Thursday, 17 November 2011

German Shepherd Dog

German Shepherd Dog
Many breeds of dog become popular because they have one or two distinct characteristics that people admire and appreciate. But what perhaps sets the German Shepherd apart from other popular breeds is the unique constellation of attributes that these dogs possess. Loyal, loving, tranquil, intelligent, athletic, eager to learn, cheerful, serious, strong, handsome, dignified – these adjectives can all legitimately be used to define the personality of the highly respected and beloved German Shepherd (GSD).

German Shepherd Dog

german shepherd wagging in her sleep

German Shepherd wake up call!

German Shepherd Pictures

German Shepherd Pictures
The first impression of a good German Shepherd Dog is that of a strong, agile, well muscled animal, alert and full of life. It is well balanced, with harmonious development of the forequarter and hindquarter. The dog is longer than tall, deep-bodied, and presents an outline of smooth curves rather than angles. It looks substantial and not spindly, giving the impression, both at rest and in motion, of muscular fitness and nimbleness without any look of clumsiness or soft living. The ideal dog is stamped with a look of quality and nobility--difficult to define, but unmistakable when present. Secondary sex characteristics are strongly marked, and every animal gives a definite impression of masculinity or femininity, according to its sex.

German Shepherd Pictures

A Well Trained German Shephard

6 week old German Shepherd puppy

Thursday, 3 November 2011

German Shepherd Photos

German Shepherd Photos

German shepherd breed of large, muscular working dog perfected in Germany at the turn of the 20th cent. It stands about 25 in. (64 cm) high at the shoulder and weighs from 60 to 85 lb (27.2-38.5 kg). Its double coat is composed of dense, woolly underhair and a medium-length, harsh, straight or slightly wavy outercoat. Although it may be any color except white, it is usually black and tan, black, or gray. Developed over centuries from sheepherding and farm-dog stock, the German shepherd has been trained in a variety of specialities other than herding, e.g., as a police dog, as a carrier of messages and a patrol dog in war, and as a leader of the blind. It is also very popular as a pet.

German Shepherd Photos

German Shepherds In Kuwait

Chocolate Labrador Puppy chasing 2 German Shepherds

German Shepherd Photo

German Shepherd Photo

Strongheart, the German shepherd who was a canine superstar of American cinema, was born and raised in Imperial Germany, where he was trained to be a police dog and assigned to the German military during World War I. Called "Etzel von Oringer," the German shepherd was born on October 1, 1917, descended from a carefully bred line. Trained as an attack dog, the 125-pound (57 kilograms) Strongheart was fearless. American director Laurence Trimble, who was famous as an animal trainer, and his wife, Jane Murfin, a screenwriter, had been searching Europe for a dog that could appear in motion pictures. When Trimble came across the three-year-old Strongheart in 1920, he knew he had the makings of a canine star.

The major problem Trimble faced was that, trained as a police dog, Strongheart had not socialized much with human beings. Back in Hollywood, it took Trimble months to train the dog in order to de-emphasize his harsh police dog-style training. Trimble had the dog by his side virtually non-stop for months, continually rewarding him for good behavior. Eventually, Strongheart's prior police habits were broken as his Libra personality came to the fore, and he was turned into a magnificently trained animal. However, certain aspects of his flat-footed past remained with him: Blessed with great instincts, particularly regarding the moral character of strangers, the dog would track people of dubious morality.

There were many canine stars of silent movies, including Teddy, the Great Dane who co-starred with a young Gloria Swanson, the collie Jean at Vitagraph, and the English pit bull Luke. In the 1920's, a group of German shepherd dogs romped on-screen and became stars, with Strongheart and `Rin Tin Tin' the most prominent among them.

His first movie, "The Silent Call" (1921), bore Trimble's expectations out, making Strongheart a star, beloved by movie-goers of all ages. Strongheart was given the star treatment, traveling by train to make personal appearances, at which he was greeted by crowds of adoring fans. He was written up in newspapers and magazines, and even the radio proclaimed "Strongheart" a star. A dog food named after him became popular and is still being produced over three-quarters of a century later. In the ultimate accolade, J. Allen Boone wrote two books about the shepherd, "Letters to Strongheart" and "Kinship with All Life."

Strongheart appeared in "Brawn of the North" (1922), "The Love Master" (1924), "White Fang" (1925), "North Star" (1925) and "The Return of Boston Blackie" (1927). Love came his way when he was paired with Lady Jule, a female German Shepherd who co-starred with him. The happy canine couple produced many litters, including offspring who would sire pups who grew up to be movie stars themselves.

The Trimbles placed a plaque over Strongheart's bed that contained a quote from the Book of Job: "Ask the very beasts, and they will teach you."

German Shepherd Photo