How to name a shepherd dog - top best names: Review + Video

The East European Shepherd is a working dog breed that is in many ways similar to the German Shepherd. Its main differences are: a calmer character and impressive size. In Russia it is used in various services to protect territories and objects.

Every owner, when an East European Shepherd puppy appears in the house, thinks about its nickname. After all, the dog’s name will become his first guide in life and can become his guiding star. Therefore, you should not call him by the first name you come across, but seriously think about this issue. Dogs from the kennel are given club names from birth, which are included in the pedigree. All of them are chosen at random in most cases and are difficult to pronounce. Therefore, it is worth choosing a suitable nickname for the East European Shepherd.

How to choose a nickname for an East European Shepherd?

There is an opinion that the name for an East European Shepherd is very important, since a nickname can program the dog for a certain behavior pattern. It’s not for nothing that there is such a proverb: “What you call a ship, that’s how it will sail.” Therefore, we wish you to give your dog a suitable nickname and so that he becomes your most faithful friend. Let's look at some advice from dog handlers on how to choose the right nickname for an East European Shepherd:

• Short nicknames. A short name is quickly pronounced and the dog learns its name faster. If you decide to call your dog a more serious name, then it should still have an abbreviation. This is for quickly calling the dog to you in case of emergency.
• The name should be clear, understandable and easy to pronounce.
• The presence of the sounds “sh”, “s”, “k” and “ch” in the nickname allows dogs to quickly respond to the owner’s call.
• Names should not be similar to commands.
• It is worth understanding that you will call your pet not only at home, but also on the street. Therefore, in order not to look stupid, you should take the choice of a nickname for the East European Shepherd more seriously.
• You should not call the East European Shepherd by Russian-language names (Petya, Fedya, etc.), this does not apply to foreign names.
• For fun, you shouldn’t call an animal an ugly, funny or stupid name. This is insulting to the animal and will not make you a good owner.
• Study the appearance and habits of your pet and you can find its distinctive features that will tell you its future nickname.

Choosing a nickname for a boy's German Shepherd

1. The homeland of the “culprits” of our article is Germany, where this dog breed was bred at the end of the 19th century. Therefore, you can name a boy’s German Shepherd with a German name (we will give examples of such names with meaning):
   • Peter – reliable;

   Magnus is great;

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2. Henry - head;
3. Hugo - soul;
4. Ludwig is a glorious fighter;
5. Ulrich - powerful;
6. August – majestic;
7. Herman - warrior (or German);
8. Lucas – light;
9. Til – strong in battle;
10. Felix – bringer of happiness;
11. Adelmar – noble;
12. Bolder is a prince;
13. Velten – strong (or healthy);
14. Kaspar - dear;
15. Meino (Menno) – strength;
16. Allard is a noble force;
17. Ralph is a wise wolf;
18. Stefan - crown;
19. Fredge is a lord.
20. The name for the dog can be foreign, but not necessarily German: Rafe, Steven, John, Gary, Austin, Hunter, Eric, Chase, Jake, Cody (English names); Alain, Marcel, Maurice, Raoul, Etienne, Luc, Jules, Jory, Gustave, Arno (French names); Akio, Ichiro, Katsu, Makato, Minoru, Neo, Sabero, Toru, Shiro, Yuki (Japanese names); Bosser, Olle, Greger, Nels, Espen, Nils, Frey, Lares, Sven, Roffe (Swedish names); Alfeo, Vittore, Dario, Giraldo, Italo, Livio, Mario, Orfeo, Fabio, Cesare (Italian names). Of course, the owner of a German Shepherd can choose beautiful names from other countries of the world, this is purely a matter of taste;
21. Don't want a foreign name for your German Shepherd boy's dog? Russian names are also suitable, but it is not advisable to name a dog after a neighbor, colleague or one of your friends, so common names will not work (like Sergei or Alexei). But you can pay attention to the ancient and rare names: Kuzma, Milad, Tikhon, Platon, Filat, Klim, Dobrynya, Miron, Jaromir, Miran, Olel, Ephraim, Elisha, Gordey, Zhdan, Ivor, Ermak, Lavr, Idar, Lukyan;
22. There is an opinion that purebred dogs should not be called by an overly simple name. But if we discard all conventions, then why not consider the traditional Russian dog names: Polkan, Trezor, Sharik, Tuzik, Druzhok, Bobik, Chernysh, Baron, Buran, Filka, Count;
23. The name for a boy German Shepherd puppy can be related to the hobby or profession of the owner. So, for example, a football fan can name his pet after a current player of his favorite team or a football legend, for example, Yashin, Pele, Eusebio, Maradona, Henry, Platini, Zidane, Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar. A cook or just a gourmet can name a dog after some delicious dish: Goulash, Pate, Pie, Muffin, Pancake, Pie, Dumpling, Vinaigrette, Omelette, Shashlik, Pilaf, Strudel, Cheesecake, Tartar, Zeppelin, Schnitzel. And a collector of strong drinks can give the dog one of the following names: Brandy, Cognac, Vermouth, Gin, Liqueur, Cider, Absinthe, Rum, Bourbon, Grog;
24. The name for a shepherd dog may be unusual. Since these dogs are directly related to Germany, you can pay attention, for example, to the names of the cities of this country: Ansbach, Berlin, Bergen, Wesel, Hamburg, Dresden, Kassel, Leipzig, Mainz, Norden, Ulm, Stade, Essen. Or take the names of German rivers: Rhine, Danube, Oder, Weser, Havel, Aller, Eider, Sauer, Alz, Tauber, Ulster, Günz. You can also choose the names of Russian reservoirs (rivers and lakes): Yenisei, Amur, Irtysh, Ural, Don, Tobol, Ishim, Caspian, Baikal, Ilmen, Taimyr, Seliger, Labaz, Baikal;
25. Males of large and medium breeds are often given names in honor of heroes of ancient Greek myths, for example, Odysseus, Zeus or Hercules. But you won’t see a dog with the name of a character from German mythology on the street: Tuiskon, Mann, Ingon, Irmin, Arminius, Sigimir, Wiland, Wodan, Fenrir, Loki, Tsio, Fro;
26. Nicknames for German Shepherd boys can be given in honor of a movie character (cartoon, book) or some other famous dog who left his name in history (regardless of the breed):
    • Konstantin (Kostya) or Verny is a famous German Shepherd dog from Togliatti, who was waiting for his deceased owner on the side of the road for 7 years (Verny’s owner died in an accident);

