The German Shepherd is a breed, known for its intelligence, loyalty and courage.  The American Kennel Club lists it as one of the most popular breeds based on AKC registration statistics. It consistently has remained in the top 10 most registered breeds. The German Shepherd is also a popular service dog due to not only its ability to be trained easily but also because it can retain that training for many years.

Before they were a Breed

The German Shepherd’s roots lie in several different types of herding dogs in Germany. Each type of dog bore characteristics that made it more adaptable to its specific environment. These early shepherds had varying coat lengths, color and texture.  Even the build was different.  The core characteristics, though, of intelligence, ruggedness, loyalty and the ability to perform highly specialized tasks remained consistent in all breeds.

These dogs lived and worked on farms. They were working dogs, herders and worked with man, side by side as a constant companion and an invaluable helper. It wasn’t until around 1881 that these farm dogs began to receive recognition as a breed. It was also at this time that farmers and herders began selectively breeding the herding dogs thus starting a gradual progression toward a single breed.

The Standardization of a Breed

Captain Max von Stephanitz was integral in standardizing the breed. In 1889 von Stephanitz was attending a dog show in a village in western Germany. He noted a medium sized dog that looked strikingly like a wolf. It was yellow and gray with a sloping back, long, slender muzzle and supple agility. It was powerful, steady and had impressive endurance. He noticed that the dog was a ‘natural’ at herding, born with the herding ability.

Von Stephanitz purchased the dog and registered it as the first German Shepherd dog. He also founded the first German Shepherd Dog Club (Verein fur Deutsche Sche Ferhunde, SV) and was its first president. It was not long and von Stephanitz had indeed standardized the type and form of the breed. He established a breed standard that incorporated utility, mental stability, intelligence, structural efficiency and temperament.

German Shepherds come to the United States

The breed found its way to the United States in 1907 when it was shown in the open class at Newcastle and Philadelphia in Port Allegheny, Pennsylvania. The German Dog Club of America was founded in 1913 and from there the German Shepherd dog has worked its way into the lives and hearts of farmers, herders and families the world over.