German shepherd - kmfisk/workdog GitHub Wiki

German shepherds are a protection-group dog breed.

German shepherds were added in Working Dogs 1.0.

German shepherds are a large protection-group dog. When in working mode, they assist players by intercepting aggressive entities and dispatching them if they get within a certain radius, as well as assisting players when killing mobs.

They spawn occasionally as strays in Plains biomes. They are also occasionally obtainable at shelters.

German shepherds have a base health of 9 hearts (18 points), with a bite damage of 2.5 hearts (5 points.) German shepherds have a moderate movement speed, which can vary per dog.

They are able to equip all general dog items: all German shepherds can wear the collar, harness and muzzle. Working shepherds can be further protected with a hog vest and a service vest. If equipped with saddlebags, a German shepherd can carry 27 stacks of items.

German shepherds come in both long and short coat varieties. Long coated shepherds are cold weather dogs, while short coated dogs are temperate weather dogs. Long coated German shepherds get a significant debuff to their health, speed and bite damage in hot climates, while short coated shepherds get a debuff in extremely hot or cold climates.

German shepherds are a pastoral breed with strong protective instincts, and working line dogs are naturally wary. They are prone to dog aggression and human aggression.

The German shepherd needs no introduction: the hero war dog, the dutiful police dog, the loving American family pet, this large pastoral pup was bred to herd and guard sheep. Intelligent, loyal and with a strong work drive, they are a beloved, but often maligned, dog.

German shepherds are regal, loyal and intelligent dogs, with a gentle and playful streak for those they trust. They can be wary around strangers and other animals, but with good breeding and socialization are doting towards every part of the family, including children and small animals. They are active, playful and love to feel like they’re doing something, and are quick to defend their humans and home from danger.

Unfortunately, Germans have a complicated history of working lines, pet lines, bad health, bad temperaments and misinformation. Pet lines are calmer but live shorter lives due to critical health issues, working lines may be healthier but are so reactive that they are a danger to people and other pets. Many get too big, too fast, and suffer joint and back problems very young. Others become so reactive that they have no quality of life whatsoever. Prospective owners must be incredibly careful and do lots of research.

There is no “one good line” of German shepherds, and the long-term health and working ability of the breed is in danger. Extreme breeding of shepherds means that they have even fallen out of favor for military and police work, replaced by Belgian shepherds.

While German shepherds can make great pets, both the trials of ownership, and the trials of research and finding a good dog make them a difficult choice. There are other breeds with protective instincts and large sizes that may be a better choice.

Did you know? Only two German shepherds have ever won Best In Show at Westminster: in 2017, Rumor Has It took the award. With a moderate size, straight back and spry joints, she really deserved it!

German shepherds have 11 standard coats. All coat types come in long and short haired variants, for a total of 22 regular coats.

Standard German shepherds come in three base colors: red, gold and silver. They can have several different marking patterns in these colors, and still be considered legal by breed standard. They can come in sable, black and tan points, and others. German shepherds, along with beagles, are the most recognizable dog with the saddle marking. Black German shepherds are also a possible, healthy coat color, while white is no longer considered valid and is instead its own breed.

Long-coated German shepherds are not common, especially in working dogs, and while they're permitted in many clubs, breeders that mostly have them may be neglecting more important health and temperament issues in favor of the longer hair. Liver, panda and blue are not natural colors in the breed and are fad colors that result from inbreeding.

Melanistic German shepherds are black with a blue tongue and dark eyes. Albino shepherds are all white with a pale pink nose and red eyes.

Coat name	Carried coats	Image	Notes
(0) Black	Black and red, red sable		All-black dog with pink ears and dark brown eyes.
(1) Black and red	Red sable, black and tan		Black dog with red points on face, chest, paws, belly and rump, with yellow eyes.
(2) Black and silver	Silver sable, black and red		Black dog with silver points on face, chest, paws, belly and rump, with dark brown eyes.
(3) Black and tan	Tan sable, black and silver		Black dog with tan points on face, chest, paws, belly and rump, with light brown eyes.
(4) Red sable	Red saddleback, tan saddleback		Black dog with soft, ticked red and tan "wolf sable" markings and green eyes.
(5) Red saddleback	Black and red, tan saddleback		Rusty red dog with tan belly, black mask and saddle, with brown eyes.
(6) Silver sable	Tan saddleback, silver saddleback		Black dog with soft, ticked white "wolf sable" markings and brown eyes.
(7) Silver saddleback	Black and silver, tan saddleback		Light gray dog with black mask and saddle, with golden brown eyes.
(8) Tan sable	Tan saddleback, silver saddleback		Sandy brown dog with soft, ticked black and gray "wolf sable" markings and brown eyes.
(9) Tan saddleback	Black and tan, red saddleback		The classic German shepherd look: a tan dog with a light cream-colored belly and paws, dark mask and saddle, with brown eyes.
(10) White	None (white)		Fully white dog with dark nose and brown eyes. Lethal variant.