In this chapter
- Choosing what kind of coat you want your dog to have
- Deciding what age and sex of dog are best for you
- Knowing that health problems come with guarantees
- Knowing what to look for in a German Shepherd puppy or adult
- Securing papers for your new pal
If you want a cookie-cutter breed in which all the dogs look
and act alike, don’t look at German Shepherds. They come in different coat
lengths and colors (although not all are equally acceptable in accordance with
the standard), and they’re bred with different emphases: Some are bred as show
dogs, some as obedience dogs, some as protection dogs, some as service dogs,
and some simply as healthy companions. This breed has a lot to offer — not only
as far its incredible abilities, but also in its variety. One size may not fit
all.
This chapter can help you narrow down what type of dog
you’re looking for and then help you evaluate the litter so that you get the
very best dog in it (as if they’re not all wonderful!).
Letting the Fur Fly
A German Shepherd’s coat is one of his most prominent
features, so you want to choose the coat you like best. The GSD breed standard
calls for a double coat of medium length, with rich coloration. Soft, silky,
wooly, curly, and long coats are considered faulty, as are washed-out colors,
blues, and livers. Whites are considered so faulty in terms of the standard
that they are disqualified. Despite what the standard says, many people prefer
dogs with certain “faulty” traits, most notably those with long or white coats.
Long-coated GSDs
Long-coated German Shepherds (see Figure 4-1) occasionally
arise in litters from parents with shorter coats. Because the AKC standard
calls for a shorter coat, long-coated dogs do not typically compete in
conformation shows, and the SV and the FCI — international organizations — also
disqualify them for showing and breeding. Many people prefer the look of these
dogs, however, and several (usually non-show oriented) kennels even specialize
in longer-coated dogs, despite the fact that they’re considered faulty
according to the standard. Most serious GSD breeders frown on intentionally
breeding for these dogs.
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| FIGURE 4-1: A long-coated GSD. |
The long coat results from a recessive gene, so both parents
must carry the gene for it. Telling whether a pup may develop a long coat can
be difficult at an early age; the first signs are usually somewhat longer tufts
of hair in the ears and between the toes. By the time most puppies are offered
for sale at 10 weeks of age, the longer coats should be noticeable.
White GSDs
White German Shepherds (called American-Canadian White
Shepherds in Europe) have been around for decades, probably since the inception
of the breed. They also have been considered faulty for all that time — that
is, except by the people who love them.
Perhaps because certain types of white coats have been
associated with health problems in some breeds, early GSD breeders thought it
best to discourage them. Or perhaps the white dogs were considered to be less
capable of doing their work because they stood out too much. The truth is that
the white coloration of the GSD is not associated with health defects and has
not been shown to be detrimental to working ability. Still, every breed club
has the right to decide what traits are and are not acceptable for its breed,
and the German Shepherd clubs have exercised this right by not allowing whites
to be shown in conformation.
You may have heard that white German Shepherds are rare and
costly. Wrong! True, because of concerted efforts of serious GSD breeders to
eliminate the fault from the breed, finding a white GSD from colored parents is
rare. However, a large group of dedicated breeders specialize in breeding white
German Shepherds intentionally.
Because they have been separated from the mainstream
conformation GSDs for many generations, these white dogs tend to differ from
other GSDs not only in color but also in conformation. They’re usually not as
long or as angulated, they often lack a double coat, and they often have a
different croup angle and gait as compared to AKC conformation GSDs. Some
breeders advocate establishing the White Shepherd as a separate breed. (The
color section of this book shows a photo of white GSDs.) And as of January 1,
1999, the United Kennel Club has recognized the White Shepherd as an independent
breed, offering registration as White Shepherds to all AKC-, CKC-, and
UKC-registered white German Shepherds.
Although white GSDs are less desirable from a show
standpoint, they’re no less desirable as pets, so if you prefer their look, go
for it!
Dummies Approved
For more information about White Shepherds, contact the
White German Shepherd Dog Club International, Inc., at www.wgsdca.org
or the American White Shepherd Association at www.awsaclub.com.
Engaging in the Battle of the Sexes: Male or Female?
Many people have strong ideas about whether a male or female
German Shepherd is better. These ideas are usually wrong, but a few differences
do exist.
GSD males are larger (about 25 inches tall at the shoulder
and weighing from 75 to 95 pounds) and have heavier bone and larger heads than
females. They tend to be somewhat prouder and more territorial, and some people
contend that they’re more courageous; the drawback is that they don’t always
get along well with other males. Many people find the males to be more
dependent and affectionate. Intact (unneutered) males are apt to go off in
search of females (of course, any dog should be securely fenced) and often
think nothing of repeatedly lifting their legs on furniture to mark a house as
their territory.
