
German Shepherd Dog: From Past to Present
Wouldn't it be interesting to know how past winners from long ago would fit in at today's shows? To that end, I sent an old photo of a famous dog to a few AKC judges and breed specialists, asking if they thought that the dog would win anything today. Did it have something to contribute to the current winners of that breed?
Of course, you can only imagine what the dog looked like in real life: I try to pick good photos, but we can't REALLY know what a dog looked like from a photo. The German Shepherd Dog in the attached photograph, Ch. Hugo of Cosalta, CD, won multiple all-breed BIS in 1937. That year he also won AKC's special prize to “the American-Bred dog that won the greatest number of Group classes of the Working breeds at member club shows” — apparently an attempt to highlight American breeding in those years when imported dogs were taking a majority of the big wins at American dog shows. (The GSD then competed in the Working Group; the AKC didn't add a Herding group until 1983.)
Two years later, Hugo was “Sieger” (or, as it's called today, Grand Victor), which means that he was Best Dog at the national specialty. We don't know if he or the best bitch — Grand Victrix Ch. Thora v. Bern of Giralda, owned by Mrs. Dodge — was BOB in 1939. I don't know of any other breed that cares so little who was BOB at their national specialty as German Shepherds; what matters is if the dog wins in its sex or not. Apparently, this is a tribute to the German fatherland of the breed: At the Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde (SV) big Sieger show there is one Sieger and one Siegerin, and which of the two is BOB is still relatively unimportant to most GSD fanciers. In the U.S., the Sieger/Siegerin titles have been awarded ever since 1918!
I didn't tell the breed experts who the dog was, and as Hugo did his winning almost 90 years ago he is mostly forgotten today … although his owner and breeder Marie Leary is still remembered by some. She was a really big deal, famous for training her German Shepherd champions for obedience as well. (That Hugo had a CD was apparently not unusual.) The New York Times had a big headline on March 10, 1939 — not about any conformation victory that Cosalta had taken, but because Miss Leary had won in obedience. (Headlines: “Cosalta Kennels' German Shepherds Win 1938 Dog Laurels; Miss Leary Takes Obedience Trophy - Greenwich Owner of Cosalta Kennels Victor With Five German Shepherds. Perpetual Challenge Event Is Open to American-Bred Dogs of Either Sex”)
Would or could Hugo still win today? Does he have something to offer today? If not, what specifically would hold him back? Has the breed lost something important?
Over to the respondents, whom I also asked for their backgrounds and experience of the breed. Thanks to Paul Lepiane for his help with this feature!
Gloria Birch
Covy-Tucker Hill Kennels
Cotati, California
Breeder of more than 300 champions. 2022 AKC Breeder of the Year award for the Herding Group. AKC judge's license for 25 years. Judged National dog shows U.S., Mexico, Canada and an all-breed show in Russia. Bred U.S. Grand Victrix Ch. Covy’s Rosemary of Tucker Hill, mother of Westminster BIS Ch. Covy Tucker Hill’s Manhattan. Bred Canadian Grand Victrix Ch. Covy’s Altana of Tucker Hill, mother of BIS Ch. Altana’s Mystique. Breeder of 13 BIS dogs. Devoted to German Shepherds.
Here’s my critique of this GSD. He appears to have a good shoulder placement. He looks like a German Shepherd. The front half is more appealing than the back half. I would give him bigger ears and a more pronounced stop with a thicker muzzle. He needs more forechest with a deeper body and bigger bones; he’s leggy. His back should be shorter, and his rear is lacking a 45-degree angle. His croup and tail look of proper length. The pigment is adequate.
He would have difficulty winning today. His structure would not improve the dogs of today. We need more muscle and stronger ligaments in the hindquarter and shorter, stronger backs.
Jerry Guzman
Studio City, California
I was a professional German Shepherd Dog handler and am now an AKC judge. I received my first German Shepherd in 1963 and started handling professionally in 1969. The last 60 years allowed me the opportunity to show many wonderful German Shepherds to their championships, including top specialty winners, and top producers in the breed. I have won Grand Victor or Grand Victrix at 12 national specialties in the United States and Canada. I also co-bred the United States Grand Victrix/National Specialty Best of Breed, and co-owned and co-bred the Canadian Grand Victor/Best of Breed. He was Select 2 at the U.S. national specialty, and GSDCA Futurity/Maturity Victor.
I have judged seven GSDCA Futurities in the United States and Canada, at the Canadian national specialty. I have co-owned or co-bred three Canadian national-specialty winners and four U.S. national-specialty Selects.
I was given the GSDCA Lamar Kuhn’s Award in 1994 and began judging German Shepherds in 2015.
The simple answer to the question is — NO! The German Shepherd, like many other breeds, became, over the years, more stylized. The basic contours and smooth, harmonious curves have become more balanced and a bit more extreme. These changes haven’t necessarily made the breed better or worse, just in my opinion more pleasing to the eye. The breed went from a basic, functional working dog to a conformation performance breed, with a more out-reaching, fluid gait, which put a great deal more emphasis on side gait. The service of double handling came into fashion, adopted from Germany, which also encouraged a stronger emphasis on side gait. The specialty shows began to be held in very large rings and so it all became about style, gait and performance.
Although I don’t think this dog could win today at the highest level, the question would be, could he finish? (Given the current point system, what can’t?) But this dog, based on what appears in the photo, seems to have good shoulders, a good croup and tail set, and good body depth, and a properly developed sternum. He could do the job the standard calls for in herding and sentry work; he has a good headpiece, strong erect ears, and alert and noble expression. A very nice saber tail, difficult to find today. Altogether, a good representative of the breed.
