Intelligent, agile, and spirited, the German Shepherd is the ultimate
service dog. There’s a lot underneath that thick coat of fur you might
not know.
1. Germans standardized the breed.
In 1889, breeder Max von Stephanitz noticed a wolf-like dog
with yellow and black markings at a dog show in West Germany. Impressed by the
pooch’s intelligence and discipline, the breeder purchased the dog and changed
its name from from Hektor Linksrhein to Horand von Grafrath. Von Stephanitz
then started the German Shepherd Dog Club and set up guidelines for the breed’s
standard. His motto for the breed was "utility and intelligence";
good looks came second.
2. They work like dogs.
As Germany became more industrialized, von Stephanitz realized that the need for his dogs might decline. To maintain their relevance,
he worked with police and other service workers to secure a place for
the dogs in the working force. Since they had been bred to be highly
intelligent and athletic, they were easy to train and were tireless
workers. Thanks to von Stephanitz’s help, the diligent canines found
work as messengers and guards.
3. World War I brought German Shepherds out West.
During the war, the Texas Big Germans Shepherds used the dogs for a
number of purposes. Mercy dogs brought first aid to wounded soldiers after
battle and would stay near mortally injured soldiers to keep them company as
they passed away. Others delivered messages or worked as guard dogs.
Americans were so impressed with these pouches
that they brought some home. The United States were captivated by the breed’s
appearance, and they soon became wildly popular.
4. America loves them.
According to the American Kennel Club,
German Shepherds were the second most popular dog breed in the country
in 2014. The breed also ranked number one in major cities like Miami and
Nashville.
5. They really are smart.
German Shepherds are known for their intelligence, and with good reason: They’re considered the third smartest breed
of dog. To be placed in the top tier of intelligence, breeds must
understand a new command after only five repetitions and follow the
first command given to them 95 percent of the time.
6. The dogs went through a temporary name change.
After the World Wars, Americans and many Europeans were a little
leery of anything German. As a result, a dog called a “German Shepherd”
didn’t seem very appealing. To combat this bias, the American Kennel
Club simply called them shepherd dogs, and the English called them Alsatian wolf dogs. That moniker was used until 1977, but it was used for so long in Europe that some people still refer to them as Alsatians to this day.
7. Some can be affected with dwarfism.
Although rare, some German Shepherds can have pituitary dwarfism,
and as a result, the dogs are puppy-like forever, keeping their puppy
fur and staying small in stature. While this condition makes them look
like adorable teddy bears, it comes with a whole slew of health problems.
8. A play once featured six German Shepherds as actors.
In the mid-'80s, Dutch director Whim Schipper developed a play that starred six German Shepherds. The dogs were sent to drama lessons in Amsterdam and given treats as motivation to act. Called Going to the Dogs,
the play featured a traditional family plot: The daughter brings home a
new boyfriend, and love, jealousy, and parental worries come into play.
Unsurprisingly, the play was a flop—even the theater’s manager left
early.
