When do scientists refer to inbreeding? Inbreeding is the tightest inbreeding of parent animals with their descents or of sibling animals.

Is inbreeding permitted in the breeding of German Shepherds? Tight inbreeding is not permitted in the German Shepherd Association (SV).

How are warranty claims for the buying of dogs regulated? Even though animals do not count as things according to the German Civil Code, at the same time, the German Civil Code determines that the sam

What should I pay attention to when buying a German Shepherd? The puppy should have a SV pedigree (also known as “SV papers”). This breed authenticity certificate ensures over generations that the des

What is a pedigree / breed authenticity certificate? How far can the descent be traced back? Who guarantees the descent? The breed authenticity certificate of a dog proves its descent over 4 generatio

At which age are puppies sold? A Shepherd puppy should leave its nursery and be given over to the new owner by the breeder no earlier than with 8 weeks. The puppy at this point was chipped by the vete

What is the demand about a “pet breeding law” all about? A pet breeding law is being demanded more and more, especially by animal welfarists. Here, similar to the livestock breeding law, binding rules

What does genotype / phenotype mean? The complete genetic endowment of a living creature is called genotype. The phenotype indicates the appearance of a dog, i. e. its actual physical and mental chara

What does the inbreeding coefficient mean? The inbreeding coefficient indicates the probability to what extent genes with the same hereditary origin can appear at the same locus of the dog, respective

Dr. Tellhelm, how do you rate the efficiency of the HD/ED procedure in the SV? Through the phenotypical breeding selection against HD effected already for many years we have succeeded in immensely red

How big is the HD/ED problem with German Shepherds? Compared to other breeds in a breed ranking of HD diagnosis, where does the German Shepherd stand? According to the official statistics of the GRSK

What do you think about “warm-up and cool-down“ in dog sports? Careful preparation and post-processing of the dogs’ sport use are an absolute “must”. For sport dogs, the same principles apply as for c

Are there legal prerequisites for the keeping of German Shepherds? Dog-keeping is generally a matter of the federal states. There are no national legal regulations which make the keeping of a German S

Do I require a membership in the SV for buying/selling a German Shepherd? For buying a German Shepherd, no membership in the German Shepherd Association SV is required. Nevertheless, a common exchange

Where can I find a breeder who will advise me well? The licensed breeding wardens in the SV local groups are the experts on-site and will counsel you in your search for the right breeder. They are inf

What are the reasons for problems with the isolated Processus anconaeus (IPA) and the fragmentation of the Processus coronoideus medialis ulnae (FCP)? What should I pay attention to as a puppy owner i

The German Shepherd partly has a problem with the early degeneration of the intervertebral disc. This has an effect on the frequency of the cauda equina syndrome. Are there preventive examinations? Th

What does the SV think about the E-collar? What actions does the German Shepherd Association SV take against the usage of electronic collars? Is there a program to introduce modern training methods in

Where can I find help in training matters? I would like to teach my dog only basic obedience. Does the SV offer possibilities for this? Does the SV also offer puppy groups? Do I absolutely have to tra

Does protection service put the German Shepherd „on edge“ (Does protection service make my dog aggressive?) Do protection dogs bite more and are they involved in accidents more often? This question ca

When is the best time to start training? Training starts with buying the puppy. From this time on, the Shepherd puppy should be promoted age-appropriately. Here is true: „You can’t teach an old dog ne

Does the SV have its own rescue dog unit? The rescue dog sport is becoming more and more popular; the association does not have its own rescue dog unit, however. In rescue dog sport, the individual ar

What is the „World Union of German Shepherd associations “? How big is the WUSV? The world union of German Shepherd associations (WUSV) is a union of Shepherd associations worldwide. Founded in 1974,

Which dog sports does the SV offer? Apart from the “classic” types of sports performance herding, exhibitions (show) and protection dog sport, the SV also offers agility, rescue dog sport and obedienc

To which age can I be active in dog sports with my German Shepherd? That depends solely on the physical constitution of the dog. A German Shepherd wants to have exercise also at an advanced age, even