Heidelberg German
Shepherds Training

Some of the diseases that have been found in
this breed are hip and elbow dysplasia (be sure both parents have their hips
certified as OFA good); malabsorbtion syndrome; degenerative joint disease
(including osteochondritis); megaesophagus; pannus and other forms of eye
disease (not commonly seen); bloat; allergies (food, fleas or airborne); other
skin or coat problems and missing teeth. Some lines of Whites are having
problems with illnesses such as Lupus and/or other forms of autoimmune diseases,
as well as Congenital Spinal Disease. At this point in time, autoimmune problems
are fairly rare in the breed.

Heidelberg German Shepherds Breeding

Coat
The ideal
dog has a double coat of medium length. The outer coat should be as dense as
possible, hair straight, harsh and lying close to the body. A slightly wavy
outer coat, often of wiry texture, is permissible. The head, including the inner
ear and foreface, and the legs and paws are covered with short hair, and the
neck with longer and thicker hair. The rear of the forelegs and hind legs has
somewhat longer hair extending to the pastern and hock, respectively. Faults in
coat include soft, silky, too long outer coat, woolly, curly, and open coat.

Color
The German Shepherd Dog varies in color, and most colors are
permissible. Strong rich colors are preferred. Pale, washed-out colors and blues
or livers are serious faults. A white dog must be disqualified.

Some
kind of daily exercise is very important for this breed, which should always
include long daily walks. This is a very intelligent breed. Try to put some
variety into it so the dog does not get bored. Most shepherds love to play ball
or Frisbee. Ten to fifteen minutes of fetching along with daily pack walks will
tire your dog out quite nicely as well as give him a sense of purpose. Whether
it is ball chasing, frisbee catching, obedience training, participation in a
canine playgroup or just taking long walks, you must be willing to provide some
form of daily, constructive exercise. If under-exercised and or mentally
challenged, this breed can become restless and destructive. Does best with a job
to do.

The German Shepherd will do okay in an apartment if sufficiently
exercised. They are relatively inactive indoors and do best with at least a
large yard.

The German Shepherd Dog is also known as the Alsatian. The
dog is well proportioned and very strong. The GSD has a sturdy, muscular,
slightly elongated body with a light, solid bone structure. The head should be
in proportion to its body, and the forehead a little rounded. The nose is most
often black however, blue or liver still do sometimes occur, but is considered a
fault and can not be shown. The teeth meet in a strong scissors bite. The dark
eyes are almond-shaped, and never protruding. The ears are wide at the base,
pointed, upright, and turned forward. The ears of puppies under six months may
droop slightly. The bushy tail reaches almost to its hocks and hangs down when
the dog is at rest. The front legs and shoulders are muscular and the thighs are
thick and sturdy. The round feet have very hard soles. There are three varieties
of the German Shepherd: rough-coated, long rough-coated, and the long-haired.
The coat most often comes in black with tan, sable or all black, but also can
come in blue, liver and white, but those colors are considered a fault according
to most standards. White is not an acceptable color for the German Shepherd,
however they are now being recognized as a separate breed, called the American
White Shepherd. A piebald color has also occured in a single GSD bloodline which
are now being called Panda Shepherds. A Panda is 35% white, the remainder of
color is black and tan, and has no white German Shepherds in its ancestry.

Originated from the United States, Canada and Europe. It was a direct
descendant of the German Shepherd Dog. The White Shepherd has not been mixed
with any other breed of dog since its introduction to North America. Certainly,
there has been no other breed or breeds added in order to make them white. The
gene that controls the white color is a natural component in the total color
genetic makeup of the German Shepherd Dog breed. The White Shepherd is
registered independently with the American White Shepherd Association in the
United States of America.

Heidelberg
German Shepherds Adults