German Shepherds for Dummies (Paperback)

by D. Caroline Coile (Author)
Key Phrases: agility dog, degenerative myelopathy, two different judges, German Shepherd, United States, Stock Images (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Expert advice about the #3 most popular breed.

Packed with information about the German Shepherd's history and insight about their special temperament, this guide is essential for owners of a Shepherd.

• Explains the Shepherd's roles in therapy and search-and-rescue
• Includes tips on finding out if the breed is right for you
• Expert advice on puppy behavior, nutrition, exercise, and more!

From the Back Cover
Find out about your German Shepherd's special needs

Get the lowdown on keeping your dog healthy and content Loyal and intelligent, the German Shepherd has a long history as a working dog and as a family companion. This fun and friendly book provides insights into the German Shepherd temperament, sensible advice on taking care of and training your dog, tips on participating in a variety of dog competitions, and much more.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: For Dummies; 1 edition (September 15, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764552805
• ISBN-13: 978-0764552809
• Product Dimensions: 1 x 7 x 9.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #167,470 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars THE WORST BOOK ON GERMAN SHEPHERDS....EVER !!!!!!!!!!!!, January 28, 2006

By	K.H.L. "kathylambert99" (RI, USA) - See all my reviews

I'll tell you why.:
Little story, my husband surprised me with a GS puppy last year when I came back from a weeklong vacation. I did not want a puppy yet because I've never owned a dog before and I wanted to do some reading on the subject, especially with a GS. It's not the kind of breed that you can just buy and say "ok, we have a cute puppy" and that's it. Every dog deserves a well informed owner. But I ended up using my intuition and common sense to do the majority of training for my dog (who I now love dearly). This book taught me nothing that I hadn't already figured out on my own. And I must add that there is only about 10% of this book that is actually geared towards GS's. It's a very broad based book on how to train a dog, not just a GS. There are many other books out there that will tell you about the breed and what to expect about there intelligience, personality and the AKC standards for this breed. I learned more things browsing through GS magazines at PetSmart. DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK !!!! There are MUCH better books about German Shepherds !!!!!!!

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Champion Read !, December 13, 2003

By	Glen M Darlow (Big Trout Lake, Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews

= A Champion Read

As a German Shepherd owner in northern Ontario, Canada, I found this book of valuable assistance. There is little help in a practical sense for animals in this part of the world, but this book has really helped. Chapters 12 and 13 on pet care are the best chapters in the book: they help you to dedect ailments early on and so you can avoid expensive trips to vets or even losing your loved animal.
Each chapter is clearly set out and has spacing between main paragraphs and sections.

It is obvious that this book is written by a true professional: it is thorough, yet not boringly over detailed. It mentions in one chapter about dominant aggression of the dog, but also, as always, goes to the root cause of the problem , which, of course, helps the breeder or owner alike, to be beware and maybe prevent such behaviour from happening in public.

As I say, it is a very practical book. It starts with a practical plan of how much it would cost to keep a German Shepherd at your home and then goes on to point out how it would fit in the family, how to house it etc. In another chapter, it gives really good advice on what to do with the "undesirables" such as how to remove a stink from your home to removing ticks from the dog.

Beautiful black & white as well as colour photos accompany the chapters.

Only a dummie would skip buying this book !

Glen M Darlow

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Hell, Fire, and Brimstone, December 13, 2005

By	tigerwoods&lola "L.A." (Woodstock, VT) - See all my reviews

I am well aware that owning a pet of any kind is a HUGE responsibility, I don't need it shoved down my throat every other paragraph. Furthermore, the author had a grim way of reinforcing the fact that neglected Shepherds would indeed be problematic...well, duh! Sardonic predictions and lack luster descriptions of this beautiful animal made me doubt if indeed the author had ever actually owned a German Shepherd.
That being said, if there are individuals out there that don't know that a dog of any kind is a huge undertaking, this wouldn't be such a bad read.