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The last 18 months have seen many of us welcome a new four-legged friend into our homes, as the Kennel Club saw dog ownership rise by nearly eight per cent over 2020.
But with 221 different breeds of pedigree dog to choose from, there’s plenty of thinking to do before you select your perfect pup.
There’s even academic guidance to seek out, with Psychologist Stanley Coren’s book ‘The Intelligence of Dogs’ ranking breeds by instincts, obedience, and the ability to adapt.
One dog that often appears at the top of people’s canine wishlists is the German Shepherd – they were one of the UK’s 10 most popular dog breeds in 2020 and have a range of positive attributes that make them a great family pet.
Here are 10 fun and interesting facts about the breed.
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German Shepherds earned their name due to their talent for herding sheep. You’ll be unlikely to see one acting as a sheepdog now though – these days their talents are more commonly utilised as police and military dogs due to their strength and intelligence.
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German Shepherds rank within the three most intelligent dog breeds. To be included in this top tier of canine bright sparks a breed must understand a new command after only five repetitions and follow the first command given to them 95 percent of the time.
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After the World Wars, some Europeans and Americans were wary of all things German and so rechristened their beloved pets as Shepherd Dogs or Alsatian Wolf Dogs. The name was officially changed back by the Kennel Club in 1977 but some people still call them Alsatians today.
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In 1980s Holland, theatre director Whim Schipper staged a play starring six German Shepherds, sending the dogs to drama lessons and giving them treats for acting well. The play, a domestic drama about a girl bringing a new boyfriend to meet her family, was unfortunately a flop.
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