German Shepherd - Saddle

Origin: Named Deutscher Schäferhund in their mother language, German Shepherds originated from Germany in the 1890s, born into an era of efforts to standardize dog breeds in order to delegate canine tasks more efficiently. As industrialization overtook the country, and the continent for that matter, the number of livestock predators decreased, and the need for sheepdogs declined. At the same time, sheepdogs were increasingly recognized for their intelligence and skills, leading breeders toward developing more vigilant canines for more serious roles.

In 1899, German cavalry officer and former student of the Berlin Veterinary College Max von Stephanitz purchased a curious sheepdog at a show, changed its name to Hektor, and founded the Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde (Society for German Shepherd Dogs). Hektor was a simple herding canine bred from hearty stock, but von Stephanitz saw potential in this uniqueness. This same year, Hektor would be declared the first German Shepherd dog, setting the standard for the breed as the ‘perfect working dog.’

History: Bred for herding, German Shepherds spent decades as farm dogs, herding sheep and guarding livestock. As industrialization took over large portions of agricultural space across Europe in the twentieth century, there became fewer predators and therefore a decreased need for livestock guard dogs. Luckily, these canines had more to offer; their intelligence and obedience made them the perfect candidates for military use.

Tensions rose as the western world entered the twentieth century, and many canine breeds were utilized in warfare and combat in World War I. German Shepherds were then the obvious choice for the rising Nazi party in the 1930s, and slowly the breed became associated with the fascist group and their militia. In Germany at the time, the breed was referred to as Urhunde, meaning ‘primal dog’ for their wolf-like stature and intimidating presence that drew military officials to them in the first place. After the war, many classically German breeds including GSD and Dachshund suffered from negative associations and dropped in popularity. In fact, in England GSDs are called Alsatians, owing to post-war anti-German rhetoric.

They slowly rose back to popularity over the years, thanks to famous dogs such as Rin-Tin-Tin and Strongheart who helped shape the public idea of this breed as a helpful, skillful pet. In the following decades and to this day, German Shepherds are one of the top dog breeds in the US and many other countries, where they can be found as family companions, on farms, and in service positions such as police dogs.

K9-Unit dogs are specially trained in obedience, and the GSD’s natural talent for service makes them an outstanding candidate for police use. Generally healthy, intelligent, and loyal, a GSD feels right at home at the side of their owner or handler where they can show off their skills and be rewarded. Currently, countless organizations such as the American German Shepherd Dog Charitable Foundation conduct health research, foster and home GSDs, and share validated information on the breed’s needs. Many of these foundations also support American veterans, such as Pets for Patriots’ vision of helping veterans adopt pets with their German Shepherd Rescue program and K9s for Warriors’ mission to place retired military and police dogs with veterans in need.

Health

Common Issues: German Shepherd health problems may be few and far between, but they may have genetics giving them a higher risk of certain conditions. GSDs sourced from breeders may have genetic predispositions due to poor breeding practices, therefore adopted canines may be more genetically diverse.