Noble Facts About Big German Shepherds

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Germans Standardized The Breed (Of Course)

In 1889, breeder Max von Stephanitz

noticed a wolf-like dog with yellow and

black markings at a dog show in western

Germany. Impressed by the pooch’s

intelligence and discipline, the breeder

purchased the dog and changed its name

from Hektor Linksrhein to Horand von

Grafrath.

Von Stephanitz then started the German

Shepherd Dog Club and set up guidelines

for the breed’s standard. His motto for the

breed was "utility and intelligence"; good

looks came second.

They work like dogs

Germany became more industrialized, von

Stephanitz realized that the need for his

dogs might decline. To maintain their

relevance, he worked with police and other

service workers to secure a place for the

dogs in the working force.

Since they had been bred to be highly

intelligent and athletic, they were easy to

train and were tireless workers. Thanks to

von Stephanitz help, the diligent canines

found work as messengers and guards.

World War I brought German Shepherds out West

During the war, Germans used the dogs for a number of purposes.

Mercy dogs brought first aid to wounded soldiers after battle and

would stay near mortally injured soldiers to keep them company

as they passed away. Others delivered messages or worked as

guard dogs.

Americans were so impressed with these pooches that they

brought some home. The United States was captivated with the

breed’s appearance, and they soon became wildly popular.

The Dogs Went Through A Temporary Name Change

After the World Wars, Americans and many Europeans were a little leery

of anything German. As a result, a dog called a “German Shepherd”

didn’t seem very appealing.

To combat this bias, the American Kennel Club simply called them

shepherd dogs, and the English called them Alsatian wolf dogs. That

moniker was used until 1977, but it was used for so long in Europe that

some people still refer to them as Alsatians to this day.

Some Can Be Affected With Dwarfism

Although rare, some Texas Big German Shepherds can have pituitary

dwarfism, and as a result, the dogs are puppy-like forever, keeping their

puppy fur and staying small in stature.

While this condition makes them look like adorable teddy bears, it

comes with a whole slew of health problems.

A Play Once Featured Six German Shepherds As Actors

In the mid-'80s, Dutch director Whim Schipper developed a play that

starred six German Shepherds. The dogs were sent to drama lessons in

Amsterdam and given treats as motivation to act.

Called Going to the Dogs, the play featured a traditional family plot:

The daughter brings home a new boyfriend, and love, jealousy, and

parental worries come into play. Unsurprisingly, the play was a flop—

even the theater’s manager left early. 

Rin Tin Tin Was The Breed’s Biggest Star

Rin Tin was a German Shepherd rescued from the WWI battlefield. His savior, an American soldier named Duncan Lee, trained the dog to work in silent films. The dog became a star whose draw was so enormous that Warner Bros. would release a Rin Tin movie whenever it was having financial problems. 

It’s rumored that Rin Tin Tin was actually voted the best actor of the first Academy Awards in 1929. The Life and the Legend suggests that the dog was passed over for Emil Jannings simply because he was human. "In terms of popularity, Rin Tin Tin didn't have a peer," Orlean told The Guardian.

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361-449-5250182 FM. 3162

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