Petzlover
East German Shepherd is originated from Germany but Pungsan Dog is originated from North Korea. Both East German Shepherd and Pungsan Dog are having almost same height. East German Shepherd may weigh 16 kg / 36 pounds more than Pungsan Dog. Both East German Shepherd and Pungsan Dog has almost same life span. East German Shepherd may have more litter size than Pungsan Dog. East German Shepherd requires High Maintenance. But Pungsan Dog requires Moderate Maintenance
The East German Shepherd is a line of the German Shepherd Dog breed. The German Shepherd Dog came about when the three types of “continental shepherd dogs” separated into the Dutch Shephers, German Shepherd and Belgian Shepherd. In the 1800’s it was local shepherds who bred their dogs and selected the traits they needed in their geography. The result was dogs in various local areas who all could herd and guard flocks; who were intelligent, strong, fast and had a good sense of smell, but their appearance and skills varied from town to town.
The changes in Germany from agriculture and sheep to industrial cities rendered the German Sheep Dog obsolete. But was it really? Many felt the dog could be a good working dog in the cities as well but needed some refinement in the breed according to Max von Stephanite. At a dog show in 1899, he found what he wanted – the perfect working dog.Stephanitz bought the dog and founded the Society for the German Shepherd. (Verein fur Deutsch Schaferhunde) Stephanitz is considered the developer of the German Shepherd Dog.
The East German Shepherd is a line of the same breed. There are several different lines of the German Shepherd Dog, with slight difference for the reason they were bred. For instance, the German Shepherd Dog is bred for looks while the East German Shepherd is bred to be a working dog. Often called a DDR German Shepherd, they came about from the Deutsche Democratic Republic or the Republic of East Germany. For about 40 years in East Germany these dogs were bred only within the DDR bloodline.
The East German Shepherd is stronger, heavier boned, leaner, more muscular and solid. During the time of the Berlin Wall, from 1961-1989, there were few German Shepherds for breeding stock on either side of the wall, but especially in the East. There the government controlled the development of the breed. They developed a separate registry for the DDR – East German Shepherd. With such strict standards for a perfect working dog and such little breeding stock, the only dogs allowed to reproduce were the ones that passed a rigorous test and were deemed perfect working dogs.
In West Germany they continued to breed for appearance. The West German Shepherd are the most popular ones and are usually simply called German Shepherds. The show dogs of today and the American line came from the West.
Preserving the East German Shepherd today is important and difficult. It means preserving not improving. The Strength of the East German Shepherd is their body line and style, Today’s breeder must maintain this while making sure there is enough diversity in the gene pool to keep the line healthy without losing its body style and working temperament. It is important that the East German Shepherd have a straight back rather than the sloping one of the German Shepherd Dog or the American lines of the GSD. The working dog is also more aggressive and has a much higher work drive than any of the other German Shepherd Dogs lines.
It is a hunting dog and considered to be a National Treasure of Korea. It was during the Japanese occupation of Korea that the dog’s thick coat was sought after for use in fur coats for the Japanese military.
The population numbers plummeted dramatically, with the Korean War reducing the numbers even further. The North Korean government assisted with re-establishing them.
Today, the Pungsan isn’t recognized by the Federation Cynological International (FCI) and also remains unrecognized by any major kennel clubs.
What are the differences between the German Shepherd Dog (GSD) and the East German Shepherd? The East German Shepherd has a straight back and a larger bone structure. He has a very large and block shaped head with a lean, athletic build. His lips are taunt and dark, and his nose must be black. He has a scissor bite and strong teeth. His eyes are medium sized almonds that are slanted slightly. The eyes are also very dark. His ears are erect and not too big. His legs, haunches and feet must all be coordinated so that he trots rather than runs.
The Pungsan dog is a large dog – a kind of spitz-type dog which stands between 55 and 60cm in height and weighs between 18-24 kg.
The dog has a thick whitish coat that even allows them to sleep in the snow. They have a muscular build with a deep chest. The legs are straight and strong, with the typical Spitz-type triangular head with the almond-shaped eyes and erect ears. The tail is high-set, curling over the back. After mating, within 60 – 70 days they can produce 2 to 4 puppies.
