German Shepherd Dog (Stock Coat)
General Information - German Shepherd Dog (Stock Coat)
Group:
Working
Size:
large
Lifespan:
10–12 years
Exercise:
high
Grooming:
low
Trainability:
very high
Watchdog ability:
very high
Protection ability:
very high
Area of Origin:
Germany
Date of Origin:
1800s
Other Names:
Alsatian, Deutscher
Schaferhund
Original Function:
sheep herding, guarding,
police dog
History
According to the official records of the Verein fur Deutsche Schaferhunde (SV) (The German Shepherd Dog Club in Germany) with its headquarters in Augsburg, the standard was originally developed at the first meeting of members in Frankfurt am Main on 20th September 1899 based on the proposals of A Meyer and M von Stephanitz. The next step was to have the breed standard accepted by the VDH (German Kennel Club). Amendments were made to the standard during the 6th meeting of the association on the 28th July 1901, during the 23rd meeting in Cologne on the 17th September 1909, by the Board of Directors and Advisory Committee in Wiesbaden on the 5th September 1930, and at the Board of Directors and Breed Committee meeting on 25th March 1961.Within the framework of the World Union of German Shepherd Dog Clubs (WUSV), it was revised and confirmed at the WUSV meeting on 30th August 1976 and reviewed, catalogued by authorisation and resolution of the Executive and Advisory Committee on 23rd March 1991. Further amendments were made at the meeting of the federation on 25 May 1997, 31 May 2001/1 June 2011 and 6 & 7 June 2009.
The German Shepherd Dog, whose planned breeding commenced in the year 1899 after the founding of the German Shepherd Dog Club in Germany, was bred from central German and southern German strains of existing herding dogs with a final goal of creating a working dog predisposed to a high working aptitude. In order to reach this goal the breed standard was laid down which relates to physical attributes as well as those of temperament and character.