers than American GSD's. Both are great, but if you are an older couple who can't give your GSD constant TLC, then maybe a German bred GSD is perfect for you. For an active family, I HIGHLY suggest getting an American bred GSD. GSD's come in MANY different colors, patterns, and sizes. The typical GSD is brown with black marking. Sometimes white marking. White GSD's are NOT recognized by the AKC (American Kennel Club) but, other GSD's like pure black or typical colored, ARE recognized by the AKC.With a purebred GSD, you can show them in competitions and shows, get licensing easier, and  you can also get certified with the AKC in case your insurance asks, or other questions concerning the breed of your dog arises. Getting a GSD socialized and trained, especially the first few days of its life, is VERY necessary. My GSD is very socialized with dogs, but has a crazy barking habit with cats. He doesn't harm cats, but just barks loudly at them and tries to play with them. For more information, see the video on GSD's on my Google + page. The URL is: https://plus.google.com/b/116790987170254076643/116790987170254076643/posts
-Dog Lover Gal. :-)