German Shepherd Dog
Breed History
The shepherds of Germany had used dogs with their flocks long time ago. Those dogs were of no specific breed or type. Looks counted for nothing at that time, only the dog's ability to perform his job.
Late in the 19th century, a movement to combine the various sheepdog breeds into a definite breed was created which led to the formation of the first society of the German Shepherd Dog. The moving spirit and the first president of the society was Max von Spephanitz. In a few years, through careful selection and in-breeding of herding dogs in Germany, a beautiful, intelligent and useful breed was created: the German Shepherd Dog.
Stephanitz was very strict in his demands of utility and intelligence in the breed. In its utility and intelligence, according to him, lay the dog's beauty, and it had no beauty aside from those qualities.
The German Shepherd Dog society soon became big business with more than 50,000 members and over 600 branches. It was the largest and best organized association of breeders pertaining to a single breed in the entire world. German Shepherd Dog fanciers were not limited to Germany - soon the breed circled the world.
Max von Stephanitz early recognized that to retain the natural character of the breed, the best means was work. However, the opportunity to work with flocks was lacking. Herr von Stephanitz tried to interest the various authorities in the use of German Shepherd Dogs in the police. At first his efforts were opposed and laughed at. Then, gradually his efforts led to creation of the service dogs system in Germany.
In America, the first German Shepherd Dogs were registered in 1912 by two fanciers from Pennsylvania. Soon, the the breed became very popular and in 1915 the German Shepherd Dog Club of America held its first specialty show.
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