    Dick is a Scottish Shepherd dog; during the Great Patriotic War, this animal discovered over 12,000 enemy mines in the cities of our Motherland;

27. Scarlet is a border guard dog from the 1979 film “Scarlet the Border Dog”;
28. Mukhtar is a shepherd service dog from the 1964 film “Come to Me, Mukhtar”, a faithful assistant to Lieutenant Glazychev, played by Yuri Nikulin;
29. Dzhulbars is a border guard dog from the Soviet film of the same name;
30. Ajax is a rescue shepherd dog who, for 96 hours, helped dig people out of snow captivity caused by an avalanche;
31. Balto, a husky dog, saved Alaskans from a diphtheria epidemic by delivering the vaccine on time;
32. Jerry Lee is a German shepherd, the hero of the film "K 9: A Dog's Job";
33. Rex is the hero of the cartoons Bring Back Rex and The Adventures of Rex, as well as the Austrian television series Commissioner Rex.
34. The predominant color in the color of German Shepherds is black, so the nickname can be directly related to the shade of the coat: Black (Schwartz, Nero, Noir), Coal, Anthracite, Dark, Dark, Black, Raven, Mulatto, Gypsy, African, Cosmos, Space , Onyx;
35. You can name a German Shepherd boy puppy a cool one: Adidas, Piston, Fruit, Gigabyte, Goat, Dolphin, Gram, Killer, Kent, Koresh, Drugan (Druzhban), Uncle (Dyadka), Patsanchik, Kumanek, Google, Ketchup, Murzik, Ghost , Baby, Zyuzya, Shocker, Adultery, Navel, Flower, Reckless, Mixer, Jig, Goblin, Cyclops, Tornado, Elf, Bug, Hop-Hey, Boy, Ushastik (Ushan);
36. We list other popular nicknames for German Shepherd boys: Atlant, Impulse, Captain, Trap, Patron, Roar, Titan, Diamond, Sherlock, Athos, Ardent, Champion, Typhoon, Spartak, Fierce, Vulcan, Azart, Viking, Viscount, Uranus. Such serious names are suitable for shepherd dogs who have to protect their owner’s property from ill-wishers.

Female list of names for the East European Shepherd

Beautiful names for shepherd girls

A good choice for naming female dogs would be beautiful female homonyms of German origin.

• Adele - noble;
• Alma - noble;
• Biruta - child;
• Gazelle - arrow;
• Gemma - decorated with precious stones;
• Dita - folk;
• Ister - goddess of the rainbow;
• Linda - linden;
• Rainis - pure;
• Frida - peace;
• Helga - light;
• Hilda - armor;
• Elodea is the owner;
• Elga - sacred;
• Elda - brave;
• Ermene is the goddess of war.

The list of famous shepherd dogs, famous for their character traits and behavior, includes:

• Albina - flew into space;
• Blondie is the best police dog;
• Doira is the best bloodhound;
• The palm tree had been faithfully waiting for its owner at Vnukovo airport for several years.

What is the name of your German Shepherd?

- one of the most ancient and well-known breeds today.

This animal is perfect, but every child has dreamed of her at least once.

