View source for German Shepherd

{{short description|German breed of shepherd dog}}{{pp-vandalism|small=yes}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{EngvarB|date=February 2022}}

{{Infobox dog breed
| name           = German Shepherd
| image          = German Shepherd - DSC 0346 (10096362833).jpg
| image_alt      =
| image_caption  = Adult male
| image2         =
| image_alt2     =
| image_caption2 =
| altname        = {{ubl|German Shepherd Dog|Alsatian|Alsatian Wolf Dog|''Deutscher Schäferhund''|''Altdeutsche Schäferhunde''}}
| nickname       = 
| stock          =
| country        = [[Germany]]
| weight         =
| maleweight     = {{right|{{cvt|30|–|40|kg}}{{r|vdh}}}}
| femaleweight   = {{right|{{cvt|22|–|32|kg}}{{r|vdh}}}}
| height         =
| maleheight     = {{right|{{cvt|60|–|65|cm}}{{r|vdh}}}}
| femaleheight   = {{right|{{cvt|55|–|60|cm}}{{r|vdh}}}}
| coat           = [[Coat (dog)|Double coat]]
| colour         = Tan with black saddle, sable, solid black or bi-colour
| litter_size    = 6 to 8{{r|alex|p=40}}
| kc_name        = [[Verband für das Deutsche Hundewesen|VDH]]
| kc_std         = https://www.vdh.de/welpen/mein-welpe/deutscher-schferhund-langstockhaar
|kc2_name       = [[The Royal Kennel Club]]
|kc2_std   = https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/search/breeds-a-to-z/breeds/pastoral/german-shepherd-dog/
| fcistd         = http://www.fci.be/Nomenclature/Standards/166g01-en.pdf
}}

The '''German Shepherd''',{{efn|name=a}} also known in Britain as an '''Alsatian''', is a German [[Dog breed|breed]] of [[working dog]] of medium to large size. It is characterized by its intelligent and obedient nature.
 
Its historical role was as a [[herding dog]], for herding [[sheep]]. It has since been used in many other types of work, including [[Assistance dog|disability assistance]], [[search-and-rescue]], [[Police dog|police work]], and [[Dogs in warfare|warfare]]. It is commonly kept as a [[companion dog]], and according to the [[Fédération Cynologique Internationale]] had the second-highest number of annual registrations in 2013.{{r|skk}}

The breed was developed by [[Max von Stephanitz]] using various [[Old German herding dogs|traditional German herding dogs]] from 1899. The breed gained international recognition after the end of World War I. The German Shepherd became the second most popular breed in the US in 2016 and the most frequently registered breed in other countries.

== History ==
[[File:Max von Stephanitz.png|thumb|right|[[Max von Stephanitz]], the founder of the breed (with [[Horand von Grafrath]]), circa 1900]]
[[File:German Shepherd Portrait.jpg|thumb|Illustration from 1909]]

===1890s===
During the 1890s, attempts were being made to standardise dog breeds.<ref name=gsd-history>{{cite web |title=History of the breed |website=German Shepherds.com |date=30 December 2007 |url=http://www.germanshepherds.com/thegsd/history/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080601121843/http://www.germanshepherds.com/thegsd/history/ |archive-date=1 June 2008}}</ref> Dogs were being bred to preserve traits that assisted in their job of herding sheep and protecting their flocks from predators.{{sfnp|Kern|1990|pp=11–21}} In Germany this was practised within local communities, where shepherds selected and bred dogs. It was recognised that the breed had the necessary skills for herding sheep, such as intelligence, speed, strength and keen sense of smell.{{sfnp|Kern|1990|pp=11–21}} The results were dogs that were able to do such things, but that differed significantly, both in appearance and ability, from one locality to another.<ref name=gsd-history/>

To combat these differences, the [[Phylax Society]] was formed in 1891 with the intention of creating standardised development plans for native dog breeds in Germany.{{sfnp|Kern|1990|pp=11–21}} The society disbanded after only three years due to ongoing internal conflicts regarding the traits in dogs that the society should promote;{{sfnp|Kern|1990|pp=11–21}} some members believed dogs should be bred solely for working purposes, while others believed dogs should be bred also for appearance.{{sfnp|Rice|1999|p=11}} While unsuccessful in their goal, the Phylax Society had inspired people to pursue standardising dog breeds independently.

With the rise of large, industrialised cities in Germany, the predator population began to decline, rendering sheepdogs unnecessary.{{sfnp|Kern|1990|pp=11–21}} At the same time, the awareness of sheepdogs as a versatile, intelligent class of canine began to rise.{{sfnp|Kern|1990|pp=11–21}} [[Max von Stephanitz]], an ex-cavalry captain and former student of the Berlin Veterinary College, was an ex-member of the Phylax Society who firmly believed dogs should be bred for working.{{sfnp|Kern|1990|pp=11–21}} He admired the intelligence, strength and ability of Germany's native sheepdogs, but could not find any one single breed that satisfied him as the perfect working dog.{{sfnp|Kern|1990|pp=11–21}}

===1900s===
In 1899, von&nbsp;Stephanitz was attending a dog show when he was shown a dog named Hektor Linksrhein.{{sfnp|Kern|1990|pp=11–21}} Hektor was the product of a few generations of selective breeding and completely fulfilled what von&nbsp;Stephanitz believed a working dog should be. He was pleased with the strength of the dog and was so taken by the animal's intelligence, loyalty, and beauty, that he purchased him immediately.<ref name=gsd-history/> After purchasing the dog he changed his name to [[Horand von Grafrath]] and von&nbsp;Stephanitz founded the [[Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde]] (Society for German Shepherd Dogs).<ref name=gsd-history/> Horand was declared to be the first German Shepherd Dog, and was the first dog added to the society's breed register.{{sfnp|Kern|1990|pp=11–21}} In just a few decades of the {{Lang|de|Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde|italic=no}}'s establishment, the breed became one of the world's most popular and numerous, a position it has maintained to this day. By 1923, the {{Lang|de|Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde|italic=no}} claimed 50,000&nbsp;dues-paying members in more than 500&nbsp;branches in Germany alone.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last=Skabelund |first=Aaron |date=June 2008 |title=Breeding racism: The imperial battlefields of the 'German' shepherd dog |journal=Society and Animals |volume=16 |issue=4 |page=355 |doi=10.1163/156853008X357676 |url=https://www.animalsandsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/skabelund.pdf |via=AnimalsAndSociety.org |issn = 1063-1119}}</ref>

Horand became the center-point of the breeding programs and was bred with dogs belonging to other society members that displayed desirable traits and with dogs from [[Thuringia]], [[Franconia]], and [[Württemberg]].{{sfnp|Kern|1990|pp=11–21}} Fathering many pups, Horand's most prolific was Hektor von Schwaben.{{sfnp|Kern|1990|pp=11–21}}{{sfnp|Stevens|2002|p=11}} Hektor was inbred with another of Horand's offspring and produced Heinz von Starkenburg, Beowulf, and Pilot, who later sired a total of 84&nbsp;pups, mostly through being inbred with Hektor's other offspring.{{sfnp|Kern|1990|pp=11–21}} This inbreeding was deemed necessary in order to fix the traits being sought in the breed.{{sfnp|Kern|1990|pp=11–21}} Beowulf's progeny also were inbred and it is from these pups that all German Shepherds draw a genetic link. The society is thought to have achieved its goal since von Stephanitz’s leadership is commonly credited as the creator of the German Shepherd Dog.{{sfnp|Willis|1976|p=5}}

===20th Century===
During the first half of the twentieth century, the breed came to be strongly identified with Imperial and Nazi Germany, because of its association with purity and militarism.<ref name=":0"/> German Shepherds were coveted as "{{lang|de|germanische Urhunde}}," being close to the wolf, and became very fashionable during the Nazi era.<ref name=":4">{{cite book |last=Sax |first=Boria |year=2000 |title=Animals in the Third Reich: Pets, scapegoats, and the holocaust |others=Foreword by Klaus P. Fischer |place=New York, NY & London, UK |publisher=Continuum |isbn=978-0-8264-1289-8}}</ref> [[Adolf Hitler]] acquired a German Shepherd named "Prinz" in 1921, during his years of poverty, but he had been forced to lodge the dog elsewhere. However, she managed to escape and return to him. Hitler, who adored the loyalty and obedience of the dog, thereafter developed a great liking for the breed.<ref>{{cite book |last=Beevor |first=Antony |year=2002 |title=Berlin: The Downfall 1945 |publisher=Viking-Penguin Books |isbn=978-0-670-03041-5 |page=357}}</ref> Hitler kept several more of the breed, including [[Blondi]], who was among several dogs in the '[[Führerbunker]]' during the [[Battle of Berlin]] at the end of the Second World War. Dogs played a role in Nazi propaganda by portraying Hitler as an animal lover.<ref name=":4"/> Preparing for [[Suicide of Adolf Hitler|his suicide]], Hitler ordered Dr.&nbsp;[[Werner Haase]] to test a cyanide capsule on Blondi, and the dog died as a result.<ref>{{cite book |last=Kershaw |first=Ian |year=2008 |title=Hitler: A biography |publisher=W.W. Norton & Co. |page=952 |isbn=978-0-393-06757-6}}</ref> [[Erna Flegel]], a nurse who worked at the emergency casualty station in the [[Reich Chancellery]] stated in 2005 that Blondi's death had affected the people in the bunker more than [[Eva Braun]]'s suicide.<ref>{{cite news |last=Harding |first=Luke |date=2 May 2005 |title=Hitler's nurse breaks 60&nbsp;years of silence |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2005/may/02/artsandhumanities.secondworldwar}}</ref> German Shepherds were also used widely as guard dogs at [[Nazi concentration camps]] during [[the Holocaust]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Jacobs |first=Benjamin |date=18 January 2001 |title=The Dentist of Auschwitz: A memoir |isbn=0-8131-9012-6 |page=123|publisher=University Press of Kentucky }}</ref>

