German Shepherd Dog: A Comprehensive Guide to Owning and Caring for Your Dog (Comprehensive Owner's Guide)

Susan Samms

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1593782012 ISBN 13: 9781593782016

Publisher: CompanionHouse Books, 2003

Since the breed’s creation at the turn of the twentieth century, the German Shepherd Dog has been one of the world’s most sought-after purebred dogs, prized for his intelligence, handsome looks, and uncanny versatility. This Comprehensive Owner’s Guide serves as an ideal introduction to this dog of dogs, that serves humankind as a companion, protector, police dog, herding dog, military dog, search and rescue dog, Seeing Eye dog, and therapy dog, to name a few of the breed’s modern-day roles.. The breed’s origins are retold in the first chapter, beginning with the efforts of Max Emil Friedrich von Stephanitz to standardize the sheep-herding dogs in Germany in the 1890s and following the breed’s importation to the United States, where the German Shepherd Dog has been a favored companion, show dog, and competition trial dog since the 1920s. The chapter on the breed’s characteristics focuses on owner suitability, describing the GSD’s physical and mental traits, versatility, agility, and requirements. The breed standard is presented in the third chapter, giving the readers a clear view of how the ideal GSD should look, act, and move.

New owners will welcome the well-prepared chapter on finding a reputable breeder and selecting a healthy, sound puppy. Chapters on puppy-proofing the home and yard, purchasing the right supplies for the puppy as well as house-training, feeding, and grooming are illustrated with photographs of handsome adults and puppies. In all, there are over 135 full-color photographs in this useful and reliable volume. The author’s advice on obedience training will help the reader better mold and train into the most well-mannered dog in the neighborhood. The extensive and lavishly illustrated chapter on healthcare provides up-to-date detailed information on selecting a qualified veterinarian, vaccinations, preventing and dealing with parasites, infectious diseases, and more. Sidebars throughout the text offer helpful hints, covering topics as diverse as historical dogs, breeders, or kennels, toxic plants, first aid, crate training, carsickness, fussy eaters, and parasite control. Fully indexed.

Synopsis:

Traces the history of the breed, describes breed standards, discusses care and grooming requirements, and includes information on training.

From the Inside Flap:

This book is designed to introduce the reader to the German Shepherd Dog, one of the world’s most popular and resourceful purebred dogs. Given the great popularity of German Shepherd Dogs, much information disseminated about them is unsubstantiated and untrue. This book provides the much-needed factual information about German Shepherd Dogs and their ancestry, character and standard, as well as the proper selection, feeding, training, preventative health care and behaviour of the breed. The new owner will welcome advice about puppy-proofing the home, preparing for the pup’s arrival and preventing puppy problems. In addition to an extremely authoritative text, this book presents over 135 photographs in full colour, which prove to be as informative as they are attractive. Helpful hints and important information are highlighted to provide easy access to everything the reader needs to know about life with a German Shepherd. Whether it’s housebreaking problems, hip dysplasia or fleas, this book is the way to prevention, providing the reader with the necessary guidance an owner needs from puppyhood through the senior years. Recommended by top breeders and trainers, this book is the responsible first choice of every new owner of a German Shepherd Dog. Topics discussed include: Ancestry of the German Shepherd Dog; Why the German Shepherd Dog?; Breed Standard for the German Shepherd Dog; Your German Shepherd puppy; Everyday care of your German Shepherd Dog; Housebreaking and training your German Shepherd Dog; Health care of German Shepherd Dogs; When your German Shepherd Dog gets old; Showing your German Shepherd Dog; Understanding your dog's behaviour.