Black German Shepherd

The black German shepherd is an extremely rare variation of the standard black-and-tan German shepherd. The black German shepherd is not a separate breed or a result of crossbreeding. Unlike the standard German shepherd, it is completely black, but is still a purebred Shepherd.

These dogs were originally bred in Germany to be working dogs, herding and guarding sheep against natural predators. They were brought to the United States in 1906 and recognized by the American Kennel Club two years later in 1908. From then, the popularity of the German shepherd spread widely and they are now the second most popular dog breed in the United States.

Black German shepherds are thought to be aggressive animals, but this is not the case in reality. Black German shepherds are loving, intelligent, and excellent pets.

Different Types of Black German Shepherd Mixes

Here are some of the common German shepherd breed mixes.

• Shollie (German Shepherd x Collie)
• Shepweiler (German Shepherd x Rottweiler)
• Golden Shepherd (German Shepherd x Golden Retriever)
• Sheprador (German Shepherd x Labrador Retriever)
• Gerberian Husky (German Shepherd x Siberian Husky)

3 Pros and Cons of Owning a Black German Shepherd

Size and Weight

Black German shepherds have similar characteristics to regular German shepherds, except that they are completely black. When it comes to height and build, these dogs aren’t any different from purebred German shepherds. They are medium-sized to large dogs with almost no sexual dimorphism. The males and females are typically around the same height, but the males tend to be slightly heavier.

Male black German shepherds grow to be 24 to 26 inches in height and weigh 65 to 90 pounds, while the females are usually 22 to 24 inches tall and weigh 50 to 70 pounds.

Common Health Issues

Black German shepherds are a pretty hardy dog breed. While they do not have any health issues that occur as a result of their color difference, they are still prone to some diseases that affect bigger dogs and dogs in general. Black German shepherds are also prone to some health conditions as a result of the inbreeding that occurred early in their history.

Some of the common health issues black German shepherds are known to suffer from are hip dysplasia, diabetes, elbow dysplasia, dental infection, nose infection, bloat, degenerative disc disease, cataract, epilepsy, and thyroid issues.

When purchasing or adopting a black German shepherd, it is advised to choose one that was bred as a working dog as opposed to one bred as a show dog. This is because the breeding standard for show dogs causes them to be more predisposed to certain health conditions.

Hip dysplasia is a hereditary disease that causes malformation of the ball and socket joints of the hips. In order to keep the condition from worsening, do not overfeed your dog. Excess calorie intake causes the joints to grow faster than they’re supposed to which eventually leads to misalignment.

In total, black German shepherds commonly suffer from:

1. Hip dysplasia
2. Diabetes
3. Elbow dysplasia
4. Dental infection
5. Nose infection
6. Bloat
7. Degenerative disc disease
8. Cataract
9. Epilepsy
10. Thyroid issues

Temperament

Black German shepherds are thought by many to be aggressive dogs. This is mostly due to their size and color, as some people tend to shun black animals. They are seen as intimidating and ferocious. In reality, black German shepherds are loyal and devoted dogs. They tend to be overprotective because they were bred to protect and shepherd sheep so this trait is in their nature. When properly trained, these intelligent dogs can be affectionate companions. They are not overtly friendly with strangers and will want to guard their family.

Black German shepherds should be socialized as puppies in order to make them more gregarious later as adults and less distrusting of strangers. Adult German shepherds who get adopted can attend socialization classes to get them familiarized with other dogs and people.

Black German shepherds experience some separation anxiety if left alone for too long. They are typically independent dogs, but that doesn’t mean they don’t crave attention from their owners.

How To Take Care of Black German Shepherds

Black German shepherds are a job to maintain and train, but definitely worth it. They need plenty of food and exercise. These shepherds are active working dogs and like to live in large spaces so if you live in a tiny apartment, this isn’t a dog for you.

The Best Dog Food For Black German Shepherds

Best

Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition German Shepherd

• Rich in fiber
• Supports muscle and joint health
• Boosts immunity and muscle and brain growth
• Especially formulated for German Shepherds

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Black German shepherds are highly active dogs, so their diet should be highly nutritious, low in fat and carbs and high in protein. They are also large dogs so their portions should be large as well. In order to correctly apportion your dog’s food, you can check the label on the back of the package to know how much to feed it based on its size.
Because Black German shepherds are prone to bloating, they are best fed with high quality dry kibble three to four times a day as puppies and then twice a day as adults. At A-Z Animals, our best choice is the Royal Canin Breed Health Dog Food. This food is specially formulated for German shepherds. It is rich in fiber and boosts muscle and joint health.

