German Shepherd
Quick Facts:
- AKC recognized in 1908
- Lifespan: 10 - 12 years
- Size: Large Dog
- Energy: Medium
- Recommended Crate Size: 48” dog crate*
Return to the main Dog Crate Sizes Breed Chart.
Top 10 Fun Facts
Whenever it comes to the dogs, most of us just lose it. Because the way we love them it is totally unexplainable. Dogs have for centuries, proven to be one of the loyal and most expressive pets around. For way more occasions they have successfully expressed their qualities to be accepted in the family as an integral part.
This breed is well loved. They say a dog is a perfect companion for a man and there are countless qualities of this very animal that make him one of the best pets to have in the animal kingdom.
This breed has evolved and have been around for as long as we can remember, so that is why we have come forward to give you the top 10 fun facts about this very breed.
10 - The Name
It’s quite an attractive name really, it has “dog” written all over it. But only a few people know that it is a translation to a Germanic name “Deutsche Schäferhund” that simply means the German Shepherd Dog, and is also known as the GSD.
9 - Second Most Popular
GSDs are the second most popular breed in the US (slightly bested by the Labrador Retriever). Their fame holds true in the rest of the parts of the world too.
8 - One of the Intelligent Breed
This breed is well known for their sheer intelligence. They are also very active and regularly need a higher level of exercise and physical activity. They also need an intensive amount of mental training as well.
7- Rin Tin Tin, Most famous
The first famous German Shepherd was Rin Tin Tin, who starred in a total of 27 Hollywood Films. He was rescued from a World War I battlefield by an American soldier, Lee Duncan, who nicknamed him "Rinty". Since then this breed has been among the most popular in the US.
6 - Extremely Loyal
The loyalty you can get is second to none as they are at times also known as the “One-Man” breed because of their extreme loyalty to a single person. There’s a reason why this best friend often fall sick when their owner is not around.
5 - The Consistent Captain
"Captain", is popularly known for his consistency as he has stood guard in Argentina, by his owner’s grave. Not for just a few weeks or months but for straight 7 years in a row!
4 - Working Dogs
Although we might associate this breed primarily with its herding traits, they do possess other qualities. They have now been widely used by different law enforcement agencies to inspect imports, visitors to the U.S., and to take down thugs where needed.
3 - First Guide Dogs
Long before there was a custom of having guide dogs, there was “Buddy”, who took care of jobs very similar to what we now associate with professional guide dogs.
2 - Extreme Bite Force
Those strong teeth are accompanied by one of the noticeable jaws around. This breed can generate a total of 238 lbs. of force! For comparison, a human bite force is just around 86 lbs.
1 - They Live Longer
These dogs will be around longer than the average dog, living up to a total of 10-12 Years. This might seem short but when we convert this to dog years, they can live as long as 70 to 84 years!
Article Continues Below...
More Facts
They are also known as an Alsatian Wolf Dog and is a working dog. It is one of the most popular breeds in the United States. Due to its strength, obedience, intelligence, and train-ability, it is popularly used in search and rescue, various assistance roles including guide dogs, military and police uses, and even some acting! The breed is known as an energetic breed that can develop fond relationships with children when properly established.
Breed
Relatively speaking it is a relatively new dog breed. The American Kennel Club formally recognized this breed in 1908. They have medium energy and can come in 11 colors. It is a large-sized breed that is confident and intelligent.
Size
Males stand at a height of between twenty-four and twenty-six inches whereas females stand at a height of about twenty-two to twenty-four inches.
Depending on the kind of nutrition that your dog has as well as its age, an adult dog will weigh between seventy-five to ninety-five pounds. When getting the perfect dog crate size, take its size into consideration.
Personality
They can be generally aloof dogs and to help your dog bond with other dogs and humans easily, expose it to new experiences. These dogs do not make friends with ease but once they have gotten used to someone, they are extremely loyal. Given their highly intelligent nature, they can be trained to do a number of things, such as ringing the doorbell.
Their high intelligence also calls for the need to be kept busy through the use of toys and exercise; otherwise, it will result in negative habits such as chewing and digging. Expose your dog to many experiences while it is young to help it become more sociable as it grows up.
Appearance
The body is long, with a muscular build. It has a streamlined form in both fore and hindquarters. They have a long neck, large ears, a bushy tail, and a double coat. Its lifespan is usually between 10 and 12 years.
Caring for Your Pet
Cooling
During hot weather, ensure that your dog has sufficient water to drink in order to keep cool. If you use a wire crate that can expose your dog to the sun, cover the crate with shade. Do not demand much out of your dog when it is hot as it is likely to be focused on cooling down.
Tricks
Teaching your dog tricks is a great way for bonding as the more time that you spend together, the more friendly and loyal it will be to you. Such tricks enhance its obedience and in this way, you can come up with a number of ways to command its actions.
Space
They have a lot of energy and as such, they require adequate spaces to play in. If you do not live in a house with a yard, take it out for regular walks to help it release the pent-up energy in a positive manner. Pent-up energy may manifest negatively in the form of excessive barking and chewing.
Nutrition
It is recommended to provide feed formulated to large-sized breeds. Feed your dog twice a day and ensure that the feed that you use does not use corn for protein. Ensure that you do not underfeed or overfeed your dog and you can do this by using a measuring bowl.
