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LargeHerding Group

German Shepherd Dog

The German Shepherd Dog was developed in late-19th-century Germany by Max von Stephanitz as a standardized herding breed.

Calculate German Shepherd Dog age
Lifespan11.3 yrrange 11–12
SizeLargeHerding Group
Weight50–90 lb22.7–40.8 kg
Senior at6 yrgeriatric at 10

Gallery (3)

About

About the German Shepherd Dog

The German Shepherd Dog was developed in late-19th-century Germany by Max von Stephanitz as a standardized herding breed. It became the world's most versatile working dog within two decades and remains dominant in police, military, service, and pet roles.

Aging

How German Shepherd Dogs age

RVC VetCompass data from 30,681 GSDs places median lifespan at 11.3 years — shorter than AKC-stated ranges. Degenerative myelopathy (14.7% OFA) and elbow dysplasia (14.2%) are the signature late-life concerns alongside EPI.

Lifespan deep-diveAvg 11.3 yr · range 11–12Senior careSenior at 6 · geriatric at 10Common health issues10 tracked conditions
Physical

Physical characteristics

Weight
50–90 lb(22.7–40.8 kg)
Height
22–26 in(55.9–66 cm)
Coat type
Double
Colors
BlackBlack & CreamBlack & RedBlack & SilverBlack & TanGraySableWhiteLiverBlueBi-Color
Temperament

Temperament

How German Shepherd Dogs tend to show up around their people, other dogs, and the world.

confidentcourageousintelligentversatile
  • Energy
  • Trainability
  • Good with kids
  • Good with other dogs
  • Shedding
Health

Common health issues

Full health profile
  • Moderatetypical onset ~2 yr

    Elbow Dysplasia

    Description and veterinary guidance for Elbow Dysplasia land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Moderatetypical onset ~8 yr

    Degenerative Myelopathy

    Description and veterinary guidance for Degenerative Myelopathy land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Moderatetypical onset ~7 yr

    Cataracts

    Description and veterinary guidance for Cataracts land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

Exercise
90min
per day

German Shepherd Dogs are high-output dogs — plan for 90 minutes of daily activity across a mix of walks, off-leash play, and purposeful work.

Related

Related breeds

Breeds with a similar size and group profile, for readers comparing options.

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References

Sources

Lifespan and health figures on this page are drawn from the peer-reviewed and organizational sources below.

  1. AKC breed standardAmerican Kennel Club breed page

    Breed size, weight range, height, AKC group, origin, coat type, and temperament baseline.

  2. RVC VetCompassRoyal Veterinary College VetCompass life-table research (McMillan et al. 2024)

    UK primary-care records; source for the median-lifespan and mortality figures.