About German Shepherds

The first breed of dog discussed in the Working Dog Group is the German Shepherd. The German Shepherd breed has a romantic history and different theories abound about how the German Shepherd came to be.

One theory is that various breeds of sheep dog that were present in Germany crossed and formed the German Shepherd.

My favorite story about the origination of the German Shepherd actually came from the mating of shepherd bitches to wolves. To further give this credence, the first German Shepherds shown were long haired or long coated. The shorter haired version came years later.

The German Shepherd temperament or personality is unquestioned. They are smart, strong, outgoing, affectionate and loyal to their master and his family. It has been my experience that German Shepherds love everyone in their family, but they usually have a much stronger bond with one member of the family – usually the alpha.

Owning a German Shepherd has its responsibilities. You need to be a strong, consistent leader. You need to let him meet people and other animals early on and continuously. You need room for him to run and play. And you need him to be a part of your life. This is not a dog to put in a dog pen or tie up on a chain and forget.

German Shepherds are the true epitome of the working dog. You name it and they have done it. Search and rescue, narcotics, tracking, assistance, agility, protection, companion and being a family dog are just some of the duties these dogs perform on a daily basis.

There are other breeds of dogs that may do one thing very well; but there is not a more well-balanced, more versatile dog breed in the world. If you have had a German Shepherd or know anything about German Shepherds, you know where I am coming from.