The Alsatian Wolf Dog - Revealing a Modern Wonder Dog

The Alsatian Dog or Alsatian Wolf Dog, more popularly known as the German shepherd dog, is particularly liked for its willingness to work, keen observation and learning skills, loyalty and ability to protect its master. The name "Alsatian" originated from the British and American veterans of the First World War who brought home some of the German farm dogs and renamed the breed since they were afraid of the anti-German sentiments that continued to prevail even after the war. A well-trained Alsatian dog will bravely perform its duty even in dangerous situations and is so intelligent that it has the initiative to carry out its work even without someone looking at him.

But the development of its potential qualities would require that the Alsatian dog undergo a rigorous obedience training especially considering its high intelligence and strong tendency for independence. Alsatians have a dominant personal and would likely want to be the leader of the group. When training an Alsatian, a trainer needs to be firm and patient. Good dog training should progress from basic obedience skills to increasingly challenging tasks. Regular exercise and a balanced diet are likewise important for the Alsatian at this stage.

A well-trained Alsatian can easily follow signals like sit, down and come and can behave in a calm and steady manner in any circumstances. Since it is suspicious of strangers and is extremely loyal to its owner, it can best serve as a good guard dog and protect both the owner and the surrounding premises.

However, an owner of an Alsatian dog needs to pay particular attention to its health and grooming. Since this particular breed has two coats of hairs, it is important to brush out the coat daily in order to take off dead hair and massage its skin. An Alsatian does not usually need a full bath too often and mud and dirt on the coat can be removed by spraying water on the outer coat. The dog's toenails should be trimmed once every three months. It should also be check regularly for parasites like fleas. A dust powder or other anti-flea aids may be used to eliminate the fleas.

In feeding an Alsatian dog, dry food should be preferred in order to prevent tooth decay. Select a good dog food that contains the necessary nutrients and vitamins that could keep the dog healthy. A supply of clean water should always be available for the dog. It is best to house the dog in a cool and shady area. Bring the dog out for daily walks especially in the cool evenings. Since an Alsatian is very protective of its owner, it is important to put a leash on it in order to keep it from instinctively attack others that it perceives to pose a threat.

Although it is properly called Alsatian wolf dog, the veracity of whether or not there is wolf blood in the Alsatian breed continues to be uncertain. Although modern research shows the Alsatian is related to a more primitive wild dog, the exact ancestry of the Alsatian continues to be uncertain despite claims that it is a progeny of a wolf-shepherd mix developed by breeding wolves into the original Alsatian breed. Although the Alsatian is supposedly identical to the more popular German shepherd, the term Alsatian has later on been used to refer exclusively to the pure white variety of the German shepherd breed.