When the German Shepherd was introduced to the United States it was initially a popular dog.<ref>"Being the fashionable dog: Not mad, only natural", ''[[The New York Times]]'', 7 July 1924</ref> But as the dogs' popularity grew, it became associated as a dangerous breed owned by gangsters and [[Rum-running|bootlegger]]s.<ref>{{cite news |title=German shepherds owned by bootleggers: Kill dog in dry raid |date=5 May 1927 |newspaper=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=The police dog situation: Ban on police dogs in Queens urged by magistrate Conway |date=7 July 1924 |newspaper=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1925/01/07/archives/ban-on-police-dogs-in-queens-urged-by-magistrate-conway.html|title=Ban on Police Dogs in Queens Urged by Magistrate Conway|work=The New York Times |date=7 January 1925|via=NYTimes.com}}</ref> The reputation of the German Shepherds as a dangerous breed had grown to such an extent that importing them was briefly banned in Australia in 1929.<ref>{{cite book |first=Robert |last=Kaleski |date=29 March 2011 |title=Australian Barkers and Biters |publisher=Read Books Ltd|isbn=978-1-4465-4901-8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VGR8CgAAQBAJ&q=alsatian+wolfdog+go+bush+dingo+rabbits&pg=PT93 |via=Google Books}}</ref> Potential legislation was even considered to require that all German shepherds in South Australia be sterilised.<ref>{{cite web |title=Alsatian Dogs Bill 1934 |series=History of Agriculture |date=20 November 2017 |website=pir.sa.gov.au |url=https://www.pir.sa.gov.au/aghistory/eras/1926-1938/legislation/alsatian_dogs_bill_1934}}</ref>

=== Naming ===
[[File:German Shepherds in ravine.jpg|thumb|Sable bitch (left) and dog (right)]]

The breed was named {{Lang|de|Deutscher Schäferhund}}, by von Stephanitz, translating to "German Shepherd Dog."{{r|fci}} At the time, all other herding dogs in Germany were referred to by this name; they thus became known as {{Lang|de|Altdeutsche Schäferhunde}}, or [[old German herding dogs]].

The direct translation of the name was adopted for use in the [[stud-book]]; however, at the end of the [[First World War]], it was thought that use of the word "German" would harm the breed's popularity<ref name="palika-22">{{Cite book|last=Palika|first=Liz|year=2008|title=Your Happy Healthy Pet: German Shepherd Dog|publisher=[[Wiley (publisher)|Wiley]]|isbn=978-0-470-19231-3|page=22}}</ref> [[Anti-German sentiment#First World War|in countries that had fought Germany]].{{sfnp|Rice|1999|p=12}} The breed was officially renamed by the UK Kennel Club to "Alsatian Wolf Dog,"<ref name="palika-22" /> after the French region of [[Alsace]] bordering Germany.{{sfnp|Kern|1990|pp=11–21}}

Eventually,{{when|date=February 2022}} the appendage "wolf dog" was dropped,<ref name="palika-22" /> after numerous campaigns by breeders who were worried that becoming known as a [[wolf-dog hybrid]] would affect the breed's popularity and legality.{{sfnp|Kern|1990|pp=11–21}} The name Alsatian remained for five decades,<ref name="palika-22" /> until 1977, when successful campaigns by dog enthusiasts pressured the British kennel clubs to allow the breed to be registered again as German Shepherds.<ref name=germanculture>{{cite web|url=https://germanculture.com.ua/german-facts/german-shepherd/|title=German Shepherd&nbsp;– The Ultimate Service Dog |date=25 June 2023|website=German Culture}}</ref> The word "Alsatian" once appeared in parentheses as part of the formal breed name of the American Kennel Club, until removed in 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/3367/23/5/3 |title=Change of Name&nbsp;– German Shepherd Dog |date=19 October 2010 |website=The Kennel Club |access-date=22 October 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101027170852/http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/3367/23/5/3 |archive-date=27 October 2010 }}</ref>

=== Kennel club classification ===
{{globalise|date=October 2019|section|UK|USA}}
[[File:Fritzi GSD puppy.jpg|thumb|A nine-week-old puppy]]
When the [[The Kennel Club|UK Kennel]] accepted registrations in 1919, 54 German Shepherds were registered. By 1926 this number had grown to over 8000.<ref name="gsd-history" /> The breed gained international recognition after the end of World War I. Returning soldiers spoke highly of the breed and animal actors [[Rin Tin Tin]] and [[Strongheart]] popularised the breed further.<ref name="palika-25">{{Cite book|last=Palika|first=Liz|year=2008|title=Your Happy Healthy Pet: German Shepherd Dog|publisher=[[Wiley (publisher)|Wiley]]|isbn=978-0-470-19231-3|page=25}}</ref> The first German Shepherd Dog registered in the United States was Queen of Switzerland. Her offspring had defects as the result of poor breeding, which caused the breed to decline in popularity during the late 1920s.<ref name="palika-25" />

Popularity increased again after Sieger Pfeffer von Bern became the 1937 and 1938 Grand Victor in American Kennel Club dog shows, only to have another decline at the conclusion of World War II, due to anti-German sentiment.<ref name="palika-25" /> Popularity increased gradually until 1993, when they became the third most popular breed in the United States. {{as of|2016}}, the German Shepherd is the second most popular breed in the US.<ref name="palika-25" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.akc.org/reg/dogreg_stats.cfm |title=AKC Dog Registration Statistics |access-date=15 July 2008 |publisher=American Kennel Club |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120511200854/http://www.akc.org/reg/dogreg_stats.cfm |archive-date=11 May 2012 }}</ref> It is typically among the most frequently registered breeds in other countries.<ref name="palika-25" /> It was the third-most registered breed by the [[American Kennel Club]] in 2020,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/dog-breeds/the-most-popular-dog-breeds-of-2020/|title=The Most Popular Dog Breeds of 2020|first1=Jan|last1=Reisen|date=16 March 2021|website=[[American Kennel Club]]}}</ref> and seventh-most registered breed by [[The Kennel Club]] in the United Kingdom in 2016.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/media/1098176/top_20_breeds_2015_-_2016.pdf|title=Top Twenty Breeds in Registration Order for the Years 2015 and 2016|publisher=[[The Kennel Club]]|access-date=22 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191210043039/https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/media/1098176/top_20_breeds_2015_-_2016.pdf|archive-date=10 December 2019}}</ref>

== Description ==

[[File:German Shepherd dog. “Canis lupus familiaris”.jpg|thumb|[[Skeleton]] in the [[Museum of Veterinary Anatomy FMVZ USP|Museum of Veterinary Anatomy]] of [[São Paulo]], Brazil]]
German Shepherds are medium to large-sized dogs.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/german-shepherd-saved/story?id=14835907|title=Can the German Shepherd Be Saved?|date=28 October 2011|website=ABC News|access-date=21 August 2018}}</ref> The breed standard height at the [[withers]] is {{convert|60|–|65|cm|abbr=on}} for males, and {{convert|55|–|60|cm|abbr=on}} for females.<ref name=USGSD>{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080610111211/http://germanshepherddog.com/regulations/breed_standard.htm|archive-date=10 June 2008|url=http://www.germanshepherddog.com/regulations/breed_standard.htm |title=USA German Shepherd Dog Standard |publisher=United Schutzhund Clubs of America }}</ref><ref name="ukkc">{{cite web|url=http://www.ankc.org.au/Breed_Details.aspx?bid=143 |title=FCI Standard No 166 |access-date=24 February 2013 |website=[[Australian National Kennel Council]] |date=23 March 1991 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140215054425/http://www.ankc.org.au/Breed_Details.aspx?bid=143 |archive-date=15 February 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{Citation|url=http://www.wgsdca.org/thebreed/breedstandard.asp |website=White German Shepherd Dog Club of America, Inc. |title=Breed Standard for the White German Shepherd Dog |date=September 1997 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130501091833/http://www.wgsdca.org/thebreed/breedstandard.asp |archive-date=1 May 2013 }}</ref> German Shepherds can [[sprint (running)|sprint]] at speeds of up to {{Convert|30|mph}}.<ref>{{cite web|first=Jason|last=Purgason|title=15 Of The Fastest Dog Breeds In The World |url=https://highlandcanine.com/the-fastest-dog-breeds-in-the-world/ |publisher=Highland Canine Training|date=31 January 2021}}</ref>
German Shepherds are longer than they are tall, with an ideal proportion of 10 to {{frac|8|1|2}}. The AKC official breed standard does not set a standard weight range.<ref name="akc-index" /> They have a domed forehead, a long square-cut muzzle with strong jaws and a black nose. The eyes are medium-sized and brown. The ears are large and stand erect, open at the front and parallel, but they often are pulled back during movement. A German Shepherd has a long neck, which is raised when excited and lowered when moving at a fast pace as well as stalking. The tail is bushy and reaches to the [[Hock (zoology)|hock]].<ref name="ukkc" />

