Breed Bio: A Profile of the German Shepherd

Stoic, Athletic, Highly Intelligent and Incredibly Loyal. These are just a few characteristics that make the German Shepherd such a beloved breed.

First bred in the late 19th Century, the German Shepherd was the creation of Captain Max von Stephanitz, a German Cavalry Officer who devoted himself to creating the perfect herding dog.

At the turn of the Century, the use of herding dogs was waning. Captain von Stephanitz saw this as an opportunity to highlight the other valuable traits of the German Shepherd, including their superior intelligence and balanced demeanor. These characteristics made the breed an ideal K-9 Officer, an occupation many German Shepherds hold to this very day.</strong></p>

The German Shepherd became immensely popular in America during the early 1900s, due in large part to the Adventures of Rin-Tin-Tin movie series. Much like the Dachshund, the breed suffered from Anti-German sentiment during the height of World Wars I &amp; II. This negative connotation resulted in the breed being temporarily re-named the Alsatian - a moniker still informally used by many lovers.

Despite facing this adversity, the breed persevered to become one of the most popular dogs in western society - both as a Working Dog and a beloved family pet, known for their Loyalty, Resiliency and Protective Nature.