About German Shepherds

A German Shepherd on MountainTop

The German Shepherd Dog (GSD, also known as an Alsatian), (German: Deutscher Schäferhund) is a breed of large-sized dog that originated in Germany.  The German Shepherd is a relatively new breed of dog, with its origin dating to 1899.  As part of the Herding group, the German Shepherd is a working dog developed originally for herding and guarding sheep.  Because of its strength, intelligence and abilities in obedience training it is often employed in police and military roles around the world.  Due to its loyal and protective nature, the German Shepherd is one of the most registered of breeds.

History

In Europe during the 1800s, attempts were being made to standardize breeds.  The dogs were bred to preserve traits that assisted in their job of herding sheep and protecting flocks from predators.  In Germany this was practiced within local communities, where shepherds selected and bred dogs that they believed had traits necessary for herding sheep, such as intelligence, speed, strength, and keen senses of smell.  The results were dogs that were able to perform admirably in their task, but that differed significantly, both in appearance and ability, from one locality to another.

To combat these differences, the Phylax Society was formed in 1891 with the intention of creating standardized dog breeds in Germany.  The society disbanded after only three years due to ongoing internal conflicts regarding the traits in dogs that the society should promote; some members believed dogs should be bred solely for working purposes, while others believed dogs should be bred also for appearance.  While unsuccessful in their goal, the Phylax Society had inspired people to pursue standardizing dog breeds independently.

Max von Stephanitz, an ex-cavalry captain and former student of the Berlin Veterinary College, was one such ex-member.  He believed strongly that dogs should be bred for working.  In 1899, Von Stephanitz was attending a dog show when he was shown a dog named Hektor Linksrhein.  Hektor was the product of few generations of selective breeding and completely fulfilled what Von Stephanitz believed a working dog should be.  He was pleased with the strength of the dog and was so taken by the animal’s intelligence and loyalty, that he purchased it immediately.   After purchasing the dog he changed its name to Horand von Grafrath and Von Stephanitz founded the Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde (Society for the German Shepherd Dog).  Horand was declared to be the first German Shepherd Dog and was the first dog added to the society’s breed register.

It is believed the society accomplished its goal mostly due to Von Stephanitz’s strong, uncompromising leadership and he is therefore credited with being the creator of the German Shepherd Dog.

Description

German Shepherd

German Shepherds are a large sized dog which generally are between 55 and 65 centimetres (22 and 26 in) at the withers and weigh between 22 and 40 kilograms (49 and 88 lb).  The ideal height is 63 centimetres (25 in), according to Kennel Club standards.  They have a domed forehead, a long square-cut muzzle and a black nose.  The jaws are strong, with a scissor-like bite.  The eyes are medium-sized and brown with a lively, intelligent, and self-assured look.  The ears are large and stand erect, open at the front and parallel, but they often are pulled back during movement.  They have a long neck, which is raised when excited and lowered when moving at a fast pace.  The tail is bushy and reaches to the hock.

German Shepherds can be a variety of colors, the most common of which are the tan/black and red/black varieties.  Both varieties have black masks and black body markings which can range from a classic “saddle” to an over-all “blanket.”  Rarer colour variations include the sable, all-black, all-white, liver, and blue varieties.

German Shepherds sport a double coat.  The outer coat, which is shed all year round, is close and dense with a thick undercoat.  The coat is accepted in two variants; medium and long.  The long-hair gene is recessive, making the long-hair variety rarer.  Treatment of the long-hair variation differs across standards; they are accepted under the German and UK Kennel Clubs but are considered a fault in the American Kennel Club.

Intelligence

German Shepherds were bred specifically for their intelligence,  a trait for which they are now renowned.  They are considered to be the third most intelligent breed of dog, behind Border Collies and Poodles.  Coupled with their strength, this trait makes the breed desirable as police, guard, and search and rescue dogs, as they are able to quickly learn various tasks and interpret instructions better than other large breeds.

Temperament

German Shepherds bond well with children with whom they are familiar.  German Shepherds are highly active dogs, and described in breed standards as self-assured.  The breed is marked by a willingness to learn and an eagerness to have a purpose.  Shepherds have a loyal nature and bond well with people they know.  However, they can become over-protective of their family and territory, especially if not socialized correctly.  An aloof personality makes them approachable, but not inclined to become immediate friends with strangers.  German Shepherds are highly intelligent and obedient and some people think they require a “firm hand”, but more recent research into training methods has shown they respond as well, if not better, to positive reward based training methods.