Almost every country has its own kind of shepherd dogs that guarded the herding herds and the property of the owners. Now these dogs can be found not only as "guards", but also in detective work, in the service of the authorities and simply as pets. The subspecies of the same breed are different in character and appearance, but they are all united by dedication, intelligence, quick wit and a good attitude towards children.
The German Shepherd Dog appeared in Germany by crossing them with wolves. Their height is 60-75 cm, and their weight ranges from 30 to 60 kg. The coat of the "Germans" is short and hard. The color is black, red or black and brown. German Shepherds are very intelligent and quick-witted, they easily learn many commands and are always loyal to their owner. These shepherd dogs love children, are friendly to the friends of the owners, but they treat strangers with some rage. Often they can be found in the army, police, detective work.
The Caucasian Shepherd Dog has existed for about three thousand years. The dog is medium in size, reaches 60-66 cm in height, and weighs up to 30 kg. The coat of this shepherd dog is long, thick and hard. The color can be from black to gray, red or brindle. Feature in color - black outlines around the eyes and chest. The Caucasian Shepherd Dog is calm, strong and self-confident. It was used for fighting and protecting property. But the training of this dog must be correct, otherwise you can get an extremely aggressive or, conversely, a cowardly individual.
Anatolian Shepherd Dog is originally from Turkey. This is one of the largest species of shepherd dogs. Her height is about 71-80 cm, and her weight is 40-55 kg. The color of the dog is always deer. A distinctive feature of this shepherd dog is a dark muzzle mask on the muzzle. She has excellent musculature and speed. Because of this, it was used as a fighting and hunting dog. She could easily overwhelm a wolf or a bear while hunting. Despite her size, she is kind to children, but only obeys the owner. These dogs are a little unsociable, but this does not affect the mind and ingenuity in any way.
The Central Asian Shepherd Dog or Mastiff is a fairly large dog. She has well-developed muscles and strong jaws. It was used as a herding dog, but now you can find it at home. She is unpretentious in care and in food, loyal to her owners. She is easy to teach about commands and good social behavior.
The Belgian Shepherd is a small dog 58-60 cm tall and weighing about 23 kg. The coat of these dogs comes in different lengths, from short to long. The color also ranges from red to dark brown. She is smart, loyal and friendly. The Belgian Shepherd Dog gets along perfectly with children, understands people well. But she is a little shy and shy. Due to their excellent memory, these shepherd dogs often serve in the police, and are also known as guard and herding dogs.
The Australian Shepherd, despite its name, originated in America. This type of shepherd is small in size. Their height is 46-58 cm, and their weight is up to 25 kg. They have thick long hair. In color, they can be black, with white markings, red and even gray-blue. These dogs are very nimble, hardy and hardworking. They can run up to 60 km a day. These dogs are playful and kind to people, but they are excellent watchmen. An Australian Shepherd should not be kept in an apartment; it requires a lot of space to move. Country life would be ideal for her to release all her energy.
The Scottish Shepherd Dog (Collie) is a beautiful dog with long, light coat. She is about 50 cm tall. Collie is smart, smart, but a little lazy. She was often used as a shepherd dog, and now you can see her as a guide for the blind. Like all types of shepherd dogs, she is loyal to her owners and loves children. But you need to train her with caution, because without the mood she can be harmful. Its long coat must be combed out daily or it will deteriorate.
The Hungarian Shepherd or Komondor is the largest dog of this breed. Its height at the withers is 80 cm. The peculiarity of this shepherd dog is that it has a unique coat that is twisted in the form of dreadlocks. Its coat does not smell or shed, it does not need to be combed out and often washed. Such wool will save the dog at any whim of nature. Komondors used to serve as shepherds, and their appearance camouflaged them well in a flock of sheep. Despite their size, these dogs eat very little, about a kilogram of food per day is enough for them. They are very kind, get along with children and other animals, but do not know how to play.
Whichever shepherd you choose, you can't go wrong with choosing a family friend. Many of these subspecies have not been used for a long time as herding or watchdogs, now they can only be seen as a pet or a police assistant. With age, shepherd dogs become wise, sensible dogs, very calm and kind. But they do not lose their genetically based skills and will always protect the owner from harm.
