You will be further taken aback when you realize that the dog you have been assuming to be a German Shepherd for years is not actually one. Yes, it is true.

There are a few dog species that look just the spitting image of GSD at a glance. It takes an eye of a dog fanatic to differentiate these species from GSD. Read on to know about these counterparts of GSD from various parts of the world, that look like cousins to your furry angel.  

Interesting dog breeds that twin GSD in looks

1. Belgian Malinois

It is one of the dogs mistaken most times for a German Shepherd. However, both look pretty similar in appearance but have no direct connection as such. Belgian Malinois is a tad bigger breed than GSD. 

Temperament-wise, it is not such a child- or family-friendly as GSD is. This Belgian Shepherd dog’s aggression needs to be controlled, and they need extra training to mix up in the family environment.

They may live a year longer than the GSD.

Tip to recognize: White and black patches near chest on Belgian Shepherd; it is not a typical GSD trait.

2. Bohemian Shepherd

We have done an entire breed battle between Bohemian and German Shepherd in our Bohemian vs. German Shepherd post. The Bohemian Shepherd may look almost like a copy; except for few pounds, the two species look no different. Hence, Bohemian Shepherd can be called the petite version of German Shepherd.

Bohemian Shepherd is found primarily in black and tan color. GSD may have other color variations like black-black and silver grey and red, apart from black and tan.

Both are fiercely protective of their humans and family. Bohemian, however, may not display separation anxiety of the same level as GSD. 

A tip to differentiate: If your dog is not displaying a high tendency to nip, chew or bite things or a low chasing tendency, you have a Bohemian Shepherd with looks similar to GSD. Also, Bohemian Shepherd shed less than GSD.

3. King Shepherd

King Shepherd is a cross-breed. The GSD was cross-bred with Shiloh Shepherd by the breeders to achieve better health and additional inches in height, and that is how King Shepherd came into existence. A guarding dog has to look intimidating and should have an extra protective streak. It seems to be the reason to breed King Shepherd when a fierce watchdog was needed to appoint for premises’ and herd’s protection.

You may find King Shepherd to surpass a couple of inches in height than a GSD. Also, it will show more aggression towards strangers or whenever it senses danger. So, you may need to train a King Shepherd more in advance if you want to have him for apartment living.

A helpful tip: The King Shepherd male may go up to 29 inches at the shoulder against GSD that may not go beyond 24 inches.

4. Tervuren Shepherd

Masked face, Black, and tan marks at places are some of the striking similarities that Tervuren holds with their German sidekicks. These dogs do give a very tough competition to GSDs in looks. 

However, a fawn and mahogany coat can become a tell-all feature of Tervuren and may save you from picking the wrong puppy. 

This dog is known for being more delicate in demeanor and is the 14th smartest dog breed against GSD, which is more intelligent than Teruvens.

A tip to tell the difference: Teruvens always have coats darker at the head, and white patches can be a glaring difference too. 

5. Shiloh Shepherd

If you ever fantasized your German Shepherd is all black, you can find Shiloh Shepherd as the answer. However, the whitish patches near the chest and legs may cause a slight disappointment. These patches mainly tell Shiloh apart from its German compadre.

Shiloh may live a year longer than German Shepherds. This breed has never wired look mane like that of GSD, but the long and rough feature is their usual style.

A quick tip to recognize: A Shiloh may tower a few cms above a Germans Shepherd. This species looks bigger and is more aggressive too. Its more wolfish appearance makes it different from GSD in looks.

6. Dutch Shepherd

Dutch Shepherd is closer in appearance to German Shepherds than Belgian Shepherds.

This breed needs closer inspection of the fur to find the hiding difference. Its mane is a more wooly undercoat in contrast with GSDs that have straight, rough fur. 

You may find GSDs taking decisions of chasing or attacking intruders without a nudge sometimes; but, Dutch Shepherd shows docile nature and wait for a command. Hence, dutch shepherds are easier to train than GSDs. 

Healthwise, these are better than German Shepherds. 

