geerarffe
27-07-2008, 05:48 PM
Here is some info on the German Shepherd breed for people to scan over.
The reason for the posting is because there is no such breed as an Alsatian! They are German Shepherds. The difference is not in the coat length, their temperament or breeding. There is no difference they are the same dog and German Shepherd IS the correct name.
THE BREED IN BRITAIN
The GSD first arrived in Britain in the early part of the century around 1908.
There is little recorded about the dogs other than they provided a curiosity factor when they appeared in public. No apparent effort was made to developthe breed and no records survive of groups to promote the breed being formed.
The intervention of the 1st World War may have ended what ever interest there was, and nothing more is recorded until further animals were imported by two army officers who had met the breed during their military duties during the war.
The officers Majors James Baldwin and Brabazon (later Lord Brabazon) had like many soldiers in Europe heard stories of the wonder dogs belonging to the German army that performed to them most amazing duties as search, locateand recover dogs for German wounded, as carriers of dispatches and as silent
patrol dogs accompanying reconnaissance and fighting patrols into the 'No man's land' between the two sides.
Major Baldwin remembered his WW1 experiences well and in 1939 when the second World conflagration broke out was able to persuade the then war office to form a similar pool of war-dogs to assist the British military, and now Col Baldwin commanded the first war dog training unit.
Another use was discovered by Beryl Griffin who trained and used blitz dogs for finding buried victims during and after air-raids in the 2nd World War. Such wasthe rapport between this lady and her dogs, that she knew from the attitude ofthe animal whether the victim they had found was alive or dead. This pioneer work has been extended to assist mountain rescue groups in Britain and inEurope the avalanche dogs.
Baldwin actually met his first German Shepherd in a small Belgium town. The dog, a bitch, was trotting by her master's side as he rode his bicycle. Baldwinimpressed by the quiet steady demeanour of the animal bought her, and sheaccompanied him throughout the rest of the war, and indeed as did her canine
colleagues on the other side, kept company with him on many a sortie.
Baldwin never ceased to be impressed by the animal, who on a number occasions gave warning of trouble ahead.
Baldwin and Brabazon unfortunately were more enthusiastic than wise in their efforts to introduce and promote the breed in Britain and made decisions that still live with the breed today.
Believing that the hatred generated by the war for anything German would inhibit the development of the breed, they renamed it the Alsatian 'Wolf" Dog, Alsatian was derived from the source of many of the early imports, AlsaceLorraine.
Why Wolf Dog is unknown, perhaps a superficial resemblance to the northern wolf was a factor, perhaps even a desire to create a macho image of a fierce wolf type animal. Whatever the reason it was a gross error and probably causedmore problems than the correct name would have done.
Certainly the name did not match the reputation of the dogs in WW1 trenches. Soldiers on both sides respected these courageous dogs for their diligence in carrying dispatches, finding the wounded and patrol work.
The name did appeal to the puppy farmers however, and the fringe breeders and the like who capitalised on the new import to the detriment of the dog. Any dog with erect ears became a new 'Wolf Dog' and business was brisk. Anyone with a spare cellar, an unused back yard, coal house, woodshed, outhouse,
box, or cage bred 'em. The the media ever ready to fan flames, campaigned against these 'half wolves let loose on British society'. It was a mess.
Two clubs which had been formed to support the breed, 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 orderto the breed. The dedication and diligence of the clubs and individual members
in challenging false media reports, sometimes in court, did much to reduce the campaign. Without them the breed may have not have survived.
If the same diligence had come with the introduction of the breed, together with a system similar one in Germany, the early problems would not have materialised, puppy farmers and backyard breeders would have been kept out, and the breed would have progressed as a single type. Therein lay the mistake
of the early importers.
The German Shepherd fraternity in Britain has a fine record in its support for breed improvement schemes and schemes to reduce the number of hereditary diseases in dogs. The prime mover in most of these systems has been the German Shepherd Dog League, but without the support of the rank and file ofthr breed fraternity, sometimes at quite large personal expense, none of themwould have got off the ground.
The list of firsts is endless but to illustrate just a few:
1. The first hip dysplasia scheme
2. The hip scoring scheme
3. Breed assessment schemes
4. Tattoo identification scheme
5. Haemophilia A scheme
6. Finance for research into: Malabsorbsion of the small intestine Pancreatic insufficiency Factor eight tests for Haemophilia A
7. Designed a standard of ethics for breeders
A major step was the change of name in the late 1970's. Geneticist Dr Malcolm Willis put a motion to a Kennel Club general meeting, which after much discussion allowed a compromise change from Alsatian (GSD), to GSD(Alsatian). Now, in all but official parlance, the animal is known and referred to
as the German Shepherd Dog.
A few die-hard clubs retain Alsatian as their title, but even many of their members now refer to the animal by its correct nomenclature. The lay public,perhaps the best monitor of the change, have also come to accept and use thecorrect name.
Today the breed is in good form. Visiting judges comment on the excellence of the animals they see, temperaments are much improved, type and quality is as good as anywhere, and slowly the British version of the breed is converging on the visions and ideals of its founder.
The employment of the breed world wide as police dogs, herding dogs, army dogs, guide dogs, hearing dogs, rescue dogs for natural and other disasters, sniffer dogs for drugs and explosives, but most of all as family dogs, tells usmuch about this breed and its matchless service to man.
Sorry if this annoys anyone who THINKS they own an Alsatian but you're wrong.
