What is a King German Shepherd?

A King Shepherd resembles a large German Shepherd Dog. The breed was originally developed on the East Coast using American bred German Shepherds, crossed to flock guardians, which were then crossed with European bred German Shepherd dogs. The intent was to develop a superior family companion and protector that was capable of performing a wide variety of working duties ranging from police service, to guide dogs, to search and rescue dogs. The original breeders also wanted to produce a dog which was free of the many health and temperament problems, which has been affecting German Shepherd Dogs.

Generally, when full grown, a male King Shepherd can range from 27 to over 32 inches at the shoulder and weigh from 110 to over 140 pounds. Females are slightly smaller ranging from 25 to 30 inches at the shoulder and weighing from 90 to over 120 pounds.

King Shepherds display a stable, sound, temperament. They are not hyper or overly aggressive. While very loving with their families and friends, they are generally aloof with strangers. Kings are extremely intelligent and are very trainable, in both obedience and as personal protection dogs.

A moderate amount, usually two fifty-minute walks per day are sufficient.

An adult usually requires about 3-4 cups of dry dog food per day. We strongly recommend that you use a premium brand of dog food, one that is meat based (chicken, poultry or lamb) without soybeans or artificial preservatives. Along with the dry food, wet food should be added, in the form of a meat stew, soup or a can of premium wet food. Vitamins C and E should also be added to the dog’s daily rations.

Generally not. While there are infrequent cases of hip dysplasia, which is a problem with most large breeds of dogs, most breeders have been able to greatly reduce the incidence by having their dog’s hips x-rays analyzed by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals or the University of Pennsylvania’s PENNHIP program.

King Shepherds come in two distinct varieties, smooth coated and long coated. The smooth coated Kings look much like large German Shepherd dogs. The long coated Kings have a coat that closely resembles that of a Belgian Tervuren. Both varieties shed and require a moderate amount of grooming. A good five-minute brushing twice a week is more than adequate.