German Shepherds have a double [[Coat (dog)|coat]] which is close and dense with a thick undercoat. The coat is accepted in two variants: medium and long. The gene for long hair is [[Recessive gene|recessive]], and therefore the long-haired variety is rarer. Treatment of the long-haired variation differs across standards; it is accepted but does not compete against standard-coated dogs under the [[German Kennel Club|German]] and UK Kennel Clubs while it can compete with standard-coated dogs, but is considered a fault in the American Kennel Club.<ref name="ukkc" /><ref name="akc-index" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vdh.de/rasse_beschreibung/159/ |title=Rasse-Lexikon Deutscher Schäferhund |access-date=15 July 2008 |website=Verband für das Deutsche Hundewesen |language=de| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090825095432/http://www.vdh.de/rasse_beschreibung/159/ | archive-date = 25 August 2009}}</ref> The FCI accepted the long-haired type in 2010, listing it as the variety b, while the short-haired type is listed as the variety a.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vonziugermanshepherds.com/gsd-info.html |title=GSD Info |website=Vonziü German Shepherds |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161106132534/https://www.vonziugermanshepherds.com/gsd-info.html |archive-date=6 November 2016 |url-status=live |access-date=6 July 2017 }}</ref>

Most commonly, German Shepherds are either tan/black or red/black. Most colour varieties have [[melanistic mask|black masks]] and black body markings which can range from a classic "saddle" to an overall "blanket." Rarer colour variations include sable, pure-black, [[White Shepherd|pure-white]], liver, silver, blue, and [[Panda German Shepherds|panda]] varieties. The all-black and sable varieties are acceptable according to most standards; however, the blue and liver are considered to be serious faults and the all-white is grounds for instant disqualification from showing in conformation at All Breed and Specialty Shows.<ref name="akc-index">{{cite web |url=http://www.akc.org/breeds/german_shepherd_dog/index.cfm |title=German Shepherd Dog Breed Standard |access-date=15 July 2008 |website=American Kennel Club }}</ref>{{-}}

<gallery mode=packed heights=150px style="text-align:left; font-size: 93%">
File:German-shepherd-4040871920.jpg|Saddle black-and-tan coat
File:LaikaRosenhof.jpg|Black mask and sable
File:Black-german-shepherd.jpg|Solid black
File:Military Working Dog - American Air Day 2012 (7831960226).2.jpg|Bi-colour 
Long_haired_German_Sheppard.jpg|Long-haired black-and-tan
</gallery>

=== Variants ===
[[File:Vostochno Evropeiskaya Ovcharka.jpg|thumb|upright|East-European Shepherd]]
* The '''East-European Shepherd''' is a variety of the German Shepherd bred in the former [[Soviet Union]].{{sfnp|Hancock|2014|pp=14 & 28}} It was developed to create a larger, more cold-resistant version of the German Shepherd.{{sfnp|Hancock|2014|pp=14 & 28}} It lacks the physical deformities bred into western show lines of German Shepherds and has become one of Russia's most popular dog types.{{sfnp|Hancock|2014|pp=14 & 28}}
{{main|East-European Shepherd}}


* The '''King Shepherd''' is a variety of the German Shepherd bred in the United States.{{sfnp|Hancock|2014|pp=14 & 140}} It was developed in hopes to rectify the physical deformities that have been bred into the original breed.{{sfnp|Hancock|2014|pp=14 & 140}}


[[File:Shiloh Shepherd Dog Profile.jpg|thumb|upright|Shiloh Shepherd]]
* The '''Shiloh Shepherd''' is a variety of the German Shepherd bred in the United States. It was developed in the 1970s and 1980s in response to concerns about behavioral and conformational traits observed in modern German Shepherds, and was bred for its large size, length of back, temperament, and hip structure.{{sfnp|Hancock|2014|pp=14, 140 & 222}}{{sfnp|Fogle|2009|p=387}} It has been recognised since 1990 by the [[American Rare Breed Association]].<ref name="ARBA">{{cite web |url=https://www.arba.org/Pages/gallery-group-1-breeds.htm|title=Group 1 Breeds |publisher=American Rare Breed Association |access-date=14 March 2020}}</ref>


[[File:Kandestack 62406.jpg|thumb|upright|White Shepherd]]
* The '''White Shepherd''' is a variety of the German Shepherd bred in the United States. White-coated German Shepherds were once banned from registration in their native Germany, but in the United States and Canada the coloration gained a following and a breed club was formed specifically for white German Shepherds, calling their variety the White Shepherd. The variety is recognised as a separate breed by the [[United Kennel Club]].{{sfnp|Pickeral|2014}}
{{main|White Shepherd}}


[[File:Berger Blanc Suisse.png|thumb|upright|White Swiss Shepherd Dog]]
* The '''White Swiss Shepherd Dog''' ({{langx|fr|Berger Blanc Suisse}}, {{langx|de|Weisser Schweizer Schäferhund}}, {{langx|it|Pastore Svizzero Bianco}}) is a variety of the German Shepherd bred in Switzerland. It descends from the American White Shepherds; the first stud dog of what was to become the breed was an American dog born in 1966 and imported to Switzerland. The variety was recognised by the [[Fédération Cynologique Internationale]] as a separate breed in 2003, and it is now recognised by a number of national [[kennel club]]s.{{sfnp|Pickeral|2014}}
{{main|White Swiss Shepherd Dog}}


=== Behavior ===
[[File:Infant with two German Shepherds.JPG|thumb|A human infant with two dogs]]
German Shepherds are moderately active dogs and are described in breed standards as self assured.<ref name="akc-index" /> The breed is marked by a willingness to learn and an eagerness to have a purpose. The breed standard describes them as curious, a trait desirable in roles like guard dogs and search missions. They can become overprotective of their family and territory, especially if not socialised correctly.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gsdca.org/german-shepherd-dogs/training-puppy-tips|title=German Shepherd Dog and Puppy Training Tips from the German Shepherd Dog Club of America|website=gsdca.org|language=en-gb|access-date=2018-03-02|archive-date=3 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180303050729/https://www.gsdca.org/german-shepherd-dogs/training-puppy-tips}}</ref> They are not inclined to become immediate friends with strangers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nzkc.org.nz/br528.html |website=New Zealand Kennel Club |title=Breed Standard&nbsp;— German Shepherd |access-date=19 July 2008 |quote=While the dog should be approachable and friendly, he does not make immediate friendships with strangers. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080720164714/http://www.nzkc.org.nz/br528.html |archive-date=20 July 2008 }}</ref> German Shepherds are highly intelligent and obedient, as well as protective of their owners.<ref>Dogwise: The Natural way to Train your Dog (1992), John Fisher Souvenir Press Ltd. {{ISBN|0-285-63114-4}}</ref>

==== Intelligence ====
German Shepherds were bred specifically for their [[Dog intelligence|intelligence]].{{sfnp|von Stephanitz|1994|p=12}} In a list of breeds most likely to bark as watchdogs, [[Stanley Coren]] ranked the breed in second place.<ref name=coren>{{Cite book|url=http://archive.org/details/intelligenceofdo00core|title=The Intelligence of Dogs: A Guide to the Thoughts, Emotions, and Inner Lives of our Canine Companions|first=Stanley|last=Coren|author-link=Stanley Coren|date=1995|page=134|publisher=[[Bantam Books]]|isbn=0-553-37452-4}}</ref> Coupled with their strength, this trait makes the breed desirable as [[Police dog|police]], [[Guard dog|guard]] and [[search and rescue dog]]s, as they are able to quickly learn various tasks and interpret instructions better than other breeds.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.whitepawsgsr.com/breed.html |title=About the Breed |access-date=15 July 2008 |website=White Paws: German Shepherd |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080829164852/http://whitepawsgsr.com/breed.html |archive-date=29 August 2008 }}</ref>

==== Bite and jaw force ====
{{Further|Dog bite prevention}}
A 2020 literature review in ''[[Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery]]'' found that from 1971 to 2018, of all pure breed dogs in the United States, the German Shepherd was responsible for the most bites severe enough to require hospital treatment.<ref name="Bailey">{{cite journal |last1=Bailey |first1=Chad M. |last2=Hinchcliff |first2=Katharine M. |last3=Moore |first3=Zachary |last4=Pu |first4=Lee L.Q. |title=Dog Bites in the United States from 1971 to 2018: A Systematic Review of the Peer-Reviewed Literature |journal=Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery |date=November 2020 |volume=146 |issue=5 |pages=1166–1176 |doi=10.1097/PRS.0000000000007253|pmid=33136964 |s2cid=225080998 }}</ref>

An Australian report from 1999 provides statistics showing that German Shepherds are the breed third most likely to attack a person in some Australian locales.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.dlg.nsw.gov.au/Files/Information/Compare.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090521011303/http://www.dlg.nsw.gov.au/Files/Information/Compare.pdf |archive-date=21 May 2009 |website=New South Wales Department of Local Government |access-date=18 November 2008|year=1999|title=Reported Dog Attack Survey}}</ref> After the reporters evaluated the breed’s popularity, they reduced the percentage of attacks by German Shepherds to 38th place.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.olg.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/Annual-reports-of-dog-attacks-in-NSW-2011-12.pdf|website=New South Wales Department of Local Government|access-date=23 February 2017|year=2013|title=Council Reports of Dog Attacks in NSW 2011/2012|archive-date=19 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180319220935/http://www.olg.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/Annual-reports-of-dog-attacks-in-NSW-2011-12.pdf}}</ref>