It it thought that the Pungsan’s intelligence is due to wolf DNA but there is a question mark over this. They are intelligent dogs though.
These dogs are always loyal and protective of their owners, forming strong bonds with them. They are strong-willed and independent and will require training and socialization if you want them to be obedient, well mannered dogs.
They’re intelligent so won’t have problems learning. When properly trained and socialized, they can be good playmates for children. He is also able to get along well with other animals in the house.
They’re aloof with strangers and have strong territorial instincts, but this just goes towards making them excellent watchdogs.
The East German Shepherd is a well- balanced dog. He is sure of himself, friendly, loyal and wants to please his owner. He is intelligent, resilient and attentive. He will make a great family pet. He is aggressive with a high prey drive but that can be tempered with good socialization and training. He is easy to train.
The Pungsan is a wonderful dog if you’re looking for an affectionate, loyal pet.
These dogs thrive on having an owner that is energetic and a strong leader. It likes to become involved in all the activities the family is involved in, loving to join them on hikes and camping trips. Its a dog that is also protective and territorial and makes a good watchdog too.
With proper training and socialization he gets on well with children and other pets in the home, making him a welcome canine family member for any busy household.
Because the East German Shepherd line has been isolated behind the Berlin Wall, there are not many genetic health issues in the line. Most importantly the East German Shepherd shows no hip dysplasia which plagues most GSD. There are a couple of situations to look out for. They are:
A life threatening issue that must be addressed immediately for fear of death. Bloat is caused when a larger dog with a deep chest eats too large a meal before or after strenuous exercise, eats too fast, or drinks too much water. The stomach distends with air or gas and twists. Sometimes it is completely inverted. Get help fast or your dog will die.
The Pungsan is a healthy breed prone to very few health issues, yet there will always be those common health issues that plague dogs like these. One of these is hip dysplasia, while others are obesity, bloat and cancer.
It can be very sad when your vet tells you that your dog has hip dysplasia. Fortunately with modern veterinary medicine, a dog can be kept happy with this ailment.
The hip joint doesn’t develop properly and painful wear and tear with arthritis makes it very difficult for the dog to be mobile. It’s a genetic condition but diet and environmental factors play a huge part too. Get your pet to the vet to ensure he is pain free.
Seizures in a dog can be caused usually because of trauma, tumor or infection. Seizures can start from as young as 6 months of age.Some seizures can last for a long time and are considered an emergency, requiring immediate veterinary help.Your veterinarian will want a complete history and perform a neurological exam.
Because these dogs were bred to work you need to feed them a high quality dry food, made for working dogs. It needs to have a good amount of calcium and glucosamine. Feed about 3-4 cups per day divided into 2 feeding times.
In addition to bloat as mentioned above, the East German Shepherd can also have both air born, and food born allergies. These are easily treated by your veterinarian.
The East German Shepherd is a high energy, high activity dog so you have some for him. He is agile and athletic. He needs serious exercise and a job is essential. If you can’t give an East German Shepherd a job, then don’t get this dog. He loves tracking and has a high prey drive. Keep him trained, challenged and working. Try tracking and herding trials, obedience, agility, fly ball and bar hunt.
With his dense coat, this dog will require a brush twice a week to keep the fur free from matting and from loose hair. He is after all a fairly heavy shedder and will require this regular brushing to remove the dead hair and maintain the luster and sheen of the coat.
This is a strong, athletic dog and he is mentally sharp as well. He will require vigorous physical- and mental activity each day. He isn’t the kind of dog to lie around for long periods of time as this leads to frustration and destructive behavior and then the owner should be blamed.
Take him on walks or long hikes – he’ll love that – and play ball- and rope games with him. He will be quite game for swimming as well.
Your Pungsan dog can get to 14 years of age with good food. While you do get some excellent commercially manufactured dog foods, you want to be sure your pet gets some nutritious home-made food too.
Make sure that the kibble is the high quality ones with lots of vitamins and minerals. Add in some home-made food twice a week. Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots are a healthy choice for your pet. Your dog will do well on plain, simple, nutritious, tasty food like this. Chop this food up and add it into the dry kibble a couple of times a week.
Some raw meat added in from time to time will help his skin and coat remain healthy. Never leave him without a constant source of fresh, cool water.