German shepherd

Home > ... > Plants and Animals > Animals > Dogs > ...

Essential reading Compare
side-by-side World Encyclopedia The Oxford Pocket Dictionary ... The Columbia Encyclopedia, ...

German shepherd

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. See dog .

Create a link to this page

Copy and paste this link tag into your Web page or blog:

<a href="http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/.aspx#1E1-Germansh" title="Facts and information about German shepherd">German shepherd</a>

Give this article a thumbs-up on StumbleUpon

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

MLA
Chicago
APA

"German shepherd." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 15 Nov. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"German shepherd." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (November 15, 2009). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Germansh.html

"German shepherd." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Retrieved November 15, 2009 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Germansh.html

Learn more about citation styles

German shepherd

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English | 2009 | © The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English 2009, originally published by Oxford University Press 2009. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

Ger·man shep·herd (also German shepherd dog) • n. a large dog of a breed often used as guard dogs or guide dogs or for police work.

Create a link to this page

Copy and paste this link tag into your Web page or blog:

<a href="http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/.aspx#1O999-germanshepherd" title="Facts and information about German shepherd">German shepherd</a>

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

MLA
Chicago
APA

"German shepherd." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 15 Nov. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"German shepherd." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (November 15, 2009). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-germanshepherd.html

"German shepherd." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved November 15, 2009 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-germanshepherd.html

Learn more about citation styles

German shepherd

World Encyclopedia | 2005 | Â© World Encyclopedia 2005, originally published by Oxford University Press 2005. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

German shepherd (Alsatian) Working dog first bred in Germany in c.1900. It has woolly underhair and is black, grey, or black and tan. Height: c.64cm (25in) at the shoulder; weight: 27–38kg (60–85lb).

Create a link to this page

Copy and paste this link tag into your Web page or blog:

<a href="http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/.aspx#1O142-Germanshepherd" title="Facts and information about German shepherd">German shepherd</a>

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

MLA
Chicago
APA

"German shepherd." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 15 Nov. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"German shepherd." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (November 15, 2009). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-Germanshepherd.html

"German shepherd." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved November 15, 2009 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-Germanshepherd.html

Learn more about citation styles

Free newspaper and magazine articles

	Election Goes To The Dogs: 51-27% Dog Owners Prefer German Shepherd Dog Over Scottish Terrier as ''First Dog''. Business Wire; 8/27/2004
	Holland officer quarantines dog 10 days; German shepherd allegedly bit boy; man says charge is retaliation for litigation.(LOCAL NEWS) Newspaper article from: Telegram & Gazette (Worcester, MA); 3/30/2007
	Officers mourn a German shepherd with spunk.(Animals) Newspaper article from: The Register-Guard (Eugene, OR); 4/9/2005

Facts and information from other sites

Related articles from newspapers, magazines, and more

	GERMAN SHEPHERD EN THUSIAST HOPES TO FORM A PACK Newspaper article from: Roanoke Times & World News; 7/11/2002; ; 700+ words ; ...his first German shepherd. He liked...love German shepherds and now enjoys...Sponsored by the German Shepherd Dog Club...Training German shepherds properly...the German shepherd dog," with...about German shepherds. "I'm...
	East, West Germans debate who breeds best shepherd Newspaper article from: Oakland Tribune; 10/3/2007; ; 700+ words ; ...Those overbred shepherds in the West are...Grube, a West German shepherd aficionado and...the national German Shepherd's Club, strongly...was the East Germans who weren't...breeding." While German shepherds also are very...
	DOG CLUB MARKS 50TH ANNIVERSARY; LOVERS OF GERMAN SHEPHERDS MEET ONCE A MONTH FROM SEPTEMBER THROUGH JUNE.(Neighbors West)(Column) Newspaper article from: The Post-Standard (Syracuse, NY); 8/21/2003; 682 words ; ...possible to bring the German shepherd dog's natural quality...competitors, live and breathe German shepherd dogs. "We are always...shepherd dog. "German shepherds aren't for everyone...breeder. The German shepherd dog is very social...
	THESE GERMAN SHEPHERDS CAN PUT ON THE DOG FOR THE CAMERA.(Lifestyle)(Column) Newspaper article from: Seattle Post-Intelligencer (Seattle, WA); 6/13/1996; ; 700+ words ; ...Most of the shepherds are German-born and certainly trained to German standards and performance...Bradley also helped train a German shepherd for the Redmond police...knew.'' The German German shepherds must show courage during...
	Rescue mission; Local couple works to save neglected German shepherds Newspaper article from: Sun, The: Plainfield (IL); 11/14/2003; ; 700+ words ; ...a 2-year-old German shepherd, center, and Charlie...who also run a German shepherd rescue program. If...were fond of German shepherds from the German shepherd...currently taking care of 14 German shepherds available for adoption...home for Bus' ...
	Group saves German shepherds Newspaper article from: Post-Tribune (IN); 9/4/2003; ; 700+ words ; ...Shadow, his white German shepherds.(PHOTO - Color...has two white German shepherd dogs, Max and Shadow...of Echo Dogs White Shepherd Rescue, an international...volunteers rescue white shepherds and place them into...years, Echo Dogs White Shepherd Rescue has saved about...
	German Shepherd Rescue group praised for work.(Virginia Beach Beacon) Newspaper article from: The Virginian Pilot; 7/3/2008; 700+ words ; ...old, 80-pound German shepherd stood close by Louis...the Virginia German Shepherd Rescue. The Lake Placid...rehabilitation of German shepherds for Virginia and Washington...information on the Virginia German Shepherd Rescue, call...Butler Focke German ...
	Group saves white German shepherds Newspaper article from: Post-Tribune (IN); 9/4/2003; ; 654 words ; ...Shadow, his white German shepherds.(PHOTO - Color...has two white German shepherd dogs, Max and Shadow...of Echo Dogs White Shepherd Rescue, an international...volunteers rescue white shepherds and place them into...years, Echo Dogs White Shepherd Rescue has saved about...
	German shepherd, I shall not want Newspaper article from: Isthmus; 2/22/2008; ; 700+ words ; ...let us know about a German shepherd who just had puppies...They associate German shepherds with police work...I associate German shepherds with the Nazis. My...movies where the German shepherds, like honorary members...to acquire a German shepherd as a ...
	GERMAN SHEPHERDS TO PARTICIPATE IN 'FUN MATCH' IN CENTRAL PHOENIX OCT. 28 News Wire article from: US Fed News Service, Including US State News; 10/25/2006; 700+ words ; ...sponsored by the Grand Canyon German Shepherd Club. The event...Patrol Dogs: The German shepherd was the only breed used for...Tunnel Dogs: The German shepherd dog and handler were generally...has successfully used German shepherd dogs on slow trolling ...