history of the german shepherd from germany...

[sheplovr]

I import yearly almost a male or female from Germany for my Super Breeding program. This might help some of how it all started and why and how:

By: Rory Frost.
In spite of efforts by various authors to bequeath antiquity, the German
Shepherd Dog is compared to other breeds relatively new. Prior to 22 April
1899 the German Shepherd Dog breed did not exist. On that day, from the
heterogeneous match and mix that comprised the main bulk of German
herding dogs, one animal was chosen to be the first German Shepherd Dog.
This choice was the first serious move to produce a standard herding type in
Germany. On the same day, to nurture the development of this new breed, a
new club was also formed.

The dog, Hector Linksrhein, was destined to be the first German Shepherd and
the founder of a new and most wondrous breed of working dog that would
serve man in a diversity of duties never before imagined as within the
capabilities of a dog. A breed that would perform these duties under extremes of
conditions, and to the very furthest corners of the world. The club, the Verein
für Deutsche Schäferhunde (SV), was to become the largest and most powerful
breed club in the world.

All of this from the vision and dedication of one man, Rittmeister (Riding
master) Max von Stephanitz, a German army officer and acknowledged
founding father of the new breed, the German Shepherd Dog.

Hector was purchased from his then owner and renamed Horand v Grafrath,
(Grafrath being the kennel name of Stephanitz), to become the first registered
German Shepherd Dog, and was entered on the register of the new club under
SZ 1 (breed number 1).

Until the advent of Hector/Horand, herding dogs apart from regional
similarities came in a variety of shapes, sizes, types and abilities. Shepherds in
Germany like their forefathers and compatriots elsewhere in the world, chose
their dogs for their fitness, mental and physical, for work, and cared little for the
dogs appearance.

To replace dogs that became too old to work many shepherds, anxious to
retain the working qualities of their animals either resorted to breeding with
their own working dogs rather than buy animals from unproven working
parentage elsewhere, or they bought from herding colleagues who bred their
herding animals.

The stock of shepherds whose animals worked well and in turn produced good
workers would be much sought after, either to purchase, or the male animals to
father good stock from the female workers belonging to colleagues. The young
from these breedings would in their turn be used to produce the next generation
and so on. It is likely that in-breeding was also practised, with quite ruthless
culling of unsuitable progeny.

Limited travel and communication facilities would limit sales and breeding
influence to a fairly local area, restricting the influence that may have come
from dogs further afield. Thus the breeding, based as it was on a small
population often tended to produce a distinct family physical type in spite of the
breeding emphasis being on working ability.

In Nineteenth century Germany a number of different types of dog could lay
claim to being herding dogs. In some areas, Thuringia, Wurtemberg, and
Swabia, groups were even approaching a state of sufficient familial likeness that
might eventually been have acclaimed as breeds in their own right had not
Stephanitz taken a hand.

Stephanitz was not the first to try to introduce a pattern of type into herding
dogs. In the early to mid 1980's in an attempt to achieve and consolidate a
standard type and regulate the breeding of the herding dog, an organisation
called the Phylax Club was formed. Its founders, Hauptmann (Captain)
Rielchelmann-Dunau and Count v Hahn, were however unable to maintain the
impetus of their initial idea and, whether because they were more dedicated
than organised, or because there still was no clear idea of type, the club folded
after a very short time.

When Stephanitz came on to the scene however things began to happen. A
horseman with a good knowledge of anatomy and what was at that time
unusual an interest in and apparent knowledge of canine bio-mechanics,
Stephanitz had very positive ideas upon the mental, anatomical, and bio-
mechanical characteristics required of a herding dog. An idealist with both
intellect and the finance to support his ideas, he also possessed the
determination, drive, and dedication to put those ideas into practice.

His perception of a herding dog was of an intelligent, vigorous animal, of stable
character and with the physical attributes of the wild dog. Fleet of foot, long of
wind, untouched by the extremes of other breeds.

It is reputed that Stephanitz, together with his like minded colleague Artur
Meyer were at a dog show in Karlresruhe when they came across the dog that
epitomised their shared vision of the herding dog. Both men were familiar with
German herding dogs and had long admired the character and the
accomplished functionality of these animals, but in the dog Hector Linksrhein
they saw something else.

He was middle sized, grey coloured, in appearance almost wolf-like, with the
raw natural beauty that came straight from the forest. Here stood the founder of
our breed, the first German Shepherd, calm, steady, confident, a king amongst
noble beasts.

Meyer and Stephanitz were in no doubt about what to do. Stephanitz bought
the dog, and there and then, together, and without previous thought or
preparation, the two formed the club for the new German Shepherd Dog.

The first president of the new society was Artur Meyer, although his presidency
was short lived and three years later, his colleague Stephanitz took over the
leadership and became the main focus for development of the breed.

Much has been written about Stephanitz, he is invariably referred to as "The old
man", yet when he succeeded Meyer he was still in his thirties. No democrat,
Stephanitz was opinionated, uncompromising and dictatorial in his
determination to drive the breed along the path of his vision.. He was also
however, a talented organiser and had a great understanding of the mental and
anatomical requirements of a working shepherd dog. Seeing no beauty in a
non-functional animal he was ruthless in discarding what he considered
degenerate or weak. Tireless and determined he laid the foundations that were
to make the breed the greatest all-round working dog in the world.

His vision of the dog was translated into the description that was to become the
standard for the breed.

He ensured that that standard, together with a comprehensive breeding
regulations, required that animals used for breeding had first to prove their breed
worth physically and mentally.

He considered that the inherent qualities of the herding dog of vigour,
intelligence, reliability, enthusiasm for work, and its willingness to serve its
master took it to a level of nobility beyond that of a superficial veneer of beauty.

He believed that the dogs physical characteristics were decided by the
assembling of the correct physical attributes to enable the dog to perform its
tasks. His sole concession to physical appearance was that it must express
breed type.

In expressing his impatience with beauty, Stephanitz undoubtedly foresaw a
need to protect the future of the breed from the "Show" fraternity, and
introduced working tests for breeding stock to safeguard that future. Show
exhibitors with little regard for the breed's true value would quickly corrupt the
breed, readily sacrificing character, intelligence and working ability in the pursuit
of the more lucrative and easily attained physical attributes of the show ring.
Perhaps he had already experienced it in the early days of development.
Developments in countries where working characteristics are not a prerequisite
for breeding have shown him to have been a man of perception.

The early tests were in the form of herding trials. Later for dogs not so
employed. a further set of tests were introduced, designed to prove intelligence,
confidence, courage, vigour and an eagerness for work.

In his book Stephanitz revealed a rare insight into the structure and mechanism
of canine anatomy. His abilities at mathematics are not known but nonetheless
his practical application of geometry to explain the static and dynamic features
of German Shepherd anatomy still hold today.

Even today with the benefits of modern technology Stephanitz's work would
have been an expression of knowledge, able research and dogged dedication.
When one considers that his achievements were without the advantages of high
speed photography, cine film or video, and that X- ray technology was in its
infancy, then his efforts were indeed remarkable. Even more remarkable is the
fact that his original work on construction and character of the German
Shepherd are still valid.

Stephanitz died on the 22 April 1936 which incidentally was the 37th
anniversary of the club he and Artur Meyer founded together.

[GermanShepherds]

WOW Very Awesome. German Bred seem the way to go