GSD timeline - containing historical events important to our breed.

The GSD Timeline and History

The German Shepherd Dog is a fairly recent breed in the overall history of dogs, having been developed almost entirely in the 1900s.

Below you will find a brief timeline of events for the German Shepherd Dog containing historical information. These are all events from the past that have been important to the growth and development of our favorite breed, the GSD.

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GSD Timeline, Dates and Events

1891 - Phylax Society formed. Short-lived, this dog club was a precurser to the Verein fur Deutsche Schaferhunde,or S.V., later created by Max von Stephanitz, the most important man in the GSD Timeline.

1899 - Verein fur Deutsche Schaferhunde,or S.V. formed. Held first annual "Sieger" show.

1906 - First GSD believed to have set paw upon North American shores.

1907 - The first German Shepherd Dog exhibited in America.

1908 - The first German Shepherd registered with the AKC.

1908 - The GSD first arrived in Britain in the early part of the century around this time.

1913 - The German Shepherd Dog Club of America was formed by Benjamin Throop and Anne Tracy, with 26 charter members.

1913 - The first championships awarded German Shepherd Dogs.

1914 - Further in the timeline, German Shepherd's served in WWI and were a large part of the war effort.

1915 - The German Shepherd Dog Club of America's first specialty show was at Greenwich, Connecticut.

1917 - When America entered World War I, all things German became tabu. The American Kennel Club changed the name of the breed to the Shepherd Dog and the German Shepherd Dog Club of America became the Shepherd Dog Club of America. In England, the name of the breed was changed to the Alsatian.

1920's - The Alsatian League and the Alsatian Wolf Dog Club united in the early 1920's under the name of the Alsatian League and Club of Great Britain and began to bring some order to the breed.

1921 - German Shepherd Strongheart becomes one of the first canine silent movie film stars.

1923 - German Shepherd Rin Tin Tin becomes a canine film star.

1923 - Shepherd Dog Club of New England founded, publishing the Shepherd Dog Review.

1925 - The titles of Grand Victor and Grand Victrix are established as the titles for the winners of the GSDCA National.

1928 - Buddy, a German Shepherd Dog, becomes the first Seeing Eye dog among other service dogs to follow in the GSD timeline.

1936 - Max von Stephanitz, the founder of the German Shepherd Dog breed, died.

1967 - On June 23, 1967, Air Force Headquarters directed that Nemo, the 85 pound, black and tan German Shepherd, was the first hero of his kind to return from the Vietnam War. He returned to the United States with honors, as the first sentry dog to be officially retired from active service.

1977

- Following numerous campaigns by breeders the name of our breed was changed back to the German Shepherd Dog by which it is known in the USA, Australia, and most other countries.

Return from GSD timeline to GSD Socialization and Training

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