Below are some of the most common and frequently asked
questions we receive from people thinking of buying a GSD for the first
time. Hopefully, the answers we have given, taken together with the
Tips and Advice
offered will help you to make an educated decision before buying a
German Shepherd.
| • What is Hip Scoring? |
| • Can a breeder guarantee that my puppy will not have hip problems? |
| • What's the difference between a German Shepherd and an Alsatian? |
| • I only want a pet! Why should I spend more money buying from a breeder? |
| • What is a long coat? |
| • What natural traits are inherent in the German Shepherd Dog generally? |
| • What is a Champion? |
| • There are lots of abbreviations on the pedigree which I do not understand, what do they all mean? |
| Health Concerns |
| • Hip Dysplasia |
| • Degenerative Myelopathy |
| • Epilepsy |
| • Panosteitis |
| • Bloat (Gastric Torsion) |
| • Haemophilia |
| • Anal Furunculosis (Perianal Fistulas) |
| What is Hip Scoring? |
| Because of the well documented association between GSDs and hip-dysplasia, a scheme was developed by the British Veterinary Association (BVA) and run in conjuction with the Kennel Club over 20 years ago not just for GSDs but for all large breed dogs. |
| The process involves an x-ray taken by the owner's veterinary surgeon of a dog or bitch over the age of 12 months old. This x-ray is presented to the BVA appointed scrutineers who assess the nine points (listed below) of both the left and right joint and score accordingly depending on the degree of dysplasia present. |
| Norberg angle (0-6) |
| Subluxation (0-6) |
| Cranial acetabular edge (0-6) |
| Dorsal acetabular edge (0-6) |
| Cranial effective acetabular rim (0-6) |
| Acetabular fossa (0-6) |
| Caudal acetabular edge (0-5) |
| Femoral head/neck exostosis (0-6) |
| Femoral head recontouring (0-6) |
| From the above points and the score range for each point you can see that the maximum each hip can receive is 53 and overall score of 106. The best score is 0/0 and the worst score is 53/53. The key point to remember is the lower the score the better. |
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| Can a breeder guarantee that my puppy will not have hip problems? |
| Basically - No! Hip dysplasia is considered to be polygenic (caused by a combination of genes which may not have shown up in any previous litters). No matter what the hip scores are in the pedigree it is possible that your puppy could be predisposed to hip dysplasia. However, pups from generations of good scored dogs are less likely to have HD. |
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| What's the difference between a German Shepherd Dog and an Alsatian? |
| There is no difference. After the World Wars anything German was taboo. To avoid the use of the word German "Alsatian" was used. The name in Germany is Deustche Schaferhund which means "German Shepherd Dog". The word "Dog" is actually part of the breed's name unlike other breeds. |
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| I only want a pet! Why should I spend more money buying from a reputable breeder? |
| Whilst you may have no intention of ever showing or working your GSD you want to make sure that what you buy is sound in both mind and body. Breeders have knowledge of the dogs and bitches they select for breeding, they will have selected parents who compliment each other and improve faults or enhance good points. When you ask a reputable breeder why they carried out the mating to produce the puppies they will be able to give you good, sound reasons for their selection, which is more than part-time, back street breeders will whose main object is to make money from the exercise. You can be sure that anyone who invests money back into a breed will have that breeds best interests at heart. Not only are you buying a puppy but you are gaining access to a wealth of insight and knowledge about the breed from reputable, established breeders. |
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| What is a long coat? |
| German Shepherd Dogs should be 'dual' coated, i.e. a woolly undercoat with a harsh weather proof top coat. True long coats do not have a dual coat, they only have a softer, longer haired outer coat which will part down the middle of their backs. There are variations of long coats from those who may only have fluff around the ears and longer hair on the legs to varying lengths of hair over the whole body. None of the mentioned are accepted in the breed showring. The standard dictates that a GSD should have the correct dual, weather proof coat. After saying that, long coats are one of the most popular requests from people looking for a pet GSD. Normal coated parents can produce long coats if both sire and dam carry the long coated gene, if only one parent carries the gene a long coat cannot be produced. It is anticipated that when both parents carry the gene a third of the litter will be long coated. |
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| What natural traits are inherent in the German Shepherd Dog generally? |
