MyDogBreeds
East German Shepherd is originated from Germany but Cirneco dell'Etna is originated from Italy. East German Shepherd may grow 13 cm / 6 inches higher than Cirneco dell'Etna. East German Shepherd may weigh 28 kg / 62 pounds more than Cirneco dell'Etna. Both East German Shepherd and Cirneco dell'Etna has almost same life span. Both East German Shepherd and Cirneco dell'Etna has almost same litter size. East German Shepherd requires High maintenance. But Cirneco dell'Etna 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.
The Cirneco dell’Etna comes from the island of Sicily and not mainland Italy, although it is considered an Italian dog. It is a small dog that hunted rabbits and its calling card was its ability to go for hours without water or food. They have terrific endurance and a good sense of smell. They were developed for the harsh terrain they worked around places like Mount Etna. Of all the Mediterranean island hunting dogs, the Cirneco de’Etna is the smallest.
This is a very ancient breed, surviving on its hunting skills alone for thousands of years on Sicily. They then became guard dogs for the peasants. Because they had such speed, sense of smell, alertness and sight, they were great hunters.
Today’s Cirneco de’Etna is highly competitive in confirmation and make terrific pets. They are exceedingly friendly, energetic and low maintenance. Lure coursing is what they really excel at. They are good at agility and pursuit games as well.
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 Cirneco de’Etna is a sleek, muscular sighthound. His ears are close together and high on his head. The head is lean, and the skull is almost flat in profile. The muzzle is about the same length as the skull and the nose is large and its coloring matches the dog’s coat. They have hard pads the same color as their nails, but they are never black.
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 Cirneco de’Enta is an independent and intelligent breed. They are good-natured and love to be with their people. They are more trainable than the usual sighthound. They are loyal and fun loving but they need a job.
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.
Like many dogs that come from ancient breeds with little cross breeding over the years, there are not a lot of inherited issues for the Cirneco de’Etna. Also, there are so few dogs remaining that little is known about their health in general and there are no studies to go on. Some breeders will do test despite the fact that none are recommended.
Their most common health issues are acquired such as injuries from running or competitions and obesity. Both can be controlled by the owner.
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.
The Cirneco needs a good quality food since they are such high energy dogs. Be careful not to overfeed them so that they become obese.
As previously mentioned, the main concern for owners is injuries acquired while on a running course or in the activities of daily living. They have been known to hurt their feet. They need their ears checked regularly for any signs of infection or irritation. Clean out any excess water or dirt.
This is an intelligent, hardy breed that needs mental and physical stimulation. They need a job, or they can be a major problem. They love hunting of course but also excel at agility, lure crossing, and competition. He is loyal and loves being with people. Take him for long walks but don’t let him off the leash.