German Shepherd

The German Shepherd was standardised in the late nineteenth century by Captain Max von Stephanitz, who aimed to create the ideal working herding dog. The breed's remarkable intelligence, versatility and willingness to work quickly saw it adopted for police, military, guarding and search-and-rescue duties around the world.

German Shepherds are deeply loyal and protective of their family, forming strong bonds and thriving when given a clear purpose. They need substantial physical exercise and mental challenge, along with early socialisation to temper their natural wariness of strangers. Their dense double coat sheds steadily, with heavier moulting twice a year.