9781422279359

itage, intelligence, work ability, and strength of character. He estab- lished the Verein für Schäferhunde (Society for the German Shep- herd Dog) in April 1899. This was the first breed club for the German Shepherd Dog, and the SV continues to be the largest German Shep- herd breed club in the world. Astandard was developed that empha- sized mental stability and utility. The captain’s motto was, “Utility and intelligence.” To him, a dog was worthless if he lacked the in- telligence, temperament, and proper structure to make him a good working dog.

Von Stephanitz was also responsible for expand- ing the job description of German Shepherds to include messenger, rescue, sentry, and personal guard dogs. Their sheer physical

strength and versatility, combined with their ability to work in bad weather and adjust to climate changes, made them excellent working dogs as well as out- standing companions. Soon they were being used by the police, and were entering civilian police dog trials with the help of the SV. In 1902 the SV published the first rules for police and service dog training. In World War I, though, the full potential of the Ger- man Shepherd Dog became apparent. Daily tasks in-

cluded carrying dispatch- es, which sometimes in- volved carrier pigeons attached to a body harness,

12