German Shepherd
Confident / Courageous / Smart
Facts
Generally considered dogkind's finest all-purpose worker, the German Shepherd Dog 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.
German Shepherd Dogs can stand as high as 26 inches at the shoulder and, when viewed in outline, presents 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.
Why Care about our Friends with Paws
There are about 70 million stray animals living in the U.S., and of this 70 million, only about six to eight million cats and dogs enter the nation’s 3,500 shelters every year, according to the Humane Society of the United States.
The two main reasons animals end up in shelters are because they’ve either been surrendered by their guardians or picked up off the street by animal control officers.
Only about three to four million cats and dogs are adopted from shelters each year. This means that nearly half of all animals that arrive in U.S. shelters are euthanized because there is a lack of space and adopters, amounting to roughly 2.7 million dead animals every year or five out of every ten dogs and seven out of every ten cats.
Helping vulnerable animals and keeping our friends with paws in safe and loving homes requires a commitment from all of us—advocates, pet owners, shelters, leaders, and entire communities.
