The German Shepherd is, without doubt, one of the most popular and beloved dog breeds. There are references to them in a lot of movies and television series, besides that its characteristics are so well known that people recognize them immediately. It is not surprisingly so, since they are a few ideal companions because they were designed to be working and protection dogs. They appeared for the first time, obviously, in Germany and are the result of a cross between several breeds of Shepherd and hunters. The result of this mixture was a copy highly intelligent and easy to train, in addition to strong, durable and flexible. From the very beginning was destined for work in the field but the transit of rural life to urban life that marks the beginning of 1900 involved an addition to their functions. The German Government admitted them to support some workings of the police and soon their skills earned them the trust of the police and military authorities.

Thereby, are trained for search and rescue work as well as for protection and security work. They also began to be used as a guide for the blind. The height at the withers for a male German Shepherd is between sixty and sixty-five centimeters, while the females are slightly smaller. In relation to its size and weight (which can reach fifty kilos in the larger specimens), these dogs are stronger than other breeds of larger size as the akita or rottweiler, since they can generate a force of more than two hundred pounds. Despite this, they have some health problems due the cross between races.

For example, they are susceptible to the distemper, a disease which, if it is not life-threatening, can leave sequelae such as tics and a fragile health. They also suffer from hip dysplasia, which is a malformation of the bones of the hip, which tends to produce limp and more severe cases, paralysis of the hind legs. In any case, with exercise and the necessary care, German shepherds are excellent guardians and companions. Intelligent and alert, are extremely friendly with children; given that they are protective dogs, is easy to rely on them to monitor the House or, if you live in the field, to support them in the tasks of grazing and care of farm animals.