Maintenance and Grooming

One difference between black German shepherds and black-and-tan German shepherds is that black German shepherds tend to have more fur and feathered hair around their tips. Black German shepherds are very easy to groom despite their hairiness. If your furry friend has medium length hair, then it should be brushed at least twice a week. If the fur is long, however, then it will need to be brushed every day.

Black German shepherds shed a lot of hair, especially during their main shedding seasons which occur twice a year. If you have allergies or simply dislike having fur everywhere, then you might want to reconsider getting a German shepherd. There will be hair everywhere.

To curb this, you should use an anti-shedding shampoo. For your black German shepherd, we recommend you use the Shed X Shed Control Shampoo for Dogs. This sulfate-free shampoo contains vitamins and flaxseed oil for moisturization, is pH balanced, and has a pleasing fragrance.

Best Overall

Shed-X Shed Control Shampoo for Dogs

• Soothing pomelo fragrance
• Contains premium ingredients
• Sulfate-free and pH balanced
• Includes vitamins and flaxseed oil to moisturize the skin

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In addition to getting your dog’s hair under control, you should also trim their nails routinely and clean their teeth and ears. If your dog is active enough, it should wear its own nails down naturally. However, if this isn’t the case, then they must be trimmed to avoid injury.

The good thing about German shepherds is that they are less prone to ear infections than other dogs. This is because they have hyperactive glands in their ears that produce a lot of earwax which keeps bacteria populations under control.

Training

Black German shepherd are best trained from puppyhood. This will help them acclimatize to life in a household and suburbia. They will need obedience training and socialization, especially because of their high prey drive. They might see smaller animals or pets as prey.

If you have smaller children, then the dog will need to be trained on how to interact with them because they sometimes don’t know their own strength and might hurt them by mistake. The great thing about black German shepherds is that they are eager to please and very easy to train. This trait makes them the best fit for police and military dogs, obedience dogs, and disability aid dogs. Because of their high work ethic, they can be useful around the house.

Puppies

If you are considering getting a black German shepherd puppy, then socializing it should be on top of your list of priorities. While black German shepherds make exciting and loyal pets, they are not naturally friendly to other dogs and strangers and tend to be aloof. It is important to get them to be familiar with others and different situations as well. Walking your puppy around urban areas and dog parks is a great way to get them accustomed to new terrain.

Exercise

Black German shepherds are very intelligent dogs that require not just physical exercise but mental stimulation as well. They are active dogs that like games and challenges. These are not the dogs to adopt if you live in a cramped space or an apartment without a backyard. These dogs will need enough room to run and play to be content. If not, they will get bored and vent their frustration out by becoming destructive around the house. Black German shepherds need about 60 to 90 minutes of exercise every day. This can be achieved by taking your pup out a couple of times a day. Active dogs need active owners, so if you are the swimming and hiking type, this is the breed for you! Your fur baby would love to accompany you on your great adventures.

Black German Shepherd as a Family Dog

Black German shepherds are an ideal family dog to have. They are people-oriented and make excellent guard dogs because of their alertness and protective instinct. They are also great playmates for children, but need to be fully trained so that they don’t accidentally injure smaller kids. Play dates should be supervised as well to prevent any mishaps.

Dogs Similar to Black German Shepherds

• Border Collie: The border collie is considered to be the most intelligent dog breed in the world. Just like the black German shepherd, the border collie is a herding dog that shepherds flocks of animals.
• Belgian Shepherd: The Belgian Shepherd is similar to the black German shepherd in some physical attributes such as their erect ears and long snouts. They are also both shepherding dogs who love to work. The black German shepherd is bigger than the Belgian Shepherd, though, and has less hair than it.
• English Shepherd: The English shepherd is not just a herding dog, but it makes a great guard dog as well, just like the black German shepherd. These two breeds also shed profusely.

Popular Names for Black German Shepherds

• Ghost
• Shadow
• Artemis
• Apollo
• Hansel
• Greta
• Nyx
• Licorice
• Smoke
• Carbon

Related Animals…

• Belgian Shepherd
• English Shepherd
• Golden Shepherd

Sources

https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/german-shepherd-dog/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_Shepherd

1. American Kennel Club, Available here: https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/german-shepherd-dog/
2. Wikipedia, Available here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_Shepherd