https://gordon-westermann.hubstack.net/the-12-best-german-shepherd-puppies-accounts-to-follow-on-twitter Adopting a Purebred German Shepherd German Shepherds thrive with consistency, positive reinforcement, and reward-based training. They are intelligent and eager to please. Their dedication to work ensures they are naturally attentive to family members and are able to assist in security. They are active and require ample space to exercise. They also need early socialization and obedience training in order to grow into well-mannered, confident dogs. Origin In the late 1800s, Captain Max von Stephanitz was working to create a dog who would be unmatched in its herding capabilities. It took him years to find foundation dogs that matched his requirements both physically and mentally. Then, at a dog show in 1899, he came across a German shepherd named Hektor Linksrhein. Hektor was the result of a few generations of selective breeding, and he matched perfectly with Von Stephanitz's idea of what a herding dog ought to be. Von Stephanitz declared Hektor the first German Shepherd Dog and founded the Verein fur Deutsche Schaferhunde. In the second half of the 19th century, breed enthusiasts worked to standardize herding dogs. They were able to preserve many of the traits that drew Von Stephanitz's attention, and those traits still make the breed popular today. A study found that German Shepherds can learn tasks with only five repetitions, and follow the first command 90% of the time. These traits also make this breed among the best police and military working dogs, and also a popular family pet. If properly socialized and trained they make ideal companions for children as well as other pets. They are generally shy around strangers, but they are generally affectionate with people they love. A German Shepherd that is not socialized early in life may have difficulty adapting to new environments and may become stressed or anxious. Due to their strong instincts to protect German S