Whenever I take my dogs for walks people always stop to ask “What is a long haired shepherd? Where do they come from?”

The history of today’s German Shepherd dates to 1899, when it was founded by German Shepherd Breeders Association (Verein fur Deutsche Schaferhunde). The association was registered in the name of Max von Stephanitz.

Officer Stephanitz had a specific idea of how the national breed shepherd look and what features it must have. His ideas could be realized, and so in 1900 the German Shepherd studbook was created. First written here were Stephanitz’s dog “Horan von Grafrath,” which became the model for the creation of a new national breed.

German shepherd puppies were born with one of three coats within the same litter: stock hair, long stock hair, and long hair. Unfortunately, Stephanitz believed, the long coat pups lacked undercoat and therefore would not have the weather resistant versatility he desired in the breed. The long coat German Shepherds were considered a fault until present day.

Then, at the beginning of 2010, the SV changed the standard for the German Shepherd Dog to make permissible dogs with longstock hair with an undercoat. By changing the rules, long-coated shepherds can compete in  a special classes which are held all over the USA and Europe.