Carmen Battaglia
Roswell, Georgia
My background in GSDs goes back 40 years. I have bred many litters and produced many GSDCA Futurity and Maturity winners and have finished many champions. Two of the males I have owned were the runners-up to the BOB dog at the GSDCA National Specialty. I have judged many GSD specialty shows and the national specialty in the U.S. three times and also in Canada and Mexico. I am a mentor for new breeders and have given more than 100 seminars on how to breed better dogs. I have written more than 70 articles and published four books on dogs and breeding.
Thanks for the opportunity to comment on this old picture from the 1930s. This male looks like many of the dogs that were still winning in the 1940s and '50s. I am writing a book on the hundred years that GSDs have been in America (1913–2013). Many of the pictures of the better dogs that were winning in the period before the 1950s look to have a similar style. For his time, this dog looks to have the correct over-all outline. He is a bit long in body with average angulation and bone. He does not appear to have had the same layback of shoulder and upper arm that Odin vom Stolzenfels, the German Sieger of 1933, had. It is difficult to see, but he may have had short pasterns that turn out slightly.
Given his average appearance in angulation and short croup, I would guess that if shown in a very large class today this dog would be somewhere in the middle, assuming his down and back movement was correct.
Helen Gleason
Nocturne Acres Kennels
Tampa, Florida
I am a licensed AKC judge for Best in Show. Began my judging career in 1985 with German Shepherd Dogs. Since 1965 I have been a breeder, AKC professional handler, judge, traine, and competitor in all performance and conformation activities, and was elected to judge the GSDCA National Specialty eight times. Last judged GSDCA National Specialty 2017, Best of Breed and Best of Opposite Sex. Former Vice President GSDCA.
COMMENTS ON THE DOG IN THE PHOTO:
Medium size — strong, muscular body, 24”-26” at withers.
Excellent pigmentation.
Stands correctly.
Alert expression. Strong, medium-sized ears.
German-bred dogs focus on both appearance and functional capabilities.
I believe the dog is still an excellent representative of the breed.
Movement — correct balance and ability to cover ground easily and effortlessly is very important.
The GSD is a working animal who will be asked to perform various tasks and must have the structure and ability to perform them — herding, guide dog, protection, etc.
Temperament is No. 1 in the German Shepherd Dog!
Sharon Newcomb
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Started in GSDs in the early ’70s. AKC approved to judge German Shepherd Dogs prior to 1980, currently approved for the entire Herding Group. Also approved to judge the Toy and Non-Sporting groups, breeds within the other four groups and Best in Show.
GV Ch. Lance of Fran-Jo, a dog of the 1960s. Lance changed the look of our Shepherds. He was considered very extreme in hindquarters at the time. He was used extensively and is considered a great producer.
Ch. Lakeside Gilligan’s Island. “Gilly” was a Lance son and was Winners Dog at the national. He was number-one dog all breeds when he was left out in the sun and had a heatstroke. He won in both all-breed and specialty shows.
Ch. Covy-Tucker Hill Manhattan, a Lance double great-grandson, is the top winner male dog all-breeds.
Am. & Canadian GV Ch. Tazzman’s Extra Special. Notice how she looks like she has more angles behind when she is set up.
Same bitch standing naturally.
Could your dog of the 1930s win today? I doubt he could finish his title. Probably couldn’t get a point.
James Moses
Kaleef German Shepherds
Woodstock, Georgia
Approved as a judge for GSDs in 2012, now approved to judge the entire Herding, Working, Terrier, Toy and Non-Sporting groups, most of the Sporting group and five Hound breeds. Handled the group-winning GSD at Westminster six times in the 1980s, '90s and early 2000s with Ch. Covy Tucker-Hill's Manhattan, Ch. Altana's Mystique and Ch. Kismet's Sight For Sore Eyes, all of whom were also #1 All Breeds.
The dog pictured has very correct structure with the exception of his upper and lower thigh. The standard calls for matching 90-degree angulation in both the fore assembly and the hindquarter assembly.
But the standard also states the angulation is EQUAL when the shoulder blade PARALLELS the upper thigh, AND the upper arm PARALLELS the lower thigh. Ninety-degree rear angulation does not mean excessive length of upper and lower thigh.
The pictured dog also has the correct top line. Higher at the withers, sloping into a LEVEL BACK.
Robert Drescher
AnneIsle-Malibar Kennel
Fort Ripley, Minnesota
I have been involved in our wonderful breed as a trainer, handler, breeder and exhibitor for more than 50 years. Chair, Education Committee GSDCA. National Specialty announcer, AKC judge since 1999, judged the U.S. national twice and the Canadian national twice. Have finished and been awarded Select titles on imports as well as American show lines.
Along with Martha Simonett, we own numerous champions, perhaps most notable, currently, is 2xSelect Ex. GCh. Jimeni's Gunpowder Falls of Clayfield-Malibar, ROM, TC, OFA (Gunner), who was sired by our import Ch. Kis Malchik van Contra Haus, ROM, who I co-own with Jim Hall, Becky McElroy, Sharon and Michael Avery.
The dog in the photo the looks like it could be Pfeffer von Bern (U.S. Sieger 1937 and 1938). So, he would be in our pedigrees today, thousands of times. We would have certainly inherited everything he had to offer. Having never seen the dog in person, or in motion, and seeing only a side view of him, makes any conclusions about his competitiveness today questionable. Having said that, my guess is that he wouldn't be competitive with today's style of dog. He looks a little short and steep in croup, too straight in the rear, and close to level in topline.
On the positive side, he has good bone, feet and proportions. Head planes look good, and he is reasonably masculine with good muzzle and underjaw. He appears to have a correct tail-set and tail. He looks like he has a better shoulder assembly, and it's not pushed forward like far too many of our dogs today. He could probably help in that regard. If his temperament was strong, he could offer that as well.
Overall, he looks very functional compared to some dogs today.