BREED HISTORY
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 When this was doubtful, the dogs were withdrawn from breeding.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.
uro: one of the Berlin Wall dogs, adopted by a family living in Mallorca, Spain – Photo by Mallorca Magazin
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.)
MORPHOLOGY AND CHARACTER
The altdeutsche Schäferhunde also call German Shepherd old type (long-haired and straight back) originally, he was intended to work, that's why he was mainly selected on his character and his good health. He is a versatile, rustic, dedicated, attentive dog so we continue to favor this physical and mental health.
From a geographical point of view there are German and Eastern lines and English lines of Altdeutsche Schäferhunde.
These have a different morphology and character, knowing that each dog has its own temperament.
German and Eastern lines
The Altdeutsche Schäferhunde of his lines are more massive, a larger dog with a strong frame, a strong head, a well-marked stop.
The colors of these dogs are dark black, black and tan, charred fawn… They have rather a strong character, close to the guardian man and confident they know what they want.
English lines
Chaska Son Of Apache (aka: Chief)
Owner: The Legend of the Black Wolf
The dogs of the English lines are lighter, their stop is less marked, the head is thinner, their backs are generally straight.
As for the colors, they are more diversified and lighter, charcoal silver, different shades of blue, light charcoal fawn...
These lines have a more docile and sensitive character, easy to live with and close to
man, these dogs are willful and mean well.
Glebe Von Wood Stanley
Owner: The Legend of the Black Wolf