Editing German Shepherd (section)

== 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]]
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}}

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. It is believed the society accomplished its goal mostly due to von&nbsp;Stephanitz's strong, uncompromising leadership and he is therefore credited with being the creator of the German Shepherd Dog.{{sfnp|Willis|1976|p=5}}

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=0813190126 |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=9781446549018 |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 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101027170852/http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/3367/23/5/3 |archive-date=27 October 2010 }}</ref>