Both Dutch and German Shepherds do well with kids. They are dutiful watchdogs and love being around their family. Their wariness towards strangers is quite distinct and requires behavioral correction at times.

Dutch Shepherd offers a better deal as a working dog; GSD fits more like a family companion.

A striking feature: Wedge-shaped head of the Dutch Shepherd offers an easy identification feature. However, it will take years of training to tell them apart if observed at a glance and from a distance. 

Wrapping up,

German Shepherds and other herding dogs may not be so easy to identify distinctly from each other. On one side, other herding dogs may be healthier, more agile, or more easily trainable; and on the other, GSDs may prove great for companionship and protecting families and houses. 

The post 6 Dogs that look similar to German Shepherd appeared first on Purrfect Paws.

There is however one breed which makes it literally impossible for a newbie to distinguish it from our beloved german shepherd. These are….King Shepherds. Its very hard to find a difference between two breeds just by looking at it. You got to experience it by living with them.

We are writing this post to give you an insight into how both these amazing breeds differ in their origin, physical appearance including size comparison & coat and temperament.

King Shepherd Vs. German Shepherd

1.) Origin:

King Shepherd is the breed of Shepherd dog that falls into the biggest category. It is basically a crossbreed that has originated from a German Shepherd and the Shiloh Shepherd in their composition. Also, King Shepherd is a huge dog breed at about 25 to 31 inches tall, and they weigh between 75 to 150 pounds.

This breed, King Shepherd, was originally bred from American and European German Shepherds, Alaskan Malamutes, and the eminent Pyrenees. Their breeding was started in the early 1990s, nonetheless, an authorized breed club was established in 1995. No other breed embodies the saying, dogs are man’s best friend, more than the German Shepherd hybrid, King Shepherd.

On the other hand, the German Shepherd Dog breed is a large-sized dog that emanated in Germany in the year 1899. German Shepherds are mainly working dogs, evolved originally for herding and guarding sheep. Their strength, intelligence, and skills in obedience training are always utilized in police and military departments around the world.

2.) Physical Appearance:

As the name suggests, King Shepherds are king in size as well. They are a fusion of many breeds but mostly German Shepherd. These guys are highly intelligent, obedient, and dutiful towards their owners. Some of the highlights of their physical appearance are:

• The primary colors of King Shepherds are fawn, red, black, brown, white, and sable. Their furs or coats are generally a monopoly of two or more colors.
• The male King Shepherds are around 41-68 kg mostly, and the females are 34-50 kg.
• Their height is around 25-29 inches, which is 64-74 in centimeters.

The original German Shepherds are slightly different looking from their other breed, King Shepherds. These species appear as:

• They have a double coat, which comprises a dense undercoat and an even thicker, scarcely wavy, or straight exterior coat.
• Their fur is usually tan and black, or red and black in color.
• German Shepherds are medium in length and they shed all year round. You can find them in other color variations such as all-Black, all-White, and blue.
• This breed has a long body. Generally, they are between 22 and 26 inches.

3.) Interaction with Human Beings:

Both King Shepherd & German Shepherd are great and justify the term of being Man’s best friend. As you already read, how King Shepherds are with their owners, they are loyal, obedient, and intelligent. These guys are also versatile. Their playful nature & ability to perform various tasks makes them the perfect companion of a human being. 

King Shepherds can live in an apartment as long as you let them do plenty of exercises and stretch their legs. They will get pretty large, if they are living in an apartment, make sure your house has a big yard. This might be a more suitable setting for your dog.

German Shepherds are not so different from kings. But they are definitely a bit more aggressive (if owner doesn’t exactly know how to keep them) and suitable for police work. These guys are versatile and do their job efficiently in police or military departments as guide dogs. They are the best breed for herding. They are very fond of their master and have unconditional love if treated the right way. They too are big in size, hence give them space to move and play. They can be your best friend for life in every situation.

4.) Behavior & Temperament:

The comparison between them depends on many things, behavior is one of them. Different people have different needs from their dogs. Although these two breeds share many similar traits, they have slightly different characters.