According to the [[National Geographic Channel]] television show ''[[Dangerous Encounters with Brady Barr|Dangerous Encounters]]'', the bite of a German Shepherd has a force of over {{convert|238|lbf|N|order=flip}} (compared with that of a [[Rottweiler]], over {{convert|265|–|328|lbf|N|order=flip}}, a [[Pit bull]], {{convert|235|lbf|N|order=flip}}, a [[Labrador Retriever]], of approximately {{convert|230|lbf|N|order=flip}}, or a human, of approximately {{convert|86|lbf|N|order=flip}}).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://dogbitesinformationandstatistics.blogspot.com.au/2008/01/canine-bite-force.html |title=Dog Bites: Information and Statistics |date=26 January 2008 |access-date=31 December 2012 }} Cites a ''National Geographic'' study.</ref>

== Health ==
[[File:Pastor Alemán hembra, diez años de edad.jpg|thumb|Portrait of a ten year old German Shepherd]]
Many common ailments of the German Shepherd are a result of the inbreeding practised early in the breed's life.{{sfnp|Willis|1976|p=31}} One such common ailment is [[Hip dysplasia (canine)|hip]] and [[elbow dysplasia]] which may cause the dog to experience pain later on in life and may cause [[arthritis]].{{cn|date=June 2024}} A study conducted by the [[University of Zurich]] found that 45% of the police working dogs were affected by degenerative spinal stenosis, although a small sample size was used.<ref>{{Cite journal | last1 = Steffen | first1 = F. | last2 = Hunold | first2 = K. | last3 = Scharf | first3 = G. | last4 = Roos | first4 = M. | last5 = Flückiger | first5 = M. | title = A follow-up study of neurologic and radiographic findings in working German Shepherd Dogs with and without degenerative lumbosacral stenosis | doi = 10.2460/javma.231.10.1529 | journal = Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association | volume = 231 | issue = 10 | pages = 1529–1533 | year = 2007 | pmid =  18020994}}</ref> The [[Orthopedic Foundation for Animals]] found that 19.1% of German Shepherds are affected by hip dysplasia.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.offa.org/hipstatbreed.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090610214651/http://www.offa.org/hipstatbreed.html |title=Hip Dysplasia Statistics |publisher=Orthopedic Foundation for Animals |archive-date=10 June 2009 |year=2009 }}</ref> 

The German Shepherd Dog is one of the breeds more commonly affected by [[degenerative myelopathy]], which is caused by a mutation in the [[SOD1]] gene.<ref>{{cite book |author1-first=James A.C. |author1-last=Oliver |author2-first=Cathryn S. |author2-last=Mellersh | editor1-first=Barbara | editor1-last=Cooper | editor2-first=Elizabeth |editor2-last=Mullineaux |editor3-first=Lynn | editor3-last=Turner |title=BSAVA Textbook of Veterinary Nursing |date=2020 |publisher=British Small Animal Veterinary Association |isbn=978-1-910-44339-2 |edition=Sixth|chapter=Genetics| page=131}}</ref> A small study in the UK showed 16% of young asymptomatic German Shepherds to be homozygous for the mutation, with a further 38% being carriers.<ref>{{Cite journal | doi = 10.1186/2052-6687-1-10| title = A retrospective study of the prevalence of the canine degenerative myelopathy associated superoxide dismutase 1 mutation (SOD1:c.118G > A) in a referral population of German Shepherd dogs from the UK| journal = Canine Genetics and Epidemiology| volume = 1| page = 10| year = 2014| last1 = Holder | first1 = A. L. | last2 = Price | first2 = J. A. | last3 = Adams | first3 = J. P. | last4 = Volk | first4 = H. A. | last5 = Catchpole | first5 = B. | pmid = 26401327| pmc = 4579386| s2cid = 10326107| url = http://researchonline.rvc.ac.uk/9043/1/9043.pdf | doi-access = free}}</ref>

German Shepherds have a higher-than-normal incidence of [[Von Willebrand disease]], a common inherited bleeding disorder,<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Paul Pion |first1=D. V. M. |last2=Spadafori |first2=Gina |date=2017-08-08 |title=Veterinary Partner |url=https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?id=4952042&pid=19239&utm_source=chatgpt.com |website=VIN.com}}</ref> and [[exocrine pancreatic insufficiency]] (EPI), a degenerative disease of the [[pancreas]]. It is estimated that 1% of the UK population of German Shepherds has this disease.<ref>{{cite web|website=Universities Federation for Animal Welfare |title=Genetic welfare problems of companion animals – Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency |url=http://www.ufaw.org.uk/EXOCRINEPANCREATICINSUFFICIENCYGSD.php |access-date=20 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140324062841/http://www.ufaw.org.uk/EXOCRINEPANCREATICINSUFFICIENCYGSD.php |archive-date=24 March 2014 }}</ref>

=== Lifespan ===
Overall lifespan is approximately 10 years.{{r|dk|p=35}} Several studies have found the average lifespan to be lower than the average for all dogs: a 2024 UK study found a mean lifespan of 11.3 years, compared to 12 years for [[Mongrel|crossbreeds]] and 12.7 years for purebreds;<ref>{{cite journal | last1=McMillan | first1=Kirsten M. | last2=Bielby | first2=Jon | last3=Williams | first3=Carys L. | last4=Upjohn | first4=Melissa M. | last5=Casey | first5=Rachel A. | last6=Christley | first6=Robert M. | title=Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death | journal=Scientific Reports | publisher=Springer Science and Business Media LLC | volume=14 | issue=1 | date=2024-02-01 | issn=2045-2322 | doi=10.1038/s41598-023-50458-w | page=531| pmid=38302530 | pmc=10834484 | bibcode=2024NatSR..14..531M }}</ref> a 2022 UK study using veterinary records found a value of 10.16 years compared to 11.23 overall and 11.82 for crossbreeds;<ref>{{cite journal | last1=Teng | first1=Kendy Tzu-yun | last2=Brodbelt | first2=Dave C. | last3=Pegram | first3=Camilla | last4=Church | first4=David B. | last5=O'Neill | first5=Dan G. | title=Life tables of annual life expectancy and mortality for companion dogs in the United Kingdom | journal=Scientific Reports | publisher=Springer Science and Business Media LLC | volume=12 | issue=1 | date=2022-04-28 | issn=2045-2322 | doi=10.1038/s41598-022-10341-6 | page=6415| pmid=35484374 | pmc=9050668 | bibcode=2022NatSR..12.6415T }}</ref> in Italy a 2024 study found an average of 10 years, the same as the overall average;<ref>{{cite journal | last1=Roccaro | first1=Mariana | last2=Salini | first2=Romolo | last3=Pietra | first3=Marco | last4=Sgorbini | first4=Micaela | last5=Gori | first5=Eleonora | last6=Dondi | first6=Maurizio | last7=Crisi | first7=Paolo E. | last8=Conte | first8=Annamaria | last9=Dalla Villa | first9=Paolo | last10=Podaliri | first10=Michele | last11=Ciaramella | first11=Paolo | last12=Di Palma | first12=Cristina | last13=Passantino | first13=Annamaria | last14=Porciello | first14=Francesco | last15=Gianella | first15=Paola | last16=Guglielmini | first16=Carlo | last17=Alborali | first17=Giovanni L. | last18=Rota Nodari | first18=Sara | last19=Sabatelli | first19=Sonia | last20=Peli | first20=Angelo | title=Factors related to longevity and mortality of dogs in Italy | journal=Preventive Veterinary Medicine | publisher=Elsevier BV | volume=225 | year=2024 | issn=0167-5877 | doi=10.1016/j.prevetmed.2024.106155 | article-number=106155| doi-access=free | pmid=38394961 | hdl=11585/961937 | hdl-access=free }}</ref> a 2005 study in Sweden based on insurance data found 51% of German Shepherd dogs died by the age of 10, higher than the overall rate of 35%.<ref>{{cite journal | last1=Egenvall | first1=A | last2=Bonnett | first2=Bn | last3=Hedhammar | first3=å | last4=Olson | first4=P | title=Mortality in over 350,000 Insured Swedish Dogs from 1995–2000: II. Breed-Specific Age and Survival Patterns and Relative Risk for Causes of Death | journal=Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica | volume=46 | issue=3 | date=2005-09-30 | pages=121–136 | issn=1751-0147 | pmid=16261925 | pmc=1624818 | doi=10.1186/1751-0147-46-121 | doi-access=free }}</ref> A 2015 French study found a mean lifespan of 10.08 years.<ref>{{Cite journal | doi = 10.1016/j.tvjl.2014.11.008| title = Inbreeding impact on litter size and survival in selected canine breeds| journal = The Veterinary Journal| volume = 203| issue = 1| pages = 74–78| year = 2015| last1 = Leroy | first1 = G. G. | last2 = Phocas | first2 = F. | last3 = Hedan | first3 = B. | last4 = Verrier | first4 = E. | last5 = Rognon | first5 = X. | pmid=25475165| s2cid = 27631883| url = https://hal-univ-rennes1.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01122782/file/Inbreeding%20impact%20on%20litter%20size_accepted.pdf}}</ref>

