Rittmeister Max Emil Frederich von Stephanitz

The German Shepherd Dog was originally bred by Rittmeister Max Emil Frederich von Stephanitz (1864-1936). While at the Karlsruhe Dog Show in 1899 he saw a dog which he felt possessed all the ideal qualities in a perfect dog: ability, beauty and intelligence. He purchased the dog and began his program to create the perfect dog breed.

The German Shepherd has a wonderful temperment. He is supposed to be fearless, yet not aggressive. He should stand is ground and be willing to defend his family with his life. The breed description states that he should be “steady of nerve, loyal, self-assured, courageous, and tractable.”

German Shepherds are easy to train because they are extremely intelligent. Certainly one of the most intelligent dog breeds in the world. His intelligence also means that he requires work, such as herding, police work, drug sniffing, or other entertaining tasks to keep him occupied or his smarts could get him in trouble through exploration and other “fun” things the owner may not enjoy so much.

The dog also sheds fairly regularly. Frequent brushing can help alleviate this. His coat should not be shaved though, as it would both be a detriment to his work and would harm his coat’s natural function as insulation and weather-proof. The German Shepherd is able to stay outside guarding his flock of sheep if required!

Also, the GSD will bond closely to his family. This is similar to the instinct which would help him to protect sheep from wolves and other predators. He will learn to love you and protect you, and is both gentle and protective towards children. However, this also means he can be attached and if left alone or without attention can become depressed. They thrive much better when in close contact with their handler/owners. Imagine police work or herding, where the dog would be in constant contact with its handler or flock all day – this is the environment the dog prefers.