Alsatian (dog)

German Shepherd Dog

Other names	Alsatian (UK) Alsatian wolf dog (UK) Berger Allemand Deutscher Schäferhund Schäferhund
Common nicknames	Alsatian Deutscher Schäferhund DSH GSD Shepherd Schäferhund
Origin	Germany
Traits Weight Male 30–40 kg (66–88 lb) Female 22–32 kg (49–71 lb) Height Male 60–65 cm (24–26 in) Female 55–60 cm (22–24 in) Coat Double coat Colour Most commonly tan with black saddlery Litter size 4–9 Life span 9–13 years
Classification / standards FCI Group 1, Section 1 Sheepdogs #166; Long-haired 166a; Short-haired 166b standard AKC Herding/guardian standard ANKC Group 5 – Working Dogs standard CKC Group 7 – Herding Dogs standard KC (UK) Pastoral standard NZKC Working standard UKC Herding Dog standard
Domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris)

Traits
Weight	Male	30–40 kg (66–88 lb)
	Female	22–32 kg (49–71 lb)
Height	Male	60–65 cm (24–26 in)
	Female	55–60 cm (22–24 in)
Coat	Double coat
Colour	Most commonly tan with black saddlery
Litter size	4–9
Life span	9–13 years

Classification / standards
FCI	Group 1, Section 1 Sheepdogs #166; Long-haired 166a; Short-haired 166b	standard
AKC	Herding/guardian	standard
ANKC	Group 5 – Working Dogs	standard
CKC	Group 7 – Herding Dogs	standard
KC (UK)	Pastoral	standard
NZKC	Working	standard
UKC	Herding Dog	standard

The German Shepherd (German: Deutscher Schäferhund, German pronunciation: [ˈʃɛːfɐˌhʊnt]) is a breed of medium to large-sized working dog that originated in Germany. The breed's officially recognized name is German Shepherd Dog in the English language (sometimes abbreviated as GSD). The breed is also known as the Alsatian in Britain and Ireland. The German Shepherd is a relatively new breed of dog, with their origin dating to 1899. As part of the Herding Group, German Shepherds are working dogs developed originally for herding sheep. Since that time however, because of their strength, intelligence, trainability, and obedience, German Shepherds around the world are often the preferred breed for many types of work, including disability assistance, search-and-rescue, police and military roles, and even acting. The German Shepherd is the second-most registered breed by the American Kennel Club and fourth-most registered breed by The Kennel Club in the United Kingdom.

German Shepherds are medium to large-sized dogs. The breed standard height at the withers is 60–65 cm (24–26 in) for males and 55–60 cm (22–24 in) for females. The weight standard is 30–40 kilograms (66–88 lb) for males and 22–32 kilograms (49–71 lb) for females. They have a domed forehead, a long square-cut muzzle with strong jaws and a black nose. The eyes are medium-sized and brown with a lively, intelligent and self-assured look. The ears are large and stand erect, open at the front and parallel, but they often are pulled back during movement. They have a long neck, which is raised when excited and lowered when moving at a fast pace. The tail is bushy and reaches to the hock.

German Shepherds have a two-layer coat which is close and dense with a thick undercoat. The coat is accepted in two variants; medium and long. The long-hair gene is recessive, making the long-hair variety rarer. Treatment of the long-hair variation differs across standards; they are accepted but not competed with standard coated dogs under the German and UK Kennel Clubs while they can compete with standard coated dogs but are considered a fault in the American Kennel Club. The FCI accepted the long-haired type in 2010, listing it as the variety b—while short-haired type is listed as the variety a.

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