| GSDs are natural herding dogs, you'll often find them walking in front of you and looking back to make sure you're going where you should. The breed is naturally loyal, intelligent and protective of their family. They are calm and have a steady temperament when well-bred which makes them an excellent pet. A GSD thrives on regular exercise, mental stimulation and a well-balanced diet. |
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| What is a Champion? |
| Show dogs compete in age classes from 6 months old until 2 years old. Thereafter they compete in classes depending on their show successes. There are two types of shows, Open and Championship shows all held under Kennel Club rules and regulations. At Championship shows the standard is much higher and the competition stronger. A Champion dog or bitch will have won three Challenge Certificates awarded only at championship shows by Kennel Club approved judges to the best dog or best bitch on the day. Once the dog or bitch has won three Challenge Certificates from three different judges they are entitled to prefix their registered name with the title of Champion. |
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| There are lots of abbreviations on the pedigree which I do not understand, what do they all mean? |
| Below are some of the most common found abbreviations on pedigrees and an explanation |
NOTE: Although these disorders are found in GSDs, they are not necessarily found only in GSDs, nor are they necessarily common. Though the list may seem a bit intimidating, a good look into any breed will reveal a substantial list of health problems that may be common to that breed. This list shouldn't scare you away from GSDs, rather, it should encourage you to find a reputable breeder who is aware of /knowledgeable about these conditions and does their best to keep their breeding program free of these problems.
| KC/BVA | Kennel Club / British Veterinary Association Hip Score |
| CC or RCC | CC stands for Challenge Certificate and RCC is Reserve Challenge Certificate. See above "What is a Champion?" for more information |
| 'a' stamp | This is Germany's equivalent to the UKs Hip scoring scheme. Again dogs are x-rayed at one year old and are given certifications of 'a-normal', 'fast-normal' or 'noch-zugelassen', designating 'normal', 'nearly normal' and 'mild hip dysplasia, still permissible to breed'. |
| HDZ or Zuchtwert | Germany has also introduced in recent years the Breed Value Assessment (Zuchtwert), an attempt to describe how an animal will pass characteristics to its progeny. Hereditary transmission (whether improving or weakening) is described to breeders as "value or breed worthiness", and is expressed in the form of a number. an animal bequeathing an 'average' value (neither improving nor worsening) has a value of 100. Animals that improve upon this average in the breeding scheme (in HD that would be lowering the incidence in progeny) are given value numbers under 100; animals that magnify or increase the feature will have values over 100. |
| Sch (Schutzhund) | Schutzhund is a German dog sport, it translates into "protection dog". The purpose of Schutzhund training is to assess and mould the dog's natural abilities to track, protect and teach the dog control through obedience. There are three degrees of Schutzhund training: SchH1 or novice; SchH2 or intermediate and SchH3 or advanced |
| SG | Sehr Gut - Very Good show or performance rating; highest rating obtainable by dogs UNDER 2 years |
| V | Vorzuglich - Excllent show or performance rating; only obtainable by dogs OVER the age of 2 years old |
| VA | Vorzuglich-Auslese - Excellent Select show rating at Sieger show; highest award obtainable by a German Shepherd show dog, only available at shows were Schutzhund tests are carried out. |
| Sieger | Grand Victor title, particularly and most importantly applied to the top male at the German Sieger show |
| Siegerin | Highest title available for a bitch |
| HEALTH CONCERNS |
| Hip Dysplasia |
| Dysplasia literally means abnormal, so hip dysplasia literally translates as abnormal formation of the hip socket. The hip is a ball and socket joint, in a normal hip the ball fits snugly into the socket, forming a pivot point. Dogs which have a genetic predisposition for hip dysplasia are born with normal hips, however, as the dog grows, the structure of the hip joint becomes badly deformed, and the ball no longer fits snugly into the socket and therefore does not rotate smoothly. |
| Hip Dysplasia is a multifactorial trait, which means that a number of different factors can contribute to it; pedigree, diet, exercise and so forth can all play a role in the extent that the dog exhibits an existing predisposition to HD. Even dogs from long lines of good scored parents can still produce HD puppies. The inheritance factor of HD is not fully known; this is why it has so far been impossible to eradicate the condition. |
| Nutrition is possibly the greatest contribution. Puppies should be kept lean and not fat, obviously a puppy which is carrying too much weight will exaggerate any degeneration of the joint. Rapid growth in young puppies related to feeding high calorie diets also contributes. |
