German Shepherd Dogs were originally bred for police work back in the late 1800s. As you may know, German Shepherd Dogs are the second most popular dog breed in the United States, and it is easy to see why. They are intelligent, energetic, and affectionate. These qualities make them excellent companions for humans.
In this post, we want to share with you 20 amazing facts you as a GSD owner should know. With this list, all German Shepherds Dog owners would be proud of their beloved GSD.
1. The German Shepherds Dogs Were First Registered as a Breed a Little Over 120 Years Ago
Do you know his name? Well, you should – he is considered to be the father of the German Shepherd breed. In 1899, breeder Max von Stephanitz, took notice of a wolf-like dog with black and yellow markings at a dog show in Western Germany. (www.gsdca.org)
He was impressed by the dog’s intelligence and discipline, he chose to purchase the dog and changed its name from Hektor Linksrhein to Horand von Grafrath. Max von Stephanitz started the German Shepherd Dog Club and created the guidelines for the breed’s standard. The motto for the new breed was “utility and intelligence“; good looks was not a priority.
2. All German Shepherds Are the Descendants of a White German Shepherd
The very first registered German Shepherd, Horand con Grarath, was literally the grandson of Grief (a white GSD) and Lotte. As the gene passes on, this means all German Shepherds are the descendants of a white German Shepherd.
In 1887, a White German Shepherd named Grief was exhibited.
Greif was born in Frankfurt (1879), and was paired with the bitch Lotte. They came from the tribes Thuringia and Frankonia known for their wolf-like ears and wolf-like color.
Greif and Lotte gave birth to Lene, who was paired with a dog named Kastor, but what color Lotte had is unknown.
Lene and Kastor then birthed the famous dog Horand von Grafrath. The rest is history.
Also read: The White German Shepherd – the Ancestor of All GSDs
3. The Majority of GSD Puppies Are Born Black
All German Shepherd puppies are either born black, gray or white and their coat color changes as they grow. Their true coat color can usually be recognized at about 8 weeks of age.
However, not all Black German Shepherd puppies are born black. Likewise, there’s no guarantee that all “black” German Shepherd will stay black through adulthood. Not all black German Shepherd puppies will become solid black as they grow.
Also read: The Black German Shepherd: 9 Facts You Didn’t Know
4. The Dog With a “Dog” in Its Name
The German Shepherd Dog is one of the few breeds whose official name actually includes the word “dog”. This is a bit weird – or is it? The word “dog” was added so people understood whether you were talking about a human German Shepherd (someone who tends the livestock), OR the dog helping him.
5. You Don’t Want to Be Bitten by a German Shepherd
German Shepherd’s bite has 238 pounds of force — a human’s bite has just 86! Yet another reason the breed was excellent to work as a police dog. No one runs away from a German Shepherd twice.
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6. The Average Lifespan of German Shepherds Is 10.95 Years
And if your German Shepherd has turned 12 years old, he or she is eligible to be a proud member of The Thirteen Club. This is a special club through the German Shepherd Dog Club of America and all it takes to join is to fill out the application form.
Also read: How to Extend A German Shepherd‘s Lifespan? 6 Tips You Must Know
7. Schutzhund – A Sport for GSD
The sport was developed in the 1900s with the German Shepherd Dog in mind – according to the United Schutzhund Clubs of America. “It was designed to test the natural instincts of the breed and to weed out the dogs that were either unstable or untrainable.” (www.germanshepherddog.com)
8. Mr. Popular
The German Shepherd Dog is the 2nd most registered dog in the United States. The reason is probably found in the breed’s diversity – they are popular as a family, guard, performance, show, military, police, and service dogs. It can pretty much do everything.
The German Shepherd isn’t just popular in the United States. In fact, there are hundreds of thousands of German Shepherds around the globe. There are 250,000 purebred German Shepherd Dogs in Germany alone, with about 15,000 puppies born each year. There is even a World Union of German Shepherd Dog Clubs. (https://www.schaeferhunde.de)
9. A Very Protective Guard Dog
In addition to being a bit standoffish with strangers, German Shepherd belts out a vicious-sounding bark when anyone knocks on your door (unless their owner shows them that it is expected).
GSD’s won’t hesitate to protect their pack members. They’re especially – and sometimes to a fault – protective of children.
10. Meet Filax of Lewanno, A Great War Hero
There are lots of tales of heroic German Shepherds in the breed’s short history. And one of them is of Filax of Lewanno. He was honored at Westminster in 1917 for bringing 54 wounded soldiers to safety in WWI.
