Facts About White German shepherd

German Shepherd Dog is probably one of the few dog breeds that have most varied range of coat colors and patterns. White German Shepherds unfortunately got exposed to some misconceptions that have restricted the popularity of these pure breed beautiful German Shepherds. Here are some of the misconceptions about the white German Shepherd Dogs and the specific gene that is responsible for expressing this particular coat color.

White color in German Shepherd Dog is a result of gene dilution or partial albinism. comparative analysis of the dog genome, findings from the most contemporary research on genetics of White German Shepherds and specific breed DNA sequences have shown that this is pure gene. There's nothing to consider White German Shepherds as result of color dilution or paling for the whole GSD breed. It is only when the recessive allele is genetically transmitted from each of the breeding pair parent, the e/e genotype offspring of white German shepherd parents, always have cream or white colored coat.

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Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year too all German Shepherd Dog Lovers around the world. We are highly honored to have such nice people like you  as our readers.We shall deem it to be ever grateful to have this beautiful relation maintained all through. Our heartfelt wish too all of you and your loved ones and your beloved German Shepherds.

Our little Rusty stopped his tip-toed journey with us and has gone to Lord's home the day after the Gangtok quake. We couldn't take him to the vet, as the roadways were all blocked & things had all gone out of gear due to the quake. Please pray lest his little soul may rest in peace. Thank you
 

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What will your German Shepherd get this Christmas?

What will your German Shepherd get this Christmas? Christmas dog cookies? Christmas dog costumes or any other doggy toy?

With Christmas right around the corner, people have gone gaga over the costumes, cookies and gifts - all in red, white and green. Decorations are about to strung across the Christmas trees, mistletoe and mantles.  I am sure that your dogs too will be showered with the Christmas spirit! But the holiday spirit is not going to swing to the fullest extent if Rusty doesn't get something as a Christmas gift.  So what's there waiting for him this Christmas? While you cannot resist having the cakes, gingerbread cookies and minty candy canes on Christmas, Rusty cannot resist the fun of playing with a chew toy.  If you have already planned to buy a chew toy he will be more than happy! But what's so special about it? You have bought him the chew toys many times before. Have you ever spared a thought about what may be swirling in his mind?

What about home made Christmas ham for your German Shepherd. Its the for fun; why not getting your German Shepherd involved in the Christmas fun? A few piece of hams with the fat removed out will be savored by Rusty. A piece of ham each day during the holiday time won't do any harm for sure. It is only when your German Shepherd is habitually fed ham in large amounts that his health will be jeopardized. So that's a great way you can strike your beloved German Shepherd with shrieking surprises this Christmas.

Anything more special for him?

I am sure you have planned to buy him a bed or a toy or a Christmas dog costume. That's not really enough. You can give him something more precious than these. Yes... your time. Spend more time with him. Its the holiday season and you will be away from your work. Take him  on a long stroll, play fetch with him unleashed in a fenced area. Let him  jump around; Let him chase the ball; Let him run unleashed. There's no better way than this that you can make this Christmas really special for Rusty. He misses you year long. He hates your work and your office. He wants to be with you and play around. Make this Christmas a memorable episode in Rusty's life. Give him your special touch, and he will be more than happy.

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Let your German Shepherd Unwrap His Christmas Gift

Let your German Shepherd Unwrap His Christmas Gift! See how he reacts...

So, with Christmas approaching fast, aren't you wondering how to strike your beloved German Shepherd Dog with delightful Christmas surprise? If you are thinking Rover is not going to understand the real value for Christmas gift, you may not be wrong, but why not sprinkle the red, white and green grains of Christmas fun onto his life too?  Make him feel that its a special day that's different from the other days of the year. Its the day for love, fun and cookies!

The best Christmas gift that you can give your beloved German Shepherd Dog is the Christmas cookies for dogs! Another thing that I really liked this year is the Jingle Bell Collar for Dogs. For dog lover like you and me its been always a pleasure to see our dogs springing with fun. Taking him on a special walk can be a great fun for both of you. You can make this Christmas stroll more special. Yes... get a Santa Claus Dog Costumes for your German Shepherd, and he is surely going to look more handsome in that red and white Christmas dog costume.   