Females are smaller — about 22 to 24 inches tall and
weighing from 60 to 70 pounds. They may be a bit more level-headed, and they
fight less with each other, but when they do fight, the battle can be ferocious
— even to the death. Many people contend that the females are the ones they
would want to protect them, and that females are more intelligent. Their main
drawback is that intact females come in estrus (“season” or “heat”) twice or
three times a year; this period lasts for three weeks, during which time you
must keep them away from amorous neighborhood males who may consider your house
a singles bar. You must also contend with her bloody discharge and her possible
attempts to elope with her suitors. The solution for both sexes is neutering
(see Chapter Working
with Your Dog’s Other Best Friend: His Veterinarian).
Figure 4-2 shows a male and a female GSD.
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| FIGURE 4-2: Males should look like males, and females like females. |
Deciding Whether to Get a Puppy or an Adult Dog
Most people consider only a puppy when they set out to get a
dog, but choosing a pup isn’t always the best idea. No one can deny that a
puppy is cute and fun, but a puppy is much like a baby; you can’t be too busy
to walk, feed, supervise, or clean (and clean and clean). If you work outside
your home, have limited patience or heirloom rugs, or demand a competition- or
breeding-quality dog, an older puppy or an adult may be a better choice.
GSDs are an exception among breeds in the ready availability
of high-quality and highly trained adults. European-titled adults seem to be easier
to find than American ones. A dog shown in the conformation ring in Germany
will have a Koer report (a breed
survey) that supplies a detailed analysis of the dog’s conformation and
temperament, as well as a recommendation of whether it should be used for breeding.
If you intend to breed your GSD, a titled adult from any country will give you
a good head start.
Buying an adult that is already Schutzhund- or
obedience-trained can save you countless hours of hard work and provide you
with a well-trained partner, but as always, be forewarned that not all trainers
are created equal. Of course, the more training, titles, and accolades a dog
has, the more you can expect to pay — several thousand dollars is common. As an
aside, if you plan to get such a dog for breeding, you may want to have some
assurance that the dog is fertile. With a female, getting this assurance can be
difficult, but with a male, a veterinarian can supply a certificate that the
dog has an adequate sperm count.
If you simply want a mature companion, contact an
established breeder. Breeders may have adult dogs available that would relish
the chance to live as pampered pets. They may have adults who simply didn’t win
as often in the ring as anticipated or who have not proved to be good
producers. Several rescue groups are devoted to finding homes for GSDs in need
of loving homes, too.
Remember
Keep in mind that an adult GSD may take longer to adjust than a puppy. If the dog has been properly socialized (that is, treated gently and exposed to a variety of situations, people, and dogs), your GSD will soon blend into your family and love you as though he’s always owned you, no matter what his age.
Getting the Pick of the Litter
Knowing where to look for a dog (see Chapter Looking
for Love in All the Right Places: Breeders and Shelters) and what
kind you want is half the battle. Now it’s time to narrow the field and get the
dog of your dreams. Getting to see the parents and even the grandparents of
your prospective puppy is the best indicator of how your pup will turn out.
Remember the essentials: looks, temperament, and health.
As you look upon this undulating mass of fur balls nipping
at your feet, you may find yourself with a bad case of “I’ll take that one!” as
you point to every little wiggle worm in sight. How will you choose? One way is
to let the breeder pick. The breeder knows the pups’ personalities and traits
better than you will in the short time you evaluate them, so listen carefully
to any suggestions the breeder has.
Many people who can’t decide let the puppy pick them. It’s
hard to say no to a little tyke who comes over to say hello and ends up falling
asleep in your lap!
If you’re looking for an adult, spend some time alone with
the dog and see how your personalities mesh. If the dog is being placed by a
GSD rescue group, they can give you an idea of whether that particular dog is
best for you.
Looks
For looks, consider the essentials of the German Shepherd
Dog standard (see Chapter Setting
the Standard for the Breed and Appendix C). The GSD has an outline of smooth
curves on a body that is longer than it is tall, somewhat higher at the
shoulders than at the rear. He is strong, agile, and substantial. He has a
strong, chiseled head with medium-sized, almond-shaped eyes and erect,
moderately pointed ears. He has a double coat, with the outer coat consisting
of dense, straight or slightly wavy, coarse, close-lying hair of medium length,
and a bushy tail. His trot covers the ground in great strides. His color is
typically either tan with a black saddle or entirely black or sable.
If the parents and grandparents of the puppy you’re
considering (or the dog himself, if you’re buying an adult) conform to this
standard, you’ve found a good one.
