German Shepherds came about as a result of one man’s need to create the perfect dog for herding. His name was Captain Max von Stephanitz. He looked to create the perfect dog for herding and brought all the best herding dogs in Central Germany and North Germany, bred them together, and created his masterpiece; The German Shepherd.
This dog breed has gained about the most dog recognition and acceptance all over the world. Although it was created to herd sheep in time past, it is now used for other intelligence jobs like assisting blind or disabled people, used as a military and police dog, used as a rescue dog, amongst others.
German Shepherds make up the larger number of police dogs in the United States; this goes to show how good a guard dog the German Shepherd is.
This special dog breed has a variety and in this article, we will be discussing the various types of German Shepherd breed and working lines. Keep reading!
What Are The Different Types Of German Shepherd?
Looking to get a cute, smart puppy as an addition to the family, one that would double as a family pet and a protection dog for you and your family? Search no further; The German Shepherd is your guy.
This dog breed is not only smart with the brain level of a two and half years old human child, it is also a perfect guard dog for your family due to its military training from its inception and would be a perfect choice to satisfy both your needs.
There are different types of German Shepherd, each with its unique qualities, you would love them all. Each of these different types are categorized into two breeds: The Show Line and The Working Line.
The Show lines are categorized based on their coats and looks in general while the working lines are categorized based on their health and unique personalities. Let’s get straight to discussing this breed varieties.
Working Lines Of German Shepherd
The German Shepherd dog has different dogs on this working line, based on their personalities, abilities and health. They are:
- The West German Shepherd
This German Shepherd type is considered to be the German Shepherd that Max von Stephanitz originally created and so is said to be of very high quality, possibly the highest.
The purpose of breeding these dogs was for them to be working dogs and so more attention was placed on their strength, attentiveness, temperaments and trainability, more than their looks. Even though the focus is on their abilities, the West German Shepherd is quite a cute, handsome dog and would be perfect as family pet.
- The East German Shepherd
Even after the end of World War II, this German Shepherd type continued to be develop and remain in existence. The East German Shepherd has a very distinct appearance; big head, dark pigment, a deep chest and an athletic form. In addition to his looks, the East German Shepherd is a very intelligent dog with super stamina.
The East German Shepherd requires physical activities and mental stimulation to function properly. He is always motivated to work and has good temperament but must be trained by an experienced and capable hand.
- Czech German Shepherd
The Czech German Shepherds were bred for the sole purpose of being military dogs, patrolling the borders of the city. This type of German Shepherds are mostly used as rescue dogs, and police dogs since they have the required intelligence and strength to do the job.
They are similar to the East German Shepherds as they also have dark pigments, are well-built and have good stamina. They are also more similar in character with wolves than all other types of German Shepherds.
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Show Lines Of German Shepherd
The German Shepherd dog has 5 different dogs on this show line, based on looks. They are:
- Black German Shepherd
Also referred to as Solid Color German Shepherd, this type of German Shepherd dog is not very common. Rarely, you would find some Black German Shepherds with sprinkles of powdered blue on their skin and these types, however rare they are, are not seen as solid color German Shepherds due to the dent in their black color.
A Black German Shepherd with blue spots on their coat would certainly lose some points in a show line competition because of the dent in their coat.
- White German Shepherd
Like the Black German Shepherd, the white German shepherd is also referred to as Solid Color German Shepherd but they are genetically different in that while the White German Shepherd got its color as a result of dominant genes, the Black German Shepherds got theirs as a result of recessive genes.
The White German Shepherd (Solid Color German Shepherd) has white as its predominant color, having rich, beautiful, white furs.
Despite their beauty, the White German Shepherds were disqualified from the show line competition, which may or may not have resulted in them being are one of the rarest German Shepherd types.
- Sable German Shepherd
When it comes to beauty, the Sable German Shepherd is one of the top ranking German Shepherds. The Sable is beautiful and has a very unique appearance. Their coat color is fusion of tan, black and grey. They are not born with this color fusion.
At birth, they are mostly tan all over but as they grow older, the other colors begin to develop and become more dominant, giving them that unique beauty.
Depending on their individual genes, any 1 or 2 colors can be more dominant than the others in each Sable German Shepherd. The Sable German Shepherds were also known as Agouti dogs due to their unique coats.
- Panda German Shepherd
The Panda German Shepherds have coats that are very similar to pandas, hence their name. Their fur pattern is considered to be one of the rare, not too common patterns; they got this fur pattern as a result of genetic mutation. This type of German Shepherd has a black and white coat with slight tan.
Usually, their legs are the only part of their coat with a tan; their backs are the parts of their coats that is black; their chest, mouth and stomach are white. The opinion of a large number of the general public is that the Panda German Shepherd is a mixed breed and it is an unhealthy dog, both of which are conclusions made because of its coat.
Quite the contrary; Panda German Shepherd are neither mixed breed nor unhealthy dogs. They are a pure German Shepherd breed and just as healthy and agile as other types of German Shepherds.
- Saddle Coat German Shepherd
Saddle Coat or Saddle Back German Shepherds are the ones with the most recognition, among other German Shepherd types. Asides the Solid Color German Shepherds, every other type of German Shepherd have at least two dominant colors on their coats and the Saddle Coat is not an exception.
What makes the Saddle Back different, however, is the distinction in their color pattern. They are usually black, red or tan in color.
Every otehr parts of their fur is tan or red, except their back which has a black patch that has a semblance to a horse’s saddle, hence its name. many people refer to the Saddle Coat’s pattern as a Blanket Pattern since the black saddle-like patch on their backs portrays a blanket on them.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What Is The Best Breed Of German Shepherd?
West German is the best breed of German Shepherd. This breed encapsulates all the qualities needed in a dog. They not only possess physical strength, intelligence and ability to assimilate and learn quickly, they are also good-looking and suitable family pets.
Summary
Now that you know the different types of German Shepherds, their looks and different personalities, you might be confused as to which German Shepherd type to go for. Knowing the exact trait you want in your dog will help you know what to look out for.
Also, you should pick a German Shepherd based on the amount of time and efforts you are willing to put into his training, as the different types of German Shepherds require different amounts of time and efforts to keep them stimulated. The right German Shepherd for you and your family is out there.
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