<P> The German Shepherd ( German : Deutscher Schäferhund , German pronunciation : ( ˈʃɛːfɐˌhʊnt ) ) is a breed of medium to 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 ) . The breed is known as the Alsatian in Britain and Ireland . The German Shepherd is a relatively new breed of dog , with their origin dating to 1899 . As part of the Herding Group , German Shepherds are working dogs developed originally for herding sheep . Since that time however , because of their strength , intelligence , trainability , and obedience , German Shepherds around the world are often the preferred breed for many types of work , including disability assistance , search - and - rescue , police and military roles , and even acting . The German Shepherd is the second-most registered breed by the American Kennel Club and seventh-most registered breed by The Kennel Club in the United Kingdom . </P>
<P> The German Shepherd ( German : Deutscher Schäferhund , German pronunciation : ( ˈʃɛːfɐˌhʊnt ) ) is a breed of medium to 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 ) . The breed is known as the Alsatian in Britain and Ireland . The German Shepherd is a relatively new breed of dog , with their origin dating to 1899 . As part of the Herding Group , German Shepherds are working dogs developed originally for herding sheep . Since that time however , because of their strength , intelligence , trainability , and obedience , German Shepherds around the world are often the preferred breed for many types of work , including disability assistance , search - and - rescue , police and military roles , and even acting . The German Shepherd is the second-most registered breed by the American Kennel Club and seventh-most registered breed by The Kennel Club in the United Kingdom . </P>
where did the german shepherd dog come from
where did the german shepherd dog come from
Germany
Germany