Learn More About the Long Haired German Shepherd

The long haired German Shepherd otherwise known as the long coat German Shepherd is a large good-looking dog. With exactly the same facial features and size as a standard German Shepherd, this dog’s only differences in appearance are the length of its coat, its distinct mane, and notably bushier tail.

The long coat is believed to be a genetic fault, and the long haired gene is a recessive one, so these dogs are much rarer and only found in a few bloodlines.

Since the long hair gene is a recessive gene, if two short coated German shepherds are bred, it is still possible for them to produce puppies with long hair.

This particular breed of the German shepherd is a strong and agile dog with a very protective nature.

Long Haired German Shepherd History

The Long Haired German Shepherd has a very similar history to the standard German Shepherd.

Origionally there were two types of German Shepherd breed in Germany; the standard and the long haired German Shepherd.

Many people during the 1900s believed that it was not good to breed the long haired version.

The reason this breed gets long hair is due to a recessive gene that has been passed down through the German Shepherd breeds DNA. For now you can only get this version of the German Shepherd in the United Kingdom and Germany. They have not been allowed in the United States yet.

If you have ever read any of our other dog breed posts then you have probably seen information about the standard German Shepherd.

Long Haired German Shepherd Appearance

As you may already know the long haired German Shepherd still looks a lot like the standard German Shepherd.

This breed will still have the upright ears that stand erect as well as a long muzzle.

The breed will still have a double dense coat that will protect and temperature regulate them. Now the hair is obviously much longer than the standard German Shepherd.

The feel of the coat is very stairght and it could have a slight wave to it but that is more rare.

Long Coat German Shepherd Temperament

The long haired German Shepherd is a playful and highly intelligent dog. This dog’s quick wit, they are obedient and eager to learn and impress their owners.

It is widely believed that long haired German Shepherds have a better temperament than their short haired counterparts, but there has been no scientific research carried out to prove this.

Generally speaking, these dogs are fearfully loyal and brave and prefer to be in constant contact with humans. While there have been reports of these dogs being aggressive,, bad handling, and socialization need to occur when the dog is a puppy.

If they are not exercised on a regular basis, they are known to become mischievous therefore, the long haired German Shepherd is perfect for families and people who have plenty of time to dedicate to it.

Long Coat German Shepherd Coat

Normal German Shepherds have two coats, whereas a true long coated German Shepherd does not. Therefore the coat of a long-haired German Shepherd appears shiner as it does not have an undercoat to deal with.

Because of its single coat, there is less protection from the weather, and for this reason alone the long haired German Shepherd is rarely entered into competitions.

What colors do they come in?

Here are a few of the color options that your Long Haired German Shepherd may come in:

Black
Brown
Sable
Fawn
Gray
Red Hues
Silver

Long Coated German Shepherd Size

The average long haired German Shepherd male can grow to weigh 66-88lb (30-40kg) with a height of 24-26 inches (60-65cm).

A female is slightly smaller, weighing 51-73lbs (23-33kg) with a height of 22-24 inches (55-60cm).

Long haired German Shepherds are slightly heavier than stock German Shepherds due to the dog having heavier bones.

Long-Haired German Shepherd Health Problems

Long haired German Shepherds suffer from the same ailments as stock German Shepherds. Due to careless breeding practices in the past, these dogs are prone to suffer from hereditary diseases.

Common diseases among these breeds include hip and elbow dysplasia, eczema, digestive problems, and epilepsy.

In order to avoid choosing a dog with such conditions, choose a reputable breeder and ask to see the puppy’s parents. The life expectancy of this particular breed is 9-13 years.

Life Expectancy of a Long-Haired German Shepherd

German Shepherds can live quite a long time ranging from nine to thirteen years.

If you keep your dog up to date on shots as well as health checkup your dog should stay healthy. If you ever have any worry for concern then you can always consult your veterinarian.

Living Conditions

A long haired German Shepherd is an inactive dog when indoors; therefore, having an apartment is fine as long as the dog is exercised on a regular basis.

These dogs are best kept indoors at night as the long coated German Shepherd does not have the natural protection against the weather due to its single-layered coat.

Exercise

The long haired German Shepherd dog loves exercise. While walking your dog is fine, it also needs to run about to get rid of its boundless energy.

If you’re a jogger or a cyclist, it’s perfect as these dogs love to run along chasing their owner.

Playing outdoor games such as Frisbee or catch is also a good way to tire out your dog and it will also help with obedience training.

Long Haired German Shepherd Feeding

Large breed dogs like the long haired German Shepherd need a lot of food to sustain themselves each day. Three cups of high quality dog food spread out into multiple meals should be perfect.

Having a large breed dog can be very expensive. Dependiong on which food you choose this can cost around $1.50 to $2.00 a day in food cost.

German Shepherds need around 1500 calories a day so make sure the dog food has a good source of protein, carbs, and fats.

Long Haired German Shepherd Grooming

With its long coat, the long haired German Shepherd is constantly shedding its hair. To avoid it getting matted, brush its coat twice weekly with a metal brush.

Only bathe these dogs when it’s necessary as their coats do not contain enough natural oils, and bathing will further reduce them.

Their nails also need to be looked after, as these dogs like running, take them running on hard concrete surfaces to keep the nails short.

Long Coat German Shepherd Training

Training a Long Haired German Shepherd is just like training a standard German Shepherd. It is actually quite easy to train this breed because this breed has so much intelligence.

This breed has an eagerness to please their owners and make them happy so they like to listen to commands. Of course teaching your dog these commands will take some time as well as repetition.

German Shepherds do not like to be dominated either so make sure when you are training you are always using positive reinforcement.

You will want to start training early in puppy years as it will be easier to train your dog.

If you want to train your dog to be a therapy or service dog then you will need to do a lot of training to get your dog to that level. You may even want to consult a professional dog trainer at that point.

Long Coat German Shepherd Puppies

There are two types of bressders when it comes to the Long Haired German Shepherd. The first is the one that sells this breed for more expensive than the standard as it is rare to get a Long Coated German Shepherd in a litter. Then there is the breeder that charges less because this is not the standard look the breeder was looking for.

So depending on that information you can expect to pay in the range of $500 to $2000.

Just remember that this variation of the German Shepherd is very hard to produce so it may take a breeder a long time to get you the perfect puppy you want.

Always choose a breeder that you can trust. Make sure they allow you to see health records of their dogs as well as a visit to their kennel.

Long Haired German Shepherd Litter Size

A female dog’s litter usually consists of 4-6 puppies.

Large dog breeds usually have more puppies than smaller dog breeds. Just remember that it is rare ti get a long haired German Shepherd in the first place. So out of all the puppies in the littler there may only be one or two with the long haired gene.

Suitability

This is the perfect family dog with its fun-loving nature and playfulness it is a great companion for families with small children.

Long coated German Shepherds constantly crave human attention, so this dog is not ideal if the house is empty most of the day. Unlike stock German Shepherds, this dog is not suitable for farming or hunting due to the lack of its weatherproof coat.

These dogs are commonly used and favored by European police as they are cheaper to buy than stock German Shepherds but share all the same protective traits.