Sometimes I feel like the short-haired German Shepherd breed is understated. They’re still German Shepherds. They’re amazingly smart and hard-working. Guess what. Short-haired German Shepherd dogs even have perks that long-haired German Shepherd dogs don’t.
Today, I have compiled a lot of data about German Shepherds. Who has short hair and created this guide for you. If you’re thinking of adopting a German Shepherd and you live in a cold climate. Then continue reading this post to know what kind of German Shepherd Dog you should choose.
Long-haired German shepherds are rarer, and because their fur is considered a defect by the AKC. They are not known as an official breed. The good news is that if you aren’t seeking a show dog. The long-haired German shepherd can make an excellent pet.
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What Does Short-Haired and Long Haired German Shepherds Have In Common?
Long-haired German shepherds are the product of autosomal recessive genes and are thus considered a “fault” by the AKC. But many GSD enthusiasts prize the long-haired German shepherd for their beautiful, silky coats.
Why? Because aside from the length of their fur, long- and short-haired German shepherds are mostly the same. The specific things people compare with the classic short-haired German shepherd are just as prevalent in their long-haired counterparts.
There are different points you need to read about both long-hair and short hair German Shepherds.
Life Expectancy
On average, you can expect a long- or short-haired German shepherd to live 10 – 13 years. Decent diet, frequent exercise, and regular veterinary visits can all help prolong the life of your GSD.
Loyalty and Friendship
Like all dogs, German shepherds will give back the love and kindness shown to them. They will also be loyal protectors to their owners and families. And this is true of both lengthy- and short-haired varieties.
Highly Intelligent
The GSD is highly prising for its aptitude to learn. Many dog experts consider the breed to be the most intelligent in the world. The dogs are entirely known for how easy they are to train.
German Shepherds Are Known for Their Temperament
Long-haired German shepherds and short-haired alike are widely prized for their curious, intelligent, confident, and highly trainable personalities. Their ability to adapt practically any new skill and complete any task set before them. Allowed them to excel as police and military K-9s, guard dogs, show dogs, and associate animals.
Their dedication and alertness mean they will make ideal protectors for you and your family. Parents with children can feel secure with a German shepherd in the house. Knowing that it will be the first to detect the warning signs of a possible intruder.
Because they are possessive of their owners, German shepherds tend to behave indifferently toward people they don’t know. Managing you an additional level of protection if you’re walking alone, especially at night.
German shepherds are sometimes said to have “one-track minds,” and this helps explain their utility as working dogs. When being taught a new skill, they will give it their full attention until they have mastered it.
If assigned a task to do, they will commit to it thoroughly until the task is done. The primary drawback of this personality trait is that if a GSD does not have a job. It may try to burn off some of its nervous energy through destructive behaviors like chewing.
Because this breed is so prone to separation anxiety. It’s common for them to bark, scratch, and chew when left alone for prolonged periods. Unwanted behaviors like these can be curtailed in a few different ways.
Securing the dog gets enough exercise and attention when you’re home, crating the dog when leaving home for short periods, and ensuring the dog has something to keep it entertained, like a favorite chew toy or a puzzle like a Kong.
When training your German shepherd, positive reinforcement is preferable to harsher forms of discipline. These dogs thrive on praise from their owners, and when their knowledge and dedication are repaid, they will be even more eager to replicate their good job the second time around. Because they are so highly food-motivated, small treats can help cover them to perform at a higher level.
Long-haired German Shepherd vs Short haired
Although a short-haired German shepherd sheds everywhere, brushing them on routine could reduce the amount of hair they shed. Also, both short-haired and long-haired German Shepherds are prone to getting their hair tangled and matted, which is why the daily brushing regime is recommended.
Not only would that keep your German Shepherds coat looking beautiful and healthy, but you’ll also save your precious four-legged best friend from being in pain. Hair matting is very painful as they tend to form near your dog’s skin, making that area very sore.
So please brush your dog’s hair regularly to prevent that sort of pain, reduce their hair shedding, and make your German Shepherd look glorious and stunning with their healthy hair.
In case you need more reason to motivate you to brush your dog’s hair daily, remember that you’ll be reducing the amount of hair that should be vacuumed.
Doing ten to fifteen minutes of daily brushing while sitting will save you from experiencing back pain while cleaning and removing your German Shepherd’s hair from all around the house. Speaking of vacuuming,
you’re going to need a vacuum that is specifically made for pet owners. Not, it is not just a gimmick to sell more spaces. These vacuumed have a lot of unique features that will make your hair and dust vacuuming easier, faster, and just more efficient in general.
German Shepherd: Their Grooming Needs
Whether you end up adopting a long-haired German Shepherd or a short-haired German Shepherd, you must take the time to brush their hair daily. It would be better for you if you clean the outside of your house to save your self the pain of removing their hair from your carpets, furniture, and clothes.
