It is said that all good things come to an end. When at the dawn of the twentieth century Max von Stephanitz founded the German Shepherd it emerged as by far the most prosperous and predominant breed ever. Within little more than a decade it became the worldwide foundation of police service and the pride of the German people. The reach of the von Stephanitz influence was ubiquitous—that is worldwide in scope, a century in duration and extending to all police potential breeds.

But in the twilight of the twentieth century men such as Walter and Herman Martin emasculated and then abandoned the Schutzhund trial, repudiated police service and in the effete SV show ring rendered this noble breed absurd caricatures.

The consequence was precipitous decline in terms of working character, street effective physique and ongoing worldwide collapse in registrations. Further ramifications include repudiation by much of the German population and for all practical purposes the end of the era, the concluding chapter in the epic House of von Stephanitz.

In the cycle of life every man and every culture is destined to die, but the legacy is according to what is left behind to build upon. Whether we are in the dark before the dawn of a new era or at the end of the heritage will be according to our aggregate wisdom and courage. Continue Reading

As our family became involved in working dogs ln the latter 1970s the police dog and sport community was on the cusp of a three decade golden era of prosperity for the purebred generally, the German Shepherd in particular and for the emerging American Schutzhund movement.

It was a time of optimism and innocence, an era of unbounded enthusiasm and the promise of ever expanding prosperity. Yet in retrospect even then ominous clouds were gathering on distant horizons, foreshadowing precipitous decline.

The Decline in German Sieger Show Entries and Puppy Registrations
(2006–2025)
Louis Donald (Austraila)

Some may see this as negative, twist it to suggest it's a blame game, that the subject matter is best kept quiet, out of public view, left to the experts to deal with. However, I see it as a wake-up call, a clear signal for those in charge to act and nothing gets done when it's only discussed in a closed-door room and too often with people who are in part or whole the problem, but don't see it! Continue Reading

How Faulty Breeding Affects the Gait of The German Shepherd Dog
Prof Dr Heinrich Meßler-Ex Pres SV/WUSV
Louis Donald (Austraila)

“The German Shepherd Dog, a breed celebrated for its intelligence, versatility, and exceptional working abilities, has undergone significant changes over the past century. Originally bred for herding and protection, these dogs have served in various roles, from police and military work to search and rescue missions, showcasing their adaptability and endurance. However, the breed's transition from a functional working dog to a show" Continue Reading

In 1963 the Flemish ring sport community, predominantly Belgian Malinois breeders and trainers, was finally driven to the realization that in the long run viable police level working dog breeding, training and deployment is virtually impossible under the oppressive thumb of the FCI establishment, in this case Societe Royale Saint-Hubert the Belgian equivalent of the AKC. In response they finally established their own independent, working oriented governing body, that is the National Verbond der Belgische Kynologen or NVBK. Continue Reading

Over recent years there has been an ongoing, relentlessly escalating and increasingly acrimonious struggle between the FCI and the WUSV. In December of 2019 this came to a head when the FCI promulgated an edict forbidding the SV from sending judges to non FCI affiliated WUSV clubs such as USCA and those in Spain and Mexico. From the beginning years of the American working dog movement, in the late 1970s, these SV judges took on roles far beyond awarding scores and titles, they were our teachers, our mentors. Continue Reading

Es gab einen andauernden und eskalierenden Rachefeldzug der FCI gegen die internationale Gemeinschaft der Deutschen Schäferhunde, den SV und die WUSV, der letztlich zur Entmannung und Ablehnung der FCI vor den europäischen Gerichten führte. Dies ist von epischer Bedeutung, ein Paradigmenwechsel, der noch Continue Reading

Over recent decades the rift between ornamental and functional lines in our police breeds, particularly the German Shepherd, has been relentlessly widening.

That this is coming to a crisis can no longer be denied. Those of leadership and influence, of every persuasion, must seek dialog, find a way to close this rift and preserve these breeds and this heritage.

This is our obligation to the founders. Continue Reading

European green party and animal rights activists have for decades been an increasingly serious threat to our working dog culture and heritage. Rather than driven by empathy or concern for animal wellbeing these shrill opportunists—seemingly trapped in empty, sterile lives—seek relevance through the flaunting of a thin veneer of righteous indignation, seeking to inflict unwarranted harm, distress and humiliation on those carrying on traditional canine culture and service. As with all bullies they can never be satisfied, the visceral thrill of oppression—the obliteration of generations of canine heritage—leading only to the insatiable desire for more. Continue Reading

Over more than four decades I have been involved in the breeding, training and international affairs of working line Bouviers des Flandres and as a commentator and historian for our police breeds generally. In the beginning there was no one to question that on occasion serious discipline—the application of appropriate physical correction—is a necessary aspect of dealing with such large, aggressive and powerful dogs. But in recent years a cadre of self-declared animal rights activists has come forth to preach that physical correction of any sort is inherently wrong and unnecessary, that we can live with and train such dogs with "positive motivation" only without any need of physical correction. Continue Reading

In less than a generation the German Shepherd has lost preeminence in police service and in the minds and hearts of the German people. That this is cause and effect is beyond question; the pervasive aura of vigor, aggression and virility was from the beginning what had created enthusiasm in the homeland and around the world, generated the universal allure of possessing a police dog. Continue Reading

The purebred dogs, especially the police and military breeds of concern here, have complex histories, convoluted and interrelated organizations and incessant conflict and strife. Discussions involve innumerable acronyms and often obscure, at least to the uninitiated, terminology. This is intended to be a primer, an outline presupposing minimal familiarity and knowledge. Because of the complexity and volatility this is sure to be found wanting, for which reason readers are encouraged to note errors or suggest additions; this simply can never go beyond the work in progress stage. Continue Reading

Americans are on the whole proud of their heritage, the revolution which broke free of an oppressive European aristocracy and established a government of the people rather than a hereditary privileged class. This was a precursor to the French Revolution, which in time had the same outcome there, that is the opening up of opportunity to all men regardless of the circumstances of their birth. Reality is of course more nuanced, the down side was that these opportunities were limited to white, property owning males; indeed our nation was founded on slavery which preordained a century of strife culminating in a great civil war to complete our revolution. Continue Reading

Foundation Principles of Max von Stephanitz
"The ideal of the Society was to develop Police trial Champions out of Exhibition Champions, our shepherd dog therefore, was further developed by dog lovers as a working dog. The Standard by which he would be judged and approved was this, namely:– utility is the true criterion of Beauty. Therefore our dogs exhibit everywhere to-day (in a fittingly developed frame, and never as the caricatures of Nature, the greatest of all teachers) a build of body, compacted and designed for the highest possible efficiency, spare and powerful, with wonderfully wellproportioned lines which immediately attract the connoisseur, who soon recognizes that it imparts to its owner a swift, easy gait, a capacity for quick turning and powers of endurance."