Keeping Pets Cool during the Balmy Summer Months

My husband and I live in the beautiful southern United States. While we wouldn’t want to live anywhere else, we sometimes get excruciatingly hot during the summer months. We aren’t the only ones that get hot at our home though. Our beautiful dog Lucy also gets hot. I’m constantly searching for effective ways to keep her cool while she’s outside. And during the winter, it can get oddly cold at times. Do you have loving pets at home? Consider purchasing a small plastic pool for your pets to splash around in. And when it's cold, make sure to monitor them very carefully while outside. On this blog, I hope you will discover ingenious tips to help you care for your pets during any extreme weather.

3 Breed Standards for German Shepherds

Pets & Animals Blog

German shepherds are a tremendously popular dog. They can make great pets, work for the police and the military, and be fantastic show dogs. They are loyal and smart, and yet still have a playful side. If you are going to look for a German shepherd that you can show, you may want to know what the breed standards are so that you can evaluate the parents and see how well they meet those standards. 

Breed Standards

The breed standards are a set of standards that set out by a governing body. For example, the American Kennel Club, which governs most of the dog shows in the US, has set out the breed standards for dog breeds. The way that the standards work is that they state how tall the animal should be, what colors, what their ears and tails should look like, etc. When the dog is at a show, they aren't graded against the other dogs in the show, they are graded on how well they meet the breed standards. 

1. Temperament

One of the breed standards is the temperament of the dog. German shepherds should very confident and should show that as they walk. They should also be smart and courageous. While those last two things may be harder to show at a dog show, hints can often be seen in the dog and their behavior. They should not be hostile, so they should have no problem with the judge or other handlers.

2. Sloping Back

Another part of the standards is that the dog must have a sloping back. There should be an obvious slope from shoulder to hip. The back should also be relatively short, especially when compared to the rest of the body. There shouldn't be any sag or roach in the back. It should look and feel strong. 

3. Colors

While a GSD might come in all kinds of colors, there are a few that aren't OK for the breed standards. In the case of coloring, the richer and darker the coloring is, the more desirable it is. If you have a dog with paler markings and coloration, they might not be judged as well. If the dog is white altogether, then they can't be shown since they don't meet standards. 

If you want to show a GSD, it's important that you know what some of the breed standards are. To learn more and adopt a new dog, contact breeds who have AKC registered German Shepherd puppies for sale.

Share

27 June 2019