GSDs as Sheepdogs?

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Mightymax

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Calling all you GSDers!

Does anyone know if GSDs were originally used to work sheep? would they have been herders, or flock guardians? I assume they did have some connection with sheep because of their name? although they were once called Alsatians :confused:

The reason I ask, is that I have been lent some sheep to tidy a couple of horse grazed paddocks. I decided to move them... Sheep are not helpful.
After a lot of faffing around, I enlisted the help of my GSD boy. He is of Old English bloodlines, level backed and BIG (45kgs) and at 11 years old, although not quite as agile as he used to be, is still as sound as a pound. I have had him since he was 8 weeks old.

He amazed me! I kept him on the lead to start with, but then let him off, and he seems to have natural sheep savvy, soon getting them into the next paddock in a controlled way. This was not a one off, as we have moved them a few times since.

Has anyone else heard of GSDs being used to work sheep?
 
My bitch is a very small old fashioned working type, sharp as a pin, and very, VERY stock savvy.

She'll work anything, goats (who don't appreciate it), cows, sheep, horses, people.
6e6bb883.jpg
 
enfys said:
My bitch is a very small old fashioned working type, sharp as a pin, and very, VERY stock savvy.

She'll work anything, goats (who don't appreciate it), cows, sheep, horses, people.
6e6bb883.jpg
Click to expand...
Aww! she's gorgeous. Love the ears. My boy has never shown any interest in working stock before. That is why I was so astonished.
 
Yep, the old Bellbar and Brittas kennels were famous for their show dogs which also worked stock.
(Psst they're only 100 years old so 'old fashioned' is a bit of a misnomer :p)

Karl Fuller is still going strong in Germany, we had a bitch with lines to this kennel who was just superb.
http://www.kirschenbach.de/index.php?lang=en

They're not meant to work like collies, they're meant to 'hold up' and keep the stock either still or moving at a steady pace and of course to guard.
It was this action of moving around the flock up and down all day that gave the breed the long, low, economical trotting gait.

The lady from the Fouranfass kennel wrote some great articles in a breed magazine about starting her lovely all-black boy Zorro in herding. He has also won in the showring and has his BH working obedience qualification.
 
Oh, and me again! Must stop spamming thread :p

The correct, original name for the breed is Deutsche Schäferhunde or German Shepherd.
It was renamed Alsatian Wolf Dog in the UK during the war years because of anti-German feelings.
The KC has finally in the past few weeks agreed to drop Alsatian name after decades of lobbying by breed enthisiasts.

If you Google 'Captain Max Von Stephanitz' who was the founder of the breed in the late 1800s, early 1900s, you will find out a lot of interesting information about how they came about.

Pics of your sheps working stock would be very welcome :)
 
Brilliant, Cave Canem, thanks for all the info. I will try and get some photos of him working the sheep. His style is very much as you describe. :)
 
No worries, excuse my geekery, it's lovely to hear of them doing what they were originally intended to do.
Sadly mine have prey drives through the roof and I don't think I'll risk my neighbour's champion flock of Scottish blackfaces :p

Although they do try and 'round' people up and keep us going forward if there's more than just me on a walk :p
 
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