=== Musculoskeletal ===
[[Musculoskeletal disorder]]s are debilitating conditions that are often associated with genetic makeup, malnutrition, and stress-related events.{{sfn|Ackerman|2008|pp=135-139}} Some breeds like the German Shepherd, are predisposed to a variety of different skeletal disorders, including but not limited to: canine hip dysplasia, [[Cauda equina syndrome]], and [[osteoarthritis]].<ref name=":1">{{cite journal | last1 = Fels | first1 = L. | last2 = Distl | first2 = O. | year = 2014 | title = Identification and validation of quantitative trait loci (QTL) for canine hip dysplasia (CHD) in German shepherd dogs | doi = 10.1371/journal.pone.0096618 | journal = PLOS ONE| volume = 9 | issue = 5| pages = 1–8 | pmid = 24802516 | pmc = 4011879 | bibcode = 2014PLoSO...996618F | doi-access = free }}</ref><ref name=":2">{{cite journal | last1 = Ondreka | first1 = N. | last2 = Amort | first2 = K.H. | last3 = Stock | first3 = K.F. | last4 = Tellhelm | first4 = B. | last5 = Klumpp | first5 = S.W. | last6 = Kramer | first6 = M. | last7 = Schmidt | first7 = M.J. | year = 2013 | title = Skeletal morpohology and morphometry of the lumbosacral junction in German shepherd dogs and an evaluation of the possible genetic basis for radiographic findings | journal = The Veterinary Journal | volume = 196 | issue = 1| pages = 64–70 | doi = 10.1016/j.tvjl.2012.07.015 | pmid = 22921082 | doi-access = free }}</ref>

[[Canine hip dysplasia]] (CHD) is the abnormal formation of the hip joint and surrounding tissue causing instability and partial dislocation of the hip joint, resulting in pain, [[inflammation]], lameness, and potentially osteoarthritis of the joint.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Hand | first1 = M. | last2 = Thatcher | first2 = C. | last3 = Remillard | first3 = R. | last4 = Roudebush | first4 = P. | year = 2000 | title = Small animal clinical nutrition | journal = Mark Morris Institute | volume = 4 | pages = 542–543 }}</ref> A North American study analysing more than 1,000,000 hip and 250,000 elbow scans in dogs over the age of two found the German Shepherd Dog to have a rate of hip and elbow dysplasia to be 18.9% and 17.8% respectively. The German Shepherd had the 8th highest rate of hip dysplasia and 6th highest rate of elbow dysplasia.<ref>{{cite journal | last1=Oberbauer | first1=A. M. | last2=Keller | first2=G. G. | last3=Famula | first3=T. R. | title=Long-term genetic selection reduced prevalence of hip and elbow dysplasia in 60 dog breeds | journal=PLOS ONE | publisher=Public Library of Science (PLoS) | volume=12 | issue=2 | date=2017-02-24 | issn=1932-6203 | doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0172918 | doi-access=free | article-number=e0172918| pmid=28234985 | pmc=5325577 | bibcode=2017PLoSO..1272918O }}</ref> Another North American study found 10.26% of German Shepherd Dogs surveyed at teaching hospitals to have hip dysplasia, compared to 3.52% overall.<ref>{{cite journal | last1=Witsberger | first1=Tige H. | last2=Villamil | first2=J. Armando | last3=Schultz | first3=Loren G. | last4=Hahn | first4=Allen W. | last5=Cook | first5=James L. | title=Prevalence of and risk factors for hip dysplasia and cranial cruciate ligament deficiency in dogs | journal=Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association | volume=232 | issue=12 | date=2008-06-15 | issn=0003-1488 | doi=10.2460/javma.232.12.1818 | pages=1818–1824| pmid=18598150 }}</ref>

===Pituitary dwarfism===
[[File:Karelian Bear Dogs with canine pituitary dwarfism B.webp|thumb|Two Karelian Bear Dogs at 10 months of age, left is an unaffected littermate and on the right is a bitch affected by pituitary dwarfism]]
[[File:Karelian Bear Dogs with canine pituitary dwarfism C.webp|thumb|An adult Karelian Bear Dog bitch with pituitary dwarfism displaying severe alopecia]]
[[Congenital hyposomatotropism]], also known as pituitary dwarfism has been known to be an [[autosomal recessive]] disorder in the German Shepherd dog for a long time. The condition causes growth retardation. The puppy coat is retained into adulthood and guard hairs fail to fully develop outside of the distal extremities. Eventually, full [[alopecia]] occurs. The degree of growth retardation and other clinical symptoms varies between affected dogs.<ref name="hyposomatotropism"/>

Investigations into the genealogy in 1978 found the mutation evolved in 1940 or earlier. Multiple [[Championship (dog)|champions]] have been shown to be carriers of the mutation, explaining the spread and prevalence of the disorder. This condition has been observed in breeds that were crossed with German Shepherd dogs such as the [[Karelian Bear dog]], [[Saarloos Wolfhound]], and the [[Czechoslovakian Wolfdog]]. Pituitary dwarfism in other dog breeds (excluding those with German Shepherd ancestry) is extremely rare.<ref name="hyposomatotropism">{{cite book | last1=Feldman | first1=Edward C. | last2=Nelson | first2=Richard W. | last3=Reusch | first3=Claudia | last4=Scott-Moncrieff | first4=J. Catharine | title=Canine and Feline Endocrinology | publisher=Saunders | publication-place=St. Louis, Missouri | date=2014-12-08 | isbn=978-1-4557-4456-5 | pages=44–49}}</ref>

Unlike humans where the [[POU1F1]] and [[PROP1]] genes are responsible for the defect a mutation in the [[LHX3]] gene is responsible for the condition.<ref name="hyposomatotropism"/><ref>{{cite journal | last1=Voorbij | first1=Annemarie M. W. Y. | last2=van Steenbeek | first2=Frank G. | last3=Vos-Loohuis | first3=Manon | last4=Martens | first4=Ellen E. C. P. | last5=Hanson-Nilsson | first5=Jeanette M. | last6=van Oost | first6=Bernard A. | last7=Kooistra | first7=Hans S. | last8=Leegwater | first8=Peter A. | title=A Contracted DNA Repeat in LHX3 Intron 5 Is Associated with Aberrant Splicing and Pituitary Dwarfism in German Shepherd Dogs | journal=PLOS ONE | volume=6 | issue=11 | date=2011-11-23 | issn=1932-6203 | pmid=22132174 | pmc=3223203 | doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0027940 | doi-access=free | article-number=e27940| bibcode=2011PLoSO...627940V }}</ref> The [[University of Utrecht]] offers a genetic test for this defect.<ref name="hyposomatotropism"/>

Untreated dogs usually live between 3-5 years. Dogs that undergo treatment can live healthily for several years but are still unlikely to have a normal life expectancy.<ref name="hyposomatotropism"/>

== Use ==
German Shepherds are a popular selection for use as [[working dog]]s.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.countrylife.co.uk/out-and-about/dogs/how-to-choose-the-perfect-pedigree-dog-as-a-pet-to-fit-your-lifestyle-family-and-home-212571 |title=How to choose the perfect dog to fit your lifestyle, family and home |website=Country Life |date=8 March 2020}}</ref> They are known for being easy to train and good for performing tasks and following instructions. They are especially well known for their police work, being used for tracking criminals, patrolling troubled areas and detecting and holding suspects. Additionally, thousands of German Shepherds have been used by the military. These [[military working dogs]] (MWD) are usually trained for [[Reconnaissance|scout]] duty, and they are used to warn soldiers of the presence of enemies or of booby traps or other hazards.{{sfnp|Strickland|Moses|1998|p=17–28}} German Shepherds have also been trained by military groups to parachute from aircraft<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/2/story.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10522802|title=It's a dog's life in the Army|work=The New Zealand Herald|date=22 July 2008|access-date=11 August 2008}}</ref> or as [[Anti-tank dog|anti-tank weapons]]. They were used in World War II as messenger dogs, rescue dogs and personal guard dogs.{{sfnp|Kern|1990|pp=11–21}}

The German Shepherd is one of the most widely used breeds in a wide variety of scent-work roles. These include search and rescue, [[Police dog#Cadaver dogs|cadaver searching]], [[narcotics]] detection, [[explosive detection|explosives detection]], [[fire accelerant|accelerant]] detection and mine detection, among others. They are suited for these lines of work because of their keen sense of smell and their ability to work regardless of distractions.{{sfnp|Strickland|Moses|1998|p=17–28}}
At one time the German Shepherd was the breed chosen almost exclusively to be used as a [[guide dog]] for the [[Visual impairment|visually impaired]]. When formal guide dog training began in Switzerland in the 1920s under the leadership of [[Dorothy Eustis]], all of the dogs trained were German Shepherd females.<ref>{{cite book
 | last =Ascarelli
 | first =Miriam
 | title =Independent Vision: Dorothy Harrison Eustis and the Story of the Seeing Eye
 | publisher =[[Purdue University Press]]
 | year =2010
 | location =[[West Lafayette, Indiana]]
 | url =https://books.google.com/books?id=pDSiM3SBJNQC&q=%22guide+dog%22+Dorothy+Eustis+German+Shepherd
 | isbn =978-1-55753-563-4
 }}</ref> An experiment in temperament testing of a group of Labrador Retrievers and German Shepherds showed that the Retrievers scored higher on average in emotional stability, ability to recover promptly from frightening situations, cooperative behaviour and friendliness; while the German Shepherds were superior in aggression and defensive behaviour. These results suggested that Labrador Retrievers were more suited to guide dog work while German Shepherds were more suited to police work.<ref>{{cite book
 | last =Case
 | first =Linda P.
 | title =The Dog: Its Behavior, Nutrition, and Health
 | publisher =[[John Wiley & Sons]]
 | year =2013
 | url =https://books.google.com/books?id=FQijE4uIGGoC&q=%22guide+dog%22+breed&pg=RA2-PT135
 | isbn =978-1-118-70120-1
 }}</ref>