Not a single border guard or law enforcement officer can be imagined without a German Shepherd.

Long years of evolution have not affected her in any way - she is still brave, courageous and devoted.

A dog's name reflects the main characteristics of the animal's character.

If you want your dog to perform excellent security service, then you should not call him Donut or Baby. The same goes for female dogs.

NOTE!

You need to choose names so that they emphasize the most important and distinctive features, and do not reveal negative and undesirable ones.

Male list of names for the East European Shepherd

The East European Shepherd deserves a unique name. We hope this list of names takes you one step closer to finding the perfect name for your dog.

Pet names

So what to name a German Shepherd puppy if the pedigree includes a long, and often difficult to pronounce, nickname? What name it is listed under in the registration book is one thing, but you need to choose a name so that you can communicate with your shepherd without straining. Why is it important? Because in the process of teaching the puppy to all the necessary subtleties of correct behavior, you yourself did not forget the nickname and did not confuse the dog.

All training begins with the development of the very first conditioned reflex - the puppy remembering his own name.

This is why pet nicknames exist - easy to hear and pronounce, which means they are easy for a pet to remember from a young age.

What to name the girl?

Girls are mostly called affectionately, emphasizing their gender, as well as the grace and character of a lady.

Despite this, girls also do so-called “men’s work.” Such dogs are called Alpha, Ice, Vega, Jess, Lucky.

Depending on the color, the nicknames vary slightly; they may sound like this:

• Blackley or Blacksey (if we call a black dog);
• White or leave White (for white);
• Grace (for grey);
• Darkie;
• Reddy or leave Red (for the redhead).

The gentle character of the dog is emphasized by the names Lottie, Katie, Daisy, Vivian, Rachel. If the puppy likes to fool around and play, he can be called Puma, Naida, Indigo, Thunderstorm, Evra.

Names with meaning are popular for girls.

So, Aza means nervous and restless, Alva is the complete opposite of Aza. They call a pet Betty if they want it to be kind towards children, the name Gloria will give the dog playfulness - dogs with this name are smart and cheerful. Lucias are diligent and easy to train, and if the girl is named Regina, she will become the real pride of the owner.

Other examples:

• Bridget – the owner of a strong character;
• Elsa – “noble”;
• Emma – “all-encompassing”;
• Heidi – “noble and kind”;
• Crystal – “beloved”.

Active girls are usually called:

• Icy;
• Aina;
• Bayra;
• Vaida;
• Hera;
• Gita;
• Dina;
• Irma;
• Lola.

To emphasize kindness and friendliness, the female can be called:

• Mila;
• Meili;
• Maisie;
• Nikki;
• Ollie;
• Patty;
• Polly;
• Rosie;
• Stacy.

Suitable names for cheerful and playful girls:

• Smiley;
• Teens;
• Fiona;
• Fifi;
• Frutti;
• Shasta;
• Shoko.

You can make your dog look aristocratic with the help of nicknames:

• Chanel;
• Eleanor;
• Juno;
• Ioannina;
• Rachelle;
• Rhonda;
• Rafaela;
• Patricia;
• Ophelia;
• Adelia.

For girls on duty or guard duty, the following nicknames will be suitable:

• Naida;
• Nike;
• Ista;
• Jessica;
• Gerda;
• Greta;
• Vita;
• Bagheera;
• Bella.

History of the breed

The emergence is associated with the difficult times of Stalinist repressions. In the 30s of the last century, the state nursery began creating a new service breed.

Due to poor funding, the already famous German Shepherd was used as a basis. It had to be adapted to the harsh conditions of the North and the hot climate of Central Asia.

Political prisoners were transported in columns to Siberia, discontent grew, hunger raised the people to revolt, the army and police needed four-legged helpers. Dogs guarded camps, prisons, and dispersed food riots.

They helped at the border. Soviet dog handlers wanted to surpass the German Shepherd in all respects. She was trained in investigative work and the role of a guide. Selection has led to the dog becoming taller and more resistant to weather conditions.

But the war suspended cynological work. After its completion, German shepherds appeared again, and the difference between them became visible. Orientals are tall, powerful animals with a more upright stance.

In battles they saved the lives of our soldiers and blew up German tanks. Legends were made about their heroism; the dogs were called patriots. The former war hero G. Medvedev became the head of the canine association.

Thanks to him, the East European Shepherd was recognized in our country, and breeding began. In addition to external differences, the dog has become versatile and hardy. Used in different climatic conditions.

In the 70s, a standard was developed; it was considered a subspecies of the German version. They served on the border and carried out search work. With the collapse of the USSR, the kennels closed, the dog began to be associated with repression and the Gulag, and breeding stopped.

It was only thanks to enthusiasts that they were bred. In 1999, genealogy appeared, and work continues to improve unique service qualities.