Temperament
For temperament, look first to the puppy’s parents. They
should neither try to attack you nor slink away from you. If the pups are quite
young, you may have to make allowances for the dam, as she may be somewhat
protective of them. This is one reason it’s best to meet the dam of your
prospective litter before she is even bred. Pups raised with minimal (or
negative) human contact during their critical period of development — from
about 6 to 10 weeks of age — may have lifetime personality problems. Notice how
the breeder interacts with the adults and pups and whether the puppies are
being raised underfoot (good) or out of sight (bad).
Most people are drawn to extremes — either the most outgoing
or the most introverted pups in a litter. Your best bet, however, is to go with
the middle pup — one who’s neither shy nor overconfident. An overconfident pup
may be somewhat better as a working dog; a shy one, unfortunately, is not
better suited for any role.
Remember
You may be drawn to a dog because of his looks, but you will fall in love with a dog because of his personality.
Health
To estimate a pup’s health, ask the breeder how long the
dogs in the first two generations of the pedigree lived. Ask to see health
clearances, especially the certifications concerning clearances for hip
dysplasia and elbow dysplasia. Hip certification can be an Orthopedic
Foundation for Animals (OFA), PennHip, Ontario Veterinary College (OVC), “a”
stamp (Germany), or FCI (international) certification. In America, OFA
certification is most common. OFA rates hips as Normal (with Excellent rated
better than Good), Transitional (with Fair rated better than Borderline), and
Dysplastic (with Mild rated better than Moderate and both rated better than
Severe). Elbow certification is either Normal or Dysplastic.
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PUPPY TEMPERAMENT TESTING |
|
Many people put great stock in puppy temperament testing,
although little evidence exists of its predictive value. A common test is to
place the pup on its back. Ideally, the pup will struggle for a few seconds
and then allow you to hold him there without struggling. Another test is to
see whether the puppy is inclined to follow you. For a complete description,
check out www.golden-retriever.com/pat1.html. |
Also ask the breeder about health problems in the line, and
look at the parents and puppies to see whether they appear healthy (see Chapter Dealing
with GSD Hereditary Health Problems). Is the puppy being raised in sanitary conditions? Does he have his puppy
vaccinations? Has he been checked or treated for internal parasites?
Remember
No matter how much research you do into a puppy’s background, there’s no guarantee that your dog will live a long and healthy life. But why not go with the odds and choose a dog from the healthiest background possible?
Warning!
You want to look at the individual pups you’re considering as well. Extra vet bills will come as part of the package with pups who »»Are dirty or soiled with feces
- Are covered with fleas or ticks
- Are missing hair
- Have crusted or reddened skin
- Are coughing, sneezing, or vomiting
- Have discharge from the eyes, ears, or nose
- Are red or irritated around the anus
- Have diarrhea
- Are thin or pot-bellied
- Have pale gums
- Are dehydrated (Test for dehydration by picking up a fold of skin and releasing it. The skin should “pop” back into place.)
- Are apathetic, lethargic, shy, or hostile
If any of the pups exhibit these signs, you should probably
scratch that litter and that breeder off your list.
Many breeders supply health guarantees with their puppies.
Unfortunately, a guarantee is of little value if it requires you to return or
euthanize a dog you have grown to love in order to be compensated. At the same
time, a breeder never has total control over the future health problems of a
puppy and generally can’t afford to offer you your money back for every
problem, especially without a veterinary certification. A good compromise is a
guarantee that covers certain problems that can be well documented (most
commonly hip and elbow dysplasia — see Chapter Dealing
with GSD Hereditary Health Problems) and that will compensate you
with a replacement pup and let you keep your original pup as long as you supply
documentation of the condition, return the original pup’s registration, and
supply proof that the dog has been neutered or spayed.
Tip
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WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A GSD FOR BREEDING |
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If you want a GSD male for conformation (or breeding),
make sure that both his testicles are descended into the scrotum by the time
you take him home. Both should be down by 8 weeks of age, although some may
be as late as 16 weeks (or in very rare cases, longer). The breeder should be
able to help you make this determination. |
Remember
Good looks attracts you to a dog, and good temperament makes you fall in love, but good health keeps your love alive.
There’s only one irrefutable truism about picking a new
German Shepherd: No matter which one you pick, he will be the best one. In the
years to come, you’ll wonder how you came to be so lucky in picking the
greatest dog on Earth.
A final note: Don’t visit different breeders on the same
day. Puppies can harbor communicable diseases that you could pass from one
litter to another.
Making It Official: Papers
How can you be sure that your new dog is a bona fide German
Shepherd Dog? Papers.
