One of the most popular breeds of dogs is a German Shepherd. One can identify a German Shepherd from a mile away. This breed is generally used by the military and local police and has been serving humans for a long time. But not all German Shepherd are same. There is another breed called long haired German Shepherd. This breed looks a lot like the traditional German Shepherd, the only difference is the length of the body hair or coat. So let’s discuss seven facts about this breed.
1. Hair
This long-haired German Shepherd looks just like its short-haired relative. Both of the breeds look exactly the same in terms of height, weight and body size. But they have different length of hair which makes them completely different from one another.
This Long Haired breed is born when the genes containing long hair are passed on from the parent. This makes them fluffy and hairy near the ears, paws, behind the legs and tail. Usually, the length of the coat of this breed is longer than 2 inches. But the point to be noted is that they don’t have an undercoat which a short hair German Shepherd has which makes it really hard for them to survive in extreme weather conditions such as extreme cold or extreme heat.
2. Color
These long hair German Shepherds come in different colors. People usually prefer the traditional colors like black or tan. But nowadays, red and blue long haired German shepherds are also very popular. These colors are more popular in online markets and communities as people prefer to adopt the long hair German Shepherds of these colors. Usually, the coat of a German Shepherd largely depends upon the markings and the color of the coat. If the markings or patterns are spread across the German Shepherd’s body, then it largely affects the overall color of the dog.
A short hair German shepherd and a long-haired German Shepherd, both of these breeds come in a variety of different colors such as Blue, black, tan, grey, sable, liver and white. These are some colors from which you can choose your long hair German Shepherd from.
3. Cost of a long haired German Shepherd
Usually a long-haired German Shepherd can cost anywhere from $500 to $1500. These are family dogs and they are one of the most adopted dogs in the world. If you go out to buy a long hair GSD, you not only buy the dog but also buy the essentials such as dog food, papers etc. This all can cost you around a thousand dollars. So if you really want to buy then try to avoid shady dealers at all cost as they can rip you off very easily.
Adopting a long hair German Shepherd is a good option as it will cost you less money and the cost will most probably cover the adoption fee and other required paperwork.
4. Grooming
This is a major concern if you adopt a long hair German Shepherd. Their long hair means you have to constantly take care of their hair. They shed hair a lot, so make sure you clean the fallen hair with the help of a vacuum cleaner. Also, try to keep them away from your closet as they can shed their hair on your clothes.
You can always keep a lint brush or lint remover machine and use it on the clothes affected by the dog’s hair. To keep your dog’s hair in good condition, you have to brush them every day. A metal brush works perfectly in such cases. Also, a daily bath is not necessary.
If you think that your dog is really dirty and the fur’s shine is fading only then bathe them. Dogs usually groom themselves so let them alone sometimes so that they can take care of their hair on their own.
5. Environment
This is the one factor that you should know about. These long hair German Shepherds can easily live indoors. They might look large and fierce but they are family friendly and don’t create trouble inside a house. But it does not mean that you should never take them out.
These dogs are very energetic and they have this constant need of spending energy somewhere so make sure you are giving them enough time to play and also taking them outdoor every day. This way you can make sure that they won’t create any mess inside the house and their behavior will be perfectly fine around other people living in the house.
Since they don’t have an undercoat, make sure that you provide them a warm living environment during cold nights. This way they will have a suitable indoor living environment.
6. Behavior
This breed is large in size and has a fierce look on its face, which concerns a lot of people who want to adopt this dog. The first thing that comes to mind is if this dog will obey. To break it down to you in simple terms, we would say that this is one of the friendliest and obedient breeds of dogs one can get. They love to be with their owner and protect them from any harm.
They are brave, loyal and become a great guard for your house. They are nothing like what they show in movies. But they can turn into a beast if not taken care of and treated badly. If they give respect, they expect respect in return which is reasonable.
7. Activity
Since these dogs are very energetic and eat a lot of calories and protein-rich food, they find it really important to spend all that energy somewhere. Your dog can only be happy if it exercises daily. If you won’t play with your dog then it will probably start to show behavioral changes.
That’s why always take your dog out for a jog or to a park. You can always play fetch the ball with them. These games tire them off very easily and help in keeping them fit.