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How to Stack Your German Shepherd Dog

You have dropped by this blog because you have been looking form information about German Shepherd Dog. This post is about stacking a German Shepherd  - making a GSD stand in a pose that you often find in dog shows. German Shepherd Dog has a unique stack position that features one rear leg under the body and the other stretched backward, exactly contrary to the conventional "square stack", featuring parallel front and rear legs or "extended stacks". The question is how to correctly stack a German Shepherd Dog.

Stacking a German Shepherd Dog

 First off, I will suggest you not to try stacking your GSD on sleek or slippery floor. Rough floor is appreciable; grassy lawn is highly appreciable. My next suggestion in this regard is not to stack your GSD on over grown grassy field, because the grass will hide the dogs feet. A freshly trimmed ground is the best option that any German Shepherd guys would look for.Remember, a freshly trimmed ground works best for trotting German Shepherds as well.

Stacking German Shepherds is probably a bit more technical than other dog breeds that have conventional "square stacks". Start of with slightly tiring the dog by trotting him for a few moments. How much to trot him before making him stand in stacked position? That's really an appreciable question that any new GSD owner would like to know. Trot for a few minutes until his tongue hangs out. Please note that over tiring the dog will not yield you desired result. After the trot,walk him a bit to bring him to a normal stance.

The next step is making him stand in the desired pose - staking. Place your palm under his chest, lift him a few inches from the ground and gently release him, trying to place his front legs down vertically straight. Viewing right down the shoulder to make sure the front legs are perfectly straight and feet are not twisted outward, which is why I suggested freshly trimmed lawn that won't hide his feet.         

Don't remove your hand from under his chest; reach around the hind part of the dog and place your foot just under the dogs belly, in order to mark the position where his inside hind paw will be placed. Place the inner leg, i.e. the leg which is on your side, by gently pulling it to the mark - your foot-point.

Next step is to place the outer leg stretched backward. Gently stretch the outside legs backward and place it such that the hock is positioned exactly at right angle to the ground. It is not advisable to pull the leg back too far, as doing that the hock cannot be positioned straight, and that will be a faulty stack.

The whole process is quite tricky and you need to be immensely patient as the dog may repeatedly remove its hind leg that is placed inside - under the belly. Without being patient you cannot make a dog stack properly. Once your German Shepherd gets used to with the process, things will turn out to be a lot easier for both - you and your dog. A poorly stacked GSD will display a faulty anatomical view, even though he may have a very good structure. This is where the knowledge of staking German Shepherds properly comes to play a very vital role.

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Skin Problems in German Shepherd Dogs

What are the chief causes for skin problems in German Shepherd Dogs?

Most German Shepherd Dog owners, both newbies and even some of the old owners, arise this question. What are the major causes for skin problems in German Shepherd Dogs. Vets are oftens called for skin problems in German Shepherd Dogs and even re-occurrences of the skin problems in their GSD. German Shepherds are prone to skin problems more than some of the other dog breeds. So here's why?

• First cause includes heavy infestation of internal and/or external parasites.
• Second cause includes bacterial, yeast or fungal infections, causing severe hair fall and develop patches, redness, swelling and sores.
• Third cause includes fly bites and gnats that eventually cause hot spots on your German Shepherd's skin.
• Fourth cause includes extended time pass in water and/or in dirt
• Fifth cause includes thyroid
• Sixth cause includes allergies in certain foods, plants, grass or weeds
• Seventh cause insufficient nutrition. Nutritional deficiency cause dry skin and dermal ailments such as eczema, dry hair etc.
• Eighth cause Improper grooming, which is the most common cause of skin problems in most German Shepherd Dogs
• Ninth... Yes, nervous problems caused by insufficient stimulation can also be responsible for skin problems in many dog breeds including German Shepherds