| Exercise is the other main contribution. Many people over-exercise young puppies or give them the wrong type of exercise. The wrong type of exercise can include forced running for any distance and too much exercise on hard surfaces. Up to at least seven months of age, exercise should be kept at a minimum. Swimming is an excellent form of exercise which builds up muscles without putting stress on the joints. |
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| Degenerative Myelopathy |
| Formerly referred to as Chronic Degenerative Radioculomyelopathy (CDRM). |
| This is a neurological disease which is progressive and for which there is no cure and no real treatment. Myelopathy is likened to Multiple Sclerosis in humans. It affects both dogs and bitches and onset usually occurs between the ages of five and nine years. A breakdown in normal function of the nerves begins in the middle area of the dogs back between the neck and the end of the rib cage. Myelin, the fatty deposit which coats nerves and aids transmission of messages from the brain, is lost. The degeneration occurs over time in the hind limbs. The most common tell tale sign of the onset of Myelopathy is when the dog/bitch stands with hind toes curled under the foot yet seemingly does not appear to notice. There will be muscle loss over the hindquarters and the dog may being to look thin although appetite will still be normal. When the dog stands still a swaying of the hindquarters becomes increasingly apparent. The condition will eventually lead to complete paralysis, this may take anything from two to three years. Exercise is very beneficial to the Degenerative Myelopathy sufferer and unlike some other spinal conditions rest is not advantageous. Although initial signs resemble hip dysplasia in actuality it is the degeneration of the spinal cord rather than the hip joints that are affected. |
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| Epilepsy |
| A genetically transmitted condition. The dog, as in humans will suffer seizures which can be quite alarming to witness. It can be controlled with drugs and it is true to say that an epileptic dog can lead a relatively normal life with medication. The late 60s and early 70s saw a rise in the condition when dogs carrying the epileptic gene were extensively used at stud. Reputable breeders have since strived to avoid suspicious lines and certainly never to breed from a known 'fitter'. |
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| Panosteitis |
| Also called "pano" or "long bone disease". Generally seen between 5 - 12 months of age, it is caused by excessive bone production on the long bones. Dogs normally grow out of the problem but it is a painful condition. If a dog is x-rayed during a bout of pano, lesions on the growth plates will be visible. However, pano leaves no lasting ill effects on a dog. Diet is thought to play a role; high protein puppy diets may make the puppy grow too fast and increase the chance of pano. Pups usually outgrow pano by 18 months of age. Enforced rest is the best remedy as painkillers can be counter-productive since the pup will play more without pain and may worsen the condition. |
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| Bloat (Gastric Torsion) |
| This can be a problem with any deep chested breed. The stomach twists so nothing can pass through the oesophagus to the stomach or through the stomach to the intestines, causing gas to build up. This is an immediate health concern where the dog should be taken to the vet immediately. Signs of bloat include a distended rigid abdomen, indications of vomiting with no results and inability to belch or pass gas. |
| High activity directly before or after eating can exacerbate bloating. Restricting fluids for long periods of time so that a dog gulps too much at one time when given water can overload the stomach and bring on bloat as can feeding only once a day. |
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| Haemophilia |
| A genetically transmitted condition. Haemophilia A is a blood clotting disorder which leads to uncontrolled bleeding. Male dogs are sufferers and bitches are carriers. Check the pedigree for males who have been tested for the condition and proved negative for the condition. |
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| Anal Furunculosis (perianal fistulas) |
| Deep unsightly sinuses that track through the skin, sometimes with flat open areas of ulceration around the anus. The cause of AF is unknown, the sinuses are not caused by infection although secondary bacterial infection may be present. The skin lesions are irritable and result in self trauma, affected dogs often lick and bite at the affected region. There may be pain, difficulty or reluctance to pass motions and affected dogs can be 'tail-shy' and won't allow people around their back end. Surgery is often the best form of treatment but repeated recurrences of the condition are common. This disease occurs almost exclusively in German Shepherd Dogs, it affects both dogs and bitches and usually initially occurs in dogs aged 3 - 8 years. |
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