Currently, Labradors and [[Golden Retriever]]s are more widely used for this work, although there are still German Shepherds being trained. In 2013, about 15% of the dogs trained by Guide Dogs of America were German Shepherds, while the remainder were Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers.<ref>{{cite web
 |title=Breeds and Matching Process
 |work=An International Guiding Eyes Program
 |publisher=Guide Dogs of America
 |year=2013
 |url=http://www.guidedogsofamerica.org/1/programs/training-breeding/breeds-and-matching-process/
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100708230800/http://www.guidedogsofamerica.org/1/programs/training-breeding/breeds-and-matching-process/
 |archive-date=8 July 2010
 |access-date=21 July 2013
}}</ref> The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association in the United Kingdom trains some German Shepherds,<ref>{{cite web
 | title =Our breeds
 | publisher =Guide Dogs for the Blind Association
 | year =2013
 | url =http://www.guidedogs.org.uk/aboutus/national-breeding-centre/nbc-revealed/our-breeds/
 | access-date = 21 March 2013
 }}</ref> while the comparable organisation in the US only trains Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers and crosses between these breeds.<ref>{{cite web
 | title =Guide Dog Breeding and Whelping
 | work =Dog Programs
 | publisher =[[Guide Dogs for the Blind]]
 | year =2011
 | url =http://www.guidedogs.com/site/PageServer?pagename=programs_dog_breeding
 | access-date =21 July 2013
 | archive-date =14 April 2014
 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20140414035702/http://www.guidedogs.com/site/PageServer?pagename=programs_dog_breeding
 }}</ref>

German Shepherds are still used for herding and tending sheep grazing in meadows next to gardens and crop fields. They are expected to patrol the boundaries to keep sheep from trespassing and damaging the crops. In Germany and other places, these skills are tested in utility dog trials also known as Herdengebrauchshund (HGH) herding utility dog trials.<ref name="Hartnagle-Taylor and Ty Taylor">{{cite book|first1 = Jeanne Joy | last1 = Hartnagle-Taylor | first2 = Ty | last2 = Taylor |year = 2010|title=Stockdog Savvy|publisher=Alpine Publications|isbn=978-1-57779-106-5}}</ref>

One Mexican German Shepherd, [[Zuyaqui]], was dissected and his body put on display at the [[Sedena]]'s "[[Narco Museum]]" in Mexico. He is regarded to be the dog who has captured the most drugs in Mexican police and military history.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Es |first1=Eleconomista |url=http://www.eleconomista.es/latinoamerica/noticias/1817880/01/10/Armas-de-Versace-rubies-y-diamantes-el-lujo-de-los-narcos-mexicanos.html|title=Armas de Versace, rubíes y diamantes: el lujo de los narcos mexicanos|website=Eleconomista.es|date=8 January 2010|access-date=22 January 2018}}</ref>

<gallery mode=packed heights=150px style="text-align:left; font-size: 93%">
File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-08408-0002, VEG Joachimshof, Nachtwärter mit Hund.jpg|German night-watchman with dog, 1950
File:Swedish police dogs.jpg|Swedish police dogs, 2007
File:French Urban Search and Rescue.jpg|Rescue dog at the site of the [[collapse of the World Trade Center|collapsed World Trade Center]], 2001
File:US Navy 070329-N-4965F-004 Military working dog, Arpi, a 5-year-old German Shepherd, locates hidden explosives inside of a car during a training.jpg|Military dog during training
</gallery>


== Controversies ==
[[File:GSD-Metrics.svg|thumb|right|upright=1.25|A common breed club's goal for German Shepherd body conformity, criticised by the UK Kennel Club]]
The modern German Shepherd breed is criticised by experts for straying away from [[Max von Stephanitz]]'s original ideology that German Shepherds should be bred primarily as working dogs and that breeding should be strictly controlled to eliminate defects quickly.<ref>{{Cite book|url=http://archive.org/details/germanshepherdha00drma|title=The German Shepherd Dog Handbook|first=Mary Belle|last=Brazil-Adelman|date=2000|publisher=[[Barron's Educational Series]]|isbn=0-7641-1332-1}}</ref>{{Rp|6}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wgsdca.org/?page_id=45|title=GSD vs. WGSD – It's not a black or white issue!|website=White German Shepherd Dog Club of America|first=Aimee|last=Harder|quote=As Max von Stephanitz stated, 'A pleasing appearance is desirable, but it can not put the dog's working ability into question.' [...] Max pounded the issue that the German Shepherd was a working breed first and foremost.|access-date=20 July 2008|archive-date=10 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140110064652/http://wgsdca.org/?page_id=45}}</ref> He believed that, above all else, German Shepherds should be bred for intelligence and working ability.{{sfnp|Kern|1990|pp=11–21}}

[[The Kennel Club]], in the United Kingdom, is involved in a dispute with German Shepherd breed clubs about the issue of soundness in the show strain of the breed.<ref name="thekennelclub.org.uk">{{cite web|url=http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=2926 |title=German Shepherd Dogs – The Soundness Issue |website=The Kennel Club |date=8 February 2010 |access-date=2 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110501104611/http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=2926 |archive-date=1 May 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=KC confirms position on German Shepherds|url=http://www.ourdogs.co.uk/News/2010/Feb2010/News190210/gsd.htm|website=Our Dogs-UK|access-date=11 September 2015}}</ref> Some show strains have been bred with an extremely roached topline (back) that causes poor gait in the hind legs.

The issue was raised in the BBC documentary, ''[[Pedigree Dogs Exposed]]'', which said that critics of the breed describe it as "half dog, half frog." An orthopaedic vet remarked on footage of dogs in a show ring that they were "not normal."

The Kennel Club's position is that "this issue of soundness is not a simple difference of opinion, it is the fundamental issue of the breed's essential conformation and movement."<ref name="thekennelclub.org.uk"/> The Kennel Club has decided to retrain judges to penalise dogs with these conditions.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=2942 |title=German Shepherd Dogs – Judges Training Programme |website=The Kennel Club |date=16 February 2010 |access-date=2 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111019060222/http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=2942 |archive-date=19 October 2011 }}</ref>

The Kennel Club also recommends testing for [[haemophilia]] and hip dysplasia, other common problems with the breed.<ref name="HaemophiliaScreening">{{cite web|title=GSD Breed Council&nbsp;– Haemophilia 'A' Testing|url=http://www.gsdbreedcouncil.co.uk/bimp/haemo/haemo.htm|website=Gsdbreedcouncil.co.uk|access-date=29 October 2017|language=en|archive-date=7 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107021534/http://www.gsdbreedcouncil.co.uk/bimp/haemo/haemo.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="KCGSDHealthScreening">{{cite web|title=German Shepherd Dog Health|url=https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/services/public/breed/health.aspx?id=5106|series=Breed Information Centre|website=The Kennel Club|access-date=29 October 2017|archive-date=7 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107014728/https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/services/public/breed/health.aspx?id=5106}}</ref>

== In popular culture ==

<!-- This is not meant to be a complete list of media containing German Shepherd Dogs. Only very notable films in which German Shepherds feature prominently. -->
<!-- This section is very close to the line of becoming an indiscriminate collection of media that feature German Shepherd Dogs. Future additions should be VERY notable and feature GSDs very prominently. Being bold is encouraged; however, if unsure consult the talk page. -->
[[File:Strongheart-Rice-1921-cropped.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Strongheart]], one of the earliest canine stars (1921)]]

German Shepherds have been featured in a wide range of media.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://reeldogspress.com/gsd-film-list/ |title=List of films with German Shepherds |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150216064851/http://reeldogspress.com/gsd-film-list/ |archive-date=16 February 2015 }}</ref>
In 1921 [[Strongheart]] became one of the earliest canine film stars, and was followed in 1922 by [[Rin Tin Tin]]. Both have stars on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]].{{sfnp|Choron|2005|p=40}}

[[Batman]]'s dog [[Ace the Bat-Hound]] appeared in the [[Batman (comic book)|Batman comic books]], initially in 1955,<ref>{{cite book|editor-last1=Irvine|editor-first1= Alex|editor-link1 = Alexander C. Irvine|editor-last2=Dolan|editor-first2=Hannah|chapter= 1950s|title = DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle|publisher=[[Dorling Kindersley]] |year=2010 |isbn= 978-0-7566-6742-9 |page= 77 |quote = ''Batman'' No. 92 (July 1955) Once Superman had a dog, Batman got one too, in 'Ace, the Bat-Hound!' In the story by writer Bill Finger and artist Sheldon Moldoff, Batman and Robin found a German Shepherd called Ace.}}</ref> through 1964.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.comics.org/search/advanced/process/?target=sequence&method=icontains&logic=False&order1=date&order2=series&order3=&title=&feature=&job_number=&pages=&script=&pencils=&inks=&colors=&letters=&story_editing=&genre=&characters=Ace+the+Bat-Hound&synopsis=&reprint_notes=&notes=&start_date=&end_date=&pub_name=DC&country=us&pub_notes=&series=&series_notes=&tracking_notes=&publication_notes=&language=en&issues=&volume=&issue_date=&brand=&indicia_publisher=&price=&issue_pages=&format=&issue_editing=&isbn=&issue_notes=&is_indexed=None|title=Ace the Bat-Hound appearances|website=Comics.org|access-date=15 September 2014}}</ref> From 1964 onwards, his appearances have been sporadic.