Your German Shepherd Needs a Time For Learning
It would help if you gave proper time your short- or long-haired German shepherd something to do to help keep its busy mind occupied and to help it burn off energy. As we mentioned above, these dogs are highly creative and full of vitality.
They’re also prone to separation anxiety, and these traits combined can spell trouble if your dog is left alone with little to do. Daily exercise should be a consistent part of your dog’s daily routine. This method can include walking, jogging, trips to an off-leash dog park for a game of fetch or Frisbee, swimming, or even agility training.
If your German shepherd is primarily an indoor dog, you can also offer puzzle toys to keep their minds active. Most puzzle toys take advantage of a dog’s natural inclination toward food-motivation by asking them to solve a problem before being rewarded with treats.
Specially designed puzzle bowls also serve the dual purpose of forcing a dog. Who likes to eat fast to slow down, which can help limit the regurgitation. Sometimes occurs when a dog gobbles its food.
One of the simplest and most popular puzzle toys is the Kong, a durable rubber chew toy with an unfilled space inside where you can put kibble, milk bones, or other treats.
They’re available in a range of sizes, including an extra-large size appropriate for your German shepherd. Because Kong demands the dog’s full attention to extract the delicious treat inside. You can rest assured that it will keep your German shepherd owned. And its mind busy for a good long while.
German Shepherd’s Diet
A dog’s diet should vary according to their age, which makes perfect sense. Us humans come to this world and survive our first year or two on milk, but as we grow. Our bodies need us to eat a variety of different foods. To get the nutrition our bodies need to build, develop repair, and function.
The same thing happens with dogs. What they eat when their two months old is different from what they should eat when they’re one year old. However, no matter how old they are, your German Shepherd’s food should be of high quality. Packed with all the nutrients and vitamins that their bodies need. Ask your vet for food recommendations that are going to suit your short-haired and Long-haired German Shepherd the best.
One important thing you should beware of in that. You shouldn’t feed your German Shepherd table scraps, peculiarly if they’re cooked bones. Doing that once every here now and then is fine, but don’t make that a regular habit.
How Much German Shepherd Cost?
Because the long-haired german shepherd is not AKC recognized. You can expect to procure them for less than a registered breed short-haired GSD would cost. However, it would help if you kept in mind that choosing any dog from a less reputable breeder. It means risking the possibility of unforeseen health problems in the future.
Before buying or adopting a dog, you should do the cost-benefit investigation to determine. Whether these are expenses you can afford. Short-haired German shepherds will cost more if you buy them purebred and if they come from a reputable breeder. Generally ranging anywhere from $500 to $1500 per puppy.
Though it may be tempting to purchase these dogs from pet stores, online, or puppy mills. We must advise against this practice, as dogs produced from these sources are often kept in unsanitary conditions, prone to medical problems, and improperly cared for. In the long run, it will be worth it to you to spend more upfront for a healthier pet later.
Does German Shepherd Shed Alot?
When choosing between a long-haired German shepherd and short-haired for a pet. You may find yourself weighing the pros and cons of their coats and how much clean-up you’ll have to do. Is your selecting German Shepherd Shed or not. You can verify from the breed owner about all these issues. Because he is aware of all these issues from the back of the breeding pair.
Though it may seem logical to assume that long-haired german shepherd shed more hair. The reality is that both breeds are equally guilty of copious shedding.
The main difference between the two breeds is that while a short-haired German shepherd tends to drop loose hair quickly, the long-haired breed will carry a lot of shed hair in its coat.
Check How to control german shepherd shedding. Especially in the spring and winter, when animals naturally lose their hair, you can expect your long-haired GSD’s undercoat to thin out, and the shed fibers remain trapped in its outer coat.
As a dog owner, you can’t stop your German shepherd from shedding hair, but there are steps you can take to help reduce the mess. Frequent brushing is your first and best line of defense, and ideally, your GSD should be brushed every day.
If you get rid of the loose hair before the dog has a chance to drop it, you’ll be able to help minimize the impact on your carpet and furniture. Regular baths can help mitigate shedding, especially for long-haired breeds.
Thorough grooming can help remove the stubborn undercoat that doesn’t always want to come free with brushing alone. Plus, it’ll keep your GSD smelling daisy-fresh.
Finally, diet plays a role in how much your dog sheds. Dogs get most of their moisture from the food they eat rather than from the water they drink. So they mustn’t be subsisting on dry kibble alone.
Wet food is always recommended over dry food, and if that isn’t possible, then veterinarians recommend offering moisture-rich meals, including watermelon and carrots. Fish and flaxseed oil can also help give your GSD’s coat a lustrous sheen.