Papers are for more than housebreaking — they are proof of
your German Shepherd’s pure ancestry. They consist of a litter or individual
registration certificate issued by a registry. In most cases, the registry is
the American Kennel Club (AKC), but German imports are registered with the SV
(short for Verein fur Deutsche Schaferhunde — the German Shepherd Club
in Germany).
The AKC and the SV are not the only registering bodies. The
United Kennel Club (UKC) is also a respected dog registry in the United States,
and most developed countries have a national kennel club that registers dogs.
Warning!
Many countries also have “imposter” registries — small registries that offer to register dogs even if the dogs lack proof of pure breeding. Be wary of dogs registered with one of these unknown organizations (no matter how highfalutin the registry’s name sounds) because they often are no more registered or purebred than you are.
Don’t confuse the registration certificate with a pedigree.
A dog with a pedigree is not necessarily registered, although a dog registered
with a legitimate registry must have a pedigree. Registration papers are the actual documents that record a dog’s
registration numbers. A pedigree, which lists your dog’s family tree, is more often
an unofficial document (although you can purchase certified pedigrees through
the AKC, and the pedigree is part of the SV registration certificate). To an experienced
breeder, it is a history of breeding decisions that can be traced through generations.
All registered German Shepherds have a pedigree as long as
your arm; the length of the pedigree doesn’t mean that one dog is somehow more
pure than another.
Remember
Finally, remember that neither AKC nor SV registration is a seal of quality. AKC registration means only that the dog’s ancestry is pure and registered (even that can be subject to faking, although DNA testing now makes that more difficult); many AKC-registered dogs are poor examples of their breed. SV registration at least implies that the parents have met certain minimal standards of quality; nonetheless, nothing can guarantee how an individual puppy will turn out.
AKC registration
AKC registration papers consist of a registration
certificate or application form, which you complete and send to the AKC to
register the dog in your name. If these papers are not available when you buy
the puppy, AKC rules require the breeder to give you a signed statement or bill
of sale that includes the breed, sex, and color of the dog, the dog’s date of
birth, the breeder’s name, and the registered names of the dog’s sire and dam
(with their registration numbers if possible). In addition, the breeder should
be able to show you a litter registration number by the time of the sale.
Warning!
Some unscrupulous breeders promise to provide registration documents “soon” and never deliver them. By the time you figure out this scam, you are already too attached to the puppy to ask for a refund. If registration papers are not available when you buy the puppy, ask to see both parents’ registrations and get a written statement that the proper documents will arrive within a mutually acceptable time frame.
Breeders often sell pet-quality dogs with Limited
Registration, which means that if the dogs are bred, their offspring will not
be registered by the AKC. Breeders do so because they don’t think that the dogs
should be bred, and the Limited Registration designation is extra insurance in
case the new owners don’t have the dogs neutered or spayed. Such dogs can still
compete in AKC competitions (except for conformation — see Chapter Showing
Off Your Dog). Limited
Registration may be changed to regular registration at a later date, but only
by the breeder. The breeder may want to make such a change after the dog has
tested clear of hereditary disease, or if the dog turns out to have better
conformation than initially expected.
SV registration
SV certification is far more extensive than its AKC
counterpart. It includes a fourgeneration pedigree complete with breed survey
information, color, hip certification, titles and show ratings, and information
about litter mates. Unfor-tunately, because all the information is in German,
it may be Greek to you.
The certification may be either white (with green borders)
or pink; the pink papers are more desirable because they’re issued only when
both the sire and the dam are recommended for breeding. In either case, you
find the following information:
- The first page contains information about the individual dog, such as his name, color, birth date, breeder, and registration number. The top right-hand corner may also contain the “a” stamp for hip certification and survey remarks, if any. It also contains information about ancestors who are found more than once on either the sire’s or the dam’s side of the pedigree, listing these dogs’ names and the generation of the pedigree in which they can be found, with sire and dam sides separated by a dash.
- The second and third pages contain the dog’s pedigree, complete with the color and survey reports of the parents and grandparents, as well the names of litter mates. Dogs in the pedigree who were recommended for breeding have asterisks preceding their names.
- The fourth page is used to record ownership transfers.
Remember
Papers are important if you plan to breed or compete with your dog. However, your German Shepherd doesn’t need papers to be a fine animal, a staunch protector, a loyal companion, and your best friend.
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HOW TO READ SV PAPERS |
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SV papers may seem confusing at first glance, but once you
know what the various German terms mean, you realize that SV registration
provides an immense amount of information — far more than AKC registration
papers do. Among the terms found on the SV papers are the following:
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by D. Caroline Coile, PhD
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