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?
They have problems with their hips alot, when theyre oldder especially. Their official name is German Sheperd Dog(GSD)
Are the hip problems genetic or due to their height and weight?
More so because of their height and weight. The breed was also known as Alsatian in Britain and Ireland.
That's an interesting name - I wonder how it changed to German Shephard in the US.
The breed is still considered a new breed. They originiated in 1899
I know they are fiercely protective, but also seem like big teddy bears to those that have raised them.
to 1899. As part of the Herding Group, German Shepherds are working dogs developed originally for herding sheep. Since that time however, because of their strength, intelligence, trainability, and obedience, German Shepherds around the world are often the preferred breed for many types of work, including disability assistance, search-and-rescue, police and military roles, and acting. The German Shepherd is the second-most registered breed by the American Kennel Club and seventh-most registered breed by The Kennel Club in the United
the limited gene pool for this breed, conscientious breeders carefully study pedigrees and select dogs to minimize the chance of genetic diseases. Unfortunately, like many breeds, a growing popularity has encouraged breeding by people who are not knowledgeable about the breed. Of the few health issues that have exhibited themselves; epilepsy, hernias, hip dysplasia and entropion, most problems can be traced back 4–6 generations. Often this was due to limited breeding stock as well as the fact that many matings were with dogs of unknown medical history.
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