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Ariege Pointer is originated from France but East German Shepherd is originated from Germany. Both Ariege Pointer and East German Shepherd are having almost same height. Ariege Pointer may weigh 10 kg / 22 pounds lesser than East German Shepherd. Both Ariege Pointer and East German Shepherd has almost same life span. Both Ariege Pointer and East German Shepherd has almost same litter size. Ariege Pointer requires Low Maintenance. But East German Shepherd requires High Maintenance
The Ariege Pointer is a French hunting dog, coming from the Ariegeois region of France.
Known as the Ariege Pointing Dog, French Pointer or Braque de l’Ariege, these dogs came from the old French Braque dogs that were crossed with the orange and white Southern Braques.
It was in 1990 that a team of breeders decided to devote themselves to the breed’s survival. The Braque de l’Ariege was recognized by the United Kennel Club in 2006.
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 Ariege Pointer has always been a dog kept essentially for hunting and not as a companion dog. He stands between 55 – 67cm and weighs 25 – 30kg.
He is an attractive looking dog with quite a large head while the body is sleek and slender to look at. The ears are quite large and are floppy while the tail is traditionally docked to give him that distinctive look. These days the tail is often left long and hangs downwards.
The coat is short, single and rough and is white with tan or orange patches. The coat can also be speckled or ticked.
The Ariege Pointer is a hunting dog who is friendly towards strangers and therefore won’t make a particularly good watchdog.
These dog are lively, independent and good natured and they make excellent companion dogs. They are fairly docile and and get on well with children and pets in the home. Just like with any other dog, they need to be trained and socialized early.
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 Ariege Pointer has always been an excellent pointing- and hunting dog. When it comes to being a family pet, he puts his hunting skills aside and becomes a loyal, loving, friendly pet.
They are considered to be rare dogs, and were at one time bordering on extinction. Those who have owned one of these hunting dogs will be glad to know that they are no longer considered endangered. They’re not your friendly, social kind of dog that you find in other dog breeds, but with training and socialization he will make a fine companion and family friend.
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 Ariege Pointer is a working dog breed, used for hunting and retrieving prey. With good care the dog can live to be a good 12 – 15 years of age.
However, with every dog breed there are common dog diseases to watch for. This dog has long floppy ears and these can get damp and will need to be cleaned and dried regularly otherwise the long ears can be prone to infection.
Apart from being prone to health issues such as an ear infection, you want to be aware of very common dog ailments such as hip dysplasia which can cause lameness in your dog.
Whatever illness your dog has, and you see he isn’t acting his usual self, get him to the vet for a check-up and then make sure that all treatment and medication prescribed is adhered to.
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.
Your attractive Ariege Pointer will give birth to 2 – 8 puppies. If you don’t want puppies, then spaying or neutering is excellent and can actually have many health benefits for your pet.
This dog with its short coat requires very little maintenance, and a good brush twice a week will ensure the coat remains glossy and shiny, giving you the chance to also check for fleas and ticks.
Don’t just assume every dog has bad breath. Bad breath can be indicative of dental disease, and dental problems can cause all kinds of other illnesses within the body. Make sure that while your pet’s teeth are healthy, that you brush them 2 or 3 times a week with special canine toothbrush and toothpaste.
The Ariege Pointer requires regular exercise as it is a lively, energetic dog. He can adapt to life in the city or the country, but ideally he needs a place with a large garden.
Wherever you keep him as a pet, make sure you take him for walks every day and that you play ball- or rope games with him. Ignoring his exercise needs will turn him into a bored, frustrated pet, and that isn’t fair towards him.
Make sure you choose good quality commercially manufactured foods for him. Adding in some home-made food to his kibble such as cooked brown rice, vegetables and chicken will be wonderfully good for him.
Every dog will require some raw meat added into his diet from time to time. Many skin diseases can be treated by adding in raw meat. After all, before dogs were domesticated they lived on raw meat, and including this ingredient back into their diet guarantees to make a remarkable difference in terms of good health.
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.