Both German Shepherds and King Shepherds are athletic dog breeds. But King Shepherds are not as intense as German Shepherds can become at times. Both of them require their space, long walks, and jogs, playful exercises.

Also, it is best to offer them some training & tricky exercises. Both of them possess heavy IQs, and their minds are always active. Along with their playful nature, both of these are highly competitive dog breeds. 

5.) Characteristics:

Both King Shepherds & German Shepherds are much alike in nature. King Shepherds are competent and are evaluated as easy to train.

They make outstanding family pets but can similarly be trained for many tasks, comprising herding, police work, or as a guide or service dog. King Shepherds are very defensive of their households and families. They are not shy, usually a bit more civil to strangers than German Shepherds.

On the other end, German Shepherds are widely acknowledged for their guarding attitude towards their homes and families, often known as intelligent, devoted dogs. Nevertheless, they can be hostile with strangers, and they may furthermore be aggressive towards other dogs if they assume them as a threat to their habitat.

6.) Breeding:

King Shepherds are a rare breed that closely resembles German Shepherds. They are a mixing breed, loyal in nature, and protective of their family. King Shepherds aren’t greatly recognized by the American Kennel Club, but their huge size makes them stand out among their close relatives, such as Shepherds and herding dogs. As their name suggests, King Shepherds are gigantic shepherd hybrids. Evolving from the cross-breeding of German and Shiloh Shepherds.

German Shepherds were originally cultivated from the herding dogs of middle and southern Germany. Standardized breeding commenced once the first breed federation was founded in 1889, with the purpose of eliciting an athletic, versatile, high-achieving working dog. They are known to be the protective dogs of their masters.

Wrapping up,

It is because of their nature, both of the dog breeds are suitable as pets. King Shepherd is more likely to be friendly than German Shepherd, but both of them can be trained & protect their family from any danger. If you are thinking of getting one of them, wait no longer!

The post King shepherd vs German Shepherd: Size comparison & Temperament difference appeared first on Purrfect Paws.

This guide will help you to pick the dog with original purebred features. While there are several ways to verify that the german shepherd dog is a pure breed or not, we have covered all the distinctive features below that will surely aid in simplifying the identification process for you!

10 Body Features That Help in Identifying A Purebred Original German Shepherd

1. Color

Colors have a significant role in portraying if a dog from German Shepherd is original in its breed or not. The variants found in colors of dogs from German shepherd breed are many, where eight patterns are most common – pure black, pure white, black and tan, etc.

Though most of the colors are permissible, strong colors have a greater say. Also, lighter colors, off colors, pale and washed are not the ones you are looking for if you want a purebred german shepherd. Furthermore, white dogs must never be selected since they aren’t part of an original breed at all. In comparison, the other colors are said to vary from one country to another. YOu can check playbarkrun‘s guide on german shepherd coat length and colors.

2. Fore and Hind Quarters 

The original German Shepherd’s forequarters are muscular with lengthy shoulder blades that are angled too. Along with this, the forefoot and hindfoot are proportioned similarly for moving simultaneously in opposite directions. The shoulder blades have a vibrant melange with the upper arm, intersecting at a right angle. Though the limbs are straight, the angles are oval-shaped and not round. 

According to the source, the pasterns, sloping part of foot found between fetlock and hook, are springy and valiant, and they form a twenty-five degrees angle from vertical. Also, with regards to Hind Quarters, a pure german Shepherd would possess broad and muscular hindquarters where the upper thigh could subsequently meet the lower thigh in ninety degrees.

3. Head 

The originally bred German Shepherd dog’s head is strong, noble, and purely chiseled. It shouldn’t be coarse. The size of the head also matters and ought to be proportionate to the entire body size having a keen and intelligent expression. The head of a male German Shepherd dog is distinctly masculine, whereas the head is distinctly feminine in the case of a bitch (female dog). The head is carried forward so high by the dog in times of great excitement and attention. However, the rest of the time, the head of the dog would be slightly higher than the shoulder’s top. Finally, the common expression is said to be quite composed as well as intelligent. 

