WELCOME TO OUR CLUB!

The S.A. Alsatian (Shepherd Dog)  Club has stood the test of time.Established in 1922 , we are renowed throughout the country and we are  the biggest and oldest German Shepherd Training Dog Club and are affiliated to the Kennel Union of South Africa. (KUSA).

If you own a German Shepherd, or if you are an avid fan of German Shepherd dogs, you are encouraged to join the club.
ALL DOG BREEDS ARE WELCOME TO TRAINING...

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“The   Alsatian”…….. or is it  “ The German Shepherd  Dog ? “                                                                                                   

The most common asked questions ;   “What is the difference between a German Shepherd and  an Alsatian?
Is it the size, the coloring of the coat, the length and thickness of the hair etc”                                                                                                                                                                           
The answer….  there is NO difference between the Alsatian and German Shepherd (GSD) DOG ! It’s only the names which are different. 

How the name change came about;

The German Shepherd(GSD) Dog  was especially  bred in Germany in  the early 1900’s ,   (mainly  from The Wolfhond (Wolf Dog) / Shaferhund)  to be the  most  perfect required Working Dog  , with the highly  special attributes which were  required  for them to carry out their duties including  to herd cattle, sheep, and even chickens .It needed to be a strong , sturdy  and durable  Working Dog .                                                                                  
It had to be highly intelligent  and to  be able  to cope   especially   with the extreme European winters and  warm summers.  It had to be faithful and fearless. Eventually the ‘perfect’  German Shepherd Dog (GSD)  was bred  according to the required standards.

The name  “German Shepherd” was changed to “Alsatian “   after the 1^st World War , because of the  stigmatism of anything  connected to Germany. This came about when soldiers returned back  to Britain and America from the fighting   in Europe,  and some had  adopted  and taken home  ‘’these  fearless and intelligent” dogs which had been used extensively and efficiently  by the German military.                                                                                                                                           
The name ‘’Alsatian” came  from one of these returning  soldiers  who named the breed  after  Alsace –Lorraine,  a border between France and Germany ,  in order to shield his dog from the  anti- German feelings.                             
The most world- famous  German Shepherd was  the dog- actor  Rin Tin Tin , ( who was a rescue puppy from Germany and was  taken to America by an ex soldier. )

Rin Tin Tin  starred in many movies of the day  and so endeared the GSD  Breed  to the world for his show of intelligence and courage in his movies.                                                                                                                   
From its features the GSD   is one of the most recognizable and respected  breeds throughout the world and arguably also one of the most intelligent breeds.  Because the  GSD  is loyal, protective , and highly intelligent,  it  has many uses in society ,  for example they are extensively used:
As Guide dogs for the blind;                                                                                                                                            
As Security and guard  dogs.The  German Shepherd has the strongest  measured pressure bite of domestic dogs.                                                                                                                                                                                
As Search and Rescue dogs,  especially  during times of disasters ,and  is  favored by police and the military  for  crowd control ,for  guarding , and  tracking and sniffing operations.  They have even been trained to sniff and locate drowned bodies from above the water in rivers and dams!                                                                                                                                                                                  
Because of the world wide popularity and  demand for the breed , many ‘backyard breeders and puppy mills’ churned out litters of  puppies,  and not worrying about maintaining the high breed  standards , and  they  so lowered the quality  of the breed for their own financial gains.  As a result the breed standard suffered.   Registered breeders throughout the world  have  specified  the high  breed qualities which have to be adhered to in order to regulate the breed  and to ensure and to  maintain  best  breed  standards for  quality, health  and temperament.  ( For details of   Breed Standards For German Shepherds see  further .)

Being a working dog ,  The GSD is  athletic and active and they need exercise and  training,  and it is highly recommended  that they  be socialized  from puppy stage  to accept being around  other dogs and breeds ,  and  to be  sociable  around  people  and young children .

Once trained  and socialized they can be gentle family pets  and  companions  ….   when necessary  they  will be protective over their owners  even to their own death. 

The most Medals Of Honour  presented to  Animals have been presented to German Shepherds  for outstanding bravery and dedication in the course of their duties.