Calico Junction Long Coat German Shepherds
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Historic Herder by Joan Hustace Walker

The German shepherd is descended from the best herding dogs found in Germany. As a result, the progenitors of today's German shepherd were found in a variety of colors: white, sable, tan and black, solid black, and brindle. The coat type also varied from short- to longhaired, and there were even wirehaired dogs. Some dogs' ears stood erect; other dogs' ears may have flopped over. Some shepherd dogs held their tails low; others had tails curling over their backs.

Centuries ago, it didn't matter what the shepherd looked like, as long as he had the instincts and drive to perform his herding job. Of course, the German shepherd varied from other herding breeds. He was not only asked to “tend” the sheep but also protect them from wolves, bears, and enterprising humans.

The shepherd's job as a “tender” involved keeping large flocks of sheep (sometimes more than 100 animals) contained on the owner's grazing land. Tending differs from other forms of herding. The dog essentially circles the flock to keep it contained and moves the flock forward as the sheepherder might direct. With few, if any, fences erected in Germany before the end of the nineteenth century, herding dogs with tending capabilities were critically important.

Though the ancestors of the German shepherd are often referred to as “German shepherds,” the purebred form of this dog you recognize today did not evolve until the late 1800s.

In the barnyard, the German shepherds were called upon to help with small groups of sheep, separating and holding them as needed for medical attention, sheering, and other procedures. Once these chores were completed, the shepherd was often directed to gather the sheep and move them down narrow roads or through towns toward the market. The early canine shepherds of Germany truly were a versatile breed, performing chores that several specialized herding breeds (and livestock guardian breeds) were used for in other countries.

But the shepherd's position as sheep tender would not last forever. As the world changed, so did this breed. Near the end of the nineteenth century, when fences were erected and rail travel became an efficient way to transport livestock, herding dogs were no longer needed in great numbers. Though some breeds of herding dogs vanished, Germans recognized that, in addition to its extraordinary herding abilities, the German shepherd had great potential to do other kinds of work.

At this time, there were three different types of shepherds that appeared in Germany, each associated with a different region. Shepherds from Wurttemberg appeared in a variety of colors and had beautiful tails that were carried lower, as opposed to curling over the dogs' backs. Shepherds from the Thuringia region did not appear in the variety of colors that the Wurttemberg dogs did; rather, they were predominantly wolf gray. The Thuringia shepherds were distinctive because they had consistently erect, well-placed ears. The third group of shepherds, from Swabia, was mostly noted for its herding characteristics, which translated into ability to navigate difficult terrain. This shepherd had great agility, endurance, strength, and speed.

Herding breeds were sometimes considered for positions as police and military dogs during the late 1800s and early 1900s. In Germany, one of the favored breeds for this work was the smooth collie.

Max von Stephanitz — now often referred to as the father of the German shepherd breed — worked with other breeders to develop a purebred dog with the best qualities from the three German shepherd varieties. In just ten years, from 1889 to 1899, von Stephanitz and Germany's shepherd breeders were able to create a true purebred — one that appeared primarily within the set breed standards without any extreme variations.

In 1899, von Stephanitz founded the Verein Fur Deutsche Schäferhunde (SV), Germany's German shepherd club. That same year, the SV approved a breed standard, and the world's oldest German shepherd registry was opened.

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  • HOME
    • Helpful Tips
    • Historic Herder by Joan Hustace Walker
    • Degenerative Myelopathy
    • Spaying and Neutering
    • Potty Training
  • FOR SALE/PUPPIES
    • Upcoming litters
    • Puppies For Sale >
      • Litter by Fancy and Rueben
      • Litter by Serenity and Rueben
      • Litter by Venus and Rueben
    • Adult Dogs for Sale
    • Reviews - Google
    • YELP Reviews
    • Gallery
  • My Dogs
    • Sires/Males >
      • Ammo Von Den Sportwaffen
      • Black Powder Von Der Lieb
      • Ziegfried Zelig Von Majic Forest
    • Dams/Females >
      • Adalia Vom Lieb >
        • Litter by Adalia and Gissmo
        • Born 2/26/17 Adalia & Ziggy
      • Calinda Vom Lieb >
        • 2017 Litter by Ziegfried and Calinda
        • 2016 Litter by Calinda & Ziegfried
        • 2015 Litter by Ziegfried and Calinda
        • 2014 Calinda Vom Lieb and Zeus Von Burton puppies born Sept 2014
      • Litters with outside Females >
        • Litter by Fancy and Ammo
      • KATIE LIEB VOM MAJIC FOREST >
        • 2020 Litter by Katie and Black Powder
        • 2019 Litter by Katie and Black Powder
        • 2018 Litter by Katie and Ammo
      • Leyna Vom Lieb >
        • 2020 Litter by Leyna and Ziggy
        • 2018 Litter by Leyna and Ammo
      • Vom Lieb's Basa Madchen >
        • 2017 Litter by Madchen and Ziggy
        • 2016 Litter by Ziegfried and Madchen
      • Onie Von Delacruz Lieb >
        • Litter by Onie and Ammo
      • Neevahs Night Wind Spirit >
        • 2017 Litter by Ammo and Neevah
        • 2016 Litter by Ammo and Neevah
        • 2014 Czar Winland Vom Kokeltal and Neevahs Night Wind Spirit Puppies Born Nov. 2014
        • 2014 Puppies by Neevah and Kaiser Feb. 2014
      • Royal K9s Remi Vom Haus Galli >
        • 2021 Litter by Astrid and Ammo
        • 2020 Litter by Remi and Ziegfried
        • 2017 Litter by Ziegfried and Remi
        • 2016 Ziegfried and Remi
  • Contact
    • Application
    • Deposit Form
    • Blog
  • Sale Agreement
    • Payment
    • Shipping >
      • Airlines >
        • Airline Flight Check List
      • Transportation by Ground