A German Shepherd named [[Inspector Rex]] is the star of an Austrian Police procedural drama program of the same name, which won many awards, where German Shepherd Rex assists the Vienna Kriminalpolizei homicide unit.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dogslife.com.au/dog-news/life-with-dogs/tv-dog-stars|title=TV dog stars |date=17 October 2017|website=DogsLife |access-date=20 February 2018}}</ref>

{{ill|Kántor|hu|Kántor (kutya)}} was a famous and very successful police dog in [[Hungary]] in the 1950s and early 1960s. After his death his story was fictionalised by two crime novels by {{ill|Rudolf Szamos|hu|Szamos Rudolf}}, titled {{ill|Kántor Investigates|hu|Kántor nyomoz (regény)}} and ''Kántor in the Big City''<!-- Kántor a nagyvárosban -->. A five-part thriller series for television titled ''Kántor'' was produced in 1975, which was loosely based on the actual dog's story, setting the events more than a decade after the real Kántor died. It became one of the staple productions of Hungarian television history, making German Shepherds the most popular dog breed in the country ever since. The [[taxidermy]] mount of Kántor's body is on display at the Police Museum in [[Budapest]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://rendormuzeum.com/valogatas-mutargyainkbol|title=Kántor|website=Police Museum of Budapest|access-date=19 August 2021|language=hu}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.azenkutyam.hu/elet/kantor-a-rendorkutya/|title=Kántor: a leghíresebb magyar rendőrkutya története (Kántor: the history of the most famous Hungarian police dog)|date=8 August 2020|website=Az Én Kutyám|language=hu|first=Enikő|last=László}}</ref>

== Notable individual German Shepherds ==
{{in popular culture|date=August 2025}}
* The dog on which the breed was founded
** [[Horand von Grafrath]] (January 1, 1895 – after 1899), considered the first German Shepherd and the genetic basis for modern German Shepherds
* In film, television and fiction
** London, protagonist dog from [[The Littlest Hobo]].
** [[Strongheart]] (1 October 1917 – 24 June 1929), featured in Hollywood films of 1921–1927
** [[Rin Tin Tin]] (September 1918 – 10 August 1932), Rin Tin Tin Jr., and Rin Tin Tin III, featured in Hollywood films of 1922–1947
** [[Thunder the Dog]] (7 September 1921 – after October 1928), featured in Hollywood films of 1923–1927
** [[Silver Streak (dog)|Silver Streak]] (born 1924), featured in Hollywood films of 1924–1928
** [[Lightning (dog)|Lightning]], grandson of Strongheart, featured in Hollywood films of 1934–1938
** [[Ace the Wonder Dog]], featured in Hollywood films and serials of 1938–1946
** [[Rex the Wonder Dog]], fictional superhero in the [[DC Comics]] universe 1952–present
** [[Ace the Bat-Hound]], fictional partner of [[Batman]] in DC Comics 1955–present
** Muhtar, protagonist of the Soviet detective film [[Come Here, Mukhtar!]] of 1964<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ogoniok.com/4951/31/ |title=Верный Мухтар |date=2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100212155024/http://www.ogoniok.com/4951/31/ | publisher = [[Ogonyok]] | archive-date=2010-02-12 |language=ru }}</ref> and the Russian detective series [[Muhtar's Return]] of 2004-2019<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://sobesednik.ru/kultura-i-tv/20170330-zvezda-seriala-muhtar-novyy-sled-v-zhizni-takih-sobak-ne-by |title=Звезда сериала "Мухтар. Новый след": В жизни таких собак не бывает! |date=2017-03-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230914033855/https://sobesednik.ru/kultura-i-tv/20170330-zvezda-seriala-muhtar-novyy-sled-v-zhizni-takih-sobak-ne-by | publisher = {{Interlanguage link|Sobesednik|ru|Собеседник (газета)}} |archive-date=2023-09-14 |language=ru }}</ref>
** Joe, protagonist in the NBC television series ''[[Run, Joe, Run]]'' in 1974–1975
** Won Ton Ton, protagonist of the 1976 comedy film ''[[Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood]]'', a spoof of Rin Tin Tin
** [[Koton (dog)|Koton]], sometimes identified as Rando, police dog later featured in the 1989 film ''[[K-9 (film)|K-9]]'' with [[James Belushi]]
** Rex, protagonist of the Austrian-Italian comedy-drama television series ''[[Inspector Rex]]'' of 1994–2015, and remakes in other countries
* Pets of political figures
** [[Blondi]] (1941 – 29 April 1945), Hitler's pet on which he tested the cyanide capsules he later consumed to commit suicide, killing her
** [[Champ (dog)|Champ]] (11 November 2008 – 19 June 2021), [[Commander (dog)|Commander]] (born 1 September 2021), and [[Major (Joe Biden's dog)|Major]] (born 17 January 2018), pets of US President [[Joe Biden]]
** [[Major (Franklin D. Roosevelt's dog)|Major]], police dog later kept as a pet of [[United States president]] [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] while he was in office, which bit a [[United States senator]] and the [[prime minister of the United Kingdom]] in 1933 while living at [[the White House]]
* [[Dickin Medal|PDSA Dickin Medal]] recipients (for military and civil defence [[service dogs]])<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.pdsa.org.uk/what-we-do/animal-awards-programme/pdsa-dickin-medal |title=PDSA Dickin Medal |website=[[People's Dispensary for Sick Animals]] |access-date=12 February 2022}}</ref>
** Awards in the original 1943–1949 series for service in the Second World War
*** [[Antis (dog)|Antis]] (1939–1953), 28 January 1949 for war service in North Africa and England and post-war assistance in an escape from communist [[Czechoslovakia]]
*** [[Bing (dog)|Bing]], a.k.a. Brian ({{circa|1943}} – October 1955), 29 March 1947 for service with the [[13th (Lancashire) Parachute Battalion]] paratroopers
*** [[Crumstone Irma|Irma]], 12 January 1945 for rescuing people trapped under destroyed buildings in <!-- What does "MAP" mean in the PDSA website entry? -->civil defence service in the [[London Blitz]]
*** [[Jet of Iada|Jet]] (21 July 1942 – 18 October 1949), 12 January 1945 for rescuing people trapped under destroyed buildings in civil defence service in the London Blitz
*** [[Rex (search and rescue dog)|Rex]], April 1945 for locating casualties in thick smoke in burning buildings in civil service in England
*** [[Rifleman Khan]], 27 March 1945 for rescuing a drowning soldier in November 1944 in the [[Netherlands]] in the [[Battle of Walcheren Causeway]], an engagement of the [[Battle of the Scheldt]]
*** [[Thorn (dog)|Thorn]], 2 March 1945 for locating air-raid casualties in thick smoke in a burning building in civil service
** After revival of the medal in 2000
*** [[Apollo (dog)|Apollo]] ({{circa|1992}} – 2006), 5 March 2002 on behalf of all search and rescue dogs that served at the [[World Trade Center site]] and the [[American Airlines Flight 77|Pentagon]] in the aftermath of the [[11 September 2001 attacks]] in [[New York City, United States]]
*** [[Lucca (dog)|Lucca]] ({{circa|2003}} – 20 January 2018), 5 April 2016 for service with the [[United States Marine Corps]] of 2006–2012 in two tours in [[Iraq]] and one in [[Afghanistan]] for explosives and insurgent detection until injured by an [[Improvised explosive device|IED]]
*** [[Lucky (war dog)|Lucky]] (service {{circa|1950}}), 6 February 2007 for anti-insurgency service with the [[Royal Air Force]] against the [[Malayan National Liberation Army]] in the [[Malayan Emergency]] in 1949–1952 (the only surviving dog of a four-dog team)
*** [[Sam (army dog)|Sam]] (died 2000), 14 January 2003 for service in April 1998 in apprehending a gunman and in crowd control during protection of refugees in the [[Royal Army Veterinary Corps]] of the [[British Army]] in the [[Bosnia and Herzegovina]] conflict
* [[PDSA Gold Medal]] recipients (for non-military dogs)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.pdsa.org.uk/what-we-do/animal-awards-programme/pdsa-gold-medal |title=PDSA Gold Medal |website=[[People's Dispensary for Sick Animals]] |access-date=12 February 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.pdsa.org.uk/what-we-do/animal-awards-programme/pdsa-gold-medal/gold-medal-dogs |title=PDSA Gold Medal – Dogs |website=[[People's Dispensary for Sick Animals]] |access-date=12 February 2022}}</ref>
** Ajax, 11 June 2013 for service in the civil guard that saved lives by detection of an [[ETA (separatist group)|ETA]] bomb near a guard barracks site on the Spanish island of [[Majorca]] in 2009 under dangerous circumstances
** Anya, 6 July 2010 for service as a British police dog in defending an officer from a knife attack in January 2008
** Ellie and Jones (Shepherd mixes), 22 August 2013 for saving their owner who collapsed and lost consciousness due to [[Diabetic hypoglycemia|diabetic shock]] in November 2010
** [[Finn (dog)|Finn]] (born March 2009), 6 May 2018 for service as a police dog in a knife attack on a police officer in [[Stevenage]], [[Hertfordshire, England]], on 5 October 2016<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.pdsa.org.uk/what-we-do/animal-awards-programme/pdsa-gold-medal/pd-finn |title=Finn receives PDSA Gold Medal at PDSA's first ever music festival |website=[[People's Dispensary for Sick Animals]] |access-date=12 February 2022}}</ref>
** Gage (died 13 July 2010), 22 August 2013 (posthumously) for service as a police dog in a suburb of [[Christchurch, New Zealand]], defending an officer in an attack by a man with a rifle (in which the dog was killed)
* Other military, police, search-and-rescue, and institutional guard dogs
** [[Gabi (dog)|Gabi]], 1980s [[guard dog]] at the [[Belgrade Zoo]] that protected a security guard and the public by fighting with an escaped [[jaguar]]
** {{ill|Kántor|hu|Kántor (kutya)}}, police dog in [[Hungary]] in the 1950s and early 1960s, later portrayed in fictionalized versions for novels and television
** [[Lex (dog)|Lex]] (1999 – March 25, 2012), used by the United States Marine Corps in Iraq and later adopted by the family of a soldier who died in a rocket attack while serving as his handler
** [[Mancs (dog)|Mancs]] (1994–2006), earthquake search and rescue dog of [[Miskolc]], [[Hungary]], that helped rescue a 3-year-old girl who had spent 82 hours under ruins of a [[1999 İzmit earthquake|1999 earthquake]] in [[Turkey]]
** [[Nemo A534]] (died December 1972), served in battle in the [[United States Air Force]] during the [[Vietnam War]]
** [[Rajah (dog)|Rajah]], performing and unofficial police dog in [[New Zealand]], suggested as a candidate replacement for Rin Tin Tin in films
** [[Trakr]] ({{circa|1994}} – April 2009), Canadian police dog that discovered the last survivor of the 11 September 2001 attacks in New York City, United States
** [[Zuyaqui]] (died 2000s), used by Mexican military and police forces for detection of illegal drugs