Alike improper grooming and insufficient nutrition, allergy is amongst the commonest causes of skin problems in GSD breed. Dust mites, dirt, grass or grass seeds, pollen, weeds, fleas and parasites are the common allergens, that make the skin red and inflamed, with fur coming out in lumps. Certain common foods known to have allergic reactions on dogs are beef, raw eggs, cheese, milk, corn, soy, uncooked meat, spices, etc. Turmeric is good for skin. Adding little amount of vegetable oils in the dogs food while cooking may be a good option to prevent dry skin in German shepherds and other breeds.

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Intensive Hydrotherapy Session helped German Shepherd Puppy to Recover from Hip Displasia

A German Shepherd puppy "Fred", that has been suffering from severe joint pain and couldn't walk effortlessly has been put to intensive hydrotherapy session. Good news is that after having undergone a tenure of well planned hydrotherapy session, Fred is almost fit to join the training session to serve as a police dog.

Fred had been diagnosed with displastic hip at the age of 6 months. Vets and canine experts planned to to put poor little Fred in a course of swimming sessions. Fred has successfully passed his assessment test to start off with the training program with Devon and Cornwall Police in January, 2012.

"Fred's police dog career looked like it was over before it had begun but, following his hard work in the pool, he is now one of eight puppies about to begin their training as police dogs. Fred was literally thrown in at the deep end and has worked hard to ease his stiff joints and build up the muscles in his legs. There is now no reason why he won't go on to become a successful police dog, able to assist tracking missing people, locate stolen property, chase and detain suspects, and keep order in crowd control situations", said Sergeant Paul Glennon. So the future now looks really bright for Fred!

Fred, who is going to be a smart police German Shepherd Dog had initially joined the force through the Devon and Cornwall Police puppy schemes. He was taken care of by volunteer canine experts until he reached 12 months of age. A series of 13-weeks training course is awaiting ahead for Fred. The scheme has been highly successful, which literally created a demand for the willingness of puppy walkers, who are given practical dog training and special classes on "Dog Socialization" by the Dog Training School. All puppy walkers have to have a settled family background, a well secured garden and most importantly willingness to undertake daily exercise, grooming and care of the dogs.

Sergeant Glennon said: “In order to find the best people to look after our dogs we are looking for homes in Devon, Cornwall and even Somerset... What is most important is that we find the right people who have the time, patience and determination to give our dogs the best start in life... To help us give these dogs to get the best start to their training we need more walkers to come forward... Ideal applicants will have previous experience caring for dogs but what is most important to us is that they share our aim to produce a well-balanced, confident and social dog at the end of the year.”

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German Shepherd Dog Movements Best Explained: GSD Video Clips

Hey....
If you have dropped by this German Shepherd blog to gather some information about German Shepherd DOg breed, you need to know many things about it. You will probably find your desired info here. Take a tour throughout this blog, but beforw that you can watch out a coulpe of videos that has been shot to educate on GSD movements. Click on German Shepherd and you will be redirected to "About German Shepherd Dog" - the largest online resource for information on German Shepherd DOg breed. You can get in touch with a few top GSD Twitters and follow them on the Twitter to know what they are up to and how they maintain their dogs... Click Here!

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Obi - The POlice German Shepherd Injured in UK Riot

The three-year-old German shepherd Dog Obi was on his duty with his handler Constable Phil Wells on the front line in Tottenham. Obi and his handler experienced a real life threatening phase amidst the mob where people were throwing bricks and bottles aimlessly. One of such items struck Obi in his head, badly cracking his skull right above the left eye. PC Wells said, "I have never experienced stuff coming at us from all sides like that before."

