Dogs are faithful companions and have accompanied human beings for almost 40,000 years. Scientists have found that dogs are generally domestic and wild; they share a common wolf ancestor. Most of them have trained temperaments. They safeguard their territories. Their body position, movement, and facial expression convey a strong message to other species. Humans even recognise some of the expressions. Dogs communicate with a cacophony of sounds, including barks, howls, whines, and growls.
They are medium-sized working dog that has their origin in Germany. These dogs are between 21 and 25 inches at the withers, and the ideal height is 24 inches. The weight is around 30-40 kilograms for males, and for females, it is about 22-32 kilograms. This breed is officially recognised as the German Shepherd Dog (GSD). After the First World War, its name changed to German Shepherd.
The German Shepherd is known for its intelligence, obedience, and trainability. They are the second most registered breed by the American Kennel Club and seventh by the United Kingdom Kennel Club.
German Shepherd features a domed temple, a long square-cut mouth, and a black nose. They have strong jaws. Their eyes are brown with lively and self-assured looks. This breed of dog has large ears, but they stand erect, and when in motion, they are often pulled back. Their long necks get raised when excited and lowered when moving fast. The tail of these dogs is bushy and reaches the hock. They come in various colours; the most common are tan-black and red-black.
Shepherd Breed Variants
- East-European Shepherd
- King Shepherd
- Shiloh Shepherd
- White Shepherd
- White Swiss Shepherd
History
Genetic research proves European herding dogs gave rise to the German Shepherd in 1859. This breed is known for its speed, strength, and keen sense of smell. The dogs were mainly reared to maintain the traits of herding dogs and assist farmers in gathering the sheep and protecting the flocks from predators. This practice was observed locally in Germany. However, the dogs differed significantly in their appearance and skill from one locale to another.
1891
A dog club was set up in the year 1891 to come up with a standard German Shepherd dog breed. The club was named Phylax Society. Three years later, society was disbanded due to ongoing conflict due to the trait of the dog.
Soon people got inspired to pursue the standardising of the dog breed independently. With the advent of industrial cities, the predator population began to decline. The awareness of the sheepdogs as versatile and intelligent nature came to notice.
1899
Max von Stephanitz, a captain of an ex-cavalry, a former student of the Berlin Veterinary College, and an ex-member of the Phylax Society, believed that dogs should be reared for working. While participating in a dog show in 1899, he noticed a dog named Hektor Linksrhein. He was thrilled with the dog’s strength and was amazed by its loyalty and beauty. Later, he purchased the dog and changed its name to Horand von Grafrath.
Max founded a new society for the German Shepherd Dog named Verein fur Deutsche Schaferhunde. Horand was announced as the first German Shepherd Dog breed. Max was later credited for being the creator of this breed.
1920
Honard was part of several breeding programs and gave birth to many pups. His successful offspring was Hektor von Schwaben. Hektor produced Beowulf, and from here, all the German Shepherd draws a genetic link. During the first half of the 20th Century, this dog breed was strongly associated with the Nazis. They became famous for their association with purity and militarism. Once, Hitler bought a German Shepherd Dog in 1921, but he had to leave it elsewhere due to his poverty. However, it managed to return to him.
The German Shepherd Strongheart became the earliest canine film star, and Rin Tin Tin followed him. They both are inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame. During this time, the United Kingdom Kennel Club had accepted the registration of 54 German Shepherds. In Switzerland, also under the leadership of Dorothy Eustis, several German Shepherd females were trained.
1926
‘Queen of Switzerland’ became the first German Shepherd Dog to register with American Kennel Club. But her progeny suffered defects due to poor breeding, and its popularity declined in the 1920s. In the United Kingdom, the breed had grown to 8000.
1937-1945
The admiration increased after German Shepherd Dog Seiger Pfeffer von Bern won the American Kennel Club’s Grand Victor. Due to anti-German sentiments, its popularity declined at the end of World War II.
At the beginning of World War II, the German Shepherd had worked for Allied and Axis forces and was employed as mine detectors and guard dogs. Blind Association in the United Kingdom and the United States trained these dogs for blinded veterans. Before World War II, there was a distinct separation between German Shepherd dogs’ American and German lines.
However, many German lines died during this war. The foreign service members took many of them, impressed by their talent. The two bloodlines were crossed many times, but today’s dog represents mixed features.
1955-1964
From 1955 to 1964, the German Shepherd appeared as the fictional character Ace the Bat-Hound in the American comic books published by DC Comics. It was the canine crime-fighting partner of Batman and Robin. During this time, a German Shepherd named Kantor became a trendy and successful police dog in Hungary. After his death, two novels under his name by Rudolf Szamos. One was titled Kantor, the detective, and the other was Kanto in the metropolis.
1975-1977
A television mini-series created based on Kantor became popular in Hungarian television history. It has made the German Shepherds the most popular dog breed in the country. The name Alsatian stayed for a few years; until 1977, the dog enthusiasts forced the British Kennel Club to permit the species to be registered as German Shepherds again.
1989
A German Shepherd named Charlie Barkin stars in All Dogs Go to Heaven, an animated movie.
1993
This year, the German Shepherd became the third most popular breed in the United States.
1999
An Australian report stated that German Shepherds are the third most likely to attack a person in some Australian locales. After understanding their temperament, it dropped to 38th.
2001
A German Shepherd was part of Urban Search and Rescue Task Force operations to undercover survivors at the collapsed World Trade Center site after the 11th September 2001 attacks.
2003
The Disney movie 101 Dalmatians II: Patch’s London Adventure focuses on a German Shepherd called Thunderbolt. The dog was the hero of the film. White Swiss Shepherd Dog was a separate breed by Federation Cynologique Internationale during this time.
2007
Swedish German Shepherds were used during the National Day demonstration in Stockholm. A Hollywood movie named ‘I Am Legend starring Will Smith as a virologist, and he was accompanied by a German Shepherd known as Samantha. As per the film, New York City was deserted due to a lethal strain of the virus. It portrayed a close bond between the virologist and the dog.
2010
Alsatian’s name appeared in parentheses as a part of the formal breed name till 2010.
2013
It was published that about 15% of the dogs trained by Guide Dogs of America are German Shepherds. A five-year-old German Shepherd Military Working dog was able to locate the hidden explosives during a training process.
2016
In 2016, the German Shepherd became the most popular breed in the United States. Its physique is well-suited for competing in shows and other dog sports.
Modern Day
Over time the dog slowly developed into a more distinct and beautiful breed with many specific virtues such as sharpness, self-confidence, and adaptability. They are relatively easy to train and good at performing tasks and following instructions. German Shepherd tracks criminals, patrol troubled areas and detect suspects. Thousands of this breed are used in the military and are trained for scout duty. They warn soldiers about the enemy, booby traps, and other dangerous hazards.
German Shepherd is helpful in explosive and narcotics detection, cadaver searching, and other rescue operations. It is seen that regardless of distraction, they have a keen sense of smell and workability.
These breeds of dogs help in disability assistance, aiding hunters, perform police and rescue work. They are known for their intelligent approach. German Shepherd helps in protecting homes and is known as a man’s best friend. If they are not socialised properly, they might become overprotective.
