German Shepherds are indeed from Germany, but the British typically call them Alsatians due to anti-German sentiment during World War I. Deutscher Schäferhund is the German name, which translates to “German Shepherd Dog.”

The breed was developed by Max von Stephanitz in 1899, using various Germanic herding dogs.

They were originally bred to be herding dogs, but German Shepherds were quickly adopted by police and military units.

They are widely considered one of the most intelligent dog breeds, ranking just below Poodles and Collies. They can learn commands after being shown only five times.

The famous German Shepherd, Rin Tin Tin, was actually rescued from a World War I battlefield.

They are such hard workers that, if bored, they can easily develop destructive behaviors.