PC Phil Wells said, "Obi is trained in public order, and that may be dispersing a crowd or pushing them back. We were on a stationary point when we came under heavy bombardment. There were lots of missiles coming at us, bottles, bricks, petrol bombs, street furniture, too many to count and one hit Obi on the top of the head. Initially he was a bit shocked but I gave him a checkover and tried to avoid any further injuries and after the initial shock he seemed fine so we carried on for another couple of hours. Afterwards he was assessed and and was showing signs he needed veterinary help. He was lethargic and was bleeding from the left nostril which could be a sign of head trauma so he was taken to the vets and assessed and the vet was not happy about the impact he had had so he was transferred to the Royal Veterinary School in Cambridge for a CT scan."

Obi may take several months to recover completely and become fit to be on the duty again.

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Categorization for Dog Breeds

When it comes to choosing a dog breed... German Shepherd Dog is not always the right choice for you. If you do not space to provide to your dog, if you live in an apartment and if you allergic to dead follicles, this GSD would probably be the wrong pick.

Dog Breeds can be categorized in several ways:

1) Categorization for Dog breeds according to size...

• Toy dog breeds
  
• Small dog breeds
• Medium dog breeds
• Large dog breeds
• Giant dog breeds

2) Categorization for dog breeds according to popularity (as per the number of registrations per year)...

• Highly popular dog breeds
• Moderately popular dog breeds
• Less popular dog breeds

3) Categorization for dog breeds according to group...

• Gun Dog Group
• Hound Dogs
• Pastoral Group
• Terrier Group
• Working Group
• Utility Group

4) Categorization for allergenic dog breeds...

• Low shedding dog breeds
• Hypoallergenic dog breeds
• High Shedding dog breeds
  

5) Categorization for dog breeds according to working ability...

• Guard dog breeds
• Watchdog breeds
• Protection dogs

And so on...

Following the above categorization rules, German Shepherds can be classifieds in multiple ways. GSD falls under Medium dog breeds, and is a heavy shedder. The medium-length coat of the GSD essentially require almost daily brushing. to remove the dead hairs. German Shepherds require immense attention and maintenance.

German Shepherd has been classified under the pastoral group. Highly intelligent this is one of the most easily trainable dog breeds that can master wide range of tricks within a short spell of time. This is one of the most important factor to make the German Shepherd Dog one of the most popular dog breeds in the world.

During the World War I an incredibly huge numbers of 48,000 German Shepherds had been enlisted with the German army.

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Environmentally Engineered Aggression in German Shepherd Dogs

Frustration-Elicited Aggression in German Shepherd Dog

If you are a German Shepherd Dog enthusiast, chances are that you have always liked to meet new German Shepherd owners and mingle with new GSDs around. It is quite normal for a real lover of GSD breed to look for more information on GSD, which makes him or her develop a tendency to stay in close relation with the GSD breeders, and experienced owners. I am pretty sure that if you have been meeting new German Shepherds, you have, at least once in your lifetime, come across a German Shepherd Dog strange behavior - either too submissive or too aggressive. Large breed like German Shepherd Dog sometimes turn out to be really difficult for novice owners to keep, especially in apartments, or with a family where nobody has time to take him on walk or to play in the yard. German Shepherd Dog is a working breed and can hardly stay

calm without doing something. Frustrated dogs - especially for a breed like GSD sometimes become hyper aggressive under such situations. Gene has got nothing to do here. Even a dog descending from the coolest bloodline can exhibit strangest behavior out of frustration.

Hyper aggressiveness or overly aggression in many breeds, including German Shepherds may be the result of many factors and frustration can be one of them. Apart from aggression due to frustration some other types of aggressions in GSD are genetically engineered aggression, territorial aggression, social aggression, defensive aggression, fear-elicited aggression, protective aggression, sex related aggression, redirected aggression. Like redirected aggression, fear-elicited aggression and social aggression, the frustration elicited aggression is also an environmentally engineered aggression, i.e. the type of aggression influenced by environmental condition or situation.

