BREED HISTORY
Une race aux racines profondes
L’Altdeutsche Schäferhunde (littéralement "vieux berger allemand") est une variante ancienne du berger allemand moderne, avec des racines historiques profondes en Europe de l’Est et en Allemagne. Apparue au XIXe siècle, la race a évolué parallèlement au berger allemand dit de beauté, avec un sérieux avantage : le maintien d’une sélection fondée sur la santé, le caractère et les capacités de travail.
L’histoire de l’Altdeutsche Schäferhunde est marquée par l’influence des lignées DDR (de l’ex-Allemagne de l’Est), sélectionnées sous des critères stricts pour la surveillance des frontières. Ces chiens robustes, endurants et d’une grande stabilité mentale ont fortement contribué à la morphologie et au tempérament que l’on retrouve encore aujourd’hui.
In 1878 German breeders decided to make a first attempt at grouping together to improve the German Shepherd breed. They then decide to create a morphologically homogeneous race.
It is then that since 1910, the importation of these dogs in France has not ceased to increase.
AS may be descended from Hektor Linksrhein, later renamed Horand von Grafath, who was gray in color with long hair.
Horand von Grafath
Note that the grandfather of this dog, Greif, was white, he would be the origin of the German Shepherd (beauty, work, long hair), the Berger Blanc Suisse and the AS.
Some AS lines come straight from East Germany (DDR lines). To better understand them, we must go back to the time of the Second World War, when 200,000 German Shepherds were on the front and many died during the battles. At this time, in West Germany, Hitler was selecting a different type of German Shepherd, mainly black and tan, and finer than those in East Germany.
Here is a photo below of one of his Blondie female dogs (very fine type, short hair).
blonde
From 1949 to 1961 many East Germans migrated to the West, it was then that the authorities decided to build a wall to separate the two Berlins. It was then the beginning of the Cold War which was one of the biggest impacts on the breed because it led to 40 years of "closed breeding", from 1949 to 1989.
The government of East Germany took the decision to strictly regulate the breeding of German Shepherds. He decided to control the selection, the registrations, the breeding with very strict breeding directives.
Military breeding standards wanted dogs that were powerful, stocky, lively, alert, courageous, loyal, self-confident, and highly intelligent!
Their health must have been flawless. When this was doubtful, the dogs were withdrawn from breeding. These standards also included fitness for duty, through endurance, tenacity, ability to climb straight walls, sturdiness and a flair for research.
These dogs were exposed to a very harsh climate and extreme physical conditions to genetically select the most disease resistant dogs.
Each litter was carefully checked (teeth, ears, coat, temperament) worthy of the inspection of a military piece...
These dogs were dark in color with dark pigmentation as well as strong bones.
These harsh regulations created the DDR sheepdog, of which about 1000 were used as border guards.
After the fall of the Berlin Wall in the 1990s, the patrols no longer having to guard the borders got rid of these dogs, by selling them, abandoning them or even euthanizing them. A few years later, the whole world became interested in this breed of dog, and very few breeders kept these lines and this selection.
The big difference with West Germany is that they are more oriented towards selecting a dog of beauty (black and tan color, sloping back, more pronounced angulations, slim build). This breed, having demonstrated many qualities, was in great demand throughout the world.
Thus, to satisfy dog demands, breeders subjected the breed to a higher percentage of inbreeding, responsible for the appearance of less robust dogs, leaving their character aside. We therefore saw physical changes appear (smaller, thinner dogs, hunched backs, etc.)
uro: one of the Berlin Wall dogs, adopted by a family living in Mallorca, Spain – Photo by Mallorca Magazin
Caractère de l'Altdeutsche Schäferhunde
Un chien stable et proche de l’homme
Ce chien est avant tout un compagnon de confiance. Il est connu pour sa grande loyauté, sa vigilance, sa capacité d’écoute et son intelligence. Chaque chien a son propre tempérament, mais on retrouve chez tous une volonté de coopérer et un besoin de lien fort avec son humain.
Le caractère de l'Altdeutsche Schäferhunde allie protection, sensibilité et dévotion. Il n’est pas fait pour rester seul trop longtemps et s’épanouit dans une relation active, bienveillante et cohérente.”
Lignées de l'Est et Anglo-saxon :
Il existe deux grandes lignées :
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Les lignées allemandes et de l’est donnent des chiens plus massifs, à l’ossature forte, souvent sombres (noir, noir et feu, fauve charbonné). Leur tempérament est affirmé, ce sont des chiens proches de l’humain, protecteurs et confiants.
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Les lignées anglaises donnent des chiens plus fins, plus légers, avec des couleurs souvent plus claires (bleu, argenté charbonné, fauve clair...). Leur caractère est généralement plus doux, sensible et volontaire.
Chaque chien reste unique, mais ces grandes tendances permettent de choisir une lignée en fonction de son mode de vie ou de ses attentes.
Morphologie de l’Altdeutsche Schäferhunde
Ce chien est reconnaissable à sa robe fournie, son dos droit, sa tête expressive et sa silhouette harmonieuse.
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Taille moyenne à grande (55-68 cm au garrot selon le sexe)
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Poil long avec sous-poil dense, crinière sur le cou
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Oreilles droites, yeux foncés en amande
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Corps musclé, proportions équilibrées, allures fluides
Sa morphologie a été préservée des dérives de l’hypertype (dos très incliné, angulations extrêmes), ce qui lui confère une plus grande robustesse.