History of the German Shepherd Dog
You can definitely recognize a German Shepherd by its popular black and tan markings. We’ve all seen them working as Police dogs, Search and Rescue, as well as in Hollywood. But what you may not realize is this breed is not that old of a breed. It’s relatively new.
A breeding society formed in the mid 1800s to develop a breed of German Dogs. This society was called the Phylax Society. Although they did not succeed in bringing about a new breed of dog before they disbanded in 1894, their research did pave the way for another.
Around the end of the nineteenth century Captain Max Von Stephanitz formed a new group to carry forward the best qualities of the sheepdogs, which ultimately became the German Shepherd Dog we know and love today.
The German Shepherd was bred and developed great herding capabilities. However, when the need for this decreased, Von Stephanitz saw that the breed did also master the qualities that could be used valiantly in Military, Government and Police work. This is how the German Shepherd became such a well known military and police dog.
As a breed, the German Shepherd is known for their short coats, black and tan markings and pointed ears. Temperamentally they are gentle with people and other animals. They are extremely intelligent and learn quickly and easily.
Of course the breed was developed as a working dog. The German Shepherd loves his job, no matter what it is and thrives when given a task to do. Whether that is to protect its owner, participate in Search and Rescue, or just actively train regularly to keep their minds and bodies in tune…they love it!
For further information on the history of the German Shepherd please follow these links
