The German Shepherd Dog (previously also referred to as Alsatian) is a medium-large working dog, originally developed in Germany to herd sheep.
Fast and agile, the German Shepherd is a muscular well-proportioned dog, with large, erect ears, a bushy tail and thick rough fur which can be medium or long. They are highly intelligent, confident and exceptional loyal dogs that like to be kept active, both physically and mentally, and benefit from lots of walks, playtime and obedience training. German Shepherd Dogs can make treasured family pets and get along well with children and other pets if raised with them, but their strong guarding instincts can make them wary and confrontational with strangers. Early socialisation and training are crucial with this breed to prevent over guarding and aggression from developing. This breed is most suitable for an experienced owner, which can harness this breeds intelligence and offer plenty of opportunities for mental and physical stimulation. This breeds ability to guard and be trained, coupled with its loyalty and courage, has seen it used in important roles including search and rescue, police work and as military dogs.
History
The German Shepherd was developed in German during the late 19th Century by Max von Stephanitz as a herding dog. Its resilience, loyalty and guarding instincts saw it used throughout both World Wars as military and guard dogs. For several decades it was known as the Alsatian, a name provided by the British to overcome anti-German sentiment following the World Wars.
