The origins of the German Shepherd date back to the late 1800s. I know it would seem like this breed of dog has been around for longer, so this bit of info may surprise you a little. After all, they really do look like a well established breed of dog. You'd be surprised to know, though, that at least in Europe, dog breeding didn't really become popular and standardized until right around then.
There was an association known as the Phylax Society, and their purpose was to breed dogs for different things. Some would be for labor, some would be for hunting, and others would be for fun.
Whatever the case, the German Shepherd was developed because Germans at the time felt that this dog would be ideal for herding sheep.
There was a man by the name of Max von Stephanitz, and he can be credited with developing the first purebred German Shepherd.
Von Stephanitz was a veterinarian himself, and had a fond affection for dogs. One day, right at the turn of the century (in 1899). von Stephanitz was at a dog show and came across a newly bred dog who went by the name of Hektor Linksrhein.
While this dog had been bred a few times over, it was only bred by his owners, and not publicly offered. Von Stephanitz instantly fell in love with the dog, decided to buy it at the show, and renamed it Horand von Grafrath.
And so you have it. The first German Shepherd on record was named Horand von Grafrath.
by Ryan Lacioca