Frustration-elicited aggression is too common in German Shepherd Dogs, especially if they are kept confined, without any work been assigned. GSD is a working breed, They are basically farm dogs and loves to be on any outdoor projects. Evidences are there that some friendly dogs suddenly become aggressive when put in a closed room or leashed. This kind of aggression can be controlled through heavy exercise. A tired dog is a content dog. Dogs with this problem usually exhibit aggression on things they are frustrated with. For instance, many German Shepherds get frustrated on their leash. Resolving this problem is hard but not impossible. Lots of patience and time are the keys to the success story. Alongside enough exercise, not creating the situation too frequently that frustrates him is a way. For instance if he becomes frustrated with confinement, do not confine him too frequently or for long hours. If you realize that your dog is starting to create problem in a given situation, you can turn his attention off. Provide him with a bone to chew, for example.

What is worth worrying about this is that in many cases the frustration-elicited aggression in dogs (irrespective of breed) can lead to redirected aggression, which can be more devastating. This means, since the dog is not able to get to what actually he is looking for and consequently gets frustrated, he will try to show his aggression on some other thing. For instance if he is frustrated of being leashed or confined for hours, he may show his aggression on the bed and pillow. Things turn out to be more dangerous when such frustration elicited aggression is redirected to his pack members or family members.

Reach out to a professional canine behaviorist or trainer. It is essentially necessary to teach your German Shepherd to calm down in stressful situations. German Shepherds, if well bred, usually have higher "stress threshold" compared to many other dog breeds. Still many good dogs are seen with lower "stress threshold", and they easily get frustrated.

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Top 10 Dog Lovers and Canine Organizations to Follow on Twitter

If you are a German Shepherd Dogaddict, you can follow us on Twitter (http://twitter.com/aringsburg) and get to know more about these canineinsteins...

And here goes the list of top 10 dog lovers and canine organizations to Follow on Twitter

10) About German Shepherd Dog dot Com

9) Jeff's GSD Info

8) American Kennel Club

7) Canadian Kennel Club

6) Animal Planet

5) LIFE+DOG Magazine

4) ASPCA

3) Tails Pet Magazines

2) GSD Adventures

1) Missing Pet Register

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Your Behavior Can Contribute to The Aggression of Your German Shepherd Dog

Is your German Shepherd Dog aggressive? Aggression, to the desirable extent, is a part of the breed's natural character, although these dogs usually make great companions for your family and can prove to be quite good with kids. Too docile nature of German Shepherd will compromise his guarding and protective instincts, and would make him undesirably friendly with strangers, which is a serious fault in his character. While, on the other hand, too aggressive nature can be a way to get over you... that is to become the alpha member of the pack. His over aggression can be a challenge thrown towards you to acquire the alpha position. Do not surrender your position to your dog. Successful and technical dog ownership demands you to be the leader of the pack. It is only if you are the alpha of your pack, that you can be successful in your attempts controlling your dogs. Retaining the alpha position of the pack doesn't mean you will yell at him. Remember... Yelling, punishing and hurting him doesn't work. Beating him or punishing him will cause fear-based aggression. Aggressive dog training, be it with German Shepherds or for any other breed, involves correcting measures without punishing him. Yelling and punishing your aggressive German Shepherd Dog will simply stimulate your dog's fear and increase his aggression.

Many people have been mailing me asking for suggestions about their aggressive GSD. Most of them have more than one dogs and they fight when they get to meet together. Sam's problem iss that his GSD tends to attack fearlessly his Labrador when they are given food at the same time. His trainer asked him to feed them separately. He said, now he has to pay double the charge paid to the one who walks his dogs, because he has to walk them separately. But this is not permanent solution! I am sure most people cannot afford to keep their dogs closed separately.

My suggestion to people like Sam would be simple...

Find out why your dogs are aggressive towards each other. Did you not socialize them during their puppy hood? Or do both of them need dominance? If you did not have socialized them properly, it was your fault. If they both are fighting your dominance, it's again your fault. Dogs are quite intelligent,. and can learn things throughout their life. take them to the external world. Allow them meet situations, and experience strangeness of the nature. I would suggest you take both your dogs together - and take them in an entirely new area, where they have never been to before. Strangeness of new places will mitigate their aggression towards each other. In a new area they won't be claiming their territory and position, because they know they are new there. Each of your dogs will need one another to form a team there. Well, by this I mean to say their sense of lack of confidence in a new place will make them look for each other's company. Make them play... let them be dead tired.