11. The First Guide Dog in the US
Dorothy Harrison founds “The Seeing Eye” in 1929, which started training German Shepherds to use as guide dogs for the blind in the US. Morris Frank, a blind man, read about what Mrs. Harrison was doing and wrote to her that he wanted one of those dogs – and that he wanted to help spread the word about these types of dogs in the US.
12. WW I Promoted German Shepeherd Dogs
In 1914, at the beginning of World War I, German Shepherd Dogs began serving with the German Military. They performed a number of tasks on the battlefield and within the ranks of the German Army. These new dogs served as sentries, messengers, and ammunition carriers.
They proved themselves especially capable of aiding wounded soldiers on the battlefield. They even led injured and blinded soldiers off the battlefield to safety and medical attention. (Source)
13. The Word “German” Was Removed And Added Back
By 1914, the breed was so popular in America that there was talk of changing the name to “sheepdog” or “shepherd dog” – dropping the German attribution. In 1917 the AKC does in fact remove the word “German” in front of the breed’s name. It remained that way until 1930 when members of the Breed club voted to change it back. (www.gsdca.org)
14. German Shepherds Can be Affected With Dwarfism
Luckily it is rare, but some German Shepherds can have pituitary dwarfism, and as a result, the German Shepherd will look like a puppy forever. Even though this sounds kind of amazing – the condition is often accompanied by a whole slew of health problems.
Ranger is a tiny dog that has dwarfism and is so cute that he has over 90,000 followers on Instagram.
15. Rin Tin Tin – The GSD Everybody Knows
Rin Tin Tin was a German Shepherd rescued from the World War one battlefield. His savior, an American soldier named Duncan Lee, trained the GSD to work in silent films. Rin Tin Tin was a huge star, and extremely popular, that Warner Bros, would create a Rin Tin Tin movie whenever it needed money.
It’s been a long lasting rumor that Rin Tin Tin was voted best actor of the first Academy Awards in 1929. Susan Orlean, the author of “Rin Tin Tin: The Life and the Legend” suggests that the award went to Emil Jannings simply because he was human. “In terms of popularity, Rin Tin Tin didn’t have a peer,” Orlean told The Guardian. “He was a huge star around the world. […] I can’t imagine that Emil Jannings was opening films, but Rin Tin Tin certainly did.”
Finally, he was awarded the American Humane Association’s first Legacy Award in 2011. He also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
16. Lots of Different Colors
You might think you know all the colors of the GSD. You’re probably familiar with the original black & tan, black, or white, But the AKC actually recognized eleven colors – the ones just mentioned as well as: bi-color, black & cream, black & silver, black & red, blue, gray, silver and white.
And to top it all of, there is actually something called “Panda Shepherds”. They look incredible.
17. Six German Shepherds Featured in a Sold-Out Play
In 1986, a Dutch director by the name of Whim Schipper created a play that starred six German Shepherds.
Entitled “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. It premiered on 19 September to a sell-out audience in the Stadsschouwburg in Amsterdam .
The GSDs received drama lessons from the Amsterdam police and were motivated to act with treats.
18. The 3rd Most Intelligent Dog in the World
German Shepherds are one of the smartest dog breeds on the planet, you probably already knew that. But did you know that they ranked 3rd when more than 200 AKC judges rated over 100 breeds on their intelligence.
Border Collie is number one, and Poodle comes second. (Source)
19. About 1 in 5 German Shepherds Will Develop Hip Dysplasia
19% of German Shepherds will develop hip dysplasia, but some cases are worse than others.
the OFA.org (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals)
German Shepherd can have many types of medical conditions, but the most common is hip dysplasia. The debilitating condition is usually the result of poor breeding practices. Always ask to see an “Orthopedic Foundation for Animals” when you get a puppy from a breeder.
Also read: Hip Dysplasia In German Shepherds: Everything An Owner Needs To Know
20. GSD Won Westminster Twice
Being widely popular in the United States, you would think the German Shepherd Dog, as a breed would have lots of “Best in Show” titles at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show. Well, It only happened twice.
The German Shepherd CH Covy-Tucker Hill’s Manhattan, nicknamed “Hatter,” was the winner in 1987.
A German Shepherd Dog known as “Rumor” was awarded the coveted Best in Show title in 2017. (Source)
That’s all folks. Which one amazed you the most? Or do you know something I don’t that should be on this list. Let me know in the comment section.
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