The German Shepherd Dog as a breed originated in Germany in 1899. Although originally used for herding and guarding sheep because of their strength, intelligence nosework abilities and adaptability in obedience training they are often employed in police and military roles around the world.
In Europe during the 1850s, attempts were being made to standardise dog breeds. Dogs were being bred to preserve traits that assisted in their job of herding sheep and protecting flocks from predators. At this time in Germany this was practiced within local communities, where shepherds selected and bred dogs that they believed had the skills necessary to work. Although these early dogs were clearly Shepherd Dogs the localised breeding resulted in dogs that had the necessary working ability but differed significantly in appearance and levels of ability from one area to another.
To combat these differences, the Phylax Society was formed in 1891 with the intention of creating standardised 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 also be bred for appearance. While unsuccessful in their goal, the Phylax Society had at least inspired people to pursue the job of standardising dog breeds independently.
In 1899, Captain Max 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, loyalty, and beauty, that he purchased him immediately. After purchasing the dog he changed his name to Horand von Grafrath and von Stephanitz founded the Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde (SV) (Society for the German Shepherd Dog). Horand was declared to be the first German Shepherd Dog and was added to the society’s breed register as SZ1.
Horand became the centre-point of von Stephanitz breeding program and was bred with dogs belonging to other society members that displayed desirable traits. Although fathering many pups, Horand’s most successful was Hektor von Schwaben. Hektor was inbred with another of Horand’s offspring and produced Beowulf, who later fathered a total of eighty-four pups, mostly through being inbred with Hektor’s other progeny. In the original German Shepherd studbook, Zuchtbuch für Deutsche Schäferhunde (SZ), within the two pages of entries from SZ No. 41 to SZ No. 76, there are four Wolf Crosses. Beowulf’s progeny were also inbred and it is from these pups that all German Shepherds draw a genetic link. 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.
The UK Kennel Club first accepted registrations for the German Shepherd Dog in 1919 when Fifty-Four dogs were registered. By 1926 the number had risen to over 8,000. The breed first gained international recognition at the decline of World War I due to the stories told by soldiers about the German Shepherds they had seen. Animal actors such as Rin Tin Tin and Strongheart further popularised the breed
Rin Tin Tin - Rescued from a WW1 battlefield by an American soldier
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