Shepherd dogs used to be the true working dogs during 18th and 19th centuries. In Germany, the shepherds used their dogs to guide their group of sheep or domestic animals. These dogs did not have any particular origin. For those dogs, the only necessity was their working ability, but not their looks.
During late 19th century a movement initiated in the process of guiding sheep, which was led by Captain von Stephanitz with an idea to establish his organization, Verein fur Deutsche Schaferhunde for breeding dogs combining both talents and looks. In his breeding technique, although the primary emphasis was given on improving the working efficiency, Max von Stephanitz also put his effort to improve beauty of the German Shepherd.
History witnessed that the developmental journey of the German Shepherd was not always hassle-free. In fact, there were several ups and downs in the demand of shepherd dogs in earlier times. By that time, von Stephanitz shifted his idea into a new direction and trained the German Shepherd for the purpose of police service, where these dogs once again proved their robust efficiency. However, later in 19th century and early phases of the 20th century, the increasing number of dog shows made the breeder think about both the efficiency and appearance of the German Shepherd.
Continuous involvement of Captain von Stephanitz and the formation of Verein made the development of the modern German Shepherd possible. During the First World War the German Shepherd was discovered by the British people and they brought this dog to England under the name of the Alsatian. During that phase, all the breeding techniques and policies were regulated by Verein fur Deutsche Schaferhunde in Germany. In the post World War II phase, Germany was ruined totally, the same happened with different organizations including Verein. It is assumed that North American was acclaimed for the best the German Shepherd of that time.
Similar to any other great innovator of different times, von Stephenitz always put his effort on exploring and gathering new knowledge about breeding German Shepherd dogs with the help of his extensive experience and experimental aptitude. He relied on several different ideas that were used by the British at that time. It was in 1899 when von Stephanitz attended a dog show and bought Horand von Grafrath, who was known as the first registered German Shepherd studbook entry. Von Stephanitz was most impressed by the wide range of qualities of the breed.
The blend of dynamism and active movements kept Horand apart from the other breeds. He was an obedient, brave, defensive and energetic type of dog, which was mostly praised for his mental alertness. In addition, he was also visually appealing with his beautiful lines of the body. A perfect combination of stamina and beauty gave the German Shepherd great worldwide recognition. In recent times, imported German Shepherds are exclusively adorable for implausible sense of smell, loyalty, obedience, sound temperament and excellence in physical structure and working ability.
| Jan Ryan has written hundreds of articles on all things canine, including dozens about German Shepherd Dogs. The German Shepherd has a great personality, which is better than most humans. New dog owners should know basic German Shepherd information before bringing home a German Shepherd rescue dog. |
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