East German Shepherd, also known as Czech Deep Wolf Gray, originated on the border between the former "German Democratic Republic" (East Germany) and the former "Czechoslovak Socialist Republic".
Before the Second World War, Germany was undivided. All the wolf dogs came from Germany, but afterwards, control and breeding rights in East Germany were transferred from the public to the government. The main purpose of having these dogs was only one, which is work. Therefore, the East German Shepherd inherited the breeding purpose of military dogs, and strict selection criteria made them into soldiers, sentinels, and fully-fledged working dogs. On the other hand, the West German Shepherd gradually evolved into a multi-functional dog, primarily serving as a family companion in the capitalist society of Europe.
They have a lively and mischievous temperament, brave and fearless, loyal and intelligent, friendly to people, faithfully protecting their owners. They have agile movements, well-developed muscles, vigilant and serious, straightforward but without hostility, and a strong sense of responsibility.
East German Shepherds became legends in the military and police fields, and they created this legend in the late stages of World War II.
On April 27, 1945, the Soviet army entered the heart of Nazi Germany - Berlin, at the cost of sacrificing 300,000 soldiers. The next day, the Soviet army began a frantic search for the secret information on the hiding places of the stolen gold and artworks by the Nazi Party, and among those secret documents was a Nazi Party's "Selective Breeding Book for German Shepherd Military Dogs" that covered the German Shepherd breeding standards. This "breeding book," which the German Nazis regarded as being as valuable as gold, became the blueprint for breeding standards for military dogs in the Soviet-controlled Germany - East Germany (also known as the German Democratic Republic), which was isolated from the rest of the Western world for 40 years. This breeding book played a huge role in the Soviet-controlled Europe, and it led to the success of today's stars of military and police dogs – East German Shepherds.
In the preparatory stage of World War II, Hitler signed a "Selective Breeding Standard Plan for Military Dogs." This plan detailed and standardized the harsh breeding standards for the German military dogs. The Nazis formulated comprehensive evaluations of the military dogs' ears, teeth, joints, fur color, temperament, and body structure, aiming to improve their abilities in tracking, movement, climbing, endurance, survival, and work in extreme weather conditions.
This breeding plan was originally used by Hitler to breed German military dogs across Europe and even in other battlefields to deal with the Allied forces. However, after the end of World War II, the Soviets used it to breed their military dogs and used them as patrol dogs on the border between the Soviet Union and Europe, which was redefined at that time.
The former Czechoslovak Socialist Republic (now known as the Czech Republic) was also a socialist country under Soviet control in Eastern Europe at that time, and it bordered East Germany geographically. In 1955, the Soviet Union decided to establish it in the former Czechoslovak Socialist Republic as well.
East German Shepherds are widely used for various purposes, such as police work, military work, explosives detection, drug detection, as well as companion dogs and family guard dogs. They are not only able to protect their owners and their properties, but also can be trained for search and rescue, guide dogs, and competitive sports.
They have a gentle and stable temperament, and can be kept in either urban apartments or suburban areas, as long as they have enough space for activities.
1. Heart disease
Dog's heart disease is often related to obesity and old age. When a dog has heart disease, it mainly manifests symptoms such as easily getting tired and having difficulty breathing. Dog's heart disease is difficult to detect, and often when the owner notices, the dog is already seriously ill.
2. Infectious diseases
Canine distemper and canine parvovirus are common and highly lethal infectious diseases in dogs. Dogs that have not been vaccinated in a timely manner are susceptible to these two infectious diseases. Once infected, the symptoms may include listlessness, decreased appetite, increased body temperature, vomiting, and diarrhea.
3. Kidney disease
When it comes to common diseases and symptoms in dogs, kidney disease cannot be ignored. The terrifying thing about dog's kidney disease is that it often occurs without any noticeable signs, and when the owner does notice, the dog's kidney cells have been damaged more than 75%. When a dog's kidneys have problems, the typical symptoms are blood in the urine, abnormal urine color, and changes in urination habits.
4. Parasites
Roundworms, hookworms, and heartworms are common parasites that infect dogs. When dogs are infected with intestinal parasites, the main symptoms include weight loss, lethargy, diarrhea, presence of worms in the stool, and pale gums. Heartworms, on the other hand, are parasites that live in the dog's heart. Dogs infected with heartworms may experience reduced vitality, coughing, anemia, shortness of breath, and ascites.
5. Canine pneumonia
Pneumonia is also a common disease in dogs, but it is often a complication of other diseases. It often occurs in dogs with abnormalities in the upper respiratory system, bacterial infections, canine distemper infections, viral infections, impaired lung function, and heartworm infections. The main symptoms of dog pneumonia include coughing, nasal congestion, and increased body temperature.
Raising non-weaned East German Shepherd puppies requires attention to cold protection and warmth in cool weather such as late autumn, winter, or early spring. It is important to keep the indoor environment dry, and if economically feasible, it is recommended to use infrared heating lamps or other devices for better warmth.
Breeding should start between 2-6 months old, aiming for a strong physique, normal development, powerful limbs, fast and agile running and jumping, bold and flexible, capable of adapting to complex environments, showing excitement, enjoying activities, strong desire to retrieve, good attachment, focused attention, not randomly leaving the owner or picking up things to eat, strictly obeying the owner's commands, etc.
1, can't bathe frequently
When bathing a dog, of course, it cannot be too frequent. Whether to bathe a dog depends on the dog's hygiene. In hot weather in summer, bathe a dog one or two more times, and reduce it one or two times in winter. But in general, it should not exceed 5 times. Otherwise, it will damage its fur and skin!
2, comb the hair frequently
Dogs almost shed hair every day, especially in spring and autumn, when seasonal shedding is more severe. To make the hair grow well, frequent combing is an important step. Pet owners can use pet-specific combs to help dogs clean naturally shed hair and prevent tangling. Comb once in the morning and evening, and five minutes each time.
3, bask in the sun
Sunbathing is beneficial to the growth of dog's fur. In addition to making the fur more shiny, letting the dog bask in the sun can also help kill bacteria. While basking in the sun, pet owners can let the dog exercise, which can help improve the dog's physical fitness, promote blood circulation, and help grow healthier fur.
4, deworming
Poor fur is actually closely related to parasites. Parasites will absorb a large amount of nutrition from the dog's body and compete for nutrition, so deworming is indispensable. It is recommended to do internal and external deworming together. Deworming drugs can cause great harm to the dog's gastrointestinal tract, so it is recommended to feed probiotics together during normal times to relieve gastrointestinal discomfort.
5, pay attention to diet
In order to make the dog have a beautiful fur, it is necessary to lay a good foundation of nutrition and pay attention to daily diet. On the one hand, feed the dog with nutritious and healthy dog food, choose a dog food that is suitable for the dog and has sufficient nutrition to meet the dog's needs; on the other hand, the dog can be fed with lean meat, cooked egg yolks, and vegetable oil in moderate amounts.
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