Horand von Grafrath
Encyclopedia
Horand von Grafrath (formerly Hektor Linksrhein) was the first German Shepherd Dog
and the genetic basis for modern German Shepherds.
formed in Germany
in 1891, with the intention of standardising dog breeds. The society disbanded in 1894, but many of the members continued to exhibit the ideologies promoted by the society. One of these members was Captain Max von Stephanitz
, the man now credited with being the father of the German Shepherd Dog. In 1899 while attending a show, von Stephanitz was shown a dog named Hektor Linksrhein. Von Stephanitz was so impressed by Hektor's intelligence, strength and obedience that he purchased the dog for 200 German gold mark
and immediately formed the Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde
(Society for the German Shepherd Dog). Von Stephanitz admired the dog for its "obedient fidelity to [its] master." Von Stephanitz changed Hektor's name to Horand von Grafrath and included him as the center-point of the society's breeding programs
. The dog was then registered under a new breed registry, thus making Horand von Grafrath the first German Shepherd Dog.
Many breeders of the time idolized Horand as the goal for what a well-rounded working dog should be.
s were used in later breeding programs; their progeny are thus the ancestors of all modern German Shepherd Dogs.
German Shepherd Dog
The German Shepherd Dog , also known as an Alsatian or just the German Shepherd, is a breed of large-sized dog that originated in Germany. The German Shepherd is a relatively new breed of dog, with its origin dating to 1899. As part of the Herding Group, the German Shepherd is a working dog...
and the genetic basis for modern German Shepherds.
History
A society named the Phylax SocietyPhylax Society
The Phylax Society was the first German Shepherd Dog club, formed with the intention of creating a standardised German dog breed.- Establishment :...
formed in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in 1891, with the intention of standardising dog breeds. The society disbanded in 1894, but many of the members continued to exhibit the ideologies promoted by the society. One of these members was Captain Max von Stephanitz
Max von Stephanitz
Max Emil Friedrich von Stephanitz was a German dog breeder who is credited with having developed the German Shepherd Dog breed as it is currently known, set guidelines for the breed standard, and was the first president of the Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde .-Early years:Born in Dresden, Kingdom...
, the man now credited with being the father of the German Shepherd Dog. In 1899 while attending a show, von Stephanitz was shown a dog named Hektor Linksrhein. Von Stephanitz was so impressed by Hektor's intelligence, strength and obedience that he purchased the dog for 200 German gold mark
German gold mark
The Goldmark was the currency used in the German Empire from 1873 to 1914.-History:Before unification, the different German states issued a variety of different currencies, though most were linked to the Vereinsthaler, a silver coin containing 16⅔ grams of pure silver...
and immediately formed the Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde
Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde
The Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde , commonly abbreviated SV, is the German Shepherd dog club founded by Max von Stephanitz in 1899, as the successor of the Phylax Society...
(Society for the German Shepherd Dog). Von Stephanitz admired the dog for its "obedient fidelity to [its] master." Von Stephanitz changed Hektor's name to Horand von Grafrath and included him as the center-point of the society's breeding programs
Selective breeding
Selective breeding is the process of breeding plants and animals for particular genetic traits. Typically, strains that are selectively bred are domesticated, and the breeding is sometimes done by a professional breeder. Bred animals are known as breeds, while bred plants are known as varieties,...
. The dog was then registered under a new breed registry, thus making Horand von Grafrath the first German Shepherd Dog.
Many breeders of the time idolized Horand as the goal for what a well-rounded working dog should be.
Breeding
Horand sired many pups. His most celebrated offspring was Hektor von Schwaben, who later produced Heinz von Starkenburg, Beowolf, and Pilot. These three wolfhoundWolfhound
Wolfhound can refer to various breeds of dogs that have been bred to hunt wolves or to established lines of wolf-dog crosses that retain significant characteristics of wolves. Wolf-dog hybrids crossed in recent generations are often referred to as wolfdogs, wolf-dog hybrids or wolf crosses, but...
s were used in later breeding programs; their progeny are thus the ancestors of all modern German Shepherd Dogs.