German Shepherd Puppies Blog

This little German Shepherd pup is ready for a play. What a position to take!

A tiny German Shepherd puppy ready to jump! He will make a perfect watchdog when he grows up.

With no doubt, the German shepherd is one of the most popular breeds in the world. Aside from being efficient police dogs to aid officers in tracking criminals or canine rescue units, they are also television icons such as the famous Rin-Tin-Tin.

Thousands of them are being used by militaries as sentries. They are highly trained and motivated; this is not merely as hard for them to be trained for they are highly intelligent.  Having a good generation of puppies is a dream for owners and breeders alike.

However it is important to know what to expect from their first litter. It is said that they can give birth to many, some or none. The first litter can be as many as 12 puppies but then due to factors such as stillborns, sickness or accidentally squashing, several only survive. From the 12 maybe 3 to 8 puppies are in good shape. Knowing what may happen can prompt owners to take steps in preventing unfortunate events when the happy moment arrives.

Want to know more?

The German Shepherd Handbook is a comprehensive resource providing you with all the information you ever need to know about your German Shepherd. The author of the book, Michael Tapscott, spent months researching and observing the breed to answer all your questions about German Shepherds. The German Shepherd Handbook is available for purchase at a bargain $37.

Captain Max Von Stephanitz was responsible for the development and naming of the German Shepherd way back in 1899. His initial goal was to breed the best herding dog. When he retired from the military he focused on his passion for breeding. He learned techniques from the British and attended dog shows to find a dog with the most desirable traits. Eventually finding a wolf-like dog, Von Stephanitz bought an Hektor Linksrhein and then changed it to Horand V Grafeth. With this dog, he created a society, the Verein fur Deutsche Schaferhunde or “German Shepherd” as to reach his goal of the best herding dog.

However, his goal of having the best herding dog was side tracked as Germany was turning to industrialization. But, due to the intelligence, strength and agility of the breed, it easily found its way to work for the police and the military.  The popularity of the breed went over the top when World War I veteran, Corporal Lee Duncan brought home a puppy from France and trained him into the famous canine, Rin Tin Tin.

If this post made you want to learn more about the history of the breed, you should consult the German Shepherd Handbook. It contains a very thorough section about the history of the breed including how they came to exist, how they developed, how different cots evolved, behavioral differences between different bloodlines, the breed standard, the consequence of the popularity of the breed, where the “Alsatian Wolf Dog” name comes from and a lot more. To find out more, visit the official German Shepherd Handbook website.