Origins and History
The German Shepherd is a relatively young breed, created in Germany at the end of the nineteenth century. Its name has changed more than once — and those changes are tied to war, politics and a long road back to the breed's original identity.
From German Shepherd Dog to Alsatian — and Back Again
The breed was formally developed in Germany at the end of the nineteenth century and was known from the beginning as the German Shepherd Dog, or Deutscher Schäferhund in German.
Captain Max von Stephanitz helped establish the breed in 1899, with Horand von Grafrath recognised as the first registered German Shepherd Dog and one of the principal foundation dogs behind the modern breed.
Following the First World War, strong anti-German feeling existed in Britain. The word "German" had become unpopular, so the breed was renamed in the United Kingdom.
The name chosen was:
Alsatian Wolf Dog
"Alsatian" referred to the Alsace region on the border between France and Germany. It allowed the breed to retain a continental identity without directly using the word "German".
The words "Wolf Dog" referred largely to the breed's wolf-like appearance. They did not mean that the German Shepherd was recognised as a wolf hybrid.
The "Wolf Dog" description was later removed because it caused confusion and encouraged the mistaken belief that the dogs were crossed with wolves.
For much of the twentieth century, the breed was therefore widely known in Britain simply as the:
Alsatian
After years of campaigning by breed enthusiasts, the Kennel Club restored the name German Shepherd Dog in 1977.
For a period, the breed was commonly described as:
German Shepherd Dog (Alsatian)
The original breed name eventually became standard again, although many people in Britain still use "Alsatian" today.
Is it a German Shepherd or an Alsatian?
They are the same breed.
"Alsatian" was the name widely used in Britain after the First World War, while "German Shepherd Dog" is the original and current official breed name.
There is no separate Alsatian breed, and an Alsatian is not a different type, size, coat or bloodline of German Shepherd.
If someone asks "Is your dog an Alsatian or a German Shepherd?", the light-hearted answer is:
Both — they are two names for exactly the same breed.
"Alsatian" is not an incorrect or insulting term. It remains familiar and affectionately used by many British owners.
How Closely Related Are Modern German Shepherds?
The German Shepherd Dog is a relatively modern breed created from selected herding dogs at the end of the nineteenth century.
Like all closed pedigree populations, modern German Shepherds descend from a limited number of foundation animals. Some early dogs and later influential sires appear repeatedly throughout pedigrees.
The two World Wars disrupted breeding throughout Europe. Dogs, records and entire breeding programmes were lost, and some bloodlines became much more influential than others when populations were rebuilt.
As a result, a Kennel Club registered German Shepherd today will usually share very distant ancestry with many other registered German Shepherds. Many modern pedigrees ultimately trace back to early foundation dogs including Horand von Grafrath and his descendants.
Shared ancestry does not mean that every German Shepherd descends through one identical pedigree route or that every registered dog is closely related in an everyday family sense. Kennel Club registration alone does not guarantee genetic diversity, and finding a shared ancestor many generations ago does not by itself mean that a dog is unhealthy.
What matters is how frequently ancestors recur, how closely related the parents are, the diversity represented across the pedigree, and the health, temperament and longevity of the dogs behind it.
Shared ancestry can be extremely distant. A foundation dog may appear many generations back and through numerous separate pedigree routes.
This is why responsible breeding should consider pedigree, coefficient of inbreeding, genetic diversity, health-screening results, temperament, structure, longevity and the risks of repeated popular-sire use.
See also: Genetics, Colours and Coat Types and Responsible Breeding and Choosing a Puppy.
A short timeline of the name history:
1899 — The breed is established
Captain Max von Stephanitz helps establish the German Shepherd Dog in Germany. Horand von Grafrath becomes the first registered dog of the breed and an important foundation sire.
1914–1918 — The First World War
German Shepherds become internationally recognised for military, messenger, guard and rescue-related work. In Britain, anti-German sentiment makes the breed's original name politically unpopular.
1919 — Alsatian Wolf Dog
The British Kennel Club recognises the breed under the name Alsatian Wolf Dog. The name "Alsatian" refers to the Alsace border region.
Later twentieth century — Wolf Dog is removed
The "Wolf Dog" wording is dropped because it creates public confusion and encourages the false belief that German Shepherds are wolf hybrids. The breed becomes commonly known in Britain as the Alsatian.
1977 — Original name restored
The Kennel Club restores the name German Shepherd Dog following sustained campaigning by breeders and breed supporters. The transitional wording German Shepherd Dog (Alsatian) remains familiar for some time.
Today
German Shepherd Dog is the official breed name. Alsatian remains an alternative historic British name for exactly the same breed.
Did You Know?
The Kennel Club restored the name 'German Shepherd Dog' in 1977. Before that, the breed was widely known in Britain as the Alsatian.
Source: The Royal Kennel Club
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