== Notes ==

{{notelist|refs=

{{efn|name=a|{{langx|de|italic=no|Deutscher Schäferhund}}, {{IPA|de|ˈdɔʏtʃɐ ˈʃɛːfɐˌhʊnt}} ("German Shepherd Dog")}}

}}

== References ==

=== Citations ===

{{reflist|45em|refs=

<ref name=alex>Axel Wehrend (editor) (2014). [https://books.google.com/books?id=xSMuBQAAQBAJ&dq=%22deutscher+schaeferhund%22+Wurfgr%C3%B6%C3%9Fe&pg=PT40 ''Neonatologie beim Hund: Von der Geburt bis zum Absetzen''] (in German). Hannover: Schlütersche. {{isbn|9783842685178}}.</ref>

<ref name=dk>Kim Dennis-Bryan (2020 [2012]). ''The Complete Dog Breed Book'', second edition. London: Dorling Kindersley. {{isbn|9780241412732}}.</ref>

<ref name=fci>[http://www.fci.be/en/nomenclature/GERMAN-SHEPHERD-DOG-166.html FCI breeds nomenclature: Deutscher Schäferhund (166)]. Fédération Cynologique Internationale. Accessed January 2022.</ref>

<ref name=skk>[Svenska Kennelklubben] (2013). [http://newsletter15.dogdotcom.be/en/skk.aspx Registration figures worldwide – from top thirty to endangered breeds]. ''FCI Newsletter'' 15.</ref>

<ref name=vdh>[https://www.vdh.de/welpen/mein-welpe/deutscher-schferhund-langstockhaar Deutscher Schäferhund (Langstockhaar)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200626100249/https://www.vdh.de/welpen/mein-welpe/deutscher-schferhund-langstockhaar |date=26 June 2020 }} (in German). Verband für das Deutsche Hundewesen. Accessed July 2020.</ref>

}}

=== Bibliography ===
{{refbegin}}

* {{Cite book|last=Ackerman|first=Nicola|title=Companion Animal Nutrition|publisher=Elsevier Butterworth Heinemann|location=Edinburgh|year=2008|isbn=978-0-7506-8898-7}}
* {{Cite book|last=Choron|first=Sandra|title=Planet Dog: A Doglopedia|publisher=Houghton Mifflin Books|year=2005|isbn=0-618-51752-9|url=https://archive.org/details/planetdog00sand}}
* {{cite book |last=Fogle |first=Bruce |date=2009 |title=The Encyclopedia of the Dog |location=New York |publisher=DK Publishing |isbn=978-0-7566-6004-8 |author-link=Bruce Fogle }}
* {{cite book |title=German Shepherds |publisher=T.F.H. Publications |last=Kern |first=Francis G. |year=1990 |location=Neptune City, NJ |pages=[https://archive.org/details/germanshepherds00kern_0/page/11 11–21] |isbn=0-86622-865-9 |url=https://archive.org/details/germanshepherds00kern_0/page/11 }}}
* {{cite book |last=Hancock|first=David |date=2014 |title=Dogs of the shepherds: a review of the pastoral breeds |location=Ramsbury, Wiltshire |publisher=The Crowood Press Ltd |isbn=978-1-84797-808-0 }}
* {{cite book |last=Pickeral|first=Tamsin |date=2014 |title=Dogs unleashed |location=San Diego |publisher=Simon and Schuster |isbn=978-1-62686-273-9 }}
* {{Cite book|last=Rice|first=Dan|title=Training Your German Shepherd Dog|publisher=Barron's|location=Hauppauge, NY|year=1999|isbn=0-7641-0852-2}}
* {{Cite book|last=Stevens|first=Katrina|title=The German Shepherd Dog|publisher=Willow Creek Press|year=2002|isbn=1-57223-512-8}}}
* {{Cite book|last1=Strickland|first1=Winifred Gibson|last2=Moses |first2=James A.|title=The German Shepherd Today|url=https://archive.org/details/germanshepherdto00stri|url-access=registration|publisher=Howell Book House|year=1998|isbn=0-87605-154-9}}
* {{Cite book|last=von Stephanitz|first=Max|others=Revised by Schwabacher, Joseph|title = [[The German Shepherd Dog in Word and Picture]]|publisher=Hoflin Publishing Ltd.|year=1994|isbn=978-99932-80-05-7}}
* {{Cite book|last=Willis|first=Malcolm B.|title=The German Shepherd Dog: Its History, Development and Genetics|publisher=K and R Books|year=1976|isbn=0-903264-15-3}}

{{refend}}

== Further reading ==
{{refbegin}}

* {{Cite book|last=Cree|first=John|title=Training the Alsatian, the Obedient Companion or Working Partner|publisher=Pelham|year=1977|isbn=0-7207-0993-8|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/trainingalsatian0000cree}}
* {{cite web|url=http://www.gsdcouncilaustralia.org/ANKC_Extended_GSD_Standard.pdf |title=Extended Breed Standard of The German Shepherd Dog |website=German Shepherd Dog Council of Australia in conjunction with [[Australian National Kennel Council]] |orig-date=3 February 2007 |date=26 March 2012 |access-date=10 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140221200937/http://www.gsdcouncilaustralia.org/ANKC_Extended_GSD_Standard.pdf |archive-date=21 February 2014 }}
* {{Cite book|last=Hart|first=Ernest H.|title=The German Shepherd Dog|url=https://archive.org/details/germanshepherddo0000hart|url-access=registration|publisher=T. F. H.|location=New Jersey|year=1985|isbn=0-86622-031-3}}
* {{cite web|url=http://www.ankc.org.au/Breed_Details.aspx?bid=143 |title=FCI Standard No 166 Translated by German Shepherd Dog Council of Australia |website=[[Australian National Kennel Council]] |orig-date=23 March 1991 |date=20 August 2013 |access-date=10 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140215054425/http://www.ankc.org.au/Breed_Details.aspx?bid=143 |archive-date=15 February 2014}}

{{refend}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|German Shepherd Dog}}

* [https://web.archive.org/web/20140220115345/http://www.schaeferhunde.de/site/news/ Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde e.V.]—The original registrar of the German Shepherd
* {{cite web |url=https://www.animalplanet.com/tv-shows/dogs-101/videos/the-german-shepherd |title=German Shepherd Dog |work=[[Dogs 101]] |format=Video |publisher=[[Animal Planet]] |access-date=22 January 2018 |archive-date=23 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180123072218/https://www.animalplanet.com/tv-shows/dogs-101/videos/the-german-shepherd }}

{{Portal bar|Animals|Dogs|Germany}}

{{German dogs}}
{{Pastoral dogs}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:German shepherds| ]]
[[Category:Dog breeds originating in Germany]]
[[Category:FCI breeds]]
[[Category:Herding dogs]]