German Shepherd original forebears came into recognition when they were exhibited in the year 1882 and were previously catalogued as German Sheepdogs. The German Shepherd is the second most popular breed in the world and these are generally seen in the films, parks and as working dogs. The coat of these dogs comes in different lengths like- short haired german shepherd, medium-haired and german shepard long hair.
The short haired are the classic GSDs which are seen working in the army or police. Long-haired are somewhat rare as their coat is seen as a minor defect by the Kennel Club of the America.
The size of these are from 22 to 26 inches tall and weigh around 50 to 90 lb. The colours of the long-haired are mainly black and tan, black, red and black, sable, silver and black and grey. They are good with family and other dogs and are a companion animal which is very energetic.
More about german shepard long hair
The long-haired german shepherd dogs or GSDs are considered to be a very unique version of the ever-popular short to medium haired coated shepherds. The difference between these breeds’ coats has a very little effect on the breed. The rough coated dogs are considered special and unique because of the beauty and rarity of their fur.
Long-haired german shepherds are widely considered a recessive trait and were rejected to participate and compete in any competition until very recently and so these were even disliked by the father of the modern Shepherds- Max Von Stephanitz and thus there are many more such interesting details about these dogs.
So as you scroll down, you will find out details about long-haired german shepherds like their origin details, breed information, appearance, temperament and their size, price and lifespan with a lot of other details about them. So keep reading to find out everything about these dogs.
Origin of the Fluffy german shepherds
It is quite unclear how the long-haired GSDs originated but as mentioned at different places, a lot of their modern origins comes from the Wutternburg region of Germany. Wuttemberg is actually a mountainous area and is located close to Switzerland and makes it the coldest part of Germany despite being in the South.
Breed Information of the german shepard long hair
So as both long-haired and short-haired german shepherds have almost the same breed information, one of the main differences between the two is their grooming requirements.
Of Course, grooming for a long-haired german shepherd is quite different from that of short-haired. Even some of the long-haired GSDs really don’t have an undercoat which makes people think that these dogs will shed less but what really happens is that in real they shee quite a lot and almost the same amount as their fur is longer and the shed hair gets caught in the fur.
So when you generally brush your long-haired german shepherd, you are probably going to notice that more fur comes out in comparison to a short-haired german shepherd but they still need to be brushed at least two times a week. The fur of these dogs actually becomes tangled and matted very early which is also very painful for the dog. These long-haired GSDs don’t really go through the shedding season and the amount that they mainly shed is also consistent through the year.
The appearance and size of the german shepard long hair
The appearance and size of the long-haired GSDs is also similar to the short-haired GSDs. The main obvious reason for the difference between the two is the coat of the long-haired german shepherd. The fur of these grows two or more inches in lengths and also has a softer and silkier texture unlike short-haired.
One interesting thing about these dogs is that despite long-haired german shepherd dogs are considered ‘purebred’ german shepherd and they are a part of the club but they can’t really take part in any activity and so if you are ever interested in showing off your dog, then you will need to have a short-haired GSDs or a double-coated long-haired GSDs because the missing of the undercoat in dog disqualifies them from getting registered with the AKC and so they are not allowed to participate in any of the dog shows.
Temperament of the german shepard long hair
The temperament in both type of dogs ie. long-haired and short-haired are also the same. These are very protective, loyal and also known to suffer from separation anxiety.
Also one of the differences in their character is that the long-haired version of the german shepherd was not bred for the working capabilities but it is actually bred for its beautiful coat which means that character wise, long-haired dogs are pretty much less suitable for the working life.
It is also generally believed that these are more eager and ready to please their owners and become friendly with strangers very easily.
Another thing to consider about them is that they are energetic the same way short-haired GSDs are but exercising them can be quite tough in the cold. They really don’t do good when it’s raining or freezing outside. So this thing should definitely be considered by you if you are living in a place which is usually cold and wet.
Lifespan and Price of the long-haired German Shepherds
The long-haired german shepherd like the short ones are considered to have a lifespan of 10 to 13 years and also suffers from the same type of health related issues.
The price of the long-haired german shepherd is quite less than the short-haired. These are expected to cost anywhere between $500 to $1000, without an undercoat.
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Conclusion
Both long-haired and short-haired German shepherds are actually one of the most popular breeds in the whole world as they are very intelligent, loyal and can do great things. They also make wonderful family pets but what makes long-haired german shepherds unique is their light-hearted temperament, pretty hair and enthusiastic attitude.
So if you are ready to get a dog which is very energetic and needs a lot of attention and care and you don’t mind spending at least 15 mins in a day to groom your dog and if it all sounds easy to you, then the german shepard long hair is the right choice for you and get yours today!!