Also known as the Alsatian, the German Shepherd is a 'young' breed, having only been recognized as a distinct breed in the last 90 years. The German Shepard can trace its roots back to a range of shepherding dogs in Germany, and some groups tried to informally breed this dog. This effort failed but in 1899, a new group formed. Der Verein fur Deutsche Schaeferhunde was founded by Max von Stephanitz, who wanted to breed an all purpose working dog.
The German Shepherd came to the United Sates in 1908 with soldiers impressed by the courage and abilities of this dog. German Shepherds will reach an average height of 22 to 26 inches, weight of 77 to 85 pounds and live an average of 13 years. There are a wide variety of coats in this breed. Some German Shepherds are longhaired and some are shorthaired. The color is most often black and tan, but can also be sable, all black, blue and liver and white.
The one thing all German Shepard coats have in common is that they shed profusely, and shed worse during their shedding season. Daily brushing usually helps combat the shedding, and German Shepherds should only be bathed occasionally. Almost all German Shepherds are described as self-confident and loyal.
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