German Shepherd vs Pitbull remains one of the most interesting topics, when it comes to comparison of both breeds it is actually very hard to decide which dog is better than the other mainly because both the breeds are very popular in America, however people lile to know how both the dogs share common traits and what makes them different than the other.In this article we will be discussing everything about these two gorgeous breeds so that a person can get better information about both breeds, by comparing we will find out the features which make them standout from the crowd.
History
In the late 19th century, like the name indicates, German Shepherds sprang into existence in Germany. They were bred by Max von Stephanitz, an ex military officerby mixing some of many variants of breeding dogs that were found through out Germany, and they were targeted to be working dogs. They were bred for the sole purpose of guardingand herding the sheep, hence the name GermanShepHerd.The German Shepherds were exhibited for the first time in 1882 at a festival in Hanover of Lower Saxony. Ever since they were initially bred, German Shepherds have evolved in ways that now days they would seem unrecognisable. They had a craggy coat, short almost bald tail and looked more like mongrels than the handsome beasts that we have come to associate the German Shepherdswith in this century.Because of their unmatched command following skills, their protective nature as herding dogs, excellent stamina, over 225 million smell receptors and high intelligence quotient, German Shepherds are the choice dogs for police work and are used in K.9 units, bomb and drugdetections, and search and rescue. They are also becoming favourites for guard dogs.
origin
Pitbulls are generally mistaken as a breed in itself but such is not the case. An authority like American Kennel Club is one of the few that does not recognize Pitbulls as a pure breed. They were developed in the 19th century in the United Kingdom as fighting dogs and to be used in the pits to tackle ferocious animals like bulls’ bears and other large animals. They were trained to bite and hold them still which would render the beast incapacitated for the entertainment of the watching crowd, mostly containing the lower class of the economy. This gave the Pitbulls a notorious reputation and made them popular in a blood sport known as “bull baiting” until the bloody sport was banned in the late 1800s. Sadly, in under developed countries, Pitbulls remain favourites among the feudal and other rich rural families for blood sporting. If it is because of their brutish faces or the violent and tragic ancestry they have had, Pitbulls are mainly trained to be brutal, feral and are kept hungry. The hungrier they are the bloodier they get and mainly win their owners the fight by sheer force of their strength and survival instincts. In more civilized situations, a Pitbull is trained to wound and hold still its prey instead of killing or feeding on it.Breeds like the American Staffordshire terrier, American Bulldog and the Staffordshire bull terrier fall under the term “pit bull” which is a “type” of dog and NOT a breed. To avoid confusion, a hybrid of some kind of bulldog and a terrier can be put in a category of “bully breed”.
Physical attributes
German Shepherds have tawny and black coat of fur which can be longer in length or kept medium. Physically, they are taller and longer in comparison with a wolf like grace to their bearing. Their sense of smelloutperforms almost any other dog which puts them on top of the list for police and detection work. In many countries, German Shepherds are preferably used on the borders and airports for sniffing traces of bombs and drugs.
Pitbulls are shorter but have a well defined and muscular body, bordering on thickset with white, grey, brown and black coating of fur. They also come in colours that are a combination of all of these colours and sometimes in stippled and mottled markings. The difference in physicality is owed to the blending of contrasting kind of Bulldogs and Terriers. When they open their mouth, Pitbulls look like they are giving you the biggest smile of the eranot unlike a Cheshire cat, you know the kind of smile where a face splits from ear to ear. Sometimes, one could use a face like that after having a hard day at work or at life in general. This makes a German Shepherd look more dignified yetdemure and “grandfatherly” in comparison which sort of makes sense when you watch a dog movie and the German Shepherd is voiced over by a baritone, reminiscent of a fatherly or patriarchal figure in your life.
The German Shepherds are 23 to 26 inches tall whereas Pitbulls stand much shorter at 18 to 22 inches in height. An adult German Shepherd weighs about 40kgs (50 to 90lbs) and Pitbulls around 30kgs (30 to 65lbs) depending, of course, on the dogs’ diet and training. Pitbulls eat less, around 2.5 cups of food a day, given their smaller built but German Shepherds, being larger dogs should be given up to 3 to 4 cups a day.
Grooming
The shedding of German Shepherds is average and they will shed their under fur two times a year. It is still a better practice to brush their coats every alternate day. There is also no need to bathe a German Shepherd until he has been naughty and have rolled in the mud or have been unusually dirty. Dog owners suggest bathing them twice a year is enough because the more you wash them the more skin allergies they willhave.
Pitbulls’ fur is shorter in length but the shedding is severe which is why it is best that the furis brushed twice a week at least or ideally, daily.This controls the problem pretty much.Experts and dog owners alike suggest investing in a Furminatorand high quality vacuum cleaner whether you own a German Shepherd or Pitbull. The reasonbeing that there is going to be a lot of dog hair in the air, on the floor, on your expensive sofas, in your life and your food. Imagine yourself labouring the entire day in kitchen, cooking an excellent meal after sifting through libraries upon liabrariesof food videos and finally find out that you have already downloaded it centuries ago just so you avoid all the hassle of finding “the one” recipe. This is one level of frustration. You finally cook the food by pouring your heart into it, put the dish in front of your favourite person in this worldand they pull that strand of hairfrom their mouth! Now that’s what i call gag-worthy embarrassmentand frustration on biblical proportions ! Nobody cares if that hair came from your beloved pooch, its HAIR IN FOOD, it’s NOT DELUCIOUS and NOT ACCEPTABLE. Period.
