German Shepherd Dogs: History and Facts About One of Today's Most Popular AKC Breeds
The German Shepherd breed was founded in 1899 by Capt. Max von Stephanitz. von Stehpanitz was viewing a dog show when he came across what he considered to be the ideal sheep dog. The sheep dog was then purchased by Stephanitz and given the name Horand v Grafeth. He would later become the founding father of the German Shepherd breed. von Stephanitz founded the Verein fur deutsche Schaferhunde, the first known registry for the German Shepherd breed. The SV went on to become the largest breed club in the world. In 1908, the German Shepherd became recognized by the AKC.
At the end of the first world war, around 1917, the German Shepherd was given a different name because people were afraid the breed would perish if they kept the word German in the title. It was re-named the Alsatian Wolf Dog, after the Alsace-Lorraine region of France. To this day, the German Shepherd is still known as the Alsatian in much of Europe.
Today the German Shepherd is a very versatile dog. It excels in Obedience Trials, Search & Rescue, and Schutzhund training. It is commonly used as both a seeing eye dog and a police dog. In fact, a German Shepherd Dog named Buddy became the first seeing eye dog in 1928. Many famous people have owned German Shepherds, including Hellen Keller. The German Shepherd has also been featured in many television shows and motion pictures. The first canine star of the silent movie was a German Shepherd named Strongheart.
The German Shepherd is a loyal companion animal, known for its protectiveness, and it tends to be a one person dog. It is easy to train, quick to learn, and very obedient. It is easy to see why the German Shepherd is one of today's most popular breeds, with 15,896 litters registered with the AKC per year.
Published by Tiffany Proctor
I am working on a novel series called Obsidian Nights. You can find more info on that project at www.myspace.com/obsidian_nights Look for my story 18 miles from Pittsburgh in an upcoming horror anthology.... View profile
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Many thanks for this article. I have become interested in the history of dogs used in the health care system and immediately thought of labradors. But the German Shepherd was clearly the first identified breed. And possibly the best. Thanks for the link
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