The German shepherd is a well-known dog breed throughout the world, as these dogs are easily identified by their black fur with lighter areas. However, did you know that there are different types of German Shepherd? That's how it is!
These different types have been developed in various parts of the world, so each one has its own characteristics and peculiarities. If you are interested in knowing which are the varieties in which this breed can be presented, then do not miss this article on our site. Read on to find out what are the types of German Shepherd!
German Shepherd Characteristics
The German shepherd is a breed of sheepdog or shepherd originating from Germany, as the name suggests. Its origin dates back to 1899, when the breed was developed by Maximilian von Stephanitz to serve as a companion in farm work, especially in the task of protecting and guiding flocks of sheep.
This is a breed characterized by its flexible, muscular and strong body, which is why the German Shepherd is considered an excellent dog guard, which is why he is also currently trained as a police dog.
The German Shepherd has a life expectancy of 15 years and is usually identified by its black fur with brown patches However, did you know that there are several types of German shepherd? The breed has been developed in different parts of the world over the years, this has led to the appearance of varieties that today are recognized as types of German Shepherd. Find out what they are below!
How many kinds of German Shepherd are there?
In reality, the official organizations that determine the standards of canine breeds only differentiate two classes of German Shepherd: theshort-haired german shepherd and the long-haired german shepherd Thus, these are the only accepted German shepherds officially. However, within these groups, we find different types of German shepherd in terms of the color of their coat:
- Black German Shepherd
- Sable German Shepherd
- Panda German Shepherd
- White German Shepherd
It should be noted that the white German Shepherd variety is not accepted by organizations such as the FCI. Likewise, although there are many that include the Belgian shepherd or the Czechoslovakian wolfdog within the types of German shepherd, the truth is that they constitute independent breeds. Below we talk about each of the varieties and point out the most important characteristics.
1. Black German Shepherd
The black German shepherd is a variety characterized by a muscular and strong body, like the traditional German shepherd, but with a completely black coat, short or long. The color comes from a recessive gene.
Due to its agility and intelligence, this variety is used as a working German shepherd, so it is commonly part of brigades to detect explosives. They are also good at sports, as they love to run and chase objects.
two. German shepherd sable
This type of German Shepherd is the best known, its physical characteristics and the distribution of its coat colors are those that are generally distinguish the breed of German Shepherd. Therefore, it presents a black or grayish coat or yellow or light brown spots and stripes.
This is a strong dog and an excellent watchdog, but it also has a friendly, familiar and affectionate temperament.
3. Panda German Shepherd
The Panda German Shepherd has a curious and striking appearance that complicates the task of being easily identified as a variety of the breed. Due to a genetic mutation, this type of German Shepherd has a white coat on the abdomen and legs, while the back and muzzle are distributedblack and brown areas or yellow.
Like other varieties of German shepherd, it has a muscular and agile body, ideal for being raised in families with activities that like outdoor entertainment.
4. White German Shepherd
The white-haired German shepherd variety owes its origin to a dominant gene that appears in some litters, so it should not be confuse coat color with albinism. This type of German shepherd is not accepted, so it is not very common to find it.
Like all German shepherd dogs, it is a faithful and protective dog that has often been used as support in therapy, especially since he loves to play and is usually very affectionate with people.
Sometimes it is often confused with the White Swiss Shepherd breed due to its similarities, which was not recognized by canine associations until 2002.
German shepherd-like dogs
As we have already said, the only recognized types of German Shepherds are long-haired and short-haired. Likewise, we find different color patterns that can also be classified as German Shepherd varieties, regardless of the length of their coat.
Erongly, there is a tendency to confuse the German Shepherd breed with other fully differentiated breeds that are accepted independently. The breeds most similar to the German shepherd are the following:
Belgian Shepherd
This breed is native to Belgium, where it made its appearance several years before the German Shepherd breed was established. He is considered an excellent herding dog, but also a good house dog, as he has a playful and faithful personality.
It is characterized by yellow or light brown fur, either short, long or almost curly. There is also a sub-variety of black mantle. Likewise, there are different types of Belgian Shepherd: the Malinois, the Laekenois, the Tervueren and the Groenendael.
Czechoslovakian Wolfdog
This dog originates from the former Czechoslovakia, where it was used as a working dog, especially as a border guard and policeman canine. The breed comes from the crossing of a German shepherd with a kapatenwolf, this being the main reason why these dogs are so similar and, in turn, confused like a kind of german shepherd.
It is characterized by black fur on its back and dark brown on its legs and abdomen. Like the previous dogs, they are agile, strong and muscular.
Dutch Shepherd
This is a dog that shares origins with different breeds, such as the Belgian shepherd and the German shepherd, which is evident in its physical characteristics, as it has an equally muscular and large body with raised ears.
This breed is distinguished by its coat, since the most common coat is brindle, with black and brown or yellow spots that are distributed throughout the body.
Working German Shepherd
In addition to the length of its coat and its color, the body of the German Shepherd can be more or less stylized, more or less muscular, leading us to differentiate between a German Shepherd for work and a German Shepherd for beauty. These could also be considered as other types of German shepherd, since they are all part of the same breed of dog, although they have small differences.
Focusing on working dogs, in general, they have a greater musculature, a characteristic that allows them to act as police dogs, guards, etc., although they are also good companions at home, especially in families that enjoy playing sports with their pets.
The working German Shepherd can be any of the shades described above, have long or short hair, although it usually comes in the most common color pattern, the sable.
Does the Dwarf German Shepherd exist?
The Dwarf German Shepherd is not recognized as a small version of the breed, as it is a genetic mutation that leads to various he alth conditions, such as thyroid problems, so breeding of parents with these characteristics is discouraged.