It is highly recommended to discuss your dog’s feed with your veterinarian and/or breeder in order to determine the size and frequency of meals in order to ensure a healthy, long life. It is also important to ensure that clean, fresh water is available near your dog at all times as they are known for their thirst.
Grooming
During shedding season more grooming is expected in the form of brushing. The occasional bath will keep them looking healthy and clean.
Care should be taken not to bathe your dog too often as this can disrupt the levels of natural oils in their skin and fur and could lead to complications.
In order to avoid overgrowth, splitting or cracking of fast-growing nails, regular trimming is recommended. Regular teeth and ear cleaning are also recommended.
Exercise
At a young age, you should not exercise your dog too much as it can inhibit proper development. However, once your dog has matured, ensure that it gets adequate exercise to stay fit. Dogs that take part in regular exercise are less likely to develop complications such as elbow dysplasia.
They need moderate exercise in order to stay healthy. In order to prevent more destructive behaviors, it is recommended that daily exercise is provided. Examples include hiking, swimming, Frisbee, walking, and jogging.
Health
Like other dog breeds, they are prone to a number of diseases. Though this does not necessarily dictate that your dog will be a victim, it is important to have a full checkup done on your dog every now and then for preventative purposes.
Examples of diseases that your dog might suffer from include but are not limited to hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, degenerative myelopathy, and allergies. If your dog suffers from such conditions, you will be required to take extra care of it to help it become more comfortable.
Checkups
Take your dog to the vet regularly for injections, nail clipping, grooming and de-worming. It is also imperative that you have regular check-ups for your dog during older age, where it may be facing a lot of health challenges.
Pet Crate Size
Pet Crates Direct recommends 48” | Large Crates* for most adult German Shepherds. Many models also come with a divider that allows puppies to grow into the space.
Dog Crate Size
Get the right crate size for your dog. If your dog is young, you can get a crate with dividers to ensure that it only gets enough space to sleep and stretch. Getting a size that is too big will encourage it to use the extra space to relieve itself and this will make bowel control hard.
You will want to use a dog crate size that is big enough for your dog to sleep and stretch out in for your dog to be comfortable. If you use a small crate, you will make your dog anxious and it will bark and squirm all the while it is in the crate. This is no small dog.
Because it is difficult to find larger crates, so heavy duty wire crates are typically a very good option, over plastic crates (for most dog owners). Make sure your GSD is comfortable by placing a dog bed inside, and if they are easily overstimulated, you may wish to get a crate cover in order to create a den-like environment for them. This also can help with your dog training efforts.
While the recommended metal dog crate size is forty-eight inches, it is important to measure its length, width, height, and weight. Depending on the size of your pet, you may opt for a 42” dog crate to minimize space while your German Shepherd puppy grows or simply use a dog crate divider with a 48” dog crate.
42” crate size
The average 42” dog crate has the dimensions of 42” length, 28” width, and 31” height. Such a crate size is ideal for a puppy, or an older dog which weighs about seventy to ninety pounds and most such sizes come with a dividing panel to allow for expansion of the crate should your dog grow bigger with time.
48” crate size
The average dimensions of a 48" dog crate are 48” length, 30” width and 33” height. This dog crate size is ideal for dogs that weigh more than ninety pounds and can no longer fit in the 42” dog crate size.
Importance of Crating
Monitoring
If you are not around for some part of the day and you are worried that your dog may be destructive to your property when you are not around, a dog crate will enable you to leave the house with peace of mind. While house training, it can be very helpful during night time.
Timeout
When your dog behaves improperly by being too excited or jumpy and it keeps getting in your way, you can put it in the crate for a while as you sort things out.
This concept is under debate because a priority should always be that a crate is used as a safe place. The focus should not be on punishment.
The balance of creating this safe space, while also using it to ensure the dog does not do further damage while house training, is possible. There are many dog trainers that can teach the tools to you, or help train your German Shepherd puppy more directly.
How to Choose the Best Crate
Ventilation
They like staying cool during hot weather and you should always take this into consideration when purchasing a dog crate.
Crate Training
It is much easier to put puppies through dog crate training than wait until they are adults, so start potty training as early as possible.
Sleeping
Although it is tempting to sleep with your pet, it is not recommended during crate training as it will begin to prefer sleeping on your bed and will not like the crate. So have your dog in the crate during night time to get it used to sleeping there.
Place
Keep the crate in a specified place and do not move it around so as to ensure that your dog familiarizes itself with the crate’s surroundings, making it easy for it to adapt. Put some toys inside to help make your crate training efforts more successful. Your puppy should have some fun and feel comfortable while inside.
Conclusion
These are amazing dogs and they deserve to be treated in an amazing way.
You can do this by ensuring that they are properly cared for by getting them a dog crate which they can use as a den. The recommended crate size is 48 inches. The right size crate will allow them to stretch out and stand at their average full height.
You can get one with a dividing panel if you are buying one for your puppy, which will account for changes in size as the puppy grows into an adult.
Return to the main Dog Crate Sizes Breed Chart.
* Links for crate sizes will bring you to the most appropriate Amazon page.