The breed was named Deutscher Sch ferhund by von Stephanitz, literally translating to German Shepherd Dog, so named due to its original purpose of assisting shepherds in herding and protecting sheep. Although it was around the time of the first World War that the breed became popular they had been imported into the UK as early as 1908 and were at that time known as German Shepherd Dogs. Following the War it was believed that the inclusion of the word "German" would harm the popularity of the breed due to anti-German sentiment. There was a question therefore of what to call these dogs, for some time there had been talk of establishing a society to serve the breeds interests and of the Kennel Club granting recognition. Men like Major James Baldwin of the famous 'Picardy' kennel took the initiative and on 6 August 1919 gained official recognition for the breed that the Kennel Club named Alsatian Wolf-Dog, the term Alsatian coming from those ex-army officers who had first come into contact with the breed while fighting on the Western Front in the Alsace-Lorraine region. The term Wolf-Dog was soon removed and the name Alsatian stayed for over five decades until a group of enthusiasts pressured the Kennel Club to have the breeds name changed to its correct and rightful title of German Shepherd Dog. The campaign was partly successful in so much as the Kennel Club allowed puppies from 1977 to be registered as German Shepherd Dogs with the word Alsatian still included in brackets.. Many people wrongly believe that there are two different breeds: German Shepherds and Alsatians, this is not so, there is one breed standard and one breed despite different types.The breed is now known by its correct name of German Shepherd Dog and is now registered by the Kennel Club as such it has only taken them 90+ years to do so,The word Alsatian no longer exists, and will no longer be put on the KC registration of our breed.
