German Shepherds began to be developed in the late 19th century by a man named Max von Stephanitz. Stephanitz is still credited as the father of the entire German Shepherd breed. An admirer of the German shepherd dog of the time, he chose to selectively breed to acquire his most desired traits and eliminate those that were unnecessary or undesirable. Stephanitz bred his dogs for years, creating the founding root of the German Shepherd breed and eventually becoming the dog we know today.
When the German Shepherd was brought to the United States, breeders changed the breed’s bloodlines by crossing it with other types of dogs. Whether these breeders helped or hurt the development of the German Shepherd is still up for debate, as American breeders were working toward a show-quality dog, while the original German Shepherd was primarily intended for work.
German Shepherds in the United States have coats that are on the shorter side of the medium, usually brown and black, tan and black, or cream and black, but it is not uncommon for them to produce an all white or all black variety. The truly German variety of the breed has a longer coat that is occasionally (but rarely) seen in the US.
German Shepherds were initially developed by Stephanitz as a working breed. To this day, even with American crossbreeding, German Shepherds excel in the workforce as hunters, farm dogs, service dogs, narcotics dogs, and law enforcement dogs. German Shepherds are an extremely agile, strong and athletic breed with a very malleable temperament. They can be trained to work as aggressive guard dogs or be gentle helpers on the farm.
In their native country, sheepdog breeding is so meticulously controlled that a registered herder must have certified both their sire and their damned Shutzhund, meaning they’ve been professionally tested for temperament and ability. Shutzhund certification does not take into account the size, coat, or general appearance of the dog, which is very different from the American variety of canine evaluation.
The main visible difference between true shepherds and American German Shepherds, other than the length of their coat, is the lack of sloping hips. True German Shepherds have hips at shoulder level, as was intended in the original breed. American German Shepherd Dogs have a distinct slant in the back of the torso towards the hips. Sloping hips are discussed by many international breed enthusiasts as being the desired trait for showmanship in America, but also leading to an earlier onset and more significant risk of hip dysplasia.
Whether you are choosing to acquire an American German Shepherd or looking for a true German Shepherd, you should thoroughly research your breeder. Due to the popularity of this breed and its potential for strength, there are many unethical breeders who attempt to make a quick profit by irresponsibly mating. With proper research, any variety of German Shepherd can provide you with a loyal worker or loving family pet.