About German Shepherd Dogs
German Shepherd dogs (abbreviated GSDs) can stand as high as 26 inches at the shoulder and when viewed in outline, present a picture of smooth, graceful curves rather than angles. The natural gait is a free-and-easy trot, but they can turn it up a notch or two and reach great speeds.
There are many reasons why German Shepherds stand in the front rank of canine royalty, but experts say their defining attribute is character: loyalty, courage, confidence, the ability to learn commands for many tasks, and the willingness to put their life on the line in defense of loved ones. German Shepherds will be gentle family pets and steadfast guardians, but the breed standard says, there’s a “certain aloofness that does not lend itself to immediate and indiscriminate friendships.”
Generally considered dogkind’s finest all-purpose worker, the German Shepherd is a large, agile, muscular dog of noble character and high intelligence. Loyal, confident, courageous, and steady, the German Shepherd is truly a dog lover’s delight.
The History of The Czech German Shepherd
Czech Shepherd dogs originated in the communist Czechoslovakia as government working dogs. They were bred from the DDR Shepherd lines. The original dogs that were used for the breeding were obtained from East Germany (DDR) and the program was based on factors such as strong nerves, masculinity, working potential and dark coloration. Czech Shepherd and DDR German Shepherds are similar in many ways, even though they are two different types of the German Shepherd dog breed.
There are a few notable differences though: First and foremost, the DDR/East German Shepherd dogs were bred in East Germany while the Czech GSD was originally developed on the German/Czech border. The DDR/East German Alsatians are normally darker than their Czech counterparts and their dark pigmentation is generally more pronounced compared to the GSDs of Czechoslovakian origin.
The Czech Shepherd dogs have a relatively larger and stronger body, and are generally heavier compared to the DDR Alsatians. Czech Alsatians were developed for protecting the national borders. Most of the Czech German Shepherd dogs contain phenomenal working drives and tend to be intense, agile dogs.
The Physical Appearance of The Czech Shepherd Dog
The German Shepherd working lines are all very similar when it comes to their physical appearance, especially the Czech Shepherds and the DDR SSDs.
They were all bred to have dense/thick bones, thicker heads, larger chests, stronger muscles and a denser appearance. This is because both the DDR and Czech Shepherds were originally bred for working purposes and various dog sporting activities.
Unlike the German Shepherd show lines that bear the typical saddle pigmentation, these dogs have a generally more uniform coloration with the most common colors being black, dark brown and wolfish grey.
Their ears are relatively small, but they still possess the same strong jaws and body that enable them to chase down and catch criminals.
Sable German Shepherds Are More Common In Working Lines
They have blended fur, which means that each individual hair is multi-colored. Common colors include silver, brown, black, and sometimes even red. These hairs are usually masked by a layer of black hair.
Their coats change a lot over the first two years of their lives, so it can be difficult to predict what a sable puppy will look like as an adult. Sable patterns come in many different varieties, with black over cream being the most common. Liver over cream, black over red, and silver over cream are also possible.
Gray GSDs are a type of sable, but their fur is more wolf-like in color. This color is often called “wolf gray.” These dogs may have coats that are black over silver or gray over silver.
**Information compiled from multiple online sources including "howtotrainthedog.com", "echoridgek9.com" and others
Additional information/resources on the subject of GSDs can be found at: https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/german-shepherd-dog/