My dad has two German Shepherds.  I do not know anything about that breed except they are much bigger than my dogs.
I had one growing up, we called him Max. They have alot of health issues, the breed originally came from Germany.
What kind of health issues?
German Shepherd
The German Shepherd (, ) is a breed of medium to big-sized working dog that originated in Germany. In the English language, the breed's officially recognized name is German Shepherd Dog (sometimes abbreviated as "GSD"). The breed was officially known as the Alsatian in Britain from after the First World War until 1977 when its name was changed back to German Shepherd. Despite its primitive, wolf-like appearance the German Shepherd is a relatively modern breed of dog, with their origin dating
22 inches) tall, whilst males stand at 55 – 59 cm (22-23 inches).
Description Temperament.
Stable and gentle, this dog is courageous and has demonstrated proof of bravery. The breed is intelligent and easy to educate. Whilst being unaggressive, the dog is wary towards strangers. 
Description Health.
They are generally a healthy breed with no reported major health issues related to breeding. They have an average lifespan of 10–13 years, although some individual dogs do live much longer.
History