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EQIDIUSKENNEL · SLOVAKIA

From the book

How the breed began

From a herders’ dream to the best-known working dog: Max von Stephanitz, Horand v. Grafrath and the founding of the German Shepherd breed.

Chapters I, IV · pages 13–15, 26

The book opens where the breed itself began – with the wish for one versatile dog that could herd all day, guard the flock and still look noble. Ján Sudimák follows Rittmeister Max von Stephanitz from the army to his own breeding and sets out the handful of founding dogs, led by Horand v. Grafrath, on which the German Shepherd is still bred today.

This is a preview. The full text, photographs and bloodline charts are in the book.

What the book covers here

  • The life and family motto of Max von Stephanitz
  • The first dogs of the studbook and why Horand’s line prevailed
  • How the German Shepherd became the leading service dog