4. Ears

There are a few considerations to be kept in mind while reviewing the originality of the dog from its ears. The first consideration is regarding the drooping of the ears in puppies of every breed. Many proud German shepherd owners share for other breed puppies; the ears droop may be sideways while for pure German Shepherd, the ears droop straight downwards.

As the pup grows to become an adult dog, it can be spotted in an instant because of the shape and sharpness of the ears. The dog’s ears will become significantly pointed, but not extremely. The size of the ears will also be proportional to the size of the entire head. Their head can be seen in such a way that both the ears’ central line runs parallel to each other and is perpendicular to the ground. Thus, a dog with drooping/cropped ears, even after growing, shouldn’t be taken at all.

5. Eyes

The eyes of each dog have many stories to say. This adage applies to the breed of German Shepherd too, and one can judge if a dog is a purebred original one, with its eyes also. The ideal original German Shepherd’s eyes are of medium size, resembles the shape of an almond. They do not protrude but are set slightly oblique. The color of the eyes is also preferred to be as dark in complexion as possible.

6. Teeth

The ideal original German Shepherd jaw has forty-two teeth, with the dentition, being twenty-two in the lower jaw, and twenty in the upper jaw. The upper and lower jaws are also strongly developed and have their blend in a scissors-bite. It is where a section of the upper incisors’ inner surface meets and confluences with the lower incisors’ external surface. There are preferences in choosing with respect to dentition. Complete dentition is always desired and preferred. 

Thus, a study shows that a dog with any teeth missing apart from the first set of premolars mustn’t be considered for the pure breed, and it is a severe fault to have missing teeth. At the same time, jaw with overshot/level bite is also not favored. In the same way, a dog with an undershot bite cannot be considered as well.

7. Coat

Facts show that an ideal dog from a German shepherd breed has a double coat, which is of medium length and can be wiry too. But, most importantly, the double layer of coat needs to be plush, implying that a fluffy coat must be found beneath the outer coat, which in turn gives the fur some volume. 

However, shorter coats are also accepted from standards. With regards to the outer coat, it has to be as voluminous as possible, roughly textured, and in close association with the body. The primary and common faults found in other non-original breeds are lengthy coats or curly/woolly/silky/open coats.

8. Feet

According to a reliable source, the feet of the original German Shepherd is usually short, round, and possess compact and well-arched toes. The footpads are tough and thick, but not rough or chapped. The footpads are also short, and the nails are dark, small, and strong. Also, the dewclaws might be found in the hind legs but shall be removed-front dewclaws are not removed usually but can be removed. The rear dewclaws must be removed, if any is found, in a few days after the birth.

9. Gait

As per official AKC standard, German Shepherd dogs are basically trotting dogs that have a greater outreach and an effortless stride where the maximum possible ground is covered with minimal effort. Thus, the gait of a dog, for it to be original German Shepherd, must be smooth, effortless, and in a rhythmic pattern which is accomplished with the hindquarters offering a mighty forward leap, that marginally lifts the dog and takes the body forward.

10. Tail

The tail of an original German shepherd is fluffy, set smoothly into the hindquarters with the last vertebra extending till the hock joint. Also, if the dog rests, the tail must hang in a smooth slight curve like a sword. Meanwhile, if the dog is in motion, the tail lifts and raises with a highly pronounced curve. Also, it is a must to consider the fact that the tail must never curl forward beyond the demarcated vertical line.

Closing note

It’s always amusing and rewarding to own a purebred original German shepherd. The amount of excitement, loyalty, assistance, commitment, intelligence offered by it is simply awe-inspiring.  But, one must carefully analyze their physical features like gait, eyes, ears, head, foot, etc. for choosing the right German Shepherd of original breed, if one aspires for a pure one.

Now that you have known about all the relevant information, we are sure you will be able to get the purebred dog easily. You may also check out different varieties of original german shepherd dogs before buying the right one!

The post 10 traits to look for in pure bred original german shepherd appeared first on Purrfect Paws.