The German Shepherd is one of the three most popular breeds in the United States. Almost every study or report that ranks dog breeds by intelligence places the German Shepherd in the top five most intelligent breeds. Their work includes disability assistance, police work, military work, search-and-rescue and even acting. The modern German Shepherd is used for much more than herding because of its trainability, intelligence, power and obedience. A notable breeder will not breed a sire or dam without first having the dog’s hips and elbows screened with x-rays. Unethical breeding by backyard breeders has increased the number of defects in the breed. Show strains of the breed are more likely to possess genetic defects than the working-class strain. As a result, there are genetic problems associated with the breed such as hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia and epilepsy. Some breeders prioritize appearance over function. As the German Shepherd became more popular, it became more difficult to control breeding. Max von Stephantitz believed that breeding should be controlled so that defects would be removed quickly. The breed increased in popularity after World War I when soldiers returning from the war reported about the dog’s many positive attributes.īreeding was very selective during the first decade. German Shepherds range between 22 to 26 inches in height and between 50 to 90 pounds. They are large dogs in the herding group. The German Shepherd Dogs were bred for their intelligence, speed, strength and keen sense of smell. In 1899, Max von Stephanitz founded the Society for the German Shepherd Dog and declared a dog named Horand von Grafrath the first German Shepherd Dog. German Shepherds are more dangerous than the average breed, but they are not at the top of the list.
This conclusion is supported by the fact that Pit bulls and Rottweilers are responsible for the highest number of fatal attacks. The study also concluded that large dogs with short, wide heads were the most likely to bite. This is not surprising given the fact that German Shepherds have one of the most powerful bites of all breeds. The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) conducted a study and concluded that German Shepherds were one of the most dangerous breeds based on bite severity and frequency of biting.