Charecteristics/Health:. They are also great at fetching, obedience work, schutzhund competitions, agility, freestyle dancing, Frisbee and working as therapy dogs. Basically there are very few types of events or competitions that a GSD cannot compete in; however, they are rarely used in actual herding events, despite their not too distant history. They crave being with people and although they can be outside dogs in most climates they would much rather be indoors with the family. Once trained to be in the house the German Shepherd Dog will typically find a place he or she can keep a watchful eye on everyone and simply relax and watch what is going on. The GSD is one dog that seems to be able to read a person's emotion and will respond in kind. Perhaps this is why these dogs are often used as assistance dogs, therapy dogs or guide dogs, since they do have the ability to be playful, loving or very serious, depending on what is needed of them. Many a German Shepherd has spent the night beneath his/her new baby's basinette. Many a German Shepherd has curled up on the floor along side a sleeping toddler. These dogs love their masters. German Shepherd health problems: 1. Cancer
2. Hip Dysplasia
3. Elbow Dysplasia
4. Bloat and Gastric Disorders
5. Heart Issues
6. Panosteitis
7. Eye Problems
8. Von Willebrands Disease
9. Epilepsy
10. Degenerative Myelopathy
Guard Dogs: The GSD is one breed of dog that bonds strongly with his or her family. Unlike some dogs the German Shepherd can bond with more than one person and they tend to be very accepting of family members and friends of the family once they are introduced. The GSD, like many of the larger breeds of dogs, tends to bond very well with children and to be highly protective of younger children. They are especially well known for their police work, being used for tracking criminals, patrolling troubled areas, and detection and holding of suspects. Additionally thousands of German Shepherds have been used by the military. Usually trained for scout duty, they are used to warn soldiers to the presence of enemies or of booby traps or other hazards.[39] German Shepherds have also been trained by military groups to parachute from aircraft. Guide dogs for the blind, service dogs, military dogs, bomb-sniffing and police dogs are among the more commonly held positions these regal dogs hold. A good German Shepherd will lay down its life without hesitation to protect his/her owners. excellent police dogs for K-9 units, why? Because they are bred to do just that, protect by command and instinct. Hogan's Heroes is a perfect example of another added feature of a German Shepherd. German Shepherds can tolerate much that other guard dogs can not, like full fledged winter blizzards. Their body is coated with a protective gear closest to their skin, their thick fur. We also owned a German Shepherd and we often wondered if their fur could actually become bullet proof since the thickness near the skin was like a wall of fur. You heard the story where