DDR stands for Deutsche Demokratische Republik, which the native people of Eastern Germany call this fantastic dog breed. From the German Shepherds family, this dog breed is attentive, courageous, and kind as well.
There are many stories from the past, enough to prove its bravery and courage. You can hear the words of its bravery from World War II and the police of Germany. But, it is not just limited to the battlefield. It serves even a better pet.
It has charm with big eyes, fluffy coat, cuteness, and playfulness. It is one of the most unique and rare breeds of dogs, but the dilemma is that people have forgotten this remarkable and brave breed over time.
If you want to know more about this unique and rare dog breed, then we have come up with a complete guide of DDR German shepherd, with all the questions you might be having in your mind.
In this article, we will discuss the history of DDR German Shepherds and where to buy one. We will also take a look at some of the most common diseases among this breed, their workout and exercise routine, and how to groom them properly. Let’s take a deep dive into our ultimate DDR German Shepherd guide.
Written By Sergey Uhanov – Certified Veterinarian.
Sergey Uhanov is a certified veterinarian for dogs over 10 years, breeding 3 dogs. He loves dogs and has his own pet clinic in Israel. He likes to help other people with their dogs by sharing his experience and knowledge.
What Are DDR German Shepherds?
There are different kinds of German Shepherds available worldwide, and the East German Shepherds or the DDR German Shepherds are one out of many of them.
DDR German Shepherds, more commonly known as the East German Shepherd dogs, are best-known protection dogs. They were bred in a large amount in East Germany after world war II, from which it got its name.
The native people of East Germany more commonly call them Deutsche Demokratische Republik. At that time, it was one of the most popular dog breeds found in Germany. This breed slowly started dis-populating, and eventually, it started falling under the category of rare species.
Difference between An East German Shepherd And A West German Shepherd
After the 2nd World War, West Germany and East Germany becomes two different nations instead of one. At that time, the East German shepherds and the West German Shepherds developed other traits differentiating the East German shepherd and the West German shepherds.
While the East German Shepherds are sturdy and more suitable as a watchdog, they are often also called West German Shepherds for their charm and obedience. People started raising them more commonly as a pet or show dogs.
Eastern German shepherds are much stronger and bulkier than Western German shepherds. Eastern German Shepherds are more confident and courageous than Western German Shepherds.
Both of these species get popular among the people of Germany only after the cold war.
Where Can One Buy A Dog Of DDR German Shepherds?
Not just DDR German shepherd, an expensive dog breed, it is pretty hard to find this breed quickly. There are not many East German Shepherd breeders, and also there are not many dogs still left of this dog breed. Thus, you might surf a little bit before buying a DDR Shepherd.
Falling in rare dogs, East German Shepherds are bred by only a few specific breeders at a particular location. You can find one or two breeders online, from where you can buy this perfect protection dog breed, yet it is a task to find these DDR GSDs.
But raising the DDR shepherds can be a great start to relocate this unique dog breed again.
What Is The Breeding History, And Where Does DDR German Shepherd Come From?
The DDR German shepherd, more commonly known as the Eastern German shepherd, has a very long history.
At the time of World War, the DDR German shepherd was known as the best army dog, perfect for search and rescue purposes. They are originated in Germany in 1949 and helped the German army and police in the world war significantly.
When World War II ended, even the worst situation came up, that is the cold war. In the cold war, Germany gets divided into two parts, Eastern Germany and Western Germany, and the name of the German Shepherds become Eastern and Western German Shepherd, respectively. The cold war is the sole reason for the popularity of DDR German Shepherds.
They have also served as the Border patrolling dogs for Germany around the Berlin wall. It is the first guard dog species that patrolled over the high berlin wall, which is why it is known as Germany’s history.
DDR German shepherds were more commonly raised and used in the eastern region, and the native of East Germany started calling them Deutsche Demokratische Republik. It is the time when the popularity of this dog breed reaches its peak.
As East and West Germany lasts for only 40 years, so do the DDR German shepherds as well. Nowadays, the DDR German shepherd dog breed is counted among the rare dog species.
DDR German shepherds are extinct from West Germany, but you can find some of them in East Germany, nowadays, which is the hometown of this dog breed.
Is This Breed A Good Guard Dog?
As they have previously served in the army at the time of World War, no one can doubt their guarding skills. They fall under the category of rare protection dogs, and people raise purebred DDR German shepherds, especially for the protection and guarding purpose, and sell them at a pretty higher price.
These dogs are not only very attentive, but they have keen eyes as well. With proper training, they can serve as the best guard dogs. With their loud bark, they can easily scare off intruders away and alert everyone about the presence of intruders. They have a sturdy body and very sharp teeth, because of which they serve as a good watching dog.
Being very attentive, they can even recognize the suspicious activity going on even while sleeping. Also, it can easily scare any intruder off just with their energy and activeness.
What Are The Common Diseases Of DDR Dogs?
Although DDR dogs are very active and energetic, which is the reason why they have been serving Army and police for a long time, yet there are some health issues that even DDR dogs might suffer from.
The most common disease that these dogs suffer from is hip dysplasia. Hip dysplasia is a condition where the hip of a dog gets into an abnormal formation, due to which the dog started suffering from lameness and arthritis. Hip dysplasia can be very painful in dogs. If your dog is suffering from hip dysplasia, it will not be able to walk anymore if proper treatment is not given to it.
Apart from hip dysplasia, a DDR German Shepherd can also suffer from health problems like cataracts, health issues, bloating. All these issues are solely because of the deficient immune system of the East German Shepherds.
Are DDR Shepherds Great With Kids?
Nobody can deny that east German Shepherds is one of the best family dogs one can bring with kids around. They are very active, playful, and cheerful dogs that can entertain you with their playfulness. Especially when they are with kids, this breed can not only take care of them, protect them but will become their perfect companion in their growing days.
As they were raised as a watchdog previously, not just they will enjoy with your kids around them, they can also protect them and keep an eye on them like a nanny. Apart from this, if they play with your kids, you will not need to take them for exercising sessions separately, as they will do enough workout playing and enjoying with kids.
What Needs To Be Considered For Grooming And Care?
Being part of the family of German shepherds, DDR dogs also have a long overcoat with a thin undercoat, and thus, they also require proper grooming and care from time to time.
DDR dogs can have coat colors varying from black and tan to sable colors or even brown colors. To avoid matting DDR German shepherd dogs’ coat, it is crucial to brush their hair regularly.
Bathing them from time to time is another crucial constraint while raising DDR German Shepherds. After washing their hair with dog shampoo. Must condition its hair to retain its natural shine. Then you can dry the hair of your dog with a hairdryer.
As they have delicate skin, check for skin rashes or eczema in their undercoat while bathing them. DDR dogs shed a lot, and thus they are not suitable for people having allergies to hair.
Conclusion
Not only DDR dogs are wonderful pets; they are a perfect protector and good show dogs. These unique dogs are not only pretty alert. They are charming and one of the healthiest dog breeds in the world.
There is a need to breed more and more DDR German Shepherds, to repopulate this fantastic dog breed. For now, it is pretty hard to find or purchase these dogs as there are not many left around the world.
Although they are perfect as patrolling dogs or in the police, sometimes it is better to give them some time off the world. Moreover, no one can doubt its devotion and loyalty towards its master as a pet as well.