Sorry but this really annoys me!
The reason for the posting is because there is no such breed as an Alsatian! They are German Shepherds. The difference is not in the coat length, their temperament or breeding. There is no difference they are the same dog and German Shepherd IS the correct name.
THE BREED IN BRITAIN
The GSD first arrived in Britain in the early part of the century around 1908.
There is little recorded about the dogs other than they provided a curiosity factor when they appeared in public. No apparent effort was made to developthe breed and no records survive of groups to promote the breed being formed.
The intervention of the 1st World War may have ended what ever interest there was, and nothing more is recorded until further animals were imported by two army officers who had met the breed during their military duties during the war.
The officers Majors James Baldwin and Brabazon (later Lord Brabazon) had like many soldiers in Europe heard stories of the wonder dogs belonging to the German army that performed to them most amazing duties as search, locateand recover dogs for German wounded, as carriers of dispatches and as silent
patrol dogs accompanying reconnaissance and fighting patrols into the 'No man's land' between the two sides.
Major Baldwin remembered his WW1 experiences well and in 1939 when the second World conflagration broke out was able to persuade the then war office to form a similar pool of war-dogs to assist the British military, and now Col Baldwin commanded the first war dog training unit.
Another use was discovered by Beryl Griffin who trained and used blitz dogs for finding buried victims during and after air-raids in the 2nd World War. Such wasthe rapport between this lady and her dogs, that she knew from the attitude ofthe animal whether the victim they had found was alive or dead. This pioneer work has been extended to assist mountain rescue groups in Britain and inEurope the avalanche dogs.
Baldwin actually met his first German Shepherd in a small Belgium town. The dog, a bitch, was trotting by her master's side as he rode his bicycle. Baldwinimpressed by the quiet steady demeanour of the animal bought her, and sheaccompanied him throughout the rest of the war, and indeed as did her canine
colleagues on the other side, kept company with him on many a sortie.
Baldwin never ceased to be impressed by the animal, who on a number occasions gave warning of trouble ahead.
Baldwin and Brabazon unfortunately were more enthusiastic than wise in their efforts to introduce and promote the breed in Britain and made decisions that still live with the breed today.
Believing that the hatred generated by the war for anything German would inhibit the development of the breed, they renamed it the Alsatian 'Wolf" Dog, Alsatian was derived from the source of many of the early imports, AlsaceLorraine.
Why Wolf Dog is unknown, perhaps a superficial resemblance to the northern wolf was a factor, perhaps even a desire to create a macho image of a fierce wolf type animal. Whatever the reason it was a gross error and probably causedmore problems than the correct name would have done.
Certainly the name did not match the reputation of the dogs in WW1 trenches. Soldiers on both sides respected these courageous dogs for their diligence in carrying dispatches, finding the wounded and patrol work.
The name did appeal to the puppy farmers however, and the fringe breeders and the like who capitalised on the new import to the detriment of the dog. Any dog with erect ears became a new 'Wolf Dog' and business was brisk. Anyone with a spare cellar, an unused back yard, coal house, woodshed, outhouse,
box, or cage bred 'em. The the media ever ready to fan flames, campaigned against these 'half wolves let loose on British society'. It was a mess.
Two clubs which had been formed to support the breed, 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 orderto the breed. The dedication and diligence of the clubs and individual members
in challenging false media reports, sometimes in court, did much to reduce the campaign. Without them the breed may have not have survived.
If the same diligence had come with the introduction of the breed, together with a system similar one in Germany, the early problems would not have materialised, puppy farmers and backyard breeders would have been kept out, and the breed would have progressed as a single type. Therein lay the mistake
of the early importers.
The German Shepherd fraternity in Britain has a fine record in its support for breed improvement schemes and schemes to reduce the number of hereditary diseases in dogs. The prime mover in most of these systems has been the German Shepherd Dog League, but without the support of the rank and file ofthr breed fraternity, sometimes at quite large personal expense, none of themwould have got off the ground.
The list of firsts is endless but to illustrate just a few:
1. The first hip dysplasia scheme
2. The hip scoring scheme
3. Breed assessment schemes
4. Tattoo identification scheme
5. Haemophilia A scheme
6. Finance for research into: Malabsorbsion of the small intestine Pancreatic insufficiency Factor eight tests for Haemophilia A
7. Designed a standard of ethics for breeders
A major step was the change of name in the late 1970's. Geneticist Dr Malcolm Willis put a motion to a Kennel Club general meeting, which after much discussion allowed a compromise change from Alsatian (GSD), to GSD(Alsatian). Now, in all but official parlance, the animal is known and referred to
as the German Shepherd Dog.
A few die-hard clubs retain Alsatian as their title, but even many of their members now refer to the animal by its correct nomenclature. The lay public,perhaps the best monitor of the change, have also come to accept and use thecorrect name.
Today the breed is in good form. Visiting judges comment on the excellence of the animals they see, temperaments are much improved, type and quality is as good as anywhere, and slowly the British version of the breed is converging on the visions and ideals of its founder.
The employment of the breed world wide as police dogs, herding dogs, army dogs, guide dogs, hearing dogs, rescue dogs for natural and other disasters, sniffer dogs for drugs and explosives, but most of all as family dogs, tells usmuch about this breed and its matchless service to man.
Sorry if this annoys anyone who THINKS they own an Alsatian but you're wrong.
Sorry but this really annoys me!