Next step is simple for experienced, but may be a bit tough for new owners.

Bring them home and now do not lock them in separate places. Take them along with you in your hall. They are tired, and need rest now. Make them lie in the same hall at two different corners. Provide them water in separate bowl. Be there yourself; keep an eye on both and try to maintain your position as an alpha of the pack of three - you and your two dogs. Do not too soft will giving them command. Say "NO" firmly, whenever required. Don't allow them to get on you.

My third very important suggestion...

Love them - but do not demonstrate preference - neither Rover over Rolley nor Rolley over Rover. The slightest demonstration of preference one over the other will make the other jealous, which will stimulate his aggression. Both of them should exercise together until they are tired. They should get the equal share of you love and touch. The aim is be at diminishing their jealousy towards each other.

Check out my post on handling aggressive German Shepherds
Know more about German Shepherd Dog - Ultimate Destination for Resources About German Shepherd Dog

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Pituitary Dwarfism in German Shepherd Dogs

Pituitary dwarfism in German shepherd dogs is a rare kind of autosomal, recessive inherited disorder. This condition is irreparable and is characterized by the lack of growth hormone, thyrotropin, prolactin, the gonadotropins and undeveloped pituitary gland. Although these hormones are not secreted properly, yet corticotropin secretion remains unaffected, which leads to dwarfism in GSD. Research have been carried out throughout the world, on Pituitary Dwarfism in German Shepherds.

Studies have shown that mutation of a gene encoding a transcription factor which is responsible for precluding the expansion of pituitary stem cells after differentiation of corticotropic cells may be the probable cause of Pituitary dwarfism in German shepherd dog. Treating this condition is almost impossible, but identification of the specific mutation will help in a DNA test for potential breeding dogs. Selective breeding may eradicate the problem.

Pituitary dwarfism recessive inherited abnormality. Some of the highly scientific genealogical investigations have been carried out that indicated that the origin of the recessive gene is a mutation which had occurred at about 1940 or may be even before 1940s. Research have indicated that many winning dogs have been recognized to be the carriers of this genetic condition.

The genetic defect causing congenital GH deficiency in German Shepherd Dogs may be the probable cause of Dwarfism in other breeds like Carelian Bear Dogs and Saarloos Wolfhounds. Well, this may sound a bit unrealistic, but as a matter of fact the pituitary dwarfism in Carelian Bear Dogs and Saarloos Wolfhounds had been recognized for the first time after the German shepherd dogs had been used in breeding the later breeds.

Selective breeding is recommended in order to avoid undesirable traits and genetic issues in the breed.

Congenital Growth Hormone (GH) Deficiency is a medical condition present at birth in which the pituitary gland, located at the base of the brain, does not produce sufficient growth hormone. This hormone is crucial for normal growth and development in children. Without adequate growth hormone, children with this condition may experience stunted growth or fail to grow at a normal rate.

In many cases, the exact cause of congenital GH deficiency is not known. However, a couple of probable causes of Congenital GH Deficiency are:

(a) Genetic mutations: It can be caused by mutations in genes that regulate the production of growth hormone or the development of the pituitary gland.

(b) Pituitary malformations: Some pups are born with an underdeveloped or malformed pituitary gland, which affects hormone production.

Symptoms:

• Poor growth: One of the most noticeable signs is significantly slower growth compared to other pups of the same age.
• Short stature: Pups with GH deficiency are often much shorter than their peers.
• Delayed physical development: They may have immature facial and conformational features.
• Low muscle mass: Pups might appear weaker or have less muscle development.
• Hypoglycemia: Low blood sugar levels may occur, especially in newborns with severe GH deficiency.

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