Goodbye

It’s traditional to say goodbye to the old year, and welcome the new year at the end of December. This goodbye is a little different. It’s goodbye to Shadow, our German Shepherd dog, who was euthanised in November.

Breed History

The German Shepherd originated in Germany at the end of the 1800s. The dogs were bred specifically for herding, and guarding sheep. Selected traits included speed, intelligence, loyalty, and a good sense of smell. In 1899, Max Von Stephanitz – an ex-cavalry captain and former student of the Berlin Veterinary College – was at a dog show when he met a dog named Hektor Linksrhein. Hektor was the product of generations of selective breeding towards creating a strong working dog.

Max was so taken with the dog that he bought him immediately. After purchasing Hector, Max changed his name to Horand von Grafrath. He then founded the Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde (Society for the German Shepherd Dog). Horand was declared the first German Shepherd Dog and was the first dog added to the society’s breed register.

Horand was bred with dogs belonging to other society members that displayed sought after traits. Horand’s most successful pup was Hektor von Schwaben. Hektor’s most successful offspring, through inbreeding with another of Horand’s pups, was Beowulf. The lineage is recorded in the original German Shepherd studbook. This record also includes reference to four wolf crosses, and all German Shepherds have a genetic link to these first dogs. Through creating the society, and overseeing the development of the German Shepherd dog, Max Von Stephanitz is credited with being the creator of the breed.

Owing to anti-German sentiment at the end of World War I, the breed was renamed by the UK Kennel Club to Alsatian Wolf Dog. Over time, this was shortened to Alsatian, which remained the name until 1977 when campaigns by dog enthusiasts persuaded the UK Kennel Club to revert to the name German Shepherd dog. The word “Alsatian” still appeared in parentheses as part of the formal name, but was removed in 2010.

Shadow

Owing to their strength, intelligence, and obedience, German Shepherds continue to be used in police and military organisations. They are excellent family dogs. Loyal, protective, intelligent, and keen to learn, they tend to attach themselves to one person in particular. Which is how Shadow came by his name – he shadowed his foster rescue carer for most of the six months he lived with her. After adopting him, he became my shadow. A loyal companion on photo shoots, protective when walking (especially if we passed anyone wearing a hood or smoking, or encountered other dogs), and keen to obey, he was a bright beating heart of the family.

It took time to learn with him his preferred approach when walking. Dog reactive shepherds are not uncommon, and there are various ways of handling this behaviour. I learnt with Shadow that the best option was to walk him early or late, in places where we could keep to ourselves. I often found that at the edges of fields, the only other dog walkers I had to watch for were those with similarly reactive shepherds. And less experienced walkers who failed to recognise the signs of a reactive dog, or understand how to handle their dog in return.

Tip: if you approach a dog on a lead, put yours on a lead and walk in a different direction. If that’s not an option, walk past briskly.

Goodbye

A 2017 report by the Royal Veterinary College found the biggest cause of German Shepherd deaths was musculoskeletal disorders (16.3%), followed by inability to stand, often due to lower hind quarters and sloping backs (14.9%.) The average lifespan for the breed is 9-13 years.

Shadow was 9.5 years old when he died. Through inbreeding, he was born without one of his back feet, and his other back foot was only partly formed. This put significant extra pressure on his back, and hind quarters. So while his mind was still willing, when the time came, his body would not respond. He lost mobility, and reached the stage when standing became almost impossible.

Shadow touched people’s lives, and is missed by many. Not least, our other dog, who continues to mourn his loss quietly. He had a big heart and was a loyal companion. I’d adopt another Shadow in a heartbeat. Good with the family (including cats and child), and a smattering of goofiness mixed with intelligence. He really was one of a kind and has left a large German Shepherd spaced gap in the family.

Find out more about the breed on the German Shepherd Rescue Elite website.