By Lino Calvo
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19 Jul, 2021
German Shepherds are one of the most famous working dog breeds in the world. Their intelligence and trainability make them suitable for a wide range of roles—and it’s also the secret to the success of our champion-breed German Shepherd puppies. Read on to learn more about the history of German Shepherds as working dogs. Sheep Herding As you might guess from their name, German Shepherds were originally bred in Germany to herd and guard flocks of sheep. Their strength, agility, and intelligence make them highly suitable for keeping sheep in order and guiding them. You’ll notice that our champion-breed German Shepherd puppies display their herding instincts even without a flock to watch; instead, they will keep a close eye on you and everyone else in the household. Police, Military, and Search-and-Rescue Use While they are named for herding, most people associate German Shepherd with the police and military. Their sharp sense of smell and trainability makes them perfect for tracking criminals, sniffing out drugs, finding people trapped under debris, and much more. They’ve also been adapted for many other roles, such as catching and detaining suspects, guarding property, and rescuing survivors from disaster zones. Disability Assistance Our champion-breed German Shepherd puppies also have ties to disability assistance, such as working as guide dogs for the visually impaired. When formal guide dog training first began in the 1920s, German Shepherds were one of the most popular breeds. Today, Labradors and Golden Retrievers more commonly serve in disability assistance roles, but many German Shepherd service dogs are still around, helping blind people, deaf people, people who need mobility assistance, and much more.