It is also very important that the nails of both the breeds are given a regular trimming, especially if they spend a lot of time inside the house.One, it’s not safe even if it is an accident and one of the children or anyone else get scratched. Secondly, to avoid any hygiene related issues.
Lifespan
The average life span of a Pitbull is 12 to 16 years but the German Shepherd lives only up to 7 to 10 years. The German Shepherds and Pitbulls both suffer from Hip Dysplasia. Individually, the German Shepherds suffers from Elbow Dysplasia, Degenerative Myelopathy which affects the mobility in their legs and it is caused by spinal cord dysfunction. It also has a weaker digestive system that can be strengthen by diet rich in fibre. Pitbulls are susceptible to Cerebellar Abiotrophy which happens because a specific part of their brain is damaged. Consequently, it causes decreased movability and also cognitive functioning. Also, the skin allergies are a common ailment Pitbulls face,most commonly grass allergies. Proper medication and superior grade kibble can fix these problems for your favourite pet.
Which are better fighters ?
It all comes down to how these two breed of dogs have been trained. Although the German Shepherds have height and weight advantage over Pitbulls, that does not necessarily mean that German Shepherds will win anytime they get into a fight with the other. Incase both the German Shepherds and Pitbulls have not had any training to fight, German Shepherds can be safely assumed to win a fight against the Pitbull, benefiting from their height andweight.
Even so, the German shepherd should be kept at bay and not let into just any fight as it may not always be an ideal situation.
On the contrary, aPitbull trained to fight will almost always win against German shepherd that is not trained to fight, regardless of how much it weighs or however tall it is.
The wind-up
The Pitbulls have a bad rep for being a dangerous dog breed and are naturally considered as fierce beasts because of their gene formation, but that’sall about it. In fact, the owners of these dogs are unsure if they really should be guard dogs (as this is how they are psychologically conceptualized). The reason? In reality, the Pitbulls are friendly with people even who are strangers to them and this is why they are better trained to be compliant with their owner’s command and to not trust strangers.
Neither German Shepherds nor Pitbulls are bad dogs. Both have loving nature and are very energetic, all you have to do is to commit to train them, respective of their personalities and give them plenty of exercise and good nutrition.Comparatively, German Shepherds make excellent guard dogs because of their skill to learn many commands in a short period of time. Because of their natural herding skills, if you run into a flock of sheep or a herd of cows, or any grouping of animals, don’t be alarmed if your German Shepherd tries to herd them! They are just built that way. German Shepherds and Pitbullsare very friendly and great with kids, once again, if trained accordingly, and can be kept with children and family. There have been instances where German Shepherd would attack other pets around the house. Such was the case with one of my family members who owned a German Shepherd.
The dog in itself was gorgeous, tall and well built with a beautiful black and tan double fur coat. There was no problem at all while we stood there and appreciated the dog, it was friendly and almost docile but it was until a pet crane walked in the court yard from another corner of the villa. The German Shepherd crouched low and started growling and before we could react, it attacked the poor bird and ripped it apart. Within moments the crane lay in a pile of flesh and feathers. The dog did not stop there and was still very aggressive even after it was caged and would attack any one and anything that walked close by the bars. By the way the German Shepherd was called “Sweetie”for some reason.(and we agreed but that was before it went all savage on the family’s lovely pets)She was bought from a private pedigree dog dealer in Islamabad who assured us that she is “very well trained”. It can’t be stressed enough that extreme caution should be exercised while buying your favourite pet because even the best pedigrees can get unpredictable and that is why getting them properly trained is a big yes. Unfortunately, the wholesale breeding of German Shepherds has given them health based issues andvolatile temperaments.
Conclusion
German Shepherds and Pitbulls are two of the most popular breeds and getting them is generally not a problem. People are naturally gravitated towards “purely bred genes” (although even they are cross-breeds) which is why German Shepherds seems like the obvious choice. This makes them costlier than Pitbulls which you can easily get from pet/dog shelters. German Shepherds in Pakistan cost roughlybetween 50k to 90k for the puppies and 120k to 180k for adults. Because officially there are still not many pet organisations or shelters in Pakistan, it falls upon the private owners of the dog to charge whatever price he/she deems fit for their pooch.Pitbulls are cheaper costing 50k to 100k for puppies and adults alike. The common source of getting these dogs in Pakistan is either by word of mouth, a reference or advertising it online.
Given the comparison, it is now entirely up to you to own a gorgeous German Shepherd or muscly-sturdy Pitbull. Or if you can, be generous and get both !They are loyal creatures and these days what’s not to appreciate about loyalty. Happy Shopping !