Description of the breed

Outwardly it resembles a German Shepherd. The modern one is a large working dog that is used for various purposes. It depends on the direction of the nursery, what qualities they develop.

Dogs perform border and military service. They work as water rescuers, pulling people out from under the rubble. Protect territories. They participate in various sports - agility, weight-pulling, canicross.

The dog has a strong build, increased body length (10-17 cm exceeding the height at the withers). The muscles stand out clearly. Height - 66-76 cm, females - 62-72 cm. Weight of males 35-60 kg, females - 30-50 kg.

Large ones are preferred. Puppies of both breeds cannot be distinguished. Adults should have the following standard:

• The head is proportional to the body, large in size, wedge-shaped.
• The forehead is round, smoothly turning into the muzzle, on which there is a slightly noticeable depression. Their length is almost equal.
• Lips of medium size, with black pigmentation. The teeth are large, even, 42 in total. Scissor bite.
• The nose has the shape of a rectangle with large nostrils, slightly protruding forward, and black.
• The eyes are slanted, the corner is raised up. The eyelids close the whites. The iris is dark, the look is smart, confident.
• The ears are triangular, small in size, erect, high-set.
• The neck is strong and muscular, merging into pronounced withers with an elongated back. In the hip area the body is rounded and has a saber-shaped tail.
• The forelimbs stand at an angle, the hind limbs are straight with well-developed joints.
• The coat is hard, with a thick undercoat, and of medium size. As a variety, there is a long-haired breed.
• The dogs are black, black-and-white, with a dark mask on the face.
• Average life expectancy is 12-15 years.

Characteristic

The main feature of the breed is orientation toward the owner, devotion, desire to follow orders, and protect him at the cost of his life. Her temper is reserved and flexible, but education is necessary.

Smart animals can be in a family, acting as a companion and protecting the territory. Wary with strangers, but without aggression. She has a lightning-fast reaction to danger and always acts as the situation demands.

Well trained. Does not show superiority, readily obeys the owner. The dog will not attack those who are smaller if the puppy grew up with other animals, and will look after and protect them.

The guard instinct is well developed. At the slightest suspicion of danger, he takes a fighting stance, ready to attack. They get along with children, play with pleasure, and will never cause harm. The main thing is to have the right upbringing.

training

The process must begin at an early age. The puppy must get used to it and understand you. At first, you should spend 15-20 minutes studying, preferably twice a day.

Training should be based on rewards. For a correctly completed task, give the puppy a treat. Later the dog will do it automatically.

After three months of age - teams in outdoor conditions where there are distractions. From 6 months - follow all instructions unquestioningly.

If the dog has completed the basic training course, it is considered well-mannered. Able to take on various obstacles and not react to extraneous sounds. Special training is required for use in the service.

This breed can live in an apartment and outdoors. It is preferable for them to be in an aviary. Not everyone can adapt to apartment conditions.

Indoors, wool will be a problem. Shedding occurs almost constantly. Must be combed daily. It is recommended to bathe your dog in spring and autumn with special shampoos.

Walking with physical activity should be a regular activity. Thick fur protects them from the cold. If your pet lives on the street, he needs a spacious, insulated booth with soft bedding.

In an apartment, on the contrary, you need to allocate a place away from heating devices, in a cool place. A shepherd's teeth should be white and strong.

They can be cleaned with special pastes, allowed to chew on carrots, apples, cartilage and sinews. Ears and eyes do not require special care. Simply clean when dirty.

Shepherd food

It's not difficult. If it is dry food, then it is suitable for large ones. It must be given according to the instructions. Provide your pet with free access to water.

Natural food should be well balanced. The main percentage of the diet consists of meat products.

• The offal is lightly cooked. In winter, when kept outside, it is added to porridge.
• It is useful to give sea fish raw. River water is strictly prohibited; it can be infected with helminths.
• Give milk to puppies up to 3 months. Later only fermented milk products (kefir and cottage cheese).
• Vegetables and fruits are healthy.
• In winter, mineral and vitamin complexes.

Differences

The international association considers VEO to be a variety of German and does not recognize it as separate.

They differ from each other:

• The main thing is size. German (smaller, not as powerful).
• The chest is less developed, the back is more inclined, the landing is lower.
• In the color of the coat.
• Temperament. Germans are more playful and active.
• VEO is used for service and in rescue operations. German is like a companion.

Diseases

Susceptible to volvulus. This occurs with activity and a full stomach. It is not recommended to feed the animal before physical activity. Another common disease is joint problems.

Breeding errors and other pathologies:

• Rickets at an early age, due to a lack of vitamins and minerals, leads to irreversible curvature of the joints.
• Dysplasia appears with age. Cannot be treated. Surgery is needed.
• Frequent injuries to tendons and ligaments.
• Enteritis and plague in the early period are very dangerous. Until complete vaccination, contact with other animals is prohibited.