[ˈʃɛːfɐˌhʊnt]) is a breed of large-sized working dog that originated in Germany. The breed's officially recognized name is German Shepherd Dog in the English language, sometimes abbreviated as  GSD , and was also formerly known as the Alsatian and Alsatian Wolf Dog in Britain.The German Shepherd is a relatively new breed of dog, with their origin dating to 1899.erman Shepherds are large sized dogs. Close-up of a German Shepherd's face showing the long muzzle, black nose and brown, medium-sized eyes. The adult German Shepherd's ears are large and stand erect, but 14-week